Ok...so it's a new day and new plan

The web site has been updated!

After my big reveal to you all yesterday of giving up the web site and consolidating to a one stop approach for a blog and web site, for both your sake and mine it was pointed out to me why that really wasn't the best plan; why I really shouldn't give up the web site.  So after spending many many hours putting this together, I am now undoing it.   The extra added pages will come down on the blog and new pages have already been added to the web site.   All the "for sale" updates and new additions will continue on as they have for years, on Ivygables.com.   For that matter it's all been updated already with new Oliver and Tawny pages and we will be adding Sprite later today.

This wasn't entirely bad news since while trying to relabel some posts more appropriately I deleted some inadvertantly....how many I am not even sure of at this point.   Whenever I was in a hurry, which seems like a lot of the time lately, I was just labeling all posts as general.   Probably not a good thing to do if this was to be a resource for information.


Quite honestly all the high tech that makes life much easier usually, sometimes doesn't.   This weekend is a good case in point. Of course, if I had been more proficient with Wordpress, which is a blogging program for anyone that doesn't know,  this all may have been a mute point, but I am not so we will muddle along as we were....at least I will and hope you visit once in a while to keep me company.  

And of course this is in part why I have some adults for sale now.  So I do have more time to do things like learn Wordpress.   Which brings to mind the question, which came first, the chicken or the egg?   I got one thing right anyway...this post is labeled- blogging.

Dog Wisdom

News and Stuff

New weekly updates
 

I've decided to add a weekly "Around the Homestead" post as a place to write about what we are up to and what's going on around here.   

Website changes

So in keeping with that....    As you may or may not have noticed I am doing more on the blog and less on the web site.  Since changing over to the Apple computer I've found it more and more cumbersome to post anything on the web site.  I never was able to find a good program for Mac and ended up adding having to do both Mac and PC solely for my web site.  The end result was not keeping up well on the web site or the blog.  So to make a long story short I will be letting go of the web in the next months and moving it all to a blog.   In the next 6 months or so I'll probably end up with Wordpress but in the shorter term it will be here.  I think the updates, posts and pictures as well as who's for sale will be so much more timely done this way.    Bottom line...all new content will be here.   This is the go to place for everything Ivy Gables so bookmark this page and check here first!

Dogs for sale

In addition to Oliver and Tawny we will be adding 5 or 6 more adults to the for sale page in the next week or two.  If your local and are looking to add an adult to your home now would be a good time to stop by and visit us.  We may have a good match for you even though he or she isn't posted yet.

 Isn't he cute?

Grooming

It's a never ending job around here.   But with the great weather we've been doing it outside!  And I have to say it's been so much fun to do it outdoors.   In another month or so I may not feel that way but right now the weather is so pleasant and the mess is none existent.  I just blow on the table and poof!  It's gone.  We set up an extra picnic umbrella for shade and moved an extra grooming table I used at shows out there along with a tv table for supplies and we were set.    I get to watch the birds...I love watching all the great birds we have out here in the country...and do the dogs too.

Creative Crating

Isn't this great?   I wish it were mine but it isn't.

I believe in using crates.  I can't even imagine how much of a chore housetraining a puppy would be without one.  It would undoubtedly make it a much longer and harder process.  As it is now, using a crate, there are times I wish I could just hurry things up so the whole in / out / in / out part would be over.  No more wondering if that look means "I gotta go" or  having to watch the clock to make sure I get puppy out in time.  Crates just simplify it all.  And most dogs, once they are used to a crate actually like them.  They go in on their own just to have a quiet place to take a nap around here.  Dogs are den animals and their crates become their dens.

  

I have 2 of these faux wicker Midwest Bay Isle crates in my kitchen.   They certainly are nicer than just plain wire but Midwest stopped making them.   There is another company making them but they are very expensive.   And they aren't good for chewers.  For very young puppies I have to use plain wire or  plastic airline crates.   

You can buy covers for them or you can do what I do and use a rug or sheet draped over it in a color and fabric that goes with your decor and then add books or baskets or whatever to the top to make it blend in to the room a bit better.

Orvis is making a couple of different styles of wood crates.   They are pretty pricey though.  They have both all wood or wood frames to use with a wire crate. 

I thought this was a cute idea for a wood crate.  It's being used as a bed in this photo but by adding a crate door to the front you could have a nice crate.  Looks very Tibetan sized too.  I'm sure it wouldn't be that difficult to find an old wood console television set that could be had for very little money.   And it wouldn't take a carpenter to add the door to the front. 

I loved this idea as well.   It would take a little more work but it would still be doable for most people with just basic carpentry skills provided you have a bookcase already.

I love this one almost as much as the top built in.   Many times this would just be empty space anyway.   I would hope it has a door on the other end to make getting into it easy for the cleaning etc.  

This has given me a bad case of dog crate envy.   I may have to figure out how to do something built in here.  In the meantime I can dream.  

Oliver

Oliver's a great dog.  He's very calm.  Gets along with other dogs, likes kids and is exceptionally good around cats.    He walks like a gentleman on the leash, is good when he's in his crate or in a kennel.  He' knows to sit for a treat and he knows down when asked.   He's always been good  about his housetraining even when he didn't have access to the dog door, patiently holding it till someone took him outdoors.    He loves nylabones and rawhides.   

Although my front yard is not fenced like the back is Oliver comes out with me and doesn't wander away.    He's content to just be with us.

When we go on short hikes he's been wearing his doggie pack.   He doesn't seem bothered by it or even notice he has it on.   It's been nice to have him carry the little stuff and a bit of water.  His leash hooks right to the pack.

Feel free to call or email if your interested or have questions about Oliver.   He's a great dog!