Tell Me Thursday: Return of Eirene!

I'm gonna guess I'll probably mostly post just to play Tell Me Thursday. But hey, who knows, miracles happen...

At least I have been motivated to update this poor little blog. Facebook. It is just too handy.

Tell Me Thursday started at a rather inconvenient time for kiss and tell games in my life. I think we are good now though! Altro!

1. Robin wants to know what your ideal number of dogs is?

I am totally going to regret saying this. Five inside is my dream situation. One young, two prime, one aged, one biscuit eater. Or two aged. I say I will regret it because every time I talk about dog numbers I either gain two in some way that can't be helped, or have a medical scare. Or both. Urp. Y'all forget I said any of this, k?

2. Lora wants to know if you find that your dogs are better or worse after time off from training?

This depends on the training involved. Sam needs constant tuning on his service dog work. Play "work" is take it or leave it with any dog I have ever had. With stockdog training, I had a couple who soured in between if allowed to do other interesting things. I believe these were dogs that didn't really have a strong start to begin with.

I have had a few that sulled up if left in the kennel, even if walked and even lightly worked. Some need to be around a person to feel like they are part of the team. Ted is like that, and so is my Cord.

Ted is a very easy dog in the house and a bit strong headed on stock. Whisper around the house and you don't have to yell at him on stock. Keep him in the kennel and you may need the two by four in the field.

I think most, though, benefit from a time out, if their brains are frying, and even use it to consolidate their experience so far. Especially older dogs.

This is one of those questions like, "How long is a string?" :)

3. What is your favorite power tool? What power tool do you wish you had?

My favorite is my cordless drill/screwdriver, not even a close runner up. I have been jonesing for a chain saw for three years now. No baby chain saws. I want a Husqvarna Rancher 20" Get-Those-Dead-Trees-Offa-My-Land.

4. What did you want to be when you grew up?

A sheep farmer. Seriously. Only in Montana, not necessarily North Carolina. I have relatives who farmed in Montana. My mom visited them and told me tons of what she thought were horror stories. Yeah, terrible! "Please, don't throw me into that briar patch!"

My career choices were all geared towards maximizing earnings in the middle of nowhere so I could also maintain a farm. Law, medicine - but I panicked at the last minute and just picked something that got me across the country. Long story. It still ended on a sheep farm, but not so much as Dr. Riddle. Well.

5. How many of your friends are not "dog people"?

I have probably half and half, because I can divide my intense friend-making times along one fault line. On one side my normal life revolved around education, on the other it revolves around dogs. I maintain both groups of friendships largely via the internet. This would seem odd, but I guess it is similar to the days before easy travel, when housewives did a lot of letter writing. That is my story and I'm sticking to it.