fidofriday

Joni About to Launch Her Blue Ball – 64/365

Posted by Ellie

Everyone who has been following the progress of our puppy Joni will know that her favourite toy is her blue ball. She prefers to throw the ball to us from the 'blue ball station' which is under my chair. As you can see, she picks it up, holds it above the rail and uses the rail to bounce the ball in the direction of the person she wants to throw it or roll it, or kick it back to her.

In her tiny puppy days, when she was running after her frisbee or the blue ball, for some reason she felt she had to jump over the chair rails on her way through. She can't do that now, sadly for her. One of the disadvantages of growing up.

This is her first object of real border collie intensity. She will lie in her station for ages and watch the ball where it happens to be on the kitchen floor and never take her eyes off it, waiting for it to move.

If I am busy working in the kitchen, at the sink or the counter preparing food, she'll bring the ball and position it between my feet so that, should I have a spare moment in my work, I will be able to instantly kick it in her direction. And yes, that does happen. 🙂 Yesterday she threw the ball at Rupert (our cat) who was sitting on the kitchen floor. When Rupert didn't seem to 'get it', she took the ball over to him, dropped it at his feet and ran back to her station under the chair, waiting for him to kick it back. I did my best by trying to take his paw to hit it back, but I think he needs some more time to get the point of this game.

#dogloversworldwide +DOG LOVERS Worldwide by +Robert SKREINER  +Roswitha Böhmer +Thomas Henry 

#hqspanimals  +HQSP Animals curated by +Alejandro J. Soto +Krystina Isabella Brion +Andy Smith

#fidofriday +Fido Friday by +mel peifer +Lisa Lisa +Suhaib Ayaz +Wes Lum

#noapologies  #bordercollie   #puppy   #JonisDiary    #AdayinthelifeofJoni   #fansofJoni  

#365project +G+ 365 Project by +Simon Davis-Oakley +Patricia dos Santos Paton


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The Snow Isn't as Deep Under the Trees – 38/365

Posted by Ellie

It snowed again, about 2" last night, snow that fell soft and light and fluffy. When you pile that onto the 10" that fell the day before, on top of the previous layers, you understand why a small puppy has to do a lot of bouncing to try to get above a cold, white underworld. It's a relief when she reaches some trees and the snow is only up to her knees.  She loves having the freedom to run through it as best she can and she never seems to feel the cold, thanks to her thick coat.

#noapologies   #bordercollie   #puppy   #snow   #JonisDiary   #AdayinthelifeofJoni  

+Dogs GALLERY  #dogsgallery curated by +Heinrich Wagner as well as 
#hqspanimals  +HQSP Animals curated by +Alejandro J. Soto +Krystina Isabella Brion +Andy Smith  
and #fidofriday +Fido Friday by +mel peifer +Lisa Lisa +Suhaib Ayaz and +Wes Lum 
#dogloversworldwide +DOG LOVERS Worldwide by +Robert SKREINER +Roswitha Böhmer +Tom Crews
#noapologies #bordercollie #puppy #JonisDiary  #AdayinthelifeofJoni #fansofJoni 


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Growing up Fast – 37/365

Posted by Ellie

I had it in mind to photograph something else entirely today (no, I won't tell you, I will keep it as a surprise for another day) but it didn't work out. The cute puppy days are naturally limited, so my camera is never far from where Joni is.  #noapologies  (I am deep in paperwork and searching through old documents to fill in lots of forms just now, so my time with the camera is limited.)

Joni is now being trained on the Invisible Fence we have, which means that I no longer have to hold the leash when we are walking/galloping around the garden. She is learning the boundaries very quickly and with a lot of wide open space, she is at last feeling free to explore without a great lump (me) holding her back. And this leaves me also feeling freer, with a hand to hold the camera again, which is a great advantage. However we did have about 10" of snow yesterday and she is finding it a bit frustrating as she sinks in it up to her neck. Back indoors there's lots to keep her busy.

For my #365project +G+ 365 Project by +Simon Davis-Oakley +Patricia dos Santos Paton

+Dogs GALLERY    #dogsgallery   curated by +Heinrich Wagner as well as 
#hqspanimals  +HQSP Animals  curated by +Alejandro J. Soto +Krystina Isabella Brion +Andy Smith  
and #fidofriday +Fido Friday by +mel peifer +Lisa Lisa +Suhaib Ayaz +Wes Lum


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Happy Days are Here Again – introducing Joni

Posted by Ellie
Joni 3 - Ellie Kennard 2014
Joni 3 – Ellie Kennard 2014

Original Post: – 18/365

The house was just too empty. Now it is just SO full of bounce and happiness and joy! This new Joni came home with us on Saturday. She is (I’m sure I don’t have to tell you) absolutely perfect. (Border Collie, of course.)

I must relate a little story of how Joni 3 came to be ours. We were going to see her, not sure if she was coming home with us, for many different reasons. She is related to our last Joni, the one we lost in October. When we had finished looking at her, patting her and watching her play with her siblings, we stood and chatted with her breeder. The puppies settled into two heaps in their play area and fell asleep together. When it came time to make a decision and go home with or without her, Steven looked at her in the pile of sleeping puppies and asked “well, are you coming home with us then?”. She looked up, stood up alone, walked over to the edge of the play area and put her paws up on the top. No one else had moved. She chose us as much as we chose her. So of course she came home with us. Looking at her eyes, can you imagine turning her down? And now  I have a new photography assistant apprentice.