Mom and Quil are becoming quite the team

**FLASH**

5pt major under SBJ Rick Gann

3/20/11 (18 months)

Photo Courtesy of Thomas Photography

WB/BOW/BOB over specials!

4pt major under SBJ Lynn Hamon

6/11/11

WB/BOW/BOB over specials!

3pt major under Provisional Breeder Judge Karen MacDonald

7/1/11

Quil comes to us from Marie Murphy of Diamond Aire kennel and is already making her presence known! This little blue bi spitfire seems to possess her mothers exuberant outlook on life.  As a small puppy she was  fearless and would follow us anywhere and everywhere...not even blinking at new situations. She loves to play fetch and tug and will bring things back every time. Quil is also catching on quickly to clicker training and seems to be smart as a whip. Our goal is to help her become a thinking dog....one that doesn't rely on the handler for every command but instead is always trying to anticipate the next step and problem solve on their own. So far this is working out excellent and she learned a full dumbell retrieve by 7 months old quite by accident while staying with Heather at college for 2 weeks for socialization.  She found Smoke's dumbell and brought it to Heather who was in the kitchen doing dishes.  Heather praised her then put it back on the crate it came from, meanwhile grabbing the clicker/treats and walking back into the other room.  A few minutes later Quil came prancing back into the kitchen with it.  Click. Treat. and thats all it took to get her to realize we really like it when she brings us that "toy".  A few minutes tossing it (even into other rooms where it was basically a blind retrieve) and Quil had everthing but a front/finish.  SMART;-)

Quil  has been exposed to sheep a couple of times and we were very pleased with her reactions.  She was very interested and tried to heel a couple times yet was also willing to stay out and take direction from us.  For now we are keeping exposure short and fun to keep her interest and confidence up but we anticipate great things from her.  Ty and Smoke can't wait for her to start working, however.  Then she may stop heeling THEM every second they are out together.   She is relentless in chasing/heeling them to the point where Smoke now runs full bore and if he has to stop he immediately sits so she just bounces off of him instead of grabbing his hocks.  They always come in with slobbery heels. 

Sara will be training/handling Quil on stock when the time comes and Melissa will be handling her in obedience and conformation. Watch for this cutie soon!