Category Archives: Star X Blue
Colby
Puppaccino anyone? Yes, Please–
Colby loves going to Brie’sta. He gets so excited when we pull into the parking lot where the drive through that he hops over the seat and waits next to mama for his puppaccino. It’s his favorite thing. Here he is, licking his lips in anticipation for the treat that will surely end up all over his nose and lips. And my fingers.
Breeder Comment
Thank you, Jenn–we know that any Weims who read this blog will identify with Colby’s experience. Puppaccino was a perfect blog for today.
A Decade of Colby
So Much Happiness Shared
Can you believe Colby is 10? It seems like we just brought him home!
The last decade has brought us so much happiness. It’s hard to think about everything having a weimaraner has done for us and sum it all up. But if I had to sum it up in 3 words, I would say best. dog. ever!
These days, Colby prefers lazing around the house and snuggling. He doesn’t ever hesitate to tell me when it’s bedtime. Most nights, my husband comes to bed after me. So Colby takes his place and often nudges his face in my shoulder until daddy comes and kicks him out of his spot.
As he develops more gray around the muzzle, I realize that our time with him is slowly becoming more limited. Still though, we will continue to enjoy every moment we can for however many more years we are blessed to have him.
These are some favorite photos of Colby over the last 10 years along with a video celebrating his birthday. We celebrated his 10 years with a little bit of home made (doggy friendly) ice cream and some peanut butter. He was a happy boy.
Breeder Comment
Jenn, thanks for remembering us with this lovely update. You have been faithful to stay in touch all these years and give us photos, funny stories, and newsy reports. We do so appreciate it. While being deployed, you sent that great video of you Skyping with Colby–you are the best. Thanks ever so much for everything –and especially for your service.
I Love you Deer
~ Colby Checks it Out
Hi! I hope this finds you doing well! I thought you might like a photo for the blog.
My husband and I celebrated our 13 year anniversary and Colby couldn’t be more excited about “daddy’s” gift. I told him you that “I love you, deer! May I have a nibble, now?” is not something you should say when having your first encounter with a new friend. He disagreed.
Blessings to you!
~Jenn
Breeder Comment
I sure Colby could not believe his good fortune–and indeed, he wanted a nibble. His new chewy –but …
I’m Back
…and Making Up For Lost Time
Well, we did it! We survived another 6-month deployment. As I write this, Colby is snuggled up next to me. Happy I am home! I haven’t left his sight since I walked through the door!
I managed to successfully get a video this time. My mom was happy to record it. About half an hour or so (I’m guessing) later, I went upstairs to change and get unpacked. He jumped up on the bed and started crying. So I laid down with him and gave him some more lovins. Here is a video I compiled with the footage mom and I shot. I’m so happy to be home!
Breeder Comment
We all salute you and your service. Thank you, for all the notes and photos, etc. that you shared while you were away on deployment. We are all happy to hear of your safe return.
Lovins
~With Colby
and his Tiny Hyoomans
Its been awhile since I sent an update. So I thought I’d share a couple of tidbits with you.
Colby decided that there was juuuuust enough space to squeeze into my chair with me for some lovins. Then, the tiny humans decided that there was room for them, too. So we took a few photos. You can see his enthusiasm as the photo shoot progressed. He still refused to budge from his perch, though! He’s a very patient big brother. As soon as the tiny humans left, he got comfy again and stayed a while longer. He got up for a potty break, but as I am sitting here writing this, he has found his place back on my lap for another morning siesta. What a ham!
Here is a video of him eating an ice cream cone. This is something I have never done. But after a series of events that led us to the vet’s office, I decided to help him unload his stress by hiding his first dose of meds in an unexpected treat. He had no complaints. Feel free to share on your blog if you’d like!Colby is a little lonely since our lab passed away and we have been looking into finding him a new companion. We are considering another weim and would like to look into possibly getting on the waiting list for another pup when I get home from my deployment in January.
Breeder Comment
Mourning
Colby Finds Comfort
I don’t really send much on Colby these days. But I wanted to take a moment to share a couple photos I snapped of our youngest with him the other day.
It’s been a little rough for Colby with the passing of our older dog, Sable. It hit him worse than anyone, since the rest of us were prepared for this to happen. We’ve been giving him lots of loving and he is milking it pretty well. Case in point: letting him on the bed with the baby.
He doesn’t know of to be cognicent when she is laying around and stepping on her is a possibility I’d rather avoid. When he came up to attempt a nap, I charged him a few photos. He grumped off shortly after he realized no nap would be happening here.The weim grieves loss just like we do. But a little love can help to mend a broken heart.
Breeder Comment
I think Weimaraners, just as humans, process loss in different ways. Some seem to go on with life and adjust quickly. Others suffer intensely.
It never ceases to amaze me how most Weims adapt to life changes. I truly believe much of this is due to their inclusion in the family. When some add a baby, they forget that the Weimaraner was the center of the universe before the baby arrived. Others include the fur-family members without expecting them to be relegated to the background.
Many times a pup who comes into a family with children will be fueled by the energy of the toddler and younguns running around. Unwanted puppy nipping and also jumping up are typically the issue. It can be challenging. In the same family, if there is a baby, it may well never be a problem. The Weimaraner often are more careful and found to cuddle in with the baby. I used to have a photo of a baby sleeping on the Weimaraner. The family said it calmed the baby. Our relationships are complicated and amazingly unique.
Gobbo
Points & Retrieves
Gobbo is one-year old. He lives (and hunts) with Tom in Utah.
The Weimaraner by definition is a versatile hunting breed. What does that mean? In America, we refer to the two Versatile Hunting Dog Venue Opportunities. They vary in philosophy but give the versatile hunter and breeder a great opportunity. You can find the links to explore the information below for both the Versatile Hunting Dog Federation (VHDF) as well as the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA).
The Versatile Hunting Dog (VHDF)
The versatile hunting dog is a foot hunting dog developed for work before and after the shot under a variety of conditions in the field, forest, and water. Generally speaking, most of the versatile hunting dogs were developed in Europe during the 19th century due to hunting laws which required all game to be recovered after it was shot. This change in hunting ethics led to the need for a dog that could perform universally at a range of tasks. Breeders of that time took traits from the best of the specialist breeds and combined them into what are known as the versatile breeds today. Because of the demands placed on them, versatile dogs must be intelligent, with the willpower to persevere and the ability to concentrate under numerous and variable conditions. Searching, pointing, tracking wounded game, cold water retrieving, blood tracking and blind searching are all necessary capabilities for versatile hunting dogs.Since most versatile dogs enjoy a long tradition of selective breeding for highly cooperative and trainable character, they make great companions in and around the home. Well bred versatile dogs are highly intelligent with a calm demeanor. These characteristics make them suitable family dogs as they love people and are gentle around children. © Versatile Hunting Dog Federation
Murphy at One
Murphy the Smurfy
Here are several pictures from the past year…
Murphy was with us for the last camping outing of last year (Cucumber on his eye) and then one from our first camping of this year. He did GREAT on both! He likes to sleep in my sleeping bag tho…..
On May 31st our little blue boy turned 1!!! Murphy (or as I call him “Murphy the Smurfy” (Cause we all know Smurfs are ….. blue… hehe)..
We feel so blessed to have 2 OwyheeStar Weims in our house!! As everyone always posts, they always get lots of attention when we are out, some of the pictures included are from a 5K walk (heart walk) we did last weekend ON Murphy’s Birthday and the Weim Duo got LOTS of comments! At least one of them took down your info after asking us some questions!
Murphy has grown up to be a big sweetheart! He’s so full of life and wants nothing more than to be under our skin about all the time.. He’s learned any tricks I’ve taken the time to show him, unfortunatly my work has been a real bear the last 6 months so my time to really work with him has been minimal. He mastered shake within a few days and as much as I’ve tried Charlie Mae REFUSES to shake! It’s so funny, but I continue to try to teach her and keep Murphy practicing! Overall he’s getting more and more obedient respecting the yard boundaries we have, mostly stern talking to is discipline enough.
We are constantly getting comments about how striking the blue color is! My only complaint about his color is that he’s almost like a stealth dog. He’s impossible to see at night, he blends in almost perfectly with our car’s interior, he’s about the same color as asphalt..
Thanks for the awesome Weim Duo! WE LOVE THEM!
Colby is Three, and big changes are on the horizon
Can you believe our little troublemaker is already 3??? Hard to believe that so much time has passed since we brought him home in March of 2010. It still seems like it was only recently that we picked him up from your farm and brought him home! As I write this up, he is devouring squeaky toy #2 of several toys I dropped on the floor for him this morning. Needless to say, he is a happy boy!
Colby is doing well. At 3 years, he has calmed down quite a bit. Though he does chew the occasional shoe or throw a tantrum when we are not giving him enough attention (as you can see depicted in a recent photo I took).
This last year, he survived my deployment to the abyss. Which he would not let me out of his site for weeks after I got home. He also learned to use Skype in the process. He got to chase (and literally inhaled) a few birds. He met new people, visited new places and learned a few new things. I still can’t (for the life of me) get him to go into the tub for bath time. BUT! I think I may have found a solution to this. I have discovered that if I point to a random spot in the bathtub and yell “GET THAT BUG!” He’ll go after that nonexistent bug… And may even jump in to go after said bug. I think that this will only work once for bath time. But I have not tried it yet so we shall see!
Colby is getting ready to welcome a little brother or sister, due on March 27th. With that, I need to seek some serious advice. We have had small children in the house before. And he has not done well with them. For example, this summer, my best friend visited with her 1 1/2 year old, and her 4 year old girls. Both of them ADORED Colby but he did not share the feelings. He was ok with some petting and playing. However, he got irritated easily when they poked him in the eye trying to pet him, or touched him in some areas that I (or any other adult) can normally get away with. During these instances, he growled and even snapped on a couple of times. I removed him from the kids in these instances. But if there were no other adults to intervene- or he got even more irritated- I get the feeling that he may have actually bitten one of the children. This has me worried quite a bit. I’m not sure if he would growl or snap at an infant. However, I’d like to prevent this from happening with my baby. Is there anything I can do to get him ready to integrate a new baby into the house. And if so, what steps do I need to start taking to ensure that Colby and baby are going to be okay with one another as baby grows? I did poke around the blog a little. But I didn’t really find anything on the subject.
Well I think that’s about all I have for now. So I shall close this book and get back to the day. Hope all is well with everyone over there! ~ Jenn (10/17/2013)
Breeder’s Note: Change is never easy for the Weimaraner. Early socialization with babies and young children can make a huge difference; however, bringing home the human baby changes the family dynamic. These guys pick up on the hormonal ups-and-downs. They react to the change before it comes their direction. The Weimaraner senses and reacts to your concern, and your anxiety. Some people manage to bring home the new baby, and things go well. Other people bring home the baby, and
things did not go the way they hoped. It can be a process. the baby and the Weimaraner might not be the best of friends early-on. Jealousy, being-sidelined, and not liking being mauled can all play into how this works. This is the time (before the baby comes) to ensure you have the upper hand, and not they, the upper paw. They need to want to please you, and to be comfortable in the crate. There are times when the kennel is going to be important. It is not a punishment, or a doggie jail. However, the crate is a safe place. When you are not comfortable or cannot supervise it is good to use the crate.
Cliff will give you some personal time if you need help with obedience or training. You know how to contact him via email if you need to set something up. We know you will work this out. Colby doesn’t want to share you, or to have to be flexible. Neither of those scenarios are going to work. Congratulations on the new baby–your life is going to change. Thank you for your service to our country, and the world at-large. We prayed for your safe return while you were gone. We are glad you are back, and home-safe in Idaho.
Mom’s Deployment was hard on Colby too!
It is good to be home!
As you know, I recently returned from overseas. Being able to see Colby (and my other family members–including our other dog) on the webcam was so wonderful. It made time go faster.
Colby loves his Goughnut…
I wanted to share some cute photos I took of Colby yesterday. This is him with his favorite toy, the Goughnut. I ordered it for him in December when he was beginning to tear more things up in the house. He carries it all over the place and loves chewing on it. Hasn’t put a dent in it yet. I have to say that I recommend it for other weims that like to get bored and chew when someone isn’t looking.
Colby was glad to see me, and possibly worried I would be leaving again…
He’s been doing pretty good since I got home from my deployment. My goodness you should have seen him when I walked through the door! He was outside in the back yard and when I stopped at the door he poked his head up and just stared. As soon as I opened up the door it was all over. He was so excited! He followed me around everywhere (more so than “normal”) for that first week I was home. He has since settled down a bit.
Breeder’s Note: First, we thank Jenn for her service to our country. Being deployed is not easy. Recently, we read how when Phill had been gone for the Annual Training in Idaho; Kali was OK upon his return. Then when Phill needed to be gone for another weekend of training, he left friends at his house to watch her. The gate was accidentally left open, and she went to find him; or so it seems. We cannot imagine what they (our beloved Weims) must be thinking. Colby is a bit extra clingy, and worried that Jenn might leave again. It is hard on everyone, but the Weimaraner must suffer more. They cannot reason as to why you come and go. Ten minutes can seem like an hour or longer. A day might seem like eternity. They don’t soon forget your absence.
We have placed a Weimaraner with several military families. Some are in active service but have a stable living situation. Some, are veterans who suffer from PTSD, and the ravages of war. We believe these wonderful creatures can help the healing process. We owe these folks a debt of gratitude at a minimum.
For now, we will continue to remember Kali and Phill until she returns home. We are glad Jenn is home safe, and that Colby is adjusting (and coping) with wondering where his Mama went. We send prayers and thoughts to both these wonderful households.
Owyheestar Weimaraner's News 