Jessie's First (Official) Selfie!

Sunday Selfie.

Jessie is ready for her closeup!

Dog Show Saturday, The Newfoundland Dog

I am a person who likes the heat, green grass, warm weather,........summer.  I'm in a countdown until the first day of spring right now and having a hard time getting into this winter stuff, as usual.  

Since I'm trying to find the positive in these cold months, I figured I'd research a dog that enjoys the winter. Today I'm going to explore a breed of dog that is NOT into summer but actually prefers the cold stuff; the Newfoundland. My information and pictures comes from the internet, especially the AKC site and Dogtime.com, as well as the Newfies I've had the opportunity to meet.

The Newfie, as this dog is also known, comes in black, brown, black and white, and grey, according to AKC.  They are very LARGE dogs and shed alot!  Plus, if you have a Newfie, be prepared for drool!  These guys are, however, known to be real sweethearts; so much so that their temperament is considered a key characteristic.

Believe it or not, Newfies as a breed originate in Newfoundland, Canada.  Their development is a pretty unclear; including breeds such as the Great Pyrenees, the Tibetan Mastiff, the Husky, the Black Wolf (extinct), or others.  They did come from Newfoundland but almost died out there due to a situation with taxing working dogs in the 1700s. They were heavily bred in England and many of the dogs currently around trace back to those roots.

These gentle giants were bred to be working dogs.  They have extremely thick, water repellent coats, as well as large webbed feet, to help keep them warm in cold water and excel in their work as fisherman's assistant. Newfies are very strong swimmers and have been known to rescue those who are in danger of drowning. These guys are also used to pull carts, etc., because of their strength and size.

As useful as their other features are, their best feature seems to be their goodness.  Newfies are natural nannies.  One such dog is Nana in the story of Peter Pan.  

Other famous Newfoundland dogs are President Buchanan's Lara and the Newfies of Sir Edwin Landseer.    

Newfies are excellent for families with kids.  They do need daily exercise and want to be a part of the family but they are pretty laid back.  These guys require lots of grooming. And keeping a clean house might be a trick with all the drool and the dirt that tends to stick to their coats.  However, they are very trainable and willing to please.

I don't see many of them for other stuff, but cool coats sure do them wonders.  Heat is not easy on these guys and extra measures are needed to keep them comfortable.

What is WRONG with Him?

We were all outside yesterday, checking on the livestock.  Our son and family, including their two dogs, came to visit.  This is Jack watching that weird kid, their 1 year old German Shorthair named Thor.  

Jack seems to think Thor is going to break himself, with legs going every which way. It's funny to see how different dogs handle themselves sometimes.  Thor has such long legs and such a goofy personality than my guys.  But he is a sweetheart.

We're joining the Black and White Sunday blog hop today, hosted by Dachshund Nola and Sugar the Golden Retriever.  Check it out!

Happy New Year from Aussies in Charge.

This is us this morning.  When you live on a farm, you do the chores; even the little ones.

It was chilly but a little better than earlier in the week.  

Hope you are all having a great New Years Day.  May 2016 be your best year yet!

2015; Year in Review

The year has been one full of changes for us at Aussies in Charge.  I started this blog at the end of June and have learned all kinds of stuff and met (cybermet) lots of people. The Aussies took over on June 23rd.  At least officially, although they have been large and in charge for a long time.

My business is growing by leaps and bounds.  Blogging is beginning to feel comfortable and normal. I find that I love photography.

My personal life has had a few bumps with losing first my father in law and then my own father in November.  After taking a little time to get it together and also take care of my business (having it's biggest month EVER), I finally have a little time to reflect.

I've learned about blog hops and joined in on several.  Thanks to Blogpaws, Dachshund Nola, Sugar the Golden Retriever and all the other blogs who have been hosting the hops.

I've learned about my fancy new camera; at least enough to start playing with it.  And I've been learning about all the cool editing effects.

My favorite dog picture has been:

My favorite horse picture:

My favorite scenery picture:

My favorite business picture, at least that I took.  Several people have taken some really good ones.  you may have seen some of them in my posts or on social media.

I've grown soooooooooooooooo much, which I love. I look forward to 2016 and all the new challenges ahead.  

Hope anyone reading this has a Happy New Year and I hope to get to know you all better in 2016.

We're joining the Thoughtless Thursday blog hop hosted by Ruckus The Eskie, Barking from the Bayou and Owned by a Husky. 

52 Snapshot Challenge, Final Week, Peace

Peace

Jessie in my lap as I get my morning started.  This is our peaceful time.  Doesn't she look like she's at peace?

I haven't been able to join the challenge regularly this year, but what I was able to participate was fun.  Thanks to The Lazy Pit Bull for hosting.

We're joining Wordless Wednesday for the final hop of the year as well.

Tuesday Tales and Tails, Aussie Edition

I've never personally met these people in person, but I feel like I know them.  Maybe someday that will change.  But right now the internet is working its wonders.

This is Kimberly and Paul Howell, who live in Rogue River Oregon.  They've been taking in dogs with big health issues to rehab and rehome them.  

They started out with this sweet girl several months ago.  Although she passed away, they decided to continue on with their work and have taken in several more dogs. The Howells started the Miss Gabriel Foundation in honor of their first rescue, Miss Gabriel.

Currently, they have five dogs that they are working with, in addition to their own dogs. Each of these dogs have issues which might doom them to euthanasia without these kind hearted souls.

They have Miss Violet:

Miss Coral:

Miss Heidi:

Mr. Jake:

and Mr. Noel:

You can click on each of their links for more information about each of these dogs.  The Howells do plan to rehome them once they have recovered from their various ailments, but right now, funds are a bit depleted.

If you are interested, please donate to the MGF Foundation.  They account for all their expenses and spend every cent on the dogs.  Click on the link to see the various ways you can help.