Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier

Farley’s Friday: A Wheaten Terrier and a Bear

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 13 Comments

Farley here,

Why am I running so hard? I need to protect my humans.

IMG_1443

I catch a strong scent. I’ve not smelled this particular aroma before, but something seems wrong to me. Kristina and Matt notice I’m agitated and call me to their side. Too late. My brain has kicked into instinct mode and off I run.

Then I see the creature. It’s black. It’s coat is shiny. And it’s huge. Well compared to me anyway.

I turn back to check my humans are not following.  Kristina picks up a branch and is rapidly approaching. Matt’s faster and heads my way. Don’t they understand they need to get away? 

I bolt at the bear, he hesitates, then sees I’m one serious dog. He climbs part way up a tree and waits. Kristina and Matt come closer, talking loudly and telling me to come. The bear shimmies farther up the tree, using his giant claws to move quickly.

I circle the bottom. “Stay up there,” I bark at the bear. Then back to Kristina and Matt, “Get out of here.”

Kristina and Matt call me one more time, then do as I ask. When I think they’re far enough from the bear, I bark one last time, and follow my humans out of the forest.

Not bad for a day’s work. You can call me the protector. I’ve done my job, and I’m proud.

Woof Woof

ps. I was only a little scared.

 

Farley’s Friday: One Dirty Wheaten

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 1 Comment

Farley here.

I can’t believe my good fortune. I’m running down the street, heading for a romp on the golf course, and what do I find? You won’t believe it.

The maintenance team is preparing the golf course for opening in a few weeks. Kristina says this is bad, because it means the golfers get to use the course, and we don’t. I don’t understand why I can’t chase the balls, but that’s for another story.

Today, look what I happen upon. The maintenance team put a huge pile of dirt, right on the road, demanding I jump in, dig, roll around and make myself muddy.

IMG_2152

Now maybe you already know, but I have some genetic traits specific to my breed. I’m a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, and I’m bred to dig. I can’t help myself. My brain turns off, literally, I don’t think anything is going on in there, and my paws go wild. True happiness flows in my blood.

The trick now is to avoid a bath when I get home. Wish me luck.

Woof Woof.

Farley’s Friday: An Easter That Keeps On Giving

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 2 Comments

Farley here,

Woof Woof.

I woke up Easter morning, barked at my humans to get up and waited, anxiously wagging my tail. I couldn’t wait to get an Easter bunny.

I wagged, wiggled and waited . . . nothing. I thought everyone got an Easter Bunny. Guess I was wrong.

I lay on the floor, rested my jaw on my legs and watched Kristina. Maybe she was going to surprise me. She picked up my leash, and I knew – no Easter bunny for me.

Off we went. Every day some of the snow goes away. I don’t know where, but I miss it. I head for the golf course, running fast. I hit the fairway. No snow! This was very confusing. I ran in circles, rolled in the grass, but still no snow. Anyone now how to make snow?

Something caught my eye. I am a dog, you know, and get easily distracted. I ran for the trees and skidded to a stop. Siting at the base of a lodge-pole pine tree, I found an Easter bunny.

IMG 2131

I think Kristina hid it there for me. I heard the kids in the neighbourhood saying they had to search for their bunnies, so I had to search for mine too.

My bunny lives on the golf course. Every day I visit her, play for a while, and then leave her until next time. She likes to stay outside overnight.

Woof Woof.

Farley’s Friday: A Slip and Fall

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 7 Comments

Farley here, You all know about my winter hiking boots. Well, now that spring is here, I have a new sleek version. They are so light, my feet feel like they’re running on clouds.

Out on one of our hikes through the forest, I stop to sniff a tree – you know, because trees smell great as the snow starts to melt. From a tree behind me, a squirrel natters at me. I whip my head toward the sound and bolt in the creature’s direction … Farley slip 1 But alas, my shoes let me down. When I’m bare pawed I have grip. I forget myself for a moment and run hard. Out go my paws from under me. How embarrassing. I’m a serious kind of dog, and I like to appear regal. Farley slip 2 Instead of looking regal, I look like a snow head. Farley Slip 3 Woof Woof

Farley’s Friday: The Case of The Disappearing Ball

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 11 Comments

Farley here,

Do you know where my ball went?

Kristina lobbed it over my head and across the field. What I don’t understand is why she threw the ball when I was still on leash. I don’t think she was paying attention. She tossed it. I ran. She fell when I jerked the leash.

I looked back for a second, just to check she was okay, and then kept running. I had my eye on the bright orange ball as it flew through the air. I was concentrating hard. And then . . . in an instant it disappeared.

No matter how hard I searched, I couldn’t find it.

Lost Ball

Can someone mail me another ball? By the way, Kristina wasn’t hurt during the production of this blog.

Woof Woof.

Farley’s Friday: Loneliness

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 8 Comments

Farley here,

Boo Hoo. I’m lonely this week. Finn left me. You remember him? He’s the Icelandic Sheepdog who lived with us for two weeks. He went back to Calgary, where ever that is. I thought he’d moved in with us for good. Sometimes my peeps don’t explain things very well. Kristina still thinks I understand full sentences. Finn did bark that he missed the city, so I guess he needed his own life back with his peeps.

Now I have to play with the ball my myself.  I carry it around and give Kristina my most pathetic look. She won’t wrestle with me for the ball, she won’t chase me across the snow, and she won’t bite the ball and try to pry it out of my mouth.

Lonely

Someone send me another dog.

Woof Woof.

Farley’s Friday: Dogs and Coyotes

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 4 Comments

Farley here,

The song of coyotes reaches my ears for this first time this winter. Their barking, howling, and yipping echoes around me. A pack is crossing the range on the other side the golf course. They’re barreling through the trees, probably chasing something.

Finn picks up on the noise, and with alert ears and nose,  checks for their scent. He’s a city dog and can’t tell the pack is far away. I don’t react much. Call me Mr. Cool.

Coyote check

Finn makes a move, as if to cross the golf course and chase the forest beasts, but Kristina tells him to stay.

He can’t take the excitement and attacks me instead.

Crazy dogs

Finn’s a goof, but I’m starting to get attached to him. Soon his humans will come and take him away. Bummer. I want him to stay and live with us.

Woof Woof

Farley’s Friday: Snowball fights

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 4 Comments

Farley here,

My FFL Finn has been here since Wednesday. He’s an Icelandic Sheepdog and knows all kinds of games. Dogs in Iceland must really like games.  I just found out what a snowball fight is.

Kristina throws a ball at my face. I look at her as if she’s crazy. I have no idea what she wants me to do.

Farley Curios

Kristina throws a snowball at Finn’s face. He catches it.

Finn Farley Snowball

Can you see the snowball in his mouth? I’m getting the idea of what’s expected of me.

Kristina throws a snowball in between us and look what happens!

Dogs

Finn is poised and ready. He’s concentrating on the snowball. I fly into the air. I just don’t know why.

Can you guess who caught it?

Woof Woof