Wanna Take a Dip-Dip?

Aug 11, 2026

This question gets our corgis all excited for they know it means swimming! Boy, do they like swimming! Apparently not all corgis do, but HoneyPie and Buster are all about it.

When HoneyPie was a puppy she would jump into the stock tanks. Good sign that she liked water.

Buster being two years younger than HoneyPie is no less exuberant.

I am grateful for their joy of water. Corgis are active dogs. Swimming sure helps get energy out and offers great exercise.

*Walking before me to the pond, they both turn around to check I am still coming.*

We start slowly at the first of our swimming days. Cold months with no swimming means we must pace the dogs until their stamina is built up.

*Buster goes full-steam ahead on retrieving.*

Looking for sticks, the right stick is a job. Once I tossed a stick in for HoneyPie and it sank!!? I realized the value of another one close at hand. She went after that one. Thank goodness, as I am not sure how long they would look, and tire themselves out.

Sometimes they are anticipating the wrong direction a stick is thrown and jump in before they see it hit the water. This puts them on a wrong path. I have learned to throw a stone in near the stick that grabs their attention and puts them on the correct path.

Well exercised dogs are happier dogs which makes for happy owners out here on our farm!

*Water reflecting on the leaves is pretty.*

Do your dogs like swimming?

A Small Herding Dog

Jul 22, 2026

Do you know any of the small herding dogs? There are several breeds, and we have one of them, Pembroke Corgis. Affectionally know to many older folk as “the Queens dogs.”

As well they should be. It was because of Queen Elizabeth II that the Corgi officially became a registered dog. Someone wisely decided the Queen should have registered dogs, after all she bred them all her life, and she was the Queen of England!

I must like herding dogs too (of mostly mixed breed) as I have had several over my lifetime. They are energetic, active dogs—most certainly not lap dogs.

For the first time we now have purebred ones, the Pembroke Corgi. HoneyPie is five years old, Buster is three.

They came from breeders in south-west, Virginia. We waited a couple years before getting Buster because we still had our good, old mixed-breed herding dog, Dandy.

*Taking a walk with our old dog, Dandy, teaching puppy HoneyPie.*

*Dandy took his job seriously of watching the farm.*..

We purchased Buster two years later. Bill wanted a tri-colored, HoneyPie. I wanted a gold and white one, so we got Buster.

I have always admired the herding dogs ability with livestock. Sheep trials are thrilling to watch the way those well-trained dogs and owners work sheep together.

It interested me to train our dogs to herd. With only articles off internet I worked at training mostly HoneyPie. We do not have sheep. We have chickens. The articles I studied said it helps to have the flock (in my case) know where they were to go. This was very helpful because at dusk chicken head to the henhouse.

She learned as well, I suppose, as any greenhorn could teach her. We have had fun. She will do right nice with the cattle as well.

Having a second dog made for more difficulty with training two dogs. Buster is exuberant, but not as well disciplined. That is my fault.

*They are waiting for Bill to whistle for the horses to come in.*

They enjoy bringing the horses in, though they would never win any herding competition.

*They will go get the minis after High Hope and Duke come in.*

Really, they are far from being a good herding dog, but we have enjoyed learning and trying.

Have you ever gone to sheep dog trials?

*We do enjoy this active, happy breed of dog, now for a swim HoneyPie & Buster!*

A Great Outfielder

Apr 13, 2025

This is a quick post of photographs. After several grey, wet days, this beautiful, sunny day beckoned us out-of-doors to play catch.

HoneyPie is one great outfielder. I happened to have my phone during our play time and caught photos of her in action.

Her herding instincts are easy to see. I know very little about training herding dogs, though I have taught her ‘direction’. She will herd the chickens in at night.

I enjoy watching her play frisbee. She is adroit and remarkably fast for legs that are only 4″ long!

*Watching, watching for which direction to go.*

Well, time to head back outside…

Thursday Thoughts #139

Mar 27, 2025

*Our humans and us wish you a happy week-end! Hey! Take your humans on a walk. They need the exercise!*

Our Puppy, Buster

May 19, 2023

He came to our home three weeks ago. Our ‘male with a tail Corgi’ we named Buster. I am in full puppy mode now! which is to say very little around here has been done in these three weeks!

This messy, happy puppy time goes quickly, and my dirty house is quite patient. It will happily wait AND accumulate more dirt until I get to it. Until then, Buster needs attention and training.

My dear friend gave me some great advice she always gives to families with new babies (in my case baby puppy). ‘When puppy naps, you nap!’ This wisdom should be included in puppy training books.

HoneyPie, our two-year-old Corgi is a big help with him also. She keeps him in line. If he gets too wound up with jumping around and nipping, she is quick to tell him to settle down.

They have a grand time chasing each other. Buster wears himself out trying to keep up.

We have always liked two dogs here in the farm. Two dogs are a pack, and they work together keeping wildlife at a distance. I did not want two puppies at the same time to train, so we waited two years after getting HoneyPie to get Buster.

We have always had dogs. Mostly they have been what I call 100% Pure Pound dogs. They have been good dogs. However, we are now at an age where we need to know just how big the pups we get will grow, and their basic temperament and requirements. It is always a guess with pups from the pound.

Our corgis are energetic and active. We know what to expect from them and how we must keep them busy and well exercised. HoneyPie helps me put the chickens away at night, and helps bring in the horses in the evening as well. She will be a good help teaching Buster also.

Nap time is nearly over for right now—time to take puppy outside!