DreamBigKennels

No snow again equals long time between update

2012-03-10T14:43:00.000-08:00

The snow did not last all that long here while the rest of Nova Scotia seems to have had a some what white winter we have had very little to no snow and the dogs have only been out 3 times this year. Once in late December by me and Twice in January/ February by Katalen. No snow, no runs, no pictures. Hera and Capper where to the vet in January and everything is looking good with them. The vet says Hera is full grown and shouldn't get any bigger unless she puts on too much weight. Capper is a little on chubby side and was told 3 pounds could come off and it wouldn't hurt a thing.

Hayden and Capper have taken the high ground to escape the mud.

Willow and Chip are still both their great selves. Willow takes great interest in watching Iditarod coverage with Katalen.

Hera is in full heat.

Last night Demond some how found himself bouncing down the steps. He must have been a sleep and stretched and fell down. Other then a few minor scratches under his eye he seems fine. Hera's referee mark under her eye from between Capper and Willow is also healing fine. Also Willows mouth has healed well after being infected shortly after the disagreement with Capper. None of the dogs are heading into Tideveiw anymore as their open door policy seems to be moving into something else.

Holiday Fun

2011-12-24T19:29:00.000-08:00

WE HAVE SOME SNOW!!!!
As seen here from Stephens pictures

The dogs seemed to have volunteered to pull Santa's sled if the reindeer will not.

And the head Elves may have been a bit silly as well.
Hera and Capper should head to the vet in the new year. "Weasel" Willow's newest nick name, Rocky, and Hera.

3 dog cleared, Hayden turns 2, 1 year of Capper

2011-12-17T19:37:00.000-08:00

Hayden turned 2 years old today(17th) and got to join Chip heading to Tideveiw to see everyone. He was a little timed to see so many walkers and wheelchairs however he was very well behaved and should be going again. Hera and Capper should both be heading to the vet for their yearly check up soon. We are all waiting on snow still. Willow has blown her coat and has been having some trouble sleeping outside all night long, it seems to be passing as her winter coat fills in. Hera will be next on my list of dogs I will be trying to bring in to see people at Tideview. Also its been about a year since we got Capper.

Vet visit and DBKposter

2011-11-17T15:38:00.001-08:00

On Wednesday Katalen took Chip and Willow to the vet both are happy and healthy (Chip's a bit more plump then anything thing).
Willow now weighs about 49.9 and Chip now weights in at a whooping 79 or so.
Capper now has her own corner of the kennel fenced in.
Hera is going though what I can best call teenage years... Not very impressed with her right now.
Hayden is doing great and being good after winning a head butting contest with Katalen last Sunday, Katalen is doing well too.

Katalen just edited this and I had to share:

Fall Bike Runs

2011-11-02T18:31:00.000-07:00

Here are some videos of them running:

As Fall sets in

2011-11-02T15:09:00.000-07:00

As the end of September pasted and cooler weather has started to find us Katalen has stared running the dogs on her bike:

Also Chip has been visiting with some people in Tideview Terrace: A local home facility for people in need of care as they age.

Capper has gone once as well, although right now she is getting recovering from a fight with Hera, where Hera ended up with a bite mark on her nose and under her eye. Capper ended up with bite marks on her side and it seems her leg as well.

Halloween just past and no one went out so no one got dressed up or anything.... I did snap this after ward but its all blurry:

7 Month Timeline

2011-09-25T15:29:00.000-07:00

Since its been 7 almost 8 months since there has been anupdate I think its about time...
In February just after the boys where for a run the girls went as well but it wasn't as smooth sailing...

The rest of the months seem to be about what you would expect them to be... Here is some pictures ...

Feb:

March:

April:

May:

June:

July:

Aug:

Sept:

Katalen also got a new Sled from another musher who has got out of mushing (on the most part)

And on to the edited pictures:

And for a little fun:

We are all waiting impatiently for the snow to fall.

Also Capper was fixed this summer and Hera is in heat now.

Update on Capper's vet visit

2011-02-06T13:22:00.000-08:00

All was well and she has gained about 6 pounds putting her up to 37. 4 or so. Still has a bit more filling out to do, hopefully she will still fit her new harness.
Hayden seems to be having a mental fit about something, sometimes he's not eating other times he eats just fine. Also he seems to shake a bit wither its because of the cold no one has figured out yet.
On Thursday after the vet visit I tried to dig some of the dishes out of the snow but failed having Katalen dig them out in the evening. Also on Thursday I let all 3 girls over to see Hayden and Chip and they all got a long fairly well.
Right now the snow is melting somewhat as we have had warm weather today.Here is some clips from last weekends runs with the boys... some lousy camera work by me...

All Around Update

2011-01-25T17:18:00.000-08:00

Were to start...

Capper is ...well still being herself. She has settled in to the point of not woofing down all of her food but her attitude still has issues. Her and Demond still bark and go one at each other even though the door. As of yet we still keep Capper from Chip and Hayden to prevent a fight. Capper has claimed me and she has become my favorite, as little as I like to admit it. Her ears look good and she returns to the vet on the 3rd. We will see if she has picked up some weight or not, I would say she has. Between now and then I plan on bring her in to the apartment to give her a bath as the stuff that came out of her ears has blackened her face. Also at some point in the near future Hayden will be brought in as well as he needs a bath just as bad if not worse then Capper. Capper's sled harness or at lest one that she can run in should be ordered within a few days. Also Capper has lost her Rabies tag some where in the kennel under the snow.

Hayden is doing pretty good except that he doesn't seem to like the ice that has collected around and in his house. Hayden's harness is being made and I paid the shipping over the weekend so it should hopefully be here soon.

Chip is the same as Hayden just he doesn't need a bath...

We have been letting Hera run on the boys side as it gives them all some one else to romp with...

We have just enough snow to do a few runs, The boys were really good but the girls were a little more wired for sound.

OK GO AWAY

Runnnnnnnnnn with meeeeeee

Nevermind I Love you too

The Grumpy Gremlin is up to it again

One mess of 5 dogs.......

Furball

Hera is by far the guardian of the flock and will take the biting from them all... she doesn't like it at all when some one is fighting and will step right in wagging her whole behind trying to figure out what in the world is going on; hence half of her new nick name Gentle Giant... the other half is now only at 6 months old she already out paces the others in height and I would guess by her 1st year birthday she will out weigh some of them as well.

Willow is still old Wee and now with the snow when she let out side she spends a while running around playing in the snow squealing.Willow has lost her ID tag some where in the kennel or the front yard, or the house.. I will be ordering her one here shortly as well as for Capper.

Demond thinks its too cold and prances around the house in his sweater.

Update on Capper

2011-01-09T15:32:00.000-08:00

Had Capper to the vet on the 6th, she had a yeast infection in her ears and is now being treated. Also so needed some weight put on her sense she only weighted 30.2 pounds. Neil says that she should put on more weight and muscle and at the very top weight about 45 pounds, that is at the top of the scale tho, but she will still weigh about the same weight of Willow.
I am still unsure about her temperament toward the other dogs as he and Demond still want to eat each other.

I don't know if its just Hayden maturing or him being fixed or just a figment of my imagination but he does seem to be mellowing out again.

Also I plan on finding a site to host our dog pictures that don't make it here. Now found here

Friendly Visit and Update

2010-12-25T08:36:00.000-08:00

As the weather should be getting colder it seems to just be getting mucky here. We got a load of crushed rock and put some drainage around all the dog houses.
Also Shane stopped by again the other day with his pup Roxie, She is a bit bigger then Hera but thats because they are a month in the difference.
Demond played lap dog while Hera and willow got to see Roxie and Chip, Hayden and Capper were left out side and in the Kennel as we didn't want to chance a to big of fight.
And yes you did read that right A name of another dog Capper (pronounced Caper) who is a female Alaskan Malamute rescue.

Capper was born on December 2 of last year, We haven't had her to the vet yet so we are not sure how much she weighs but she is very tiny both as her build and she is very skinny as her last home held her sister Cyclone who seemed very food aggressive and wouldn't let Capper eat. They said she would grow up to a foot more but I think she will maybe get a few inches higher at best and put some weight on her.

Her and Hera get a long great while Willow and her still don't see eye to eye. So far we have kept Demond out of the picture till the rest settle in. Capper is fairly friendly but seems somewhat aggressive toward other dogs and about her food and Katalen, we will have to wait it out and see if its just from changing homes or if its a actually a problem. One of her litter mates was called Princess as well as there is Cyclone as mentioned before. Capper seems to really dislike Katalen and does not seem to want to listen to her, yet see seems to listen at lest a little better to me, much like Hayden and me/others. She has not been to the vet yet and I worry about her having worms or other issues as she has never been to a vet except as a pup and that I'm not sure of. She was re-homed as her last home was just getting to hectic for her to stay there, we have made arrangements for them to call if they wish to come see her at any time, and I look forward to letting Capper she her old family. Her nick names so far include: Cape, Teddy Bear, Gremlin, Little one, and I keep trying to call her Hera as the two of them have the same bark mostly.

Also my sled bag and the two handle bar bags have come in and we are just waiting for the snow. also Hera has a temporarily harness to run in, and Hayden has been ordered but we don't expect that in for a month or more.

No updating in a while....

2010-11-23T15:20:00.000-08:00

I haven't updated in while and figure its about time.
.

About 2 months ago I got a decorative Dog Sled, I've painted it up and when we get some snow I plan to have pictures of Hera and possible Rocky as well, that is if we ever get a whole lot of snow. so far we've gotten to good days of snow on the ground but the snow is still very wet and the ground doesn't have most or any frost in it.

We had some Halloween fun and walked Hera around as Steve Trick-or-Treated. Willow was left at home as she was in her full heat cycle. Willow weighs 45 pounds.

Demond was in the wings for a bit but I didn't mange to get a picture of it.

Hera is now 4 months old and has gotten really big. she is about 10 pounds heavy then her litter mates and only about 10 pounds lighter then willow, she now weighs 38 pounds ruffly. She still also answers to 'pup'. Her nicknames include Pup, Harry, Horrible, and Hairball. She has been kept of her chain at night sometimes so she can sleep in the same house as Willow so they both have company.
A friend of the family, Shane stopped by with his 5 month old German Shepard pup named Roxie. I wasn't there to see her but she is about 10 pounds heaver then Hera apparently and the bigest of her litter as well.

Hayden is still rather wound for sound. After some talks with both Katalen, Katalen's Mum and Father. I decided that Hayden was to be fixed. Either he was still clinging to his puppy stages of biting to much or he needed more time but either way in oder to prevent a dozen little pup with personalities like him being around I got him fix about two weeks ago. He now weights 51 pounds.

Chip is still Chip, laid back till you get the harnesses out. Him and Hayden are still bantering back and forth but as the weather gets cooler they have been laying together on occasion, But both tend to bug the other. His nick names have Expanded to include Chee Chee. Chip weights 58 pounds.

I am considering yet another dog, this time its for a recuse, but I really don't think it will come though as we have the 5 dogs already and still having some behavioral issues with them all. She is an Alaskan Malamute who looks like a golden lab.

New dog in the mix

2010-09-06T17:31:00.000-07:00

After keeping an eye out for a German Shepard Dog in the last few months none of the ones I was looking at ever came though until now...

Meet Hera, Named after The Greek goddess she seems to be a very nice pup.

Born July 15th 2010, we will see what type of dog she becomes.

General Update

2010-08-29T16:11:00.000-07:00

Hayden is slowly mellowing out and becoming a very wonderful hansom young man. We were afraid of him not filling out his fist few months with us he spent constantly looking like an under fed dog not no more, he is now the biggest of all the dogs height wise.

When Hayden was in town with Chip and us at the parade he seemed to be a little freaked out by cars, we may be bringing him in to town again to work on that during Wharf Rat Rally in September

He may have been my pick of the pups/ dogs but he has quickly become Katalen's baby boy. He has become just as attached to Katalen as she is to him.

A music video should be following in a little while.

Willow is in heat as far as we can tell, but we will not be breeding her until at the earliest of next year. We will be chaining her out side come September or there abouts. We want her to be out side so she can get her winter coat as well as I am looking at a German Shepard pup to add to the mix and the pup will be keeping her company.

Willow still has her hate on for male humans and prefers to interact with females. We had hoped her voice might deepen up even a little as she was getting older but no luck yet and I don't think it will. She has a very nails on chalk board voice that would drive even some of the most experienced and hardened Mushers / dog owners to want to turn and go the other way. She is still very cross if some one tries to take her fish.

Demond is still running around with all the dogs (but sussssssssssssh, he still thinks he's a people). Willow loves to bully him around. Demond doesn't think to high of Hayden, and doesn't mind Chip as long as Chip keeps himself to himself. We have gotten Demond's sled harness and jacket in, witch soon after we put the order in for Chips. We want to hang on to ordering Hayden till he stops growing if he ever does....

Two Posters for the kennel have been edited together.

Not the greatest but just something to show off the 4 dogs and our hopes and dreams for them this winter and for here on out. We are still looking for a Lead dog. If you run across this you can find our ad @ http://halifax.kijiji.ca/c-pets-dogs-puppies-for-sale-looking-for-a-good-sled-leader-W0QQAdIdZ226495235 or write a comment here.

And here is the puppy a pure breed German Shepherd, from a litter just up the road where I live. She could be a mate for Hayden in latter years as well as another team dog in the future and it prepares us for running dogs and having a puppy around to train. Also the little Hera (the name I have been considering) will keep Willow company and could break her of the screaming at night when she is chained out on her side alone. I have been looking for a GSD for over 7 months now and none seemed to work out so after a bit of hesitation I have decided if all works out for her this is the GSD we may mix with Hayden

Update on Chip

2010-08-29T15:56:00.000-07:00

Chip has been with us for just over two months now.
Here is video:

His Nick names have been expanded to Chippy-chee.
We have found out that he is expectational afraid of sticks, epically hockey sticks.
When he was in to the vet he was great, by the way he acted tho he wasn't all that used to being there.

He has adjusted very well to being with us. We are very glad to have such an upbeat dog with us. Chip has been claimed by Stephen, and Chip claims Stephen as well.

My new sled

2010-07-10T15:27:00.000-07:00

Now this year I can go running with Katalen or she can use it for a race, if she enters in a race as its a "real" sled not just a kick sled.

My pride enjoy :]

Meet Chip

2010-06-21T15:08:00.001-07:00

Basic Info:
Name:
Chip
Born
???
Male
2 and a half years old

Markings:
Black,gray, white with golden brown dusting on back of ears,shoulders, tail and 'socks' .Deep dark brown eyes. We haven't quite figured out what he is forhead looks like yet...

Got him June 20th 2010.

Overall personality:
Seems to love everyone, and is a good eater... don't really know much about him as hes only been around us for 24 hours.

Other Info:
Nicknames: Chip dude, Mr. Chip.
Breed: Husky Lab Mix

Changing the placement

2010-06-17T16:58:00.000-07:00

Now that the Female run is done we plan on waiting to the winter to open up the back yard and put a very large run up there.

Until then we will just be separating the female run and putting what ever dogs we have in there. Also you may notice some new colour to the layout, I just had to experiment with it. And stay tuned for the next updates as it could be another dog...

The Dog Houses

2010-06-17T16:31:00.000-07:00

There are two completely built as of right now; one needs water sealant the other need another coat of paint and water seal. We picked Kennel colours, a cayman blue
and a green
to match the emerald green that we are going to try to get the racing harness' in.

We even had some help for Katalen's brother Hunter.

Random Update...

2010-06-03T08:50:00.000-07:00

The females run is fully built and we've had them out running around in it at lest every day. We are currently waiting on the fence post to make it here to start the boys side.

We have opened an Youtube account for the kennels as well found at http://www.youtube.com/user/DreamBigKennel

The kennel is being built

2010-05-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

So after some thought instead of putting the first two dogs in the shed Katalen will be out there. As it looks right now we will be building dog houses for the dogs.
Willow seems to made herself a new and loving friend with Rocky my 8- 10 month old cat.

Fish Be Gone

2010-05-05T19:08:00.000-07:00

Watch as the fish is devoured by Hayden and Willow and Demond sets pretty,takes fish; and later inhaled it when he though I was going to take it.

The Two Trios

2010-04-23T16:16:00.000-07:00

All 3 of us walking the 3 dogs.

We recently started walking Demond along with the two sled dogs...

Our Somewhat [ :D ] Helping Hand

2010-04-23T15:55:00.000-07:00

The helping pair of hands:
Stephen

A 13 year old male form Digby County, Nova Scotia Steve helps out with the dogs.

Born in 1996, he resided with his mother, father, two older brothers, and sister.

With a big imagination he joins us on our walks, typically helping with Hayden or operating the camera.

The Couch Potato

2010-04-07T13:30:00.000-07:00

Basic Info:
Name:
Demond
Born
???
Male
Almost 4 years old

Markings:
Tricoloured, black saddle with white short socks,deep brown eyes, white chest plate and black crown.

Got him in August of 2006.

Overall personality:
He looks and can sound like a brute but really thinks hes smaller then the cats.

Other Info:
Nicknames: D,DD,Dumb Dog, Stupid, Buddy (He's everyones Buddy).
Breed: We were told he is Husky, German Shepard Mix, ... However I would say he has something else mix as well( Rottweiler or Doberman Pinscher)

PS: Hayden had his vet check today and everything is how it should be. The vet give him a treat before his needle and the fool dog didn't even notice

The Second Dog to the Mix

2010-04-01T15:33:00.000-07:00

Basic Info:
Name:
Hayden
Born
December
17th 2009
Male

Markings:
White with 'orange' hood and cape.Both eyes are bright blue.
Snow nose and white tiped "bent" tail.

Overall personality:
He is can be hyper and mouthy at times. Seems easy to train and easy to get a long with.

Other Info:
Nicknames: Stinker, Little Stinker, Hayds.
Only 4 months old he has a lot of growing untill we see his full personality yet.

The dog that started it all

2010-03-24T16:01:00.000-07:00

Basic Info:
Name:Willow
Born June 4th 2009
Female

Markings:
Black,gray, white with some brown dusting on back of ears and under coat minus her white 'socks'; up to the shoulder on front and knee on back, also has a club marking on forehead.One blue eye and the other is brown with blue flecks in its upper part.

heavy to medium Black eye liner and black ear trim.

Overall personality:
She is can be hyper and stubborn at times but she can also be very loving and cute.

Other Info:
Mothers name is Sasha.
Terrified of heights.
Backseat driver/speed demon.
Grandparents are registered.
Nicknames: Willy, Silly Willy, Willard, Willmister, Willarad, Willamina, Will, Wee wee.

Frist up .....

2010-03-17T14:48:00.000-07:00

The owner: Katalen

A 21 year old female form Digby County, Nova Scotia her love for dogs and sledding really came to the fore front after she graduated High School in 2007.

Born in Colchester County in 1989, she resided there with her mother, father, oldest brother, and twin brother till 1993 or so at the age of 4 when the family moved to the town of Digby, NS. Staying right in the town of Digby her family moved to Conway (the outskirts of Digby) by the age of 5.

While attending elementary school at D.E.S her youngest brother was born in 1996. Moving on into High school in 2001 after attending High School she was entertaining the idea she may go into acting, writing, or modeling after achieving her high school diploma.

In 2006 and in Grade 11 she starting working at Birch Street Seafood's, in 2007 after High School Graduation she entered the work force full time.

Now after working for a few year her passion and love for dogs and sledding has really taken over as the beginning of a kennel take shape.

Hello there and Welcome to the Grand Opening Of Dream Big Kennels

2010-03-09T13:04:00.001-08:00

As of right now we are just two people with just two dogs but we plan to go far.