Been a long time coming...UPDATE!

Rachel Ray sends her very best to everyone that has kept up with her blog ;) Rachel had a very frightening time last night as nasty thunderstorms and lightning rattle the house last night. Rachel doesn't really like the thunder and it makes her nervous at times. Although, once we gave her permission to hop on the bed she curled right up to us and laid with her head on my chest and didn't move for the rest of the night. I think she just wanted to know that someone was there to protect her.....that's really all these rescue dogs want.....some love and a little bit of attention.

We also need to clear up some confusion as to Rachel Rays age. The first shelter that had Rachel estimated that she was 7 years old. It turns out that the last two vets that we took her to for shots stated that there was NO WAY that she was older than 5 years in their opinion, maybe even slightly younger. I know that this is a question that we get constantly about Rachel Ray and Jasper so we wanted to clear that up once and for all.

Rachel is doing very well and actually comes when you call her even when she is out in the yard with no leash. This has taken some training as she is a very quick and evergetic dog. She is really looking forward to finding a forever home!!!! She want to point butterflies and honebees in someone else's yard ! :)

Winter, Winter, Winter never ends in Iowa!!

Rachel has been a little restless as of late. She has been playing tug of war with a rope relentlessly with her brothers Jasper and Scout. The rope is almost to the point of no return and is basically a ball of loose strands....but they still LOVE to pull each other around with it. The majority of the time she is laying on one of the pillows next to Olley or Scout and cuddles up to them to stay a little bit warmer. But when she wants to play around in the house or the snow...the rope comes out and "SMACK". Rachel will run up to Scout and tosses the other end of the rope on top of his head or on his nose like she's saying "come on, lets play tug-the-chump!" She definately is a cutey!

Rachie on the Run

Rachie is a running machine. She loves running & fetching tennis balls - she will fetch them all day.

She is super fast & does laps aorund her 5 brothers. She does stop occasionally to hunt insects in the yard as she is doing in the 2nd picture above. Rachie was given up for adoption when her previous owner's kennel was flooded in the Iowa floods of 2008. She spent over a year in the animal shelter kennel before we took her into the Illinois Birddog Rescue foster program. She had some prior obedience training classes when she was at the shelter & this past summer she graduated another 6 week basic obedience program. She is highly trainable & very willing to work for treats. I think that she would be great dog for someone who wants to get into dog agility classes or Flyball. Rachie loves wrestling & playing tug of war with her 5 brothers, but would love a family of her very own that could spoil her. She wants nothing more than to sit in your lap & go wherever you go. She even sleeps under the computer desk. Rachie & Jasper are being fostered in Des Moines, IA but we are willing to bring them to IL or a neighboring state if you would like to meet them.

I've got the bandana!!! Ready to GO!!

Rachel is now is "manners class" and is doing well with her recalls, sit, and other basics so that she is as good as she is giddy!

Play Play Play All Day

Rachel Ray is ruling the roost in our house. She loves to play with her brothers and thought we would include some video.

Around and Around they GO!

Rachel continues to be as perky as ever.... We think she has settled in enough that she isn't that interested in seeing what's on the other side of the fence unless she actually sees a bird or deer. When she arrived she liked to jump straight up in the air next to our fence. It's a good thing that she goes straight up and not over. When Jasper and Rachel wrestled last night they both took turns rolling around on their backs with the other rolling over the top of the other again and again. The favorite toy the last couple of nights had been the tug rope which we will now call the "frayed tug rope". They have put it through it's paces!!! Rachel still needs a lot of work in open spaces because she will take a bee-line for the nearest point of interest which is anywhere from 5-500 yards away. The good thing is that when you get her attention she will come back to you....just have some treats ready! ;)

Blazing a Trail

Rachel arrived from the Iowa City area into our home just recently. She has already spent a LOT of time checking out the back yard and blazing a trail around the yard while playing with our other dogs. Rachel spent several months in the Iowa City facility and never was able to find a home...still hoping for that perfect place to call her own. Rachel does very well in the crate and seems to be completely house broken. She is also very quiet and we have only heard her bark three times since she arrived a week ago. That is pretty amazing given the fact that we have 5 other dogs which bark occasionally. She is very energetic and seems to think that she is a tiny lap dog that can sit on your lap...shoulders...chest...wherever. Since her arrival, those instances have dwindled and she is able to accept the fact that she receives the same amount of love and attention irregardless if she is on top of someones lap. She is very trainable and went through basic command course and dog agility course while at the Iowa City facility. She is a joy to have and loves to play and run with our other pointers. You better have some good chew sticks though, she can eat a rawhide faster than our 114 pound weimeraner!!