Just realised it's been exactly 3 months since i last blogged!! I've been getting complaints from both human and doggy friends that i haven't updated my blog for ages, so here i am again!

So many things have happened in the past 3 months - i've trialled twice (did my FIRST agility trial in August and scored my FIRST clean run ever in the Jumpers trial too - no trophy or ribbon though but that's another story for later)...spent some time indoors and outdoors bonding with my lil' bro Baby T, training training and more training (another trial is coming up in Dec) and basically just having a blast being myself!

I've got so many pictures to share and i'm not even sure where i should start. Let's just start with the photos from the last SKC Jumper and Agility Trial in August! As usual, CK made me look like super-dog!

Very cool pix, aren't they?! *grins*

I scored a clean run (no bar-knocking, no refusal, no nonsense, not a single fault incurred!) BUT because S was too cautious with her handling and steered me sooooooo slowly, we finished the course 0.92secs slower than the qualifying time!!! That cost me a rosette and a trophy - what a bummer!! Still, S maintained we aimed for a clean run and got a clean run, so no point whining and bitching about the loss. Just gotta work harder for the future trials, not me but HER of course!!

I've lotsa other photos of me and my lil' bro and i'll post them as soon as i can. Strangely, Baby T is becoming more and more like me and is showing little resemblance to the humans. He recently started to move around on all fours (just like me!!) and has been leaving pools of saliva on the floor wherever he goes (just like me too!!). I wonder if he'll grow some fur and a tail next...or maybe he'll start lifting his hindleg and pissing on everything upright!! What exciting prospects!!

Besides training hard for the trials that's coming up in 2 weeks' time, i still find time to do some brotherly bonding with Baby T every now and then. Prior to the arrival of my human brother, people who know me (and are familiar with my sudden outbursts at dogs i don't like) find it absolutely amazing that i'm so affectionate to my feline siblings. Now, they're even more awe-stricken by the fact that i'm so so so into my little brother. No sibling rivalry (yet), no trying-to-dominate-each-other behaviour (yet), no pawing, no shoving him around with my big nose, no rough-housing (yet), but lotsa lotsa TLC, waggy tails and feet lickin'!!

I guess it's just kinda hard imagining me as a baby-lovin' wuss huh? But yes, i admit i am, and a VERY BIG ONE too. I always knew i had a gentle streak in me and it actually took a baby to bring out that softer side of me. (Everyone, say "Awwwwwww...." HEH!)

Did i tell you Baby T tastes as good as he smells? Even his pooey butt smells good but no luck at stealing the soiled diapers (YET)...tee hee hee!!

Last year, i had a great time at the National Dog Walk 2007 where i did my first ever frisbee demo (can you believe S was actually pregnant with Baby T when we were doing all those back vaults?!). This year, there were fun activities and agility trials held during the NDW but i wasn't involved because the event spans the entire day from 9am-5pm (the agility trials were from 1pm onwards) and Baby T was due to be baptised in the late afternoon on that same day! Bummer, bummer, BUMMER!

As far as i'm concerned, Bailey (Super Bailey, in fact) was the star of this year's NDW! I've seen him complete the superweaver at the speed of lightning (60 weave poles, OMDOG!) and he's getting better and better with those frisbee tricks!!!! Once i lay my paws on those videos, i'll post them up here!

I'd like to claim some credit for his vast improvement though....

Can you see how intense and focussed Bailey was back then when he was still a puppy?! And now this youngster flies higher than me!!! Way to go, Super Bailey!!

Okkkkaaaaayyy....i admit i didn't do much for Bailey to become Super Bailey. It's all thanks to Mr. Smartdoggy who spent so much time training him! The humans always mockingly scold Mr. Smartdoggy for being a showoff with Bailey but i guess if they had a dog like him, they'd be showoffs themselves too!!

Although i didn't get to go to the NDW 2008, the humans brought my lil' brother to check out the action (BOO!). I was a tad jealous because i didn't want Baby T mixing around with strange dogs! He reeked of weird and smelly dogs when he came home and i wasn't too pleased until the humans showed me this:

Looks like Baby T only shares a connection with me..tee hee hee!! Even though he's getting rather chubby, i shall strive to constantly remind myself: He ain't heavy, he's my brother!! :)

I've been getting more and more opportunities to suss out my l'il brother who has advanced from a wailing bundle to an interesting, interactive little human. I've been nice and gentle with him and the humans are proud that i'm assuming my role as a responsible big brother instead of being the usual playful, boisterous me.

Just that day when i was out with S and Baby T, i was just chillin' at her feet when some stranger came up and wanted to touch my l'il brother. I sprang up on my feet immediately, went into a guarding stance - tail up, hackles raised, and stood in front of my humans. I didn't want no strangers touching Baby T!!! S was pretty taken aback but was also pleasantly surprised that i was so protective over my l'il brother. She told me it was alright and reassured me that no one's going to harm Baby T. That made me feel better and i went back to chillin' again. The stranger? He was long gone by now, seeing how i reacted to him trying to touch Baby T! Hee hee!

I don't really trust visitors in our home either, even though i know they are supposedly harmless since they are allowed in the den. Call me neurotic, but i absolutely, positively have to follow everyone around if they're carrying Baby T. I just dunno what these people might do to my little bro!!!

The humans say i take after my Mum (the bitch back in Perth), who also had a natural instinct to protect the little kids in her home. Apparently, she's more radical than me and will growl and snap if any stranger came too close to the baby's pram!

Anyways, i thoroughly enjoy being a big brother to Baby T and i'm happy to know that my humans are proud that i'm doing such a good job!!! Although Baby T still can't play with me at the moment (the best he can do is use his feet to stroke my head and ears when S sits him on her lap), i hope that he soon learns how to throw balls and frisbees so we can have a whale of a time together! Oh, and i can't wait for him to start on solids too so i can scavenge on whatever food he drops on the ground...tee hee hee!!!

Me and my little bro!

I'll take care of you, kiddo. (Well, you can return the favour by letting me hide under your cot like the other day when there was a scarrrrry thunderstorm!)

Baby T was watching teevee, while i was erm, watching him!

I so so so love Baby T and i can lick him all day long because he smells so good (most of the time)!

S finally got down to framing MY painting after procrastinating for the past few months. Now that Baby T is finally settling down, i'm up on her priority list again...tee hee hee!!! Resumed training a couple of weeks again and met so so so so many new dogs to bully and makan make friends with. Amongst them are 2 uber cute puppies (being sorta anti-puppy, i have to trust S's judgement on the cute part) - a BC named Tristan (he shares the same name as my human brother and is about the same age as him too!!) and a corgi named Yuki! These guys actually read my blog even before we met - what a nice surprise!!! Not that i can appreciate puppy play, but watching the way they romp and wrestle, i'm quite sure these 2 kiddos will be agility champs in time to come!!

Anyways, back to my framing story. The humans decided that my painting (with its bright colours and all) suits Baby T's room the most so they got it framed in white to match my l'il brother's cot! I think it looks mighty mighty nice! Don't you think so?

Uhhh....no prizes for guessing what S is saying to me to make me cock my head like that.

The painting is finally up in Baby T's room! For ONCE, i was allowed on the sofa! (I was promptly told to "hop off" once the picture was taken though...BAH!)

Oh and by the way, i turn 5 today! Hopefully i'll achieve more in the next few trials and make my humans proud! I may be older, none the wiser but definitely NOT slower..HEH! I smell a casserole brewing and a cake on the way - will blog and post pics of my big day later!

After battling with heart and kidney problems for the past 18 months, Sophie left us for the rainbow bridge yesterday at a ripe old age of 20, outliving many many of her other feline comrades. The humans always tell me Sophie is one of the best cats they've ever known because she's full of character and is always ready to dish out affection. Her health deteriorated greatly over the past 2 years but S never ever gave up on her and tried her best to give Sophie a quality life, however long she could enjoy it.

All of us at home are devastated, especially S, who loved Sophie to death. But i also know how heartbreaking it was for her to watch her beloved pet fading away slowly with time. I guess Sophie's passing puts an end to all her mundane suffering so in a way, we should feel glad that she no longer has to go through all that pain anymore. Easier said than done though. :(

Whatever it is, Sophie has been a great friend to me and a greater companion to S, especially during her time in Australia. She's probably frolicking with Cocoa (another of my feline sibling who also passed away a few years back) at the moment and someday, though i don't know how soon, i know i'll be reunited with them at the rainbow bridge again.

Rest in peace, dear Sophie. May you have trees to climb, rats to chase and lots and lots of shredded chicken to eat all day long. You will be dearly missed.

I'm a big brother now and this is my new non-hairy baby brother, baby T!! He's more like a baby T-rex though because he's really scary when he's hungry!!!

The humans are amused by how keen i am at following the baby wherever he's carried to and even the babysitter remarked that i seem to be guarding the baby all the time whether he's in his cot or in the living area having his feed.

Whenever my baby brother wails, i'll be the first in the family to jump to my feet, running frantically around the house to alert the humans. Who needs a baby monitor when there's me?

I'm so proud to finally become a big brother and i can't wait for the little one to grow up so we can play together and have a blast!! Oh, and don't call me Chester the Jester or Chester the Hi-Flyer anymore! Call me Chester the Cot Guarder or Chester the Baby Monitor! Tee hee hee!!

Overdue videos of my last 2 frisbee demos! The first one was taken last week at SMU's World Animal Day and it's my very first time performing with D! Although S still practices her frisbee chops with me and can still manage most of our usual sequence (albeit at a MUCH SLOWER pace now), she can no longer do vaulting with me and that's supposedly the most impressive part of all! So yeah, she has been out of action for awhile and i'm glad i can finally have some good ol' male bonding time with D!

The second vid was from way back last year at the National Dog Walk. Realised i haven't shared the video with you guys so here's it anyway!

Hope y'all enjoyed the videos!

p.s. My home's bustling at the moment because i was told my human l'il bro is due to arrive anytime this week. I love human puppies because they have as much energy as i do and seem to be able to play fetch with me eternally!!! BUT i was told i'd have to wait for my l'il bro to grow up first before that can happen.....WHAT A BUMMER!

My oh-so-sad, puppy-doe-eyes look obviously have no effects on the humans because they reckon wet, soggy fields just don't go well with my me (especially my white fur). Me? I'd rather be out there rolling myself silly in the mud and having a blast!

But oh well, at least i received the completed painting of me finally!!!

Claudine (the artist) thought this picture was absolutely hilarious, seeing the big grin plastered on my face while posing with the huge package!!! Because S had requested for a larger painting, the completed piece did not come framed unlike Claudine's normal work. Now, we just need to custom-frame the painting and it'll be ready to go up on the wall of our new pad. According to Claudine, some of the money that we paid for the painting went to saving an Aussie cattle dog's life. You see, Claudine not only paints well but also has a heart of gold - a percentage of the money she makes from her artwork serves as donations to the local shelters and the needy animals there! This lady definitely deserves a BIG BONE if i ever get to meet her personally!

I hope the sucky weather stops somehow because even my weekly training is disrupted and i haven't had the chance to have a good, extended game of frisbee with the humans for awhile!

Although the humans reckon rainy days are good for sleeping in, i beg to differ! But like they say, if you can't beat them, join them. So thank DOG for my comfy Snooza.... now excuse me, while i put the Snooza to some good snoozin' use.....

I went for my first Jumpers trial of the year and this time, D (my daddy!) handled me for the first time because as you all know, S has a human puppy growing inside her and if she were to handle me, we'd probably be disqualified for double handling!!

Although i don't speak much about D in my blog, my daddy has been a great supporter of all my activities and i love him to death! Besides ferrying me to and fro from my training sessions and practicing those mean frisbee throws regularly (so i don't have to tolerate sucky throwing....tee hee hee!), he's never selfish and shares junk food with me behind S's back too!!

Even though we didn't win, CK (i shall refrain from calling him UNCLE CK in case he stops taking picture of me in future) captured some great shots that sure made me look so damn cool!!!

I think i look like i was having a blast clearing those bars and zipping through the tunnel!!! Having fun always comes first on my priority list!!

Although Tutti is always thinking of ways to annoy me (stealing my food/toys, sitting on my head, playing with my tail when i'm sleeping, running around like a totally mental cat!!!!) and i get angry with her at times when she gets too much, she never fails to run right back at me to give me a loving nuzzle whenever i sulk and refuse to play with her anymore.

It's true we share a love-hate relationship but whenever i look at her innocent little face and those sky-blue eyes, i think i actually love her much much much more than i hate her *big goofy grin*...

Isn't she such a sweet little thing? That is, IF she stays still......

I've finally laid my furry paws on Claudine's masterpiece!!!! Though this is only a scanned copy of the final painting, i can't wait to get the real piece so the humans can frame it up and put it up in our new pad! WooohoooOOOOooOOOOoOOooo!

This is such an amazing piece of art. I especially love the way she plays with colours and shapes. And she definitely captured my personality with her paintbrush and paper! In her last email, she kept telling S how much she enjoyed working on this painting because she loves my happy face especially the smile that i'm always wearing in all my pictures! 

S has already thanked Claudine profusely for her effort but i haven't forgotten the 2 photographers that took the brilliant pictures that were used in the painting.

Special thanks to CK for this picture:

And Mee Yin for this one:

 

I want another painting of me featuring the pictures of me doing frisbee stunts!!

Oh btw, HAPPY NEW YEAR every human and every doggy, i know i'm so overdue with my postings and i wish i have enough time to tell you guys everything good and bad that's been happening to me - the pressies i received over the festive season and also the passing of my favourite, favourite babe (she's the only one who can lay her teeth on me and get away unscathed). Anyway, sad stuff aside, i hope 2008 will be a great and fun year for everyone! With a new human puppy arriving in 3 months' time, i know i'll be having a crazy  time goo-gooing and gaga-ing with him. The humans are pretty certain the human puppy is a Border Collie like me because apparently, he just can't stop moving and is most active when they're trying to sleep - sounds just like me, doesn't it?! Hopefully, the human puppy will be good to me and drop me some treats when i'm hungry! Milk, mashed bananas, cereal....anything!!!

Just when i thought i could be spared from the humiliation i had to go through last year, a package came in the mail and the humans gleefully told me it was an early present from the King's S.

To my horror, it was an x'mas collar made from ribbons and flaff and bells!!!! Oh wells, at least it beats having to wear a hairband which has reindeer ears. Thank DOG i didn't have to wear BOTH the collar and the hairband....tee hee hee!!

Anyways, to every human and every doggy, here's wishing you all a very very merry x'mas filled with lotsa love, joy and most importantly, toys and goodies!!!

During my free time, when i'm not going crazy over a frisbee or working out my muscles at the training grounds, i enjoy reading too! Like all boys (that includes my daddy), i enjoy car magazines like "Japanese Performance" which features lotsa cool rides like the Scoobies, the Evos and the Skylines.

I love our blue Scooby most because the humans use it to ferry me to and fro places - it's speedy and loud, kinda like me!! However, like any Border Collie, being speedier is always a good thing, but like all car geeks will tell you too: "Speed is nothing without control". I think that applies to running an agilty course as well because i can proudly say that after 1 year of consistent training, i have both speed and control now. Sometimes, i lose control and skid off the agility table and the humans will simply laugh their heads off and insist that my brake pads need servicing soon!

Anyway, i digressed. For this x'mas, i'm hoping to receive a speeeeeeeedier ride as a present - can you see how transfixed i am over that particular page in the magazine? If you look closer, i think i'm also drooling!! Santa Claus (if you can hear my howls of pleas), please give me a Subaru Impreza STI this x'mas!! Pweeeeeety pweeeeeeease!!!!!

p.s. D and S, i will share my new ride with you, i promise! Tee hee hee!!!

After 2 failed attempts to qualify for the Maxi-Jumpers trials, i finally qualified and even clinched the 4th placing this time round!! Even though i was one of the speedier ones with one of the best timings, i incurred one fault and hence i didn't manage to get a better placing. Still, the humans and i are exhilarated over it because after all, it is my very first REAL trophy and ribbon!!!

Have more to say regarding the trials but that'll have to wait till i'm done with all the love, attention, good food, new toys, long walks and frisbee fun that i so so so so deserve!!! After all the hard work (i was actually injured during training just 4 days before the trials but i'll tell you about that later), i don't think it's too much to ask for some teeny weeny reward, right?!?

In the midst of deciding what decor they want for the new house, the humans decided that I, yes ME, will make a good piece of decor for our new home too!

Before you guys get all worried that i'd be become a preserved, stuffed Border Collie, no no no that's not what's going to happen! After seeing my buddy Kingsley getting such a beautiful portrait of himself, S has decided that i also deserve a nice painting to immortalise my handsome self (*erhem*). Also, the painting can double up as a nice piece of art for our new home!!

S emailed Claudine yesterday and sent her some of my better shots (both action and headshots) - some from S's personal collection and others from the camera of the very talented Mr. CK. Today, Claudine replied and it wasn't hard to sense the excitement in her voice - i hope it's from seeing my handsome pictures!!

Here's an extract of what she said:

"Hello S... nice hearing from you..Chester is such a cute boy!!! I love the headshots you sent... he has such a great face. Very happy dog! I love his colouring....I love playing with colours...this will be a fun piece to do."

Ooooh, so she thinks i'm cute and i have a great face!!! *BIG GRIN* Anyways, my problem now is i have to choose my favourite headshot amongst the three i sent. All 3 seem nice to me and i have no idea which one is the best!

Why don't you guys help me decide??

So everydoggy, should i pick 1, 2 or 3?

So this is my new ride! It performs much, much better than our little hatchback and it's definitely more befitting for a speed demon like me! I even have a matching bandana - all thanks to Auntie Jenny who bought it for me while she was holidaying in Thailand!

Any doggies wanna take a joyride with me? Hot babes, preferably, ok course! *winks* SMELLY entire boy dogs who still have their ding-dongs need not apply, please!!! (I might consider taking neutered boy dogs if you smell good and promise not to kiss/lick/chase me or persistently explore my nether-region....hee hee!!)

Pardon me for the looooong absence - i hope you guys missed me!!!! So much has happened and i've got soooo many overdue pictures! After my last post, i was busy training for the trials (which i didn't win again, but that's another story) and then going for the trials proper, showing my frisbee chops at the SKC dog show (and winning 3rd prize again), taking a well-deserved break after that....yadda yadda blah blah. Also, big news in the house - we're gonna have a human puppy some time next year too!!

I sure hope it'll be a Border Collie puppy that's as smart and active as me! Though there's no doubt that i'll have to share my humans with the human puppy soon, the humans have promised me that they'll still keep up with my active lifestyle as much as they can!! So far, S has kept her word and even though she has been carrying the human puppy inside her, we've managed to do 2 public frisbee performance and take part in the trials as per normal - thank God she wasn't disqualified for double handling!!! But yeah, no more back vaulting with S for the time being but hey, i've still got D and Mr. Smartdoggy to prance on!!

Anyhow, here's the overdue recipe of "Chester's Chicken Gobblers" i owe you guys! It's reaaaallly reaaaaally simple so don't forget to bug your humans to make some for you!!

Here are the ingredients you need:

2 cups of shredded chicken (S added some salmon too cos i'm such a fishy dog!)
3-4 cloves of minced garlic
4 teaspoons of grated parmesan cheese (you can add more if you like!)
2 tablespoons of parsley , finely chopped up
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups of whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons of brewer's yeast
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

If you like greens like me, you can also add some chopped up carrots or broccoli or celery! 

The preparation part:

First, you need to put the chicken, garlic, grated cheese and parsley into a biiiiggg bowl and mix them well.



Then, add the beaten eggs and mix well again.

After that, add flour, brewers yeast, and oil and mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well-blended.




Mould the mixture into balls and place them on cookie sheets, baking trays or whatever you've got at home.



Last but not least, bake the gobblers in a preheated oven at 350º for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned. Move the gobblers onto wire racks (if you have them, or if not, a plate will do) to cool and harden.

 

And voila!!! Chester's Chicken Gobblers are ready!!!! Just look at how i stare at the tantalising gobblers.....yummmmmyyy!! 


 

Even after i've gobbled down all the gobblers, i tried to use my Border Collie eye to will some more back onto the plate but alas, it didn't work!!!!

I want more gobblers soon and you guys should lay your grubby paws on some too!!!

I dunno about you guys but S makes me stay and wait for my food until she says the magic word. Not only that, she makes me stare into her eyes and hypnotises me with constant chanting of "watch...watch...focus...focus" and i'm not even allowed to look at my food!!!

According to her, it makes me a better and more disciplined dog but that's just a load of dog poo to me because i get gastric pain while waiting!!! Okay okay alright....i was just exagerrating but i just hate having drool pooling in my mouth while waiting for the magic word!

Anyways, i guess good food is always worth waiting for and i love it when i get to enjoy a homecooked dinner!!! Check out my favourite dish in the picture above - angel hair spaghetti in chicken broth with lotsa yummy salmon and greens! You see, in terms of eating habits, i take after the cats in the house because i'm more of a fish-dog than a meat-dog! Not that i'll ever refuse a juicy steak though, but gimme fish any day and i'll be a happy dog - salmon, mackerel, shark, cod....and oh i don't mind junk food like fish fingers and filet o' fish too...tee hee hee!

Fish is good, especially fatty fish like salmon because it contains chockful of essential fatty acids that's great for my skin, hair coat, heart function and my eyes of course!!! Remember my powerful Border Collie "eye" ? Solid proof that the fish diet is working!

Oh, and if you're wondering why there was only chicken broth and no chicken in my dinner, that's because the chicken was used to make the chicken gobblers!!! I'll post the recipe in my next post, complete with pictures!

"A characteristic of the border collie is the herding eye. It's been said that when working, this breed will usually be seen in the crouched position, with their alert eyes fixed on the job in hand. The 'hypnotic' eye characteristic is probably more defined in the Border Collie than any other breed and it is this quality which makes them so superb in herding sheep, using their eyes to guide a herd without the need to nip or bark."

Even though there is no stock for me to herd here in sunny Singapore, S makes sure i still exercise some of my Border Collie traits by giving me "work" to do. If you've seen me playing frisbee with the humans, you'll be able to witness how i try to round them up by circling them endlessly like how a true working Border Collie would round up stock.

"The Border Collie is an agile dog, able to suddenly change speed and direction without loss of balance and grace. When intent upon an object of interest (a toy, a treat, or stock) there is often a crouch or stalk position with a steady gaze (the Border Collie "eye") and a lowered head. The movement is free, smooth and tireless, with a minimum lift of the feet and an overall balanced appearance."

And of course, the object of my utmost interest is the frisbee!!! Check out how ready i am, assuming my stalk position with my super intense Border Collie "eye", dying to take off as soon as the frisbee leaves S's hand! (Even my usual floppy ears are up, so it goes to show how serious i am about my "job!"!!)

 

Crouching and exercising the power of my Border Collie "eye"!

Doing a mid-air spin!

Got it! 




Back vaulting! 

Great, great pictures by Mee Yin (whom i haven't met in real life but hope to do so soon so i can personally give her a paws-up to show my appreciation) - thanks so so so much letting me have these pictures so i can share them with other doggies and humans! Hope you guys enjoyed them as much as i did!