Family Fun

Mary-Ann Sontag May 30, 2025

We had special guests on Wednesday, and Capella was so happy to see them.

Bright Star Puppy Daddy, Super Star Ferguson, stopped by with his people. They were on their way from Minnesota to the three-day draft test in Oregon.

After a visit at my house, we all headed to The Farm (aka Berner Fun Land, aka the Heintzbergers’ house). Here is Ferguson with two of his daughters, Dallas and Capella.

Bright Star Atlas showing off his signature resting mode.

Just the girls, Dallas and Capella.

I love this photo of Capella and Ferguson.

And now we wait for Ferguson’s grandpuppies to join the party. Just a few more days!

Happy Friday, Friend!

Wildflower Birthday Finale

Mary-Ann Sontag May 29, 2025

We begin this Wildflower Birthday Finale post with a photo of Kjempe (fka Paintbrush) and Kitsap (fka Sage) at about six weeks old.

Mariya reports that Kjempe is doing very well but she recently experienced the sad loss of her father. Let’s begin by resting our hearts and minds on Kjempe’s human grandpa.

Deepest condolences to Mariya and her family over the loss of a clearly beloved family member 💔

Mariya was kind enough to send photos and a quick update about Kjempe:

“Kjempe is doing well. Still hiking/walks and hanging with his favorite friends and family.

Loves people more than other animals.

Likes to be around everyone.

Sleeps a lot more these days but still turns playful puppy with us, family and his toys when it’s time! Still loving his pupauccinos!”

Thank you, Mariya, and especially under the sad circumstances. HAPPY BIRTHDAY KJEMPE!!!

I love including our late and beloved Daisy in these updates. Here is Kitsap with Daisy.

Bridget sends us this very itchy report:

“Wow, where to begin about this past year.

Shortly after the 4th birthday stories were posted Kitsap started scratching a lot. In consultation with our vet, who we love and trust deeply, we initially thought his allergies were annoying him since it was a high pollen count time of year.

Little did we know it was going to take us the better part of 5 months and my doing a deep dive into the literature of skin conditions in dogs and two vets to figure out the real issue.

I am delighted to report that Kitsap has now fully recovered from what became a huge problem with sarcoptic mites. He is back to a robust coat that makes it me wonder if he isn’t overweight until I get him wet and see how lean he is. You can see his beautifully thick coat in the picture of him showing his belly, hard to believe that 6 months ago that belly was bare and had no hair.

In the picture of him standing in the snow in the wind in January you can see that while he looks healthy, he also looks like an adolescent because his coat hadn’t matured to the way he looks in the picture with his cart on his birthday (or the belly picture).

Speaking of carting, because his skin was so irritated for 5 months and then we needed another 5 months for the coat to recover, we have only started using our great Wilczek cart a few weeks ago so it was a nice celebration to take a tour around the neighborhood with Kitsap pulling his cart.

He is definitely a working dog. Things that would cause Kitsap to bark during a regular walk are taken in stride while he is pulling his cart.

Agility has been on the back burner, our instructor moved away, and we haven’t found the new right training match for Kitsap’s personality. We have had fun with our tracking group.

Although, I thought we were close to certifying last year, we haven’t yet. It is clear that Kitsap understands the game and when he is motivated to work can track with the best of them. Our challenge is whether the motivated Kitsap shows up on any given day. This video shows Kitsap enjoying a good belly crawl as we went to start a track a few weeks ago rather than take off to follow the scent.

Kitsap continues to be a good traveler with us and spent July in Colorado and Christmas in Delaware.

Kitsap is deeply loved. His unconditional love and devotion I would like to say is appreciated more than you can imagine, but I know this Berner community understands.

Wishing all the Wildflowers another wonderful year of adventure and time with family and friends.”

Thank you, Bridget, for your excellent care and detective work on behalf of Kitsap. HAPPY BIRTHDAY KITSAP!!!

And last but definitely not least — Pozy Clarkia, pictured here with Berkeley when both of them were much smaller!

Pozy is a brilliant, happy, and active girl who continues to enjoy her life and her training more than she enjoys people outside of her family and friend circle. She has a small bubble and prefers people stay just outside of it — unless you are in our house, and then she is in your lap within minutes. Alex and Jennifer were here recently and I kick myself for not getting photos — Pozy LOVED them.

Something else about Pozy — she has the WORST luck with other dogs, and this began when she was a puppy. She ignores other dogs very well — that isn’t the problem. Pozy is not an instigator. The issue is that she has been assaulted, for lack of a better word, by at least six different dogs in her lifetime 💔 It has just been really bad “other dog” luck for Pozy.

Last week it happened again — an Irish Terrier was turned loose in an unfenced yard right as we were walking by, and he did his a$$hole terrier thing. They are bred to be feisty, after all!

I carry pepper spray when I walk dogs for this exact reason. I blasted that dog, and didn’t even feel badly for him — or his human who was going to have a very unpleasant time cleaning him up.

Pozy has an active pick-up business. She once delivered a single coffee bean to me!!!!!!!!

All that explains this — I have Pozy’s back. On walks and in life. What she needs and wants for a happy life is what guides us on this journey together. I hope that the training we do will result in shows and titles someday but if it doesn’t — that is okay. I have an incredible girl that I love so so much 🩷

Happy Birthday Pozy!!!

Thank you to all the Wildflower families who took the time to share the wonderful birthday updates. I am so grateful ❤️

Wildflowers Who Kept Their Flowery Names

Mary-Ann Sontag May 28, 2025

This is newborn Lupine.

And here she is with grown-up Alex!

We have this report from the Graffunders:

“Happy Birthday to all of Lupine’s siblings! It fun to see how they’re doing and all of their great accomplishments!

Here are a few of Lupine’s talents:

Best Booper: Lupine’s language is booping. She boops for food, for loves and to tell us a variety of other things. She also boops all of her squeaky toys rather than use her mouth.

Best Walker: Lupine is by far the most attentive loose leashes walker we’ve ever had. She’s wraps herself right around the front of us so she can see our faces as we walk.

Lupine gets pretty anxious when she’s outside of her comfort zone but we’ve established some good environments around town and in the woods that she’s familiar with and enjoys.

She also has two fenced acres of chickens, cats and dog friends to run around in and have adventures.

She’s the sweetest, smartest and most expressive girl and it’s been an incredibly fun five years with her!”

Thank you, Graffunders, for a life that lets Lupine bloom 💜 and HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUPINE!

One of Buttercup’s humans is under the weather right now and so her other human sent along a quick update, which is much appreciated and especially under the circumstances 🙏

Here is newborn Buttercup.

Patty shares this photo update:

“I am sending along a few pics for you to see. One is this year’s picture in the hayfield with the buttercups and daisies that come up this time of year on her birthday. We have taken one every year so far and just LOVE it! How perfect!

One other one is part of the Buttercup show she puts on every morning in the bedroom for laughs and treats. This time she grabbed one of Georgia's bras and was shaking it around like a toy. It then flipped over her head and she was proudly strutting around the room, while we laughed.