German Shepherd - Simnikan Kennels, where I was born.

Hi
Here is where I was born - Simnikan Kennels in Port Eliabeth. Have a look at the site. Lots of useful information and great pictures. News as well. Check out the new puppies - they make me quite broody!
Which reminds me .....

Here is a picture of me that I am sending to Yako on Velentine's day:






Hi Yako ........

German Shepherd - Left Behind - Disgraceful

I am most upset with John and Patricia. You know what they did? This afternoon they went to my club and didn't take me. That's right. They left me behind! Just because I have not been well. But I am ok now.I fixed myself by waking Pat about an hour before dawn today so I could eat some grass. I realise that is what freeked them out - me eating grass. Eating grass? Yes, of course. We dogs know that eating grass is good for all sorts of problems. Patricia and John have still got so much to learn about how smart dogs are when it comes to self medication. Some day John and Particia will eat grass too. I suppose they will then pretend that grass eating was their idea! Wheeu! These humans! Oh yes - this reminds me .... Patricia and John wake up far too late. Don't worry, I am sorting them out!
Indy

German Shepherd Adoption

Have a look at this internet site about German Shepherd adoption in California. And this similar site in South Africa. Thank you to those people all over the world who care enough to set up and maintain the German Shepherd adoption sites - some of these humans do care very much  about our fellow German Shepherds going through rough times.
Put into Google the words: "German Shepherd adoption" (leave out the " ")  and prepare to be moved emotionally. I won't admit it to Patricia and John but I nearly cried when I read some of the pleas for adoption.
All the best
Indy

The German Shepherd Show 2011 - Saved by Iris - see the pictures

Wow! What a weekend. On Saturday and Sunday (22 and 23 October) our Club (the Algoa Bay German Shepherd Dog Club) held their German Shepherd Dog Show here in Port Eliabeth. Dogs came from all over South Africa. The National President of the Federation, Frikkie van Kraayenburg, was here and we had a German Judge who came all the way from Germany - Herr D Gabriel.


What a business. I have never seen so many German Shepherds in my life (all 8 months of it). There were some really good looking dogs - more about this later (see the last two pictures).

Patricia and John entered me in my age group competition. I had to parade around the ring. I had to run around the ring as well. I had to stand in a special position. Iris was my handler. John and Patricia had to help Iris by calling me and running ahead at the right times. Guess what? They have not caught on yet how to do it properly (slow learners). I was really worried. Then - Iris came to my rescue. Was I lucky? Dead right I was - Iris is an expert handler. So expert that I came 3rd in my class (despite John and Patricia doing all the wrong things, like hiding behind a car as I ran past with Iris).

John took some pictures. Here they are.

                                          A view of the field

                                         A picture of part of the crowd

               Our Chairman Bernd Machle and the German Judge Herr D Gabriel

                                          Me with Iris - Iris saved my day!

                                         On the trot with Iris

Now for the important stuff! The winner of the Open Male Category was a fantastic looker from Cape Town. I insisted that John take his picture. Here it is (It is one thing John did get right!).

                                            The Open Male Winner

Need I say more. I have pinned a picture of him above my bed. Don't you believe me? Have a look at the picture below.

Bye ... Is missing a few heart beats ok?

Indy

Getting to know Stephen with Benji close by

I met Stephen last week. He is one of Patricia and John's three sons (they have a daughter (Jennifer) as well). Stephen lives in London. He was out for a few days. I really like Stephen. Benji told me about him and how good he is connecting with us dogs. I have met Jennifer and am looking forward some day to meeting Andrew and Mark who live in the US.

Here are some pictures of us with Stephen (four pictures):

                                  Here Benji and I wait for a treat from Stephen

                                           Stephen pointing out something to me

Oh yes - Stephen loves windsurfing. Have a look at this!

                             Stephen wave jumping some years ago. Not for me!

Stephen is a really gifted photographer. Here is a picture of me and Benji that Stephen took with his Leica. Stephen gave permission for the picture to go on the blog.

                              Stephen has gone back to London - I really miss him.

Bye - Indy

Tess in San Francisco?

This brought a lump to my throat. Is it Tess?
John and Patricia's son Andrew (lives in Maryland)  took this picture of his brother Mark (lives in SFO) with a ridgeback on the beach near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco yesterday.
John tells me the beautiful dog is the split image of Tess. Perhaps it was her?

                                                Semper fidelis

Below is a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge also taken by Andrew. Is that the beginning of a rainbow above the bridge?

What a beautiful place.

Indy the German Shepherd - "I am growing fast!"

I looked at myself in the mirror. Guess what I saw.

                                       Cheers! I am growing up fast. August 2011.

Indy the German Shepherd Learns to eat Roman Style

Here is a picture of me eating like a true Roman.

Who taught me how to eat like a Roman?
Benji - of course.
Here is Benji feeding.

Benji showed me this video of him eating Roman style and how it annoyed the late Tess. Enjoy.

Here is a tribute to Tess.

Indy's Favorite Story - Lost in Lion Country

I love stories - especially exciting dog stories. This one is my favorite. Benji told me about it. It's about a Jack Russell lost in lion country in South Africa. How would you like to get lost in the African bush - at night? Every time I hear the story or watch the video (John made the video) I head for the nearest tissue box (I won't tell if you do too).

Here is the story on video:

                          The Night We Lost Pepper In  The African Bush

Legal Stuff: Thank you to the Walker family for giving permission to put the video on YouTube

A corner of paradise is waiting

Benji has told me about a corner of paradise where he used to play with Tess. It is the family hide away at the Kromme River about 70 km west of Port Elizabeth. I have heard Patricia and John saying we will be going there soon. I can't wait! Benji says if you are very quiet you can hear Tess flying across the grass - free, young and healthy.

                                                            Kromme
                                               The view from the house

And here is a video John made of the birds at dawn at Kromme. I am longing to hear them myself.

                      Birds welcoming the dawn at Kromme - at the tip of Africa.

My Birth Place and My Club

Here is where I was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Simnikan German Shepherd Kennels.

Picture coming

This is why my posh name is "India of Simnikan" - that's where my name "Indy" comes from.

Great surroundings. What a wonderful place to come into the world. Read more about my birth place here at Simnikan German Shepherd Kennels.

Would you like to see where I take Patricia and John for training? Click here and have a look.

Training Patricia on Saturday 6th August 2011

Here I am training Patricia at our school for German Shepherd owners. Patricia is wearing the blue jersey.
The first picture is me getting Patricia's attention. See how I have got her to look at me. Excellent! Well done Patricia.

I next tell Patricia to stand  straight and look straight ahead. Look how well she obeys. She got a treat.

Well done Patricia!

PS That is our President in the yellow coat.

Playing with the Old Man

Here is a video of me playing with old man, Benji the labrador. He really is a good sport. Watch the end of the video and see my left jab. Cassius Clay - eat your heart out!

The loaf of bread

I had a great time this morning. Guess what? I found a loaf of bread and ate it all. Patricia was worried about me and phoned the vet who told her I would be ok. Real rocket science. I could have told Patricia myself but she didn't ask. The truth is I could have eaten a second loaf.

I went to training this afternoon. Lots of romping with other German Shepherds. I heard John and Patricia telling the other owners that I had eaten a loaf of bread. Big deal. I chatted to some of the other German Shepherd puppies. They were quite envious and admitted that they had their eye on their own loaves of bread and were just waiting for a chance to pounce.

The return of the Queen

Prepare for action stations. The Queen is due to return on Tuesday from London. You guessed, Patricia will be back. I fear the battle for the couch will hot up. John won't admit it but I have had a few couch victories recently, particularly on icy nights watching TV.

I am getting bigger all the time. And my bark, it's getting louder. I am going to have lots of fun barking at anything I feel like - oops, I forgot, The Queen is coming!

Oh yes, I am getting used to my collar and lead.

Keeping watch at the front gate

I am just over 5 months. The front gate is a good place to check what is going on and have a few barks. It's early Sunday so I had better not bark too much. Look at the winter rain coming from the west. (The date is USA time - in future it will be RSA time).

                              What's going on in the big outside world?

Thank you for following

Thank you for following me - 11 countries - remember you can ask for an email update (see top right)

Team Indy and Benji strikes back

20 June 2011 - John won't want the dog school to hear about what happened last night.  We were watching the US Open Golf. That young Irish chap Rory is quite good.  I got bored and hopped onto the couch. John had a rush of blood to the head and put my blanket on the couch for me to sleep on. So I jumped up onto the blanket. This was too much for Benji. I suppose Benji thought "If Indy can get on the couch so can I."

So, Benji quietly crept onto the couch as well - right into John's lap. Benji told me he has not been on the couch for years. I smell victory in the battle for the couch.

Important: Do not tell the trainers at the dog school about our success. John may get into hot water. This may make him more determined to get us off the couch.

John's friend Scott took pictures of our two victories. John can't deny we won - last night anyway.

                                     Here I am on the couch

                                 Here is Benji - on the couch as well, following
                                                      my good example

Home Alone

                                       My "Where is the sausage?" look.

17 June 2011 - Patricia has gone to London for just over 2 weeks - So its John, Benji and me, all "home alone" - Its a good chance for me to put John in his place (Patricia is stricter that John) - I don't get on the TV couch much any more but I had a good try when John got back from the airport - I did one of my repeated zoom on and zoom offs - Darn it - John just kept pushing me off - I must admit he gave me a loving pat and  praised me each time I got off  - sorry, each time I was pushed off - We will see who wins this battle.

Did any of you fellow German Shepherds hear the storm last night?- a big piece of plastic guttering blew into our back garden and broke into pieces - I was just enjoying chewing one of the pieces when John took it away from me - Darn it - I will have to look for another piece of gutter- these humans don't get it - chewing broken gutter plastic is fun - John said the sharp bits would hurt my mouth - what does he know?

Tomorrow is Saturday (Vienna sausage day) and so its training at the club at 1:30 pm - I do what I am asked to do just to get the sausage - Those humans are really slow learners!

Indy