FarrahMaxis

Kefa at only 9 weeks has already established the fact that despite having access to numerous toys, that she likes slippers best! Shoes and slippers are generally hidden, however she being small and sneaky still manages to find them. Her adorable factor is something she definitely has going for her. She is generally well behaved and is a quick learner as well. German Shepherds are generally confident, courageous, intelligent and gentle, although it can take them some time to make friends. Due to history of herding, they are incredibly noble and loyal — both to the work they do and to their owners. She is generally most energetic and playful after she has eaten and had a nap.

Zaria the cute 9 week old Shepherd is determined to have her older sister go in her direction with out much success. None the less she does not give up tugging backwards. Shepherds are known for their stubborn persistence in not giving up easily, especially once they have grabbed a hold of something they want. This behaviour can be a great trait especially when they have been specifically trained to "bite and hold" which is often the case in Police dogs. Confident, courageous, intelligent, and gentle—it's no wonder German shepherds are considered the second most popular dog breed in America. These large dogs are steadfastly loyal and protective of their humans and those they consider to be part of their family. Sometimes they are seen as being stand offish when introduced to strangers and even other dogs. Zaria whose name means "Warrior Princess" certainly is living up to her name and is already acting like a little warrior! When a dog 10 times her size approached her on the walk she went right up to it and attempted to nip at the nose of the big dog, showing her fearless attempt at dominance. Both these pups come from Rivergreen Shepherds, breeders located close to Markham, ON. They have an excellent reputation on the dogs they breed, with great blood lines and pedigrees.

Zaria, this 9 week old German Shepherd puppy usually has several big yawns following a nap. She is simply adorable and has an innate sense of curiosity to everything surrounding her. As she rests, she is aware of her older sister watching her just beside the kennel. Zaria, small as she is, lives up to her name meaning "warrior princess". She likes to play and rough house with her older sister and will never back down in a game of tug of war. She is fierce and will hang on with all her might, even if that means that her sister will lift her right off the ground when she is hanging onto a favourite toy.

A Christmas tree that stayed on a porch in April, has become the perfect nesting spot for a Robin. The Robin in undeterred by the fact that the nest sits at eye level and right beside the front door, where there are many coming and goings, including several dogs. Doing some research I discovered that Robins actually have a fairly short life span, on average only 1-2 years, but may live up to five years. I am checking the nest daily and will repost a new video once the eggs hatch. When I first spotted the nest there were three eggs, however a day later, she had laid yet one more, totalling four blue eggs, which is the average amount. Generally the female robin will sit on the nest for approximately 14 days prior to the eggs hatching. Robins are helpless at birth but grow super fast reaching the size of their parents after just two weeks! No wonder they are kicked out of the nest so quickly! I did not know that it is the male robin that sings the "true robin song," and he sings it to declare his personal nesting territory. It sounds like he's singing "cheer-up, cheerily, cheer-up, cheer-up, cheerily." Robins feed on insects (especially beetles) and worms. You might notice one following you about as your dig up your garden hoping to nab a few worms as you unearth them. Robins can also eat fruit, seeds, suet, crushed peanuts, sunflower hearts and raisins. They particularly enjoy mealworm! Migrating American Robins travel during the day. In the spring, they begin their northward movement in late February and usually do not arrive in any numbers in Canada until early March. The temperature rise in spring is a key factor in their migration, for the birds need thawing ground so that they can dig up earthworms. Apparently they can fly about 17 to 32 mph. Robins are one of the most widespread songbirds in the Western Hemisphere. I am checking the nest daily and will repost a new video once the eggs hatch.

This cute adorable kitten has no choice, its bath time! The Mother cat does a good job and once satisfied starts grooming herself.This was a litter of six, however most of them were sleeping in the grass and not visible. This farm cat prefers to clean and nurse her litter outside in the tall grass.

Lake Ontario is known to have some of the most spectacular sunrise and sunsets. This particular morning in June, around 0545 did not disappoint, and was well worth waiting for! Burlington, Ontario is one of the quaintest, most beautiful cities in the GTA. With a population of 187,000 it is incredible that the down town area still has a small town kind of feel with their unique store fronts. It is here, that you can find gelato that almost makes you feel like you were back in Italy. Crema Di Gelato is an Artisanal Microcreamery, where their products are handcrafted with real ingredients. It is conveniently located right on the Lakeshore so you can enjoy the delicious taste of Gelato melting in your mouth while watching the sunset. There are a variety of coffee shops, that are open early in the morning so you can have your cup of Jo in hand while waiting for the sun to peek over the horizon. Many photographers gather early in Spencer Smith Park to get their prized shots. Brant street Pier is another favourite attraction in the park. It extends 137 metres over Lake Ontario and provides excellent views of the lake and Burlington's shoreline, including a great spot to watch the mammoth ships coming and going into Hamilton's harbour to load and off load their wares. This lake front area has superb paved walking and biking paths that extend all the way to Niagara Falls. This is one of the most gorgeous areas to enjoy, with fun activities for all members of your family. Niagara Falls is only a 40 minute drive by car via the QEW. However, should you have the extra time I would highly recommend taking the road less traveled via Lakeshore Road, crossing the lift bridge and following the scenic drive along the water which provides for many great opportunities to stop and either enjoy the beach, or perhaps grab some incredible summer treats at "Hutch's on the Beach". They have perfected their fish and chips, hamburgers and hotdogs since 1946. With over 30 flavours of ice cream to choose from, who could go wrong here? Personally, the Chocolate Peanut Butter is one of my favourites! Pack up your car with your family, including your furry ones and head for Burlington, getting an early start on your day, to enjoy the sun as it rises in all of its spectacular beauty over Lake Ontario!

Kefa the 9 week old German Shepherd pup would like to be in on the action with her two older sisters. She barks to either encourage or supervise them, not sure which. I do know she would like to have the stick as well. Unfortunately I missed the chance for another video when she got the stick in the middle and the other two dogs simply picked her up off the ground while she stubbornly hug onto the stick. She wants to do everything her older sisters are doing, no matter what. Over all they mostly play well together and Zaria who is one years old has taken quite a motherly interest in her.

These two cuties are sisters from a litter of nine and love playing and getting into trouble together. So innocent and adorably cute, as they dig in the sand. It was a warm day and the further they dug, the cooler and more comfortable the sand was. This lasted for about 40 minutes before they both collapsed and fell asleep. German Shepherds are a Fantastic dog breed that are incredibly protective and will always instinctively want to be where ever their humans are. This is simply in their genetic makeup. These pups have great blood lines and no doubt will be easy to train. It is already notable that they have quality genes.

These two German Shepherd puppies are from a litter of nine and know how to fight, and play well together. Kefa and Athena, both females are happy to see each other as they are lucky enough to be neighbours. When they greet each other there is often a rough and tumble game that ensues. The puppy conversation goes something like this, "hey wanna fight?", "sure, let's go!" "Hey, get off of me!" "No! You asked for it!" "C'mon is that all you got...?" "Nope, and I'm still on top!" "Okay, OK, OK.... Uncle! You win..... this round!" Their friendly little fights for dominance usually don't last long, although they are frequent.

This adorable, 8 week old German Shepherd snores happily while dreaming about chasing after her sisters. Kefa plays hard but then also has no trouble falling asleep instantaneously after. She likes to sleep by her master and if she can manage to hang her head down somehow, will often do so. When she is extra tired, she will snore while she is snoozing. Such a cute sound, which reminds me of a purring kitten!

These German Shepherd sisters are large but still puppies, both being under two years old. They love the opportunity to go to Lake Ontario to splash in the water and chase after sticks. Generally speaking they both prefer to go after the same stick, in which friendly fights ensue. This is typical of siblings who are sisters! Wicklow beach is a beautiful stretch of pebbled stone where families come to picnic, swim, and bring their pets to swim in the lake. This beach is located close to the hamlet of Grafton, approximately 2 km away. There are no public facilities available here, but portable toilets are located at the Haldimand Boat Launch Facility nearby. There are many reasons to come to the beach to play, even if its just to have the pleasure of watching your dogs fight over a stick and splash around!

One year old Shepherd, Zaria play fights with her baby sister Kefa. Kefa is only 8 weeks old, but enjoys the challenge. With her tiny shark-like teeth she is a good match for her older sister. There is definitely more bark than bite happening here. Generally the smaller pup will back herself into some sort of corner, and or have some furniture between herself and her contender. Their play fight continued for about half hour, after which the youngest pup promptly fell asleep. These two siblings will definitely enjoy many more fights and plays together over the years. German Shepherds have a life expectancy of about 10-13 years. Both of these females come from excellent breeding stock, with pure European blood lines. The breeder is Rivergreen Shepherds from Markham, Ontario.

Kefa Saoirse Cimro is an 8 week old German Shepherd, who loves to pounce on anything that moves! She is fearless, and funny in her cute little antics. Here she happily chews on her captured "prey" that she spied rolling across the lawn, an acorn! This pup is super bright and comes from incredible breeding stock from http://www.rivergreen-shepherds.com This breeder is located close to picturesque Georgian Bay, near Collingwood and Markham Ontario. Rivergreen Shepherds have some of the best blood lines originating from Europe and certainly have an undisputed reputation in Canada. The parents of this puppy's pedigree can be traced back 5+ generations. With the background of her parents, this pup is sure to become something great! Kefa is currently focusing on playing hard, sleeping and inhaling her food. She has discovered slippers and loves to sniff and drag them to her bed. She will be trained following the recommendation's of The Monks of New Skete. This monastery is located in Cambridge, New York and is world renown for their excellent training of German Shepherds. They have written a number of great books on raising excellent dogs. The owners primary focus in the beginning is to avoid the puppy having accidental voids or defecation either in their kennel, or in the owner's living quarter's. The trick in the first four months of the puppy's life is to have them on a fairly strict schedule, to be on the clock, per say. As the owner I need to be prepared to take Kefa outside to have a pee at least once during the night. At this stage in her life, she still has a tiny bladder that requires frequent emptying. Every 3-4 hours she is taken to a grassy area to do her business. Watching a puppy's behaviour will also cue you in to when she is actively seeking a spot in which to go. The pup may attempt to seek a corner, and or do excessive sniffing, indicating their need to relieve themselves. When she is fed her meal, usually twice a day, it is wise to put her in her kennel for approximately thirty minutes, then promptly take her to the designated area to defecate. Dogs will be trained with frequent repetition to go in the same general area. She is also given the verbal command to go "washroom" which is a word she will come to recognize quickly, and she will actually void or defecate on command, when these simple steps are being followed. Kefa is definitely brilliant, irresistibly cute, and currently a handful. She is keenly aware of who feeds her, and loves to follow them around everywhere. She is a real joy to watch and has already gained lots of attention when she was taken to Pet Value to have her bath. She will likely have the black and red markings versus black and silver of the American Shepherd. Who knows what Kefa will capture next! She is very sensitive to sound and likes to pounce on anything that moves!

One of the loudest and most colorful birds of eastern back yards and woodlots, the Blue Jay is unmistakable. Intelligent and adaptable, it may feed on almost anything, and it is quick to take advantage of bird feeders. Besides their raucous jay! jay! calls, Blue Jays make a variety of musical sounds, and they can do a remarkable imitation of the scream of a Red-shouldered Hawk. Not always conspicuous, they slip furtively through the trees when tending their own nest or going to rob the nest of another bird. Blue Jays forage in trees and shrubs and on the ground. They are happy to come to feeders for seeds or suet. They will pound on hard nuts or seeds with their bill to break them open. Most of their diet is vegetable matter including acorns, beechnuts, and other nuts, many kinds of seeds, grain, berries, small fruits, sometimes cultivated fruits. It also eats many insects, especially caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers, and others; also eats spiders, snails, birds' eggs, sometimes small rodents, frogs, baby birds, carrion, other items. They lay 4-5, sometimes 3-7 eggs that are greenish or buff coloured, sometimes pale blue, spotted with brown and gray. Incubation is by both parents (but female does more), about 16-18 days. Both parents bring food for nestlings. The young leave the nest approximately 17-21 days after hatching. Courtship may involve aerial chases; male may feed female. Blue Jays become quiet and inconspicuous around the nest, but will attack with loud calls if the nest is threatened by a predator. Nest site is in tree (either coniferous or deciduous), placed in vertical crotch of trunk or at horizontal fork in limb well out from trunk; usually 8-30' above ground, sometimes 5-50' up. Nest (built by both sexes) is a bulky open cup made of twigs, grass, weeds, bark strips, moss, sometimes held together with mud. Nest is lined with rootlets and other fine materials, often decorated with paper, rags, string, or other debris. This particular Blue Jay was trained to come get peanuts on the deck when I whistled. Occasionally it would also bring several friends along.

Red foxes have long snouts and red fur across the face, back, sides, and tail. Their throat, chin, and belly are grayish-white. Red foxes have black feet and black-tipped ears that are large and pointy. One of the most noticeable characteristics of the red fox is the fluffy white-tipped tail. Red foxes are about three feet long and two feet tall. They are nimble and walk with delicate grace. Red foxes mate in winter. Right after mating, a female builds a den. Females can deliver anywhere between one and 12 pups per litter. Pups are born brown or gray, usually turning red within about a month. Both parents take care of their offspring until the next fall, when the young foxes set out on their own. Red foxes have adapted well to suburban and rural communities. While other large predators have been pushed away from human development, red foxes took advantage of the changed habitat. They generally live in parks and woodland edges, and red foxes will readily eat whatever is available. Red foxes are solitary, so it is easy for them to hide and escape people. These red foxes are frequently spotted in Burlington Ontario, close to Lake Ontario. They have their pick of squirrels and rabbits in this area, not to mention mice and some of their other favourite items, including raiding garbage bins when they are accessible. They are timid, but definitely curious, inquisitive creatures that seem interested in humans, or perhaps they are simply food driven to think that we may have some delicacy to offer. This was truly a wonderful experience for me to simply sit quietly and observe this beautiful creature. I was surprised to have it walk right towards me to have a better look. This was definitely worth the morning walk!

Burlington Ontario is known for having a neighbourhood of Foxes that are routinely seen close to the Lakeshore. Quite a number of people routinely come out early in the morning to catch a glimpse of the Foxes as they scout out food sources like squirrels. They tend to be out and about either early in the morning or late at night when there is less noise and traffic. I was at the right place, at the right time to see Mama fox snatch a squirrel and see the young cubs fighting for it. The Burlington foxes appear to be well fed with the abundance of squirrels in the area and no doubt people lure them with food sources to get a better look at these beautiful creatures.

Brantford Ontario is known for their incredible Community Charity Airshow. They always put on a great air show with a large variety of air craft. Being close to the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum is a huge advantage in having the only flying Avro Lancaster bomber in Canada included in the show. The F18 is at slow speed here to fly along side the Lancaster. Nothing beats the sound of those merlin engines!