Kimberly J Egan
Bio
Welcome to LoupGarou/Conri Terriers and Not 1040 Farm! I try to write about what I know best: my dogs and my homestead. I'm currently working on a series of articles introducing my readers to some of my animals, as well as to my daily life!
Stories (106)
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Steele Does 'Gility!
For several years, now, I've been looking for a dog that I can do agility with. Not just a dog who likes to run and thinks the equipment is fun. I had that with Badger for a long time. However, even before he lost his eye, Badger didn't have the drive that a good agility dog needs to succeed in the ring. That is, Badger loved "doing" agility, but achieving titles was pretty much beyond our expectations. In addition, the few times that I brought him to trials "for exhibition only" Badger was fascinated by anything that was not agility equipment. In part, it was his way of telling me that there's limitations on training on half-sized equipment on a rural lot. Even more than that, he was telling me that he was not my agility dog, no matter how much I love him. He was telling me that it was time to retire him completely and pass the baton to the next generation, as I had already decided in terms of obedience. I could live with that. Badger has taken me farther in competition than I had ever hoped to go. He needs a good, long, happy retirement.
By Kimberly J Egan5 months ago in Petlife
This Time, Yaddle Says "YES!"
July 17, 2025 Anyone who has been reading my stories for a while knows that I am a preservation breeder of Toy Fox Terriers and Teddy Roosevelt Terriers. Some of you might remember that last year, starting in March, I had made plans to breed my precious Yaddle. I left her with "Mama Kathleen" in Texas after she and I attended the United Dog Owners Group (UKC) show in Longview. As soon as she came into heat, a mutual friend and Teddy breeder was going to bring her stud to Kathleen's place and he and Yaddle would, um, jump the broom, so to speak. Unfortunately, few activities have such a high plan failure rate as dog breeding. The tryst never happened and we made alternate arrangements. And, due to that high plan failure rate, Plan B also failed to come to fruition.
By Kimberly J Egan6 months ago in Petlife
Genetic Health Testing
Every so often, I like to come back to the idea of genetic health testing. There's so much to talk about that I'm certain this won't be the last time. Health testing is a big deal in dog breeding. Before we had access to canine DNA, breeders were trying to improve breed health through hip x-rays and cardiac/stress testing, usually performed in a veterinarian's office and eye/vision and ear/hearing tests, often performed at dog shows. Careful pedigree analyses were made to prevent or at least reduce inbreeding. Conscientious breeders avoided pairing dogs with extreme body types or visible flaws. Pedigree research can still give us a better understanding of where certain traits were established and of what recessive genes might be lurking, undetected due to markers not yet being established for them, but understanding a dog's pedigree is now only part of being a responsible and ethical breeder.
By Kimberly J Egan6 months ago in Petlife
In Memoriam: Leela
Look! Look well, O wolves! My heart is heavy with the things that I do not understand. The gentle Leela, last of her line, has passed unto the ages. She races hot-foot to join her Ancestors. Beau greets her patiently and wisely as she takes her place in the pack. Youthful again, swift, and happy, she leaves us behind without a whimper. She is home.
By Kimberly J Egan6 months ago in Petlife
My New Faucet
Yesterday, I installed a new kitchen faucet, a three-hole model with a big, beautiful spout that arches high above my sink. I know, I know. In DIY parlance, I "replaced" my old faucet, a cheap, leaky model with no aerator that held its head low in apparent shame. The point is, I used tools. Okay, I used A tool, known as a "basin wrench." I used plumber's putty. I managed to hook up the sprayer. All. On. My. Own. This blog isn't about bragging rights (cue Emperor Kuzco); rather, it's about what this faucet means in the grander scale of my life.
By Kimberly J Egan7 months ago in Humans
Okay, Homestead. I'm Done.
Dear LoupGarou Terriers and Not 1040 Farm, I'm done. I am resigning from my current position of sole proprietor, CEO, COO, operational planner, civil engineer, and janitor of LoupGarou Terriers and Not 1040 Farm (to be known as "Homestead" or "the homestead"), effective immediately. No. Really. I mean it this time. I've had enough. For a bunch of years, I've given you most of my time. Met your demands. I've even built fences and offered nice goat shelters and given up cushions to keep cats happy. All that time? All that work? That ends now. I have no cause, you say? Let's take a look, shall we?
By Kimberly J Egan8 months ago in Petlife
Building a Dog Agility Course
I used to love doing agility with Beau. Every so often, when the agility bug hits, I check out locally posted premium lists and run through my many reasons that I can't enter: I can't afford it, Badger doesn't have weaves, I can't afford it, it's too far to travel and get back to milk goats, I can't afford it, I really don't feel like someone playing "embarrass the human" again so soon . . . However, in 2023, I talked myself into two "For Exhibition Only" entries for Badger at an agility trial in Louisiana, just a couple of hours away. Those entries revealed all the flaws he had that needed correcting before we trialed for real--and I do mean ALL the flaws. "Embarrass the human?" No. Let's true "humiliate the human so badly that she doubts all of her skill as a dog trainer!" But being as resilient (stubborn/gullible/pathetic) as I am, I resolved to work harder on his focus and his weave poles and put away the idea of competing for a while.
By Kimberly J Egan8 months ago in Petlife
Finding Ten Things to Like About Myself. Top Story - May 2025.
What a challenge! Finding things I like about myself was difficult. It's easier to find things to criticize myself for. I'm cranky, I have mood swings, I get lost (and lose things) easily, I have too many unfinished projects . . . it's easy to keep them coming!
By Kimberly J Egan8 months ago in Humans
NaNoWriMo Reaches The End!
I remember the first time I read about National Novel Writing Month--NaNoWriMo to those in the know. The contest wasn't brand new. It had already run for several years. Nevertheless, I was excited. It seemed like an amazing opportunity to do what I loved most--writing--and to be part of a community with like-minded people. I threw together a profile and a rough idea of what I was going to write, since it was almost November, and drafted a brief synopsis. It was the best I could do on short notice. I stocked up on caffeinated beverages, microwavable food for meals, and I was good to go. I remember that I failed, utterly, finishing barely 25,000 of the 50,000 words to "win."
By Kimberly J Egan8 months ago in Writers
Delivering a Puppy
Every so often, you find a family that is super-wonderful, that you just have to have for one of your puppies. They are pleasant on the email inquiry, hit all the sweet spots on the questionnaire, and don't bat an eye about your contract. Then, out of the blue, they mention that they live 550 miles and two states away from you.
By Kimberly J Egan8 months ago in Petlife
A Lesson from Leela
I don't usually have litter "themes" the way that other dog breeders do. If I plan to keep a puppy from a litter, I'll name it and give it a call name that has some meaning. The other puppies might get call names, too (like Trooper and Buttercup from my current litter), but they're rarely used in the puppies' hearing, so that the new owners can name their new companion as they please. Leela's litter was born during a "Futurama" marathon. Her littermates were Amy and Nibbler. It was a very pretty litter. My plan was to keep Leela for myself, send Nibbler to someone needing an emotional support dog, and send Amy to a friend who lived in California. I love dogs with blazes on their faces and, even though her muzzle was a little narrow for my taste, Leela had reasonably good conformation with a tailset to die for. Unfortunately for Leela, she was also very "soft."
By Kimberly J Egan9 months ago in Petlife
