Posh lives with Ilsa & Charles Krivcher of Nashville who are huge fans of the breed and have had Siamese cats since 1971. Their previous cat, Ritz, died on Memorial Weekend of last year and by July, the Krivchers realized that they just had to have another in their lives. Their search ended when they found Posh in rural Tennessee.

Ilsa describes Posh as a very affectionate companion. She loves attention and insists on walking her parents to the door when they leave, then coming to greet them the moment they return.  “Among her most interesting characteristics are the funny little noises she makes when she communications to us. She seems to be speaking “cat talk” rather than just meowing.”

Posh likes to chat at The Farm too.  She is playful, friendly and has a distinct sense of humor.  She LOVES to play in the Playroom and is a delight to be with.  We are looking forward to many, many years with Posh visiting us for her vacations.

Molly was born in the beginning of December in 1996 and she was brought home in the middle of January, barely 6 weeks old. During the cold winter months Scott Parton carried her everywhere in his inside coat pocket. She was so small, he says, that she almost disappeared in the palm of his hand.  She grew up to be a delight – and a wild, fast little child. Jack Russells, after all, always need something to do or catch!  Now, says Nadja, “She is our old little girl. She is slowing down but is still enjoying her retirement with mom and dad. We have to be honest, we did spoil her a little therefore she can be a little moody as well. Once we leave her alone though, she will come to us, begging for ice cream. She loves ice cream! Vanilla and Strawberry is her favorite!  Since we are working out of town several days each week, she also has now a family away from home and that is her Farm at Natchez Trace with all the wonderful employees who give her just as much love as we do at home. We thank The Lord that she has such a wonderful long life and we hope and pray she can still be around for a long while and longer.”

Molly shares her Nashville home with Scott & Nadja Parton whose jobs require them to travel much of the time, frequently at short notice.  We are honored that Molly has accepted us as substitute family. She is always a pleasure to care for.

The Roushs have always had dogs but they say that these two are the most playful pair they’ve ever had- they love to chase and romp around and frequently share a bed. And they are no longer puppies.

Lucy

Lucy was adopted in October of 2001 when the Roushes saw her at the SPCA’s booth at the TX State Fair. The SPCA Volunteers said no one would consider adopting her because she had apparently just had puppies and still bore the signs. As Ann describes it: “We did not care if she had large breasts or not. They called her Francine – but we did not think that name suited her. We named her Lucy because there was an “I LOVE LUCY” 50th anniversary exhibit at the Texas State Fair and we thought she looked like a “Lucy”.

We had two other dogs at home at the time – Lucy fit in beautifully. The SPCA did not know how old she was when we got her, but the vet figured she had to be at least two years old. She is so playful you would never know she is thirteen plus now. She has always seemed to know we rescued her.”

Sawyer

Sawyer came much later, in 2010, when the Roushes discovered that a friend could no longer keep him.  He brought his goofy personality and boundless energy to the family and became fast friends with Lucy. Among his more endearing characteristics are barking at rocks in his backyard, biting at the water when he’s creekside at The Farm, and, boy, don’t start this dog fetching unless you have an hour so spend playing with him!

At home, Ann says, Sawyer’s name is Saully. “We had just finished reading Saul Hudson’s autobiography when Sawyer joined our family, so we started calling him Saully. (Tom thinks dogs should have names that are two syllables and end in an “ee” sound!) Saully will be 7 in July.”

The Farm is proud to consider Lucy & Sawyer our frequent guests and we always love having them to stay.

Aristotle & Oliver Geer

When you learn that Barbara Geer paid several visits to The Farm even before she moved her precious Birman cats from California to Franklin, then you know all you need to about the relationship between Aristotle, Oliver, and Barbara!

Barbara remembers that the kittens were born in England on August 31, 1997 – the same day Princess Diana died in Paris.

Aristotle

The breeder is a friend of Barbara’s sister. Even before their trip east to Franklin, the kittens were well-traveled: they moved from England in January 1998 to San Diego – a trip Barbara believes, in retrospect, was tough on them and something she would not do again. Which would explain why they were driven to their new home in Tennessee – not flown!

The brothers are pretty much inseparable. Aristotle is more loving and will sit beside Barbara’s chair and sleep on the bed, Oliver, she says, is more of a loner and only wants attention when it’s dinner time!

Oliver

Aristotle and Oliver spent quite a long time at The Farm last winter while Barbara took a trip back to England. They became firm favorites of all the Farm staff – especially our photographer, Savannah. Looking at her photos, you can see why!

The Farm is honored to be considered a home-from-home for Aristotle & Oliver and we are greatly looking forward to having them back.

Both dogs have quite different personalities in addition to the strong sensitivity and loyalty characteristic of the Ridgeback. Tegan (left) can be described as the little sister. She is funny, devoted, affectionate, and happy to the point of being silly. She swings her hips as she jogs down the roads.  She’s incredibly smart. Her sister Samara (right) is cool, calm, and collected–a former model and show winner. She walks like she’s wearing high heels. But she runs incredibly fast. There is not a more beautiful sight.

When they visit The Farm, Sam and Tegan love nothing more than to take a long walk down the Nature Trail; it’s a great chance for them to relax, stretch their legs, and spend some time with each other and their handlers. But they are also enjoy time in the field, running and playing with the elegance of a breed suitable for hunting lions. Their family likes to pamper them by making sure they get at least one Canine Massage each time they come to The Farm, and they really enjoy these sessions with Jordan.

When they are at home, they take joy in every activity, great or small. “Sam and Tegan both agree it would be great to be one dog sitting next to their master in a pick up truck, driving all over town.  But reality is, they settle for the two of them sitting next to Pappy in the Ranger while they head down to the gate to get the newspapers.”

As for their favorite snacks, the Wells have started a healthy new diet for them recently. A couple of scoops of their usual kibble serves as the side dish for their favorite: “They love their unsalted green beans, frozen blueberries, and occasional sweet potatoes.  They have more energy than ever (and they feel more human.)  If you want to see two dogs go wild, just say the words ‘green beans.’” We’ll remember that next time we see them!

One could not hope to have a better pair of dogs than Sam and Tegan. Based on their lives with the girls, the Wells Family recommends Rhodesian Ridgebacks “to anyone who wants a loyal, calm, funny, athletic, protective friend.”

Chief and Samson are most certainly “gentle giants,” always going about their day with good humor, and their favorite lodging package is “The Dog Who Thinks He’s a Human.” They absolutely love their playtime sessions in the field with a handler, where they like to romp around for a while and then take a break for some back scratches. Their dad says that he knows they are having a great time if the generally-dour Samson is smiling in his photos!

Their dad also says that they are “spoiled rotten” at home: they have their own bedroom with orthopedic beds that they sleep on (just like at The Farm!). Samson loves nothing more than playing with his toys, and can often be seen following Mr. Ballard around with one in his mouth. Chief also follows his dad everywhere; the only thing that can distract him is eating, his other favorite activity!

Chief and Samson feel like a part of our family with their unique and winning personalities and their steady natures. We are always honored to have them visit us.

We recently got in touch with Ms. Scalfi and she translated Mercy’s dogspeak for us, giving us an update since she’s been out of town for a few weeks. 

“Hi! Right now I am having a great time inLouisianawith my Mom, brother and sister.  My brother and sister are both 15 and don’t like playing with me like my friends at The Farm.  I REALLY miss them, but will see them soon.”

We asked Mercy what she likes to do at home, since we normally only see the “party-girl” side of her.

“When I don’t get to play with my Farm friends, my Mom and I play ball in the big back yard a few times a day.  She hits the tennis ball with the tennis racket as far as she can and I run as fast as I can to get it and bring it back to her. I am quite good at this and I bring it right to her open hand—or I wait and make her ask me to come a little closer so I can reach her hand. It’s a game!! Ha… We also go for walks in the park and I run errands with her during the day.”

While Mercy has been on vacation, she’s been learning the meaning of self-control. Since her Mom is a dog trainer, she gets lots of practice. “I love watching birds and squirrels through the big window and I am learning not to go crazy when they bounce around on the ground! That’s really hard!”

Mercy also enjoys visiting her human grandmother—where she gets to practice her manners—and her canine friend Cooper.

On the subject of her favorite food, Mercy says, “I love any treat, but my Mom doesn’t give me much variety…mostly chicken and banana with vitamins in them and freeze-dried hearts! Oh my!”

 Mercy is not the first Standard Poodle her Mom has owned, but Mom always treats her like an only child. It has been wonderful to watch Mercy blossom from a shy momma’s girl on her first day of Woof Club to the life of the party.

“I am the great niece of the beautiful dog my mom had for 15 years before I came.  Mom met lots of puppies and dogs, but when she found me, she knew I was the one!!  I am SO happy and I think she is too!”

We are also very happy to be a part of Mercy and her Mom’s lives and we can’t wait for her to get back from vacation!

Meet Featured Guests Alex, Whitley and Sevenofnine Carter, owned by Tom and Sandy Carter of Franklin. These great pets have been frequent guests of The Farm for overnight lodging and Daycare.

Whitley, the pretty Golden Retriever, was the first of the family to visit with us in August 2006. She is almost 13 years old, although she wears her age very well. Next in the family to join us for overnight lodging in August 2007 was Sevenofnine, a domestic shorthair cat, now at age 6. Last but certainly not least came Alex, a spunky Labrador Retriever, joining The Farm’s guest list in December 2007. Alex is the “youngster” of the family at age 4.

Alex and Whitley are familiar faces at The Farm, and it’s always a joy to see them. They are both sweet, loving and lots of fun – enjoying Group Play with their friends while staying overnight – or when visiting for the “Woof Club,” Dog’s Day Out Daycare. Sevenofnine, with her catchy name, has lots of fans at The Farm. Like her famous namesake, there is no other cat like her. Exploring new places is among her favorite destinations!

We are honored to have the Carter family as clients of The Farm.