Fannie Mae and Splash

There's no way our beloved dogs could be left off the Delectus website - they run the place!

Splash, our Australian Shepherd puppy, was born on the 1st of August, 2006 and has brought much laughter and joy into our lives. From the very beginning, we noticed something very strange and unique, but incredibly enduring, about Splash – he smiles! We have tried numerous times to get a photo of his "Mick Jagger" (circa 1970) teeth-and-lips grin, but he seems to be camera-shy when it comes to smiling. Splash's grin is always accompanied with vigorous wagging of his hind-area as his tail is only about an inch long. Splash is still very young and excitable, but he is learning appropriate behavior daily and is gradually getting past those rebellious teenage months – although he has not done so without first chewing Julia's prized (plastic) horses and Linda's sprinkler lines in her garden. He is also known for untying the shoes of customers in hopes of getting their attention for a belly scratch. Fortunately for Splash, though, he knows not to go near Linda's shoes!

Fannie Mae, or "Fannie" for short, is our loyal six-year-old Border Collie. To newcomers, Fannie may be shy at first, but once you show her affection, she promises not to leave you alone. She loves attention and is always looking for a pat. When we brought Splash home in October of 2006, Fannie did not take to him kindly and pouted in the corner for two days, staying as far away from him as possible. After about a week, she decided to play with him a bit, making sure to show Splash who was boss by setting stringent limits. Since then, she has developed quite a fondness for Splash and has taken him under her wing.

Splash and Fannie spend most of their time playing and running together on the Mt. George property and at the Delectus Ranch, but they try not to miss a day of work at the winery - greeting visitors is just too much fun! When Julia is around, though, you can be sure that Splash is in trail.