Mattie At Home

Video last Tuesday - so flirting but nowhere near ready. 

 

First Mating

Round one today – though I'm not sure Mattie was best keen on Orin at first, but we got there. I just love this female for her balance, unexaggerated proportions, stunning colour and beautiful head and expression. 

Combine her with this lad, well I just hope for something special... I love this boy!

Put The Leads On!

 Well it's a year since Steve broke his hip. I guess he hasn't returned to the level of mobility he previously had, but it could have been so much worse. We have to appricate where we are and hope this Spring and Summer will be better for all of us. 

Ten minutes of madness in the field for everyone before a lead walk today. Did we strick to it? Well... 

Orin and Siska on the leads 

Zeus on the lead, but Sammi was so unhappy, and there was no one about so off came the lead.

Ross off the lead and the girls on the lead, there was no way I could manage three of those retractable leads, we got in enough knots as it was! 

K Boys

Merlin

Loki B with his mates

My Orin

Camera photos of my heart dog, he's at the top of the field, I'm at the bottom. WOW little camera I'm chuffed with the quality of these, but if you are looking on a phone screen then you really won't appreciate it! 

Off The Lead In Carmel

During a meeting last night I agreed with the majority, that now with this new law coming in I would not be letting the guys off the lead off the property. So walks on lead but free-running in the fields, luckily my dogs have the avantage of getting it all. Well, best-laid plans, and as you can see Ross and Beti were off the lead. As I struggled to go through the first gate, both dogs pulled ahead into a ditch and I dropped Beti's lead. Having pulled it up and down though the ditch it locked fully open, there was sod all I could do other than throw it on the floor and leave it there to pick it up on the way back. Luckliy I always carry spare leads, but not retractables - oh feck it there was no one and no sheep about, I let them both off, I'll start tomorrow!!!

Of course Zeus was on the lead, but Sammi said as Ross had been off the lead, then so was she!!!!

My Birthday Boys

 Having made these posters Steve said "No One will get it!" Oh hell I'm sure they will ... won't they? 

 Orin is the birth name of the DC Comics superhero Aquaman, the rightful King of Atlantis and the seven seas - So Jason Momoa as Aquaman in the background. 

Zeus is the king of the gods in Greek mythology, ruling as the god of the sky, weather, thunder, and lightning from Mount Olympus. 

Now we know it's not his birthday - but hopefully you get it!

Happy Birthday K Litter Girls

Isla

Jazz

Fly

Ginger - she was my pick of bitches - God I can see Kaiah!

The Law Changed Yesterday

Livestock worrying can happen when a dog attacks, chases or is loose among livestock. Dogs don’t need to make contact for harm to occur. Fear and stress alone can harm livestock and, in severe cases, cause them to die. 

 In addition, the law gives police new and improved powers to improve their investigations, including the power to seize and detain a dog where they have reasonable grounds to believe there is a risk that the dog could attack or worry livestock again. The dog can be detained until an investigation has been carried out or, if proceedings are brought for an offence, until those proceedings have been determined or withdrawn. 

The power to take samples and impressions from a dog or livestock where the police have reasonable grounds to believe the dog has attacked or worried the livestock, and that a sample or impression might provide evidence of an offence. The sample or impression could then be used as evidence to support a prosecution. the powers to enter and search premises to identify, seize and detain a dog for the prevention of future incidents, to collect samples or impressions, or seize any other evidence. 

What this means for dog owners 

 Responsible access to the countryside is encouraged. Be aware of your surroundings when walking near livestock. A dog does not need to make physical contact with animals to commit an offence under the new law. Chasing or disturbing livestock can cause harm. 

 The act: is worded so that attacking livestock is treated separately from worrying livestock. This reframing helps make the violent nature of livestock attacks much clearer. It doesn’t create a new offence as both behaviours are already covered in the 1953 act, but it does make the distinction explicit extends the law to cover livestock worrying and attacks that take place on roads and paths includes camelids (as llamas and alpacas are commonly farmed) introduces a new defence for dog owners to exempt them from liability where the dog was in the charge of another person at the time of the offence without the owner’s consent, for instance if the dog was stolen introduces new powers allowing a court to order an offender to pay expenses associated with seizing and detaining a dog provides a clear deterrent by increasing the penalty from a fine of up to £1,000 to an unlimited fine.

 The Countryside Code advises that dogs should be kept on a lead around livestock. Always check local signs, as some areas require dogs to be on a lead all or part of the year. 

The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025 has updated the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953. It will come into effect on Wednesday 18 March 2026. This legislation is only for England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own legislation on this matter.

Worrying mean -

 • Attacks livestock 

• Chases, stalks or frightens livestock

• Causes stress, injury, death, miscarriage or loss of produce 

• A dog does NOT need to touch an animal for an offence to occur. The law covers a wide range of livestock, including: 

• Sheep 🐑

• Cattle (cows, bulls, calves) 🐄 

• Goats 🐐 

• Pigs 🐖 

• Horses 🐎 

• Poultry (chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese) 🦃 

• Alpacas and llamas 🦙 

These protections apply on farmland and on public footpaths or roads where livestock are present. Under the updated law, police can now: 

• Seize dogs involved in livestock worrying 

• Enter premises with a warrant

• Take DNA and other evidence 

• Recover costs from offenders 

• Courts can issue unlimited fines. 

As a dog owner, you need to:

• Keep dogs under close control near livestock 

• Use a lead in fields with animals 

• Public rights of way are included 

• Remember, it's your dog. Your responsibility.

Caeathro Walk

Another place on our doorstep that we haven't walked; well, in my case I forgot about it. In all fairness, I moved from Pontrug in 1995 and I haven't walked here since. It has changed so much, become far more accessible and obviously used a lot more. The wildlife on and around the lake was wonderful to see, I wish I'd taken my camera. 

The last time I walked here was around 1994 with Blade and a young Nikki.