Out With Ross And Beti

A lovely walk that thankfully didn't get too hot. We parked by the donkey field and walked down past Tom Jones' house. (The Chimney sweep, not the singer) To be honest I don't think anyone has lived there in years, it's sad to see the property looking more and more neglected. What a lovely place to live, such a waste. I was wary on the first part of the path as there was sheep shit everywhere, though I didn't see any beyond their boundary walls.

These two of course found every ditch, well it's only a couple of weeks since they last walked a section of this walk so they knew where they were, but we soon turned off to follow the circuit that takes us past the alpaca's field and back up towards the donkey field. I got through that narrow gate with the offensive bar sticking out and popped them on the lead to go across the section of footpath that crosses fields. No sheep anywhere, better to be safe, but OMG, cow shit, we crossed quickly!!!!

The next section of path was very closed up in some sections, brambles on one side, barbed wire on the other, me in a T.shirt and Ross pushing through with a bloody stick made it hard work, but thankfully it soon opened up again. I considered going down to the stream and to see "Gerlan" but time was catching up on me and there were others who need time out at home!

Blaniks And Mica

Everyone In The Field

Sammi, Zeus, Meerah

Ross, Beti

Orin, Siska

Only the fields for everyone today. I noticed a funny noise in the van on Saturday so it had to go into the garage today. With some relief, Steve was right, it was simply that the oil in the power steering was low. Hell, how would I know that? The van was diving perfectly! 

I don't take as many photos as I used to in the fields, but today was Meerah's birthday, so the camera went out. I took photos of everyone, concentrating on Meerah, but I did get some cracking shots of Beti, she such a photogenic little poser. I think I may have to save up for an upgrade on my camera .. mind you, I've been saying that for years. 

A year ago there were 4 puppies born, but the loss of little Mica was heartbreaking. He was buried with Kaiah's twins and little Winnie. I remember Steve breaking my heart further by saying he was too small to be buried alone. Today I have thought of him and cried for him. I wonder who he would have been? I hope the collage/photo is not too morbid ... but I'm not sure how else I can remember him on here today. Sleep tight little Mica, too precious for this world. 

Marley At 12 Months

Meerah At 12 Months

Seren At 12 Months

Happy Birthday

More posts and photos later.

Storm And Sardines

No significant wild weather in Fron today, this morning's wind and rain moved aside for blustery sunshine. I spent most of the morning and afternoon with my Mother who had an appointment with a musculoskeletal specialist. She has been pulled and twisted until she was in agony, but sadly needs must to get some kind of diagnosis and hopefully a treatment.

Happy Blaniks today, finally we managed to get sardines from Aldi, but has there been a shortage for months? "Tinned sardines are currently experiencing shortages, particularly in the UK, due to reduced catches in Morocco, a major supplier. This is attributed to factors like overfishing, climate change impacting fish migration and feed, and the Moroccan fishing industry's transactional nature according to The Grocer." Anyway, we've been buying tuna in sunflower oil instead! 

A Facebook Memory

A photo from 2014 of Sammi and Stella - Sisters from the 2013 "I" litter. 

Nico and Ziva daughters. 

Stella on the beach a couple of weeks ago.

Sammi at Bwlch Derwin a few days ago.

Afternoon Out

                  

 A lovely afternoon spent with like-minded friends and animals. Linda was over the moon to meet and spend time with Jackie's horse Indy, but I was equally excited to meet the ferrets. We had lunch followed by a walk with Jackie's Cane Corso, Blue and Beti and Meerah of course. Another section of the Lon Goed explored. Maybe not my favourite section to date, but still a nice walk. The girls behaved really well with the exuberant happy Blue. Not a word spoken out of turn by any of them.  

To Be Forgiven ...

 ... One of my favourite George songs 

"And I would beg to be forgiven, if I knew my sin!"

Well I know my sin, I cut her nails and so Meerah wasn't speaking to me!

Anyway the pouches came, they are only 100g, but mashed in with a handful of kibble, and they went down well. Let's hope it continues as I bought a box of 40, mind you if the novelty wears off with her they won't go to waste here!!!

Changes To The Breed Standard

There's a fair few things to consider, I agree with changes like "weak long pasterns, over angulation, weak hocks, and weakness/roaching of backs" now being considered "highly undesirable" as these are things that can affect the dogs long term well-being and mobility.  

Personally, I do feel the changes to eyes and height are a bit extreme.  Eyes - Dark brown, lighter shade are now 'tolerated' where they were previously 'permissible.' Size, Dogs 63cms, Females 58cms - 2.5 cms either above or below ideal again now tolerated and not permissible. Maybe I'm reading too much into the word "Tolerated" but google says this ... 

"Permissibility suggests something is allowed or acceptable, while tolerance suggests a reluctant acceptance of something considered undesirable or different. "

Again I suppose we follow the blueprint, everything is subject to interpretation, let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater, but if they considered him undesirable just because of eye colour, well they can all just F.OFF!!!

Beautiful In Bwlch Derwin

It Couldn't Have Been Both.

A memory from 2019 had me in tears again, I wonder if I'll ever be able to remember without crying. Kaiah was a pleasure and a privilege, the surprise I prayed for ... heaven sent, but heaven stole ... I can only hope that she somehow tried to help me in my grief by sending me Beti. Maybe I have to try and look at it this way, if Kaiah hadn't have left me, destroying me as she did, there would never have been a Beti at Blanik, and that would have been a travesty. 

On Home Ground

 

A nice walk with Beti and Ross on Moel Tryfan today. An odd day, the sun was warm, but the breeze quite cool. A field run for the other ... but no photos. 

Meerah And Food

 I've been thinking, (be nice) about Meerah's diet. Everyone here is on an "eat it or lose it" routine, but I do allow about 30 mins for them to complete the meals. Meerah leaves her breakfast every day and has done for months, her choice! She always eats her evening meal, (which of course is slightly bigger than it would be if she ate breakfast, but giving her double simply would not be safe, i.e - risk of torsion) and to be honest she's carrying just about enough weight, though I'd like a touch more on her. 

What bothers me is the hunger puke, most days at around 4 PM she vomits froth, we all know that is "empty belly syndrome," and nothing to worry about, but I don't like that it's happening either. I was thinking this morning, well maybe I could offer her the breakfast at lunchtime? But I don't think that is the answer, what if that affected her eating her evening meal? It's important that any change I make doesn't affect that. So, and I don't believe I'm saying this, I think I'll buy a box of pouches, or something, just so she has something to eat in the morning. Honestly, I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for the hunger puke, but as I've said before, sometimes rules have to be bent or broken!

Dog Food Time.

 The dog food supply is getting low, very low. There are two new bags in the house and one Gold in the shed. The powers that be at Wynnstay will no longer allow me (and others) to order and pay for a bulk buy and collect it myself in lots of 10. I've looked back, and I started this batch of 50 bags at the beginning of December, so it's lasted 8 months for 7 dogs. (Well, with Loki here till February) I honestly can't bring 50 bags up in one go but wondered if they would consider doing the bulk discount on 25 bags? I think my van could do that!  

I was considering having that conversation with the lads in the shop, but Gilpa who make Doctor John had a stall at Leeds and we had a chat with them. The Rep at the stall could not give me prices but suggested it would be cheaper to buy it straight from them, and they deliver in quantities of 32 or 64 ... I don't think I'd get 64 into the shed, and I don't think I could carry it from the yard to the shed either, but 32, well that is doable. Anyway, he said that I should get a call by Thursday ... if not he suggested I e.mail them. I think I'll give them till tomorrow evening, yeah I'll e.mail if I haven't heard by then. I've checked the price that I was charge by Wynnstay for the last lot, so that was £850 - £15 for the bags of Gold and £20 for the Titanium, let's see what both parities can offer me now then. 

The Others

Beti and Ross

Zeus

Sammi and Meerah

The Blanik bus isn't well, hopefully something and nothing, but it's going into the garage tomorrow morning. Here's hoping it's not another huge bill!

Out With My Lovelies

On the bottom of Mynydd Cilgwyn

Siska having a good look around - Nantlle Lake which is at the foot of the "Ridge" down below.

Orin - a little further on route

On our way home - the house and caravan can just be seen on Moel Tryfan, about level with the middle of Siska's back.

Ars*hole

This afternoon, Meerah dug a hole in the garden and carried the wet soil and grass into the house. I was not amused, but what can I say? She is such a good girl, until she's left on her own, I swear I was only in the living room for 10 mins! Steve was really not amused, his garden is important to him, but much worse happens here than that doesn't it!

Our trust was building up with Zeus again, he'd had access to the garden most of Sunday and Monday afternoon. Yesterday evening, within about 10 of me checking on him, I went to get a drink. Sammi followed me into the kitchen, Oh god where was he? I went out, no sign of him, I looked in all the crates, he sometimes sleeps in Meerah's crate, no sign, I checked the bathroom and bedroom ... Nope! By now I was starting to feel sick with worry, I came into the living room and told Steve "Zeus is not there." I could feel myself getting into a hysterical state, my inside churning over as I went out into the fields with Sammi at my side ... Hmm the bastard sheep were in the field, but just munching and shitting, so, I thought, "he's not there."  Behind me, I heard rustling in the bushes, Oh thank feck for that, he was stuck between the two layers of fencing! Steve came out, and I took 5 minutes to calm myself down before trying to get him back. We have no idea how he got there, and we had to pull some fencing down to get him out. I can only think he's chasing cats through/over somewhere .. but where? At least now we know that the fencing we did at the gable end of the cottage has kept him on the property, and that is a huge deal. Getting him to come back of course wasn't easy, he had his twat head on and it seemed to take an age with no success. In the end I suggested Steve went out through the gate and that Sammi and I went back into the house ... this time it worked, he followed us in;  

I threw a treat into the kitchen, closing the door behind him. Out of fear for "what could have been again" I was seething with him and left him in the kitchen till I had cooled down, Steve of course was disappointed in him but as ever he's making excuses, he's always "Team Zeus!" 

I try my best, honestly I do. I want them all to have the best, but Zeus is spoiling it for everyone, but more so for himself. He's always loved that garden, and having free access from that side of the cottage into the garden is ideal for him .. but if we can't keep him safe then he'll have to go into that small pen. What else can we do? I know, without doubt that he would chase and probably kill sheep, and at the moment not even our fields are a sheep free zone. I've asked for help, but even when it's promised it doesn't happen. What the hell do we do next? 

Regional, Siska And Studs

Yesterday, Beti and I had a day out, We went with Ian and Kiaan to the 2nd day of the Two Day Regional Event. Kiaan did Ian proud, gaining SG2 in the adult male class. It was odd to be at a show but not be showing, but Kiaan and Lucca have always been part of our extended family so it was lovely to watch both in the ring. It was equally fab to see Jane, though we talk about twice a week, it's still great fun to be in her company.

The chat between Ian and I in the van was of course mostly about the dogs, the breed and future plans. It's good to brainstorm and listen to other people's ideas and suggestions. It's good to know what other people think would benefit Siska/the line. Of course we all see things differently, but just looking at Siska, what needs to be better? Well let's start from the top, ear set, hers are slightly wide. She tends to drop on the wither on the move, but her overline is clean and smooth, though her croup is a tad short. Her tail is a little long, as seems to be a breed characteristic these days. Her angles front and back are balanced, though she really doesn't need more angulation or second thigh, and her feet are not her fortune! 

As regards to size (height) and the ration of height to length, I have no worries with her. The breed should always be longer in body than the height at the wither, I've always said that if a male is slightly short in body length, then it's not really and issue for Siska as those that have come before her have also had good length of body. My reason for looking for a male who is nearer middle size than top size is simply because of Meerah, I must be aware that Meerah has come from somewhere so finding a male to compliment Siska in all her attributes without too much length of foreleg is paramount. 

The dog picture here is 2 times World Sieger (2009/2010)  Remo vom Fichtenschlag SchH3, he is said by many to be the dog who has been closest to the standard. I love his outline and moderate proportions, plenty of everything, but nothing overdone. 

Over the two days at shows I've seen two of the males on my list, and I saw three Reno progeny yesterday, having seen two others at Leeds on Friday. As this is a public page, to protect myself from shit stirrers I won't name the dogs. One greeted me with a happy wagging tail and a "Hello," whilst the other greeted me was a disinterested expression. Reading his body language, in my opinion he had a tense demeanour, including a raised stiff tail. He did nothing wrong, but he reminded me of Zeus during one of our conflicts, put it this way, he did not fill me with confidence in his character, and as beautiful as he was, I have to remove him from my list. 

I loved the three younger Reno siblings from Magic, my favourite was definitely the female I saw at Leeds. I liked the young Scottish male, but felt his head was not masculine enough (Yet), and the female was a large strong female, quite typical of her mother line I guess. 

Leeds

A very long day, but lots of fun. We set off for Leeds Ch at 4.45 am and arrived home at 8pm. Three hours to get there and five and a half to get home! (With a much needed thirty minute Maccies stop on the way home)  Lots of fun with our great bunch of friends from all over the UK. Thanks to Sarah for handling the team and to our judge Pat White. Orin was 2nd in Open, and thanks to Laura Smeaton for taking him in when he was called back into the challenge. Beti was 3rd in PG and Siska 2nd in limit. Orin's daughter Mayzee, belonging to Benita was 3rd in SB, she looks great. As ever thanks to Linda and Jackie for the company and support.... and the stewards were hilarious, well one word for them anyway! Lots more to say ... laters!!!!