Well yesterday was the big day. A friend pick me up at 8.30am and we were off to Malvern to take Sammi to meet Ole. It was almost 4 hours later when we stood on the doorstep at "Videx." A cuppa and a chat was most welcome before we went to get on with the things.
Sammi had a run around the huge garden, but no wee! Ole came out, he'd blown all his coat but still looked amazing. He totally ignored Sammi and went hoovering round the garden, his owner told me, he's looking for her wee. We all know a bitches wee can tell a dog so much .. but like a lot of bitches Sammi doesn't like to wee away from home! Ole took no interest in her at all and decided to go and splash about in his padding pool! My heart sank, but I did giggle at his behaviour.
Eventually the boy decided to come over and see what was going on, and it was like someone had flicked a switch .. from then on he was totally focused on the job in hand, but Sammi really didn't like him! Owning stud dogs I will not allow them to be bitten so I was happy for Sammi to wear a muzzle, but by now she was like a combination of a snapping crocodile and bucking bronco and just wasn't having it! David suggested it was my fault, he said "the bitch is so obsessed with you she's not letting nature take it's course!" So I went out of her eye line. but really as she knew I was there it didn't seem to get any better! After about an hour with no success it was decided to give both a break and have another cuppa!
So on to part two ... Sammi went out .. yes she had a wee! Ole came out and went straight to the wee, and immediately focused. Sammi still didn't like him and growled and snarled somehow managing to chuck him off or push him out (if you get my meaning) with every attempt. I could feel myself getting disheartened. David commented on her ridiculous strength and joked that I should walk her on those mountains a little less. I wanted this so much but I was starting to feel it was not going to happen so I said, listen your boy is getting tired, it's your call. They gave it another 10 mins before deciding to call it a day. Seriously my heart sank, but then David said, would you like to see our other boy Merlot? Well yeah, I guess and I did know of the dog through his reputation.
First things first and I had a look at his pedigree before then decided I'd see the dog. Merlot was a lovely boy, a deep deep red tan and a huge coat. About the same size as Ole, maybe just a tad taller. Not dissimilar to Loki somehow, but more medium size and shorter coupled. So what were my alternatives? I used Merlot, I go away with nothing and wait till the next season to try again, I find another dog and travel again tomorrow, and who would let me use their dog at such short notice? Merlot is no second rate dog, he was last years British Youth Sieger, his pedigree is super, his health grades excellent .. sod it we'll give it a go.
When Merlot met Sammi ...
The boy ran over to greet her, she grumbled once ... he then went off to find her wee, came back, had one attempt, jumped off and put his face right in my face. I can only think now he said .. "watch this" ... She stood still, no biting, no growling no bucking, he mated her, they tied for a romantic 30+ mins .. romantic because he kissed her ears for most of that time and she didn't growl once. So after 2 hours of trying with Ole and Sammi objecting to it all, she had allowed Merlot to mated her in 5 mins and she didn't complain the once! Am I disappointed? Yes of course, a little. I had set my heart on Ole, but it was not meant to be .. and maybe in this case as regards to Merlot it was meant to be, well Sammi thinks so anyway!!!!!
The photos are of a 12 and a half month old Merlot winning his class and becoming the British Youth Sieger of 2015.
