One Of Those Days

 I woke up to rain and wind bashing against the bedroom window at 7am this morning, sod it, I rolled over and went back to sleep. When Zeus started heaving at about 8.15am I regretted my decision to have a lie in. I can't jump out of bed and get to the door in seconds these days ... first of all, "Where are my glasses?" Secondly, "does my knee work?" Thirdly, "where is Sammi in this dark bedroom?" It was obviously too late by the time I got to the door! 

Still in my PJ's, having cleaned up I started on the breakfasts. Ross, Beti and Meerah were out as I got everything ready. Whilst carrying the bowls through, I hadn't realised Beti's bowl had slipped into Ross' breakfast and as I lifted it out the lump of yogurt which had caught on the bottom fell with a loud splat onto the floor! Second cleaning up job, and I'd been out of bed about 15 mins! I let the three in, Ross was in and eating, Meerah went into her bed but Beti ran back out ... she was heaving! Aahhh, I thought, at least she went back out! Beti came in, Orin and Siska went out, and I went to prepare the next four breakfasts ... OMG Meerah was heaving in her bed! I got her out and cleaned up! 

With everyone back in and eating, or considering it as Beti does, I asked Steve to let Zeus out whilst I went to get Sammi. For Fecks sakes .. he'd closed the door so Sammi went wandering into the "Breakfast room," (LOL) Beti launched forward and her breakfast went flying all over the floor ... FECK ... Good morning Rhian!!! By the way, no one is ill, it was all hunger puke, or as we call it here empty belly syndrome! 

No advances with Siska really, a little blood on the tissue, but not much swelling. Maybe a little more interest from Orin, but she almost took his face off when he put his nose where he shouldn't! I have made a vets appointment for Saturday morning, 8.50am, that gives me enough time to get back and get Steve to the hospital for his 2pm appointment. I honestly don't expect her to be anywhere near ready, but I'm willing to pay to keep an eye on her progress from the beginning, I would imagine we'll need at least three tests. 

With the weather still very lively this afternoon, I decided to do some batch cooking. I had Ross, Beti and Meerah with me. Something caught my eye on the floor .. blood??? Siska hadn't been in there and isn't bleeding that much anyway ... I check .. Oh Beti! Three weeks early and Beti is in season. Ah well two down and one to go! 

One good thing, well I hope, Ed's hospital appointment has also been changed. He's now seeing the kidney specialist on the 2nd of Dec so that means we are free of medical appointments from the 19th of Nov till Dec 2nd - Surely it'll all be done by then!

Beti Limping

Nothing further to report on the Siska Saga, but I liked the photo.

A bit of a panic today. Beti started limping on "that leg." I knew she'd got the lead wrapped around it as we crossed over from the first footpath to the second, I also saw her pull backwards ... Oh hell hopefully she'll be fine tomorrow, and I'm just overthinking as usual!

Despite The Forecast

Well good to their word the council have cleared the path beyond the bridge and gate in Dinas, but after all of that, was it worth it? Certainly it seemed initially very nice, but either I went the wrong way after going through the next gate or someone needs to remove the padlock off the larger gate nearer the road. I will give it a little more time and go back again.

 

I stayed on the other track with Orin and Siska, this top photo showing that little miss was pushing his buttons today! Bless her! LOL

It's The French Dog

                                    

I forgot to say ... I have confirmed with his owner that I will be using VA/Champion Reno de la Petite Laeticia on Siska. Reno is one of the only showline VA dogs in the UK, and he currently sits on 9 CC's and numerous RCC's. He is also a UK BRG Gold Medal Winner. After spending months researching males, Reno was a dog I did not initially consider, but he came to the forefront and seems to tick the boxes for Siska. More important than anything, his character is second to none, and he is a very sound an unexaggerated male. Reno was the best male at Crufts in 2024 and 2025, he has his working titles and has the versatility to compete at all breed Champ shows as well as regionals. 

Here is his Crufts critique for 2025... 

"Davies Ch Reno de la Petite Laeticia 4 years 5 months Black and gold, medium size, strong and substantial, beautiful head and expression, stands straight, superb front angulation, high wither a one piece overline moulding into an excellent croup, powerful sound unexaggerated hindquarters, sound coming and going, powerful walking with an effortless fluent gait. An absolutely top class dog who performed at the top of his game today and would compete in any ring. Very happy indeed to award this absolute top dog the Dog CC."

Reno's critique from Heather McDonald from a regional 

"Male of excellent breed type, over medium size, medium strong, correct height to length proportions, excellent pigmentation. He has a strong masculine very well-formed correct GSD head with good mask, dark eyes, and firm well placed ears. Good length of neck into a high long firm wither, firm correct back into slightly steep croup of good length. He has very good fore and rear angulation with a very good underline. Stands absolute correct in front with clean bones. Absolutely sound coming and going. When settled, he showed powerful and effective hind drive with matching forward reach His movement is very fluent, balanced, and harmonious at all speeds. A real top-quality dog and a male I liked very much. I wish the very best to the owners for a very promising future which I will follow with interest. A very useful and medium sized stud dog for the UK with the current climate of excessive everything."

The Siska Report

The fourth day since I spotted blood. There is still blood, but very little.  I have a feeling this may be a long drawn out affair like her last season. Orin is still flirting, but that is it really, which of course is correct at this stage with an exprienced stud dog. 

Steve's sister has asked if we can meet up on the 26th, I've been straight and honest with Steve. I love his sister and I hope to get to catch up with her, but Siska, and this mating is my priority! Thankfully he totally understands.

Rules Of The House

Travelling down to Tremadog today, as usually Beti started to winge as we got to Penmorfa ... we are nearly there and she knows it! "Be quiet Beti!" We ask so much of them don't we, she is simply excited because she knows where we are. Don't bark, yet it is their voice, don't winge though she's only expressing her excitement. I then started thinking more about the rules of most houses. Don't growl, though it's your only way of telling us your unhappy. Lie down, even though you are not tired, don't scratch, even though you have an itch! Eat your food, even though your not hungry. Don't jump, even though your desperately full of love and want to show it. (Beti again in our house!) 

Out walking, don't pull on the lead, even though your natural pace is faster than mine. Don't eat the grass, even though it's good for you. Don't lick and sniff the pee, even though it's your social media. Don't roll in fox poo and don't eat the sheep poo, even though it's in your ancestral nature to do so. Don't lie in the ditch or run through the mud, even though it's the best fun you can have. Don't chase the cat even though your prey drive is high. Come back to me, even though your busy. 

The list is endless, but just think about it, most of the time, most of them go against nature and bend over backwards just to please us! (Yes I said MOST of them!!!)

A Muddy Walk And Show Wins

I arrived in Tremadog at 9.45am this morning to see my mother's curtains closed and the door locked. My stomach churned, of course I hadn't taken my key, obviously, I should have done! Anyway, I rang her and she answered, "Where are you mam?" "Well yes, where am I? Just getting dressed!" She'd been to the loo at around 7am and gone back to bed and woken up at 9.40am. Well does it matter? Not to you or I, but "What will the neighbours think with my curtains being closed at this time?"  Anyway I told her not to rush and I'd walk the girls first! 

From home we used to walk along "lein fach" (Small lane) the mile or so to school in Porthmadog. Just this week, there had been a post on Facebook about the path and the area in the centre called Coed John. (John's Woods) I asked about the path that went behind Pensyflog Farm and came out on lon Penamser in Porthmadog. As children, we were never allowed to walk it as it crossed the railway line and to be honest until recently I'd forgotten about it! So today, for the first time ever, I was going to walk it. The path took me across a couple of fields, they were soggy but with no livestock they were lovely to cross. I saw the white Egret, sadly he was too far for a photo, but I loved seeing him. It was all turning into a very pleasant walk, until I got to the railway line!

So now faced with a stile and no other way to continue I tried my best to get us all over. I struggled with Beti .. but she got there, Meerah was harder, but with some pulling and tugging she got there too, I crossed the railway line, oh great another stile. Again another struggle with Beti, but Meerah decided she was not doing it and started to scream .. well she was now between two stiles and no other options, somehow I managed to heave her over. We all landed in mud, hell it didn't matter I had my wellies on! 

There were two choice, go straight on or left, I went straight on, but it was very disappointing when he hit the busy main road in 2 mins, so we went back onto the other path, now that was better and we walked behind the industrial park in Porthmadog, I knew exactly where I was, but I'd never been there before. The path was lovely, a little muddy but with great fencing either side. The futher we continued, the more litter there was on the path, I was also aware of the time, so we turned back .. OMG I thought, those stiles. Again I had the greatest difficult getting the girls over the first, pulling, pushing and almost lifting, one down, one to go. The last stile, I went over, the same scenario getting Beti over, I turned to get Meerah, Oh clever Meerah, front up and over, but back legs stuck! As I tried to help her Beti barked and bounced about .. I could almost hear her laughing, knowing her as I do, she was laughing! Both over, good girls! It was only then I consider the state I was in, I was covered in mud, and I mean covered. My coat was open, so my coat and jumper were covered, and my trousers, OMG, had I ever been this covered in mud in all my adult life? Well yeah at that regional show last February maybe? Even my glasses had spots of mud on them, but my hands were too dirty to even consider trying to clean them! 

When I arrived back at mum's I put the girls straight in the van. Mum was putting her washing out and before she could say anything I said .. "I know I'm covered in mud!" Her face was a picture, and as we'd talked about it last week, she said "I know where you've been, I told you not to go that way!" Well yes, I guess she did in 1980 something! Thankfully, I had a clean jacket and tracksuit bottoms in the van, and I always take my Skechers with me to change into in the house! I was so pleased .. as even I would have been too embarrassed to go into Aldi looking as I did!!!!!!

I enjoyed the walk. Would I go back? Well, yeah, but I wouldn't cross that railway line again unless I had dogs who knew what to do with a stile.

When we got back one of mum's friends arrived. As mum is part of the Beti fan club, her friend knew all about her. She asked, "So how much money do you win at these shows?" OMG I wish. Putting on my most intellectual tone of voice I explained "that trophies, rosettes and prize cards were among the prizes available, but really it was more about the accolades and the  acknowledgment of our dogs qualities  than the physical awards." To be honest recently we binned bags of rosettes from over the years and there are boxes of broken and ones treasured old trophies rusting away in the sheds. My prize cards take less spaces, so they are all in a folder. I don't wish to sound ungrateful but I've got to the stage where for instance, a rosette for 4th out of 6 means very little to me ... a respected judge's critique means more!   Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have the trophys and the "special" rosettes, but I think having a photo of my dogs with these wins will give me far more memories to treasure and I really wish I'd thought of doing that years ago! 

The Smiths - Bigmouth Strikes Again (Official Lyric Video)

With the humour that's intended, this is now Meerah's song. She is the most "barky" dog here, and she's always up to no good, so quite by accident I told Steve .. "Bigmouth Strikes Again,"  and then I couldn't get the song out of my head. So yeah ... now she has a theme tune too! 

I googled wondering what the line "now I know how Joan of Arc felt" meant in the context of this song. .... "The line "now I know how Joan of Arc felt" from The Smiths' song "Bigmouth Strikes Again" is a sarcastic and ironic statement about the consequences of speaking impulsively. It signifies a feeling of being misunderstood and unfairly attacked, similar to how Joan of Arc was persecuted, but on a personal level after a "bigmouth" remark.

Tremadog - Porthmadog

A walk I'll never forget with Beti and Meerah. 

First Season Post

Just as an advanced warning for the prudes amongst us, over the next few weeks there will be a lot of talk of fannies, bloods, and matings. These bits of information are things I may need for future reference. It's the world I live in with these dogs, nothing to hide away from, it's the nature of the beast, so to speak!

So, we begin and for my notes ... there has been very little blood yesterday and today, and she's not swollen yet. I'll check her daily now for progress, and of course I'll take Orin's advice. I won't ring the vet to make an appointment till mid-week, it's likely it'll be for the 15th or the 17th, depending on what she does over the next few days.