Not Complaining But ...

... This weather is just nuts.

Accidents Happen

Beti is now coming to the end of her season; within a few days the group of 4 will be back together. This morning I took advantage of the weather and left Meerah and Zavi in the big pen till we were ready to leave for Tremadog. (Around 11am) I spent the early part of the morning cleaning out the dog bedroom, moving crates to hoover behind them and changing beds. I was really happy that the room was fresh and clean by the time all the guys were going back to bed so we could go out!

It was not the best visit to Mum's, as usual there were things to moan about, and my tongue is so sore from biting it that one day I may just explode. It was easier today to just cut the visit short so we could get home to light the fire! 

Home, dogs out, and shopping away. As I've said, I feed the dogs in their crates, so I find myself sorting the beds out before they come in, and tonight I was shocked to discover that Zavi's bed was piss wet through. How? Why? We'd only been out about 3 hours in total. Well, I guess coming straight in from the pen and to the crate hadn't given him time to pee, though there are no rules against peeing in the pen! LOL. So yeah, I was disappointed, but human error ... as it nearly always is! 

It's weird isn't it, we make our dogs who they are. Of course genetics play a part but if you do wonder why every dog you've had makes the same mistakes? Then look beyond the dog at the other end of the lead! 

The Sun Keeps Shining

With the cattle spread all over the mountain in Fron, I drove down and parked at the top of Carmel. Just a short walk across the road and I was on the bottom of Cilgwyn Mountain, walking towards the village of Cilgwyn. With no one in sight I let Sammi off, but I was well aware of the signs everywhere: "Know The Law."

A super walk with these two loonies, I went further and found a nice circuit with only a couple of steep areas and one muddy incline. Who cares when you've got wellies?

Having enjoyed the previous walks I went back to the same place and timed the circuit with Orin and Siska to see if it was Ok for Zavi - and at 30 mins, it was! 

A narrow area of the track, about a foot wide through the gorse, but it was OK.

We have had such lovely weather, and I have to make the most of it. The last few days it's really hard to believe that we are heading for winter – as my Nain (grandmother) used to say "We'll pay for this!"

This Weather Is Amazing

Zavi In Training

No photo of Zavi sadly, but I'm very happy with these videos.

Kate In Training

Blanik Kyriacos

A super photo of my Orin. The best one in a long long time. Thanks Ian 

Beti And Ross In Tremadog

I apologise to anyone around Tremadog who was doing this walk after me this morning. Yes I did walk a bitch in full season along your footpaths, but they were mine before they were yours. 😏 In my defence, I will never leave Beti in full season at home with Steve again. It's a year since the accidental mating, and there will be no repeat performance! 

Ross was with me as her bodyguard; the only advantage of having him neutered, for the life of me, as hard as I look, I can't find any others. Since neutering Ross, his colour has faded, and his coat was better when he was entire. His character has regressed to a junior juvenile delinquent, but at least the pratty puppy didn't return! LOL. I would seriously have to think about neutering any male dog again, but like all the other females I've had neutered, thankfully Meerah hasn't had any negative changes. I wish I had the guts to spay Beti, but I don't! I feel so sorry for her; she's so frustrated, even spinning and grabbing her tail yesterday, I've never seen her do that before! I instantly stopped her so she grabbed Ross' kong and madly shook it and chomped on it ... does she want the bonk or the babies, or both? I don't know! 

My Critique For Zavi Today

A quick click of the camera and I got a semi-decent photo of Zavi today. Hopefully if Ian is free on Sunday, we'll get one in stance; he's always the best at standing them. I'm still very happy with how Zavi is looking. At 58 cms and 25 kg  he's still smaller than his male siblings, but honestly I'm happy with that. 

Ok so my critique for today. His mouth is correct, with nothing extra and nothing missing, though his bottom jaw still has some developing to do. His head is improving, and he has a lovely dark mask with dark eyes, his left ear is firming up now too. 

He has strong bones down through his forelegs, and for his age his pasterns are straight and strong, and those wonderful feet. Very clean, straight forelegs with good shoulder layback developing. His chest depth is dropping nicely toward the elbow line. 

His wither height has improved. His topline has a smooth unexaggerated slope flowing down from the high withers into a firm, strong back. His croup - length and angle look OK, but currently his tail set is a little high and his tail is very long. (Though he carries his tail low, unlike Orin, who's a tad too proud of his!) The coat over the croup is lying better than it was, and hopefully as his coat develops, the weight will straighten it further! His hindquarter angulation is pleasing to my eye with excellent turn of stifle and well-defined strong straight hocks. 

Zavi has great pigment and a super, thick, lush coat; his knickers are still developing, and hopefully they will help complete the picture. 

I have to admit in the photo he looks a little short-coupled, but I've not noticed that before, so maybe it's just the angle of the photo ... and I didn't get the chance to get a "take-two!" 

Zavi is now very father-typical, but of course Nicola may well see a lot of Mattie there. Katrina says he looks very much like a male version of a baby Beti ... we'll I'm happy with that. She too was dark and had plenty of coat at that age. I've no idea why she's not as well coated now with a couple of breed judges commenting that a little more coat would be prefered to complete the picture. To be honest I think she has enough ... unlike Meerah who really could do with more coat - let's see what happens with her now she's been spayed. 

Orin did have a stronger head at this age, I'm not criticising, just observing as dogs develop differently. Otherwise there's not a lot between them ... other than Zavi has better eye colour and better feet - but of course, Orin is perfect!

Top pic - Zavi Today

Centre pic - Beti at 5.5 months.

Bottom pic - Orin at 5.5 months.  

Which Mountains Do You See?

Mynydd (Mountain) Cilgwyn behind Zeus and Sammi. 

The Nantlle Ridge and Craig Cwm Silyn 

Beautiful Beti and Ross 

The beautiful Mynydd Mawr also known as Mynydd Grug (Heather Mountain) and Elephant Mountain. My lovelies Orin and Siska  

Meerah and Zavi in front of the Nantlle Ridge.