Cushion Killer

I'm not a happy German Shepherd owner. This morning I bought four new matching cushions. After a doze on the sofa this afternoon I now have three cushions and a pile of stuffing! The removal of the zip from the cover pinpointed the culprit!!!! (A certain family member has a zip fetish and takes great pleasure in removing them off "his" bedding!)
Donations towards the new cushion fund now open.

A Nice Time Had By All

Loki and Sammi having a great time, whilst Ann and I talk dogs and Steve and Tony admire the stunning gardens. 

New Toy For The Youngsters?

Is it hell says Tali!!!! 

(Can you see who's peeking through the fence?)

This Photo ...

... has created great interest on Facebook. I am indeed flattered at the compliments on my photography in catching the almost "mirror image" between Loki and Bella. 

But come on let's face it, this could not have been planned, as nice as this is, this is simply another lucky shot! 

Thanks kids for making me look good! haha

Blanik Ivana

My beautiful Sammi is now 17 months old 

So beautiful, I'm so proud! 

12 months to the day  and 5 months old

Pretty Little Shit!

So what do you do when she refuses to come down from the top field? Chase her? Don't be silly she's faster than me. Call her? Nope, she's already ignoring me. I know, I'll go and get my camera! 

So this is yet another beautiful photo of Sammi Belle taken on full zoom; no not posing, just being a little shit!  Must say these do seem to make the best photos! 

Siblings By The Sea

Bella, Zeus and Loki

Shame the tide was in - but there you go, still beautiful there!

Zeus has grown into an adult version of the puppy we saw in the litter.

The Show

With only 5 GSD's entered yesterday breed support was indeed pretty poor! But in it to win it and all that and Sammi as ever gave of her all. Loki on the other hand, didn't! Feeling a little delicate,  I asked Mark to handle Loki. Nothing wrong with that I thought, he's done it before, but the little guy turned into bucking bronco and point blank refused to play the game! The slippery leisure centre floor didn't help, but really it was mostly Loki's own doing!

Bella stood and moved well and rightly so won the class. A proud moment for Ian as he has been working hard on her. As her circle of friends extends then so does her confidence. She's such a sweetheart and a great first step for Ian and Tracy into the showing world. We all start somewhere, and to start with one you've bred yourself must be a great beginning.

Sammi won Open, again she was in a class that was really above her station, but with only the two classes to choose from there was no option. She shows beautifully for me .. yes very proud!

I love this photo of Loki taken by Paul who owns Yogi. I guess you can see what he is, and hopefully with maturity what he will be. The last time he met his brothers he was indeed "little legs" but now I guess he is the tallest. Having now seen 4 of the male pups from the litter I'm still happy with my choice of puppy. For me  Loki still has the most "Show potential," which is what I was looking for in 6 week old puppy. The other puppies are lovely and seem to be thriving in their wonderful homes. (And I'm looking forward to seeing Zeus this afternoon) There's only one home I'd change, but like Ian and Tracy, there's sadly nothing we can do about it now! 

Loki Meeting Up With His Siblings Yesterday

 Ian was overwhelmed to have 4 of his litter of 10 playing together 

Happy Puppies 

Loki, Yogi with Sarah and Jess, Will with Judy and Bella with Tracy 

WNC

Well despite very little sleep I made it to the show! I think the distraction was good for me, though I have to admit I'm struggling tonight. This pain is so intense at times!

Sammi did me proud and was BOB. 

Lots of photos and bits to say - but maybe tomorrow! 

So Who Does She Look Like Now?

As a pup Sammi was the spit of her dad - 

now as someone pointed out on Facebook you can see both in her expression. 

But really now to me she's just her own naughty self

yep as Sammi says - "It's good to be bad!"

My Dream Come True

Sammi Belle

Love this timhop app. Loved that puppy, love this young bitch so much.

I remember that "puppy walk" day so clearly. 

God a year ago!

Mr Licky Loki

It seems like only yesterday when I carried home that tiny little bundle of a puppy dog. He was substantially smaller than the pups of my own previous litters; but from my first visit to see the litter at 3 weeks old he had stood out for me. Knowing nothing of three quarters of his mother's breeding taking on this puppy was indeed a risk. I tried to research the pedigree, but quarter of the breeding was impossible to really trace. They were just names on a KC document, with no photos and no recognisable kennel names. Half of the pedigree was purely working lines, some of them serving Police dogs and the last quarter familiar German show lines. 

Well anyway, that's all done and dusted, there is no going back ... and look at him now! 

Sometimes it's hard to remember that he's still a baby, he towers over the bitches and I'm almost certain he's now taller than Mikey. He's rangey and skinny, but I do see a slight difference/improvement in him the last couple of weeks. Let's face it he's still a "Minor Puppy" he's not 9 months for another couple of weeks. He stands tall and proud but he's such a sweet boy and he has a gentle, kind expression. Like his father his tail never stops wagging and that tongue - well that has given him another nickname of Mr Licky Loki! 

This photo was taken just two weeks ago (Well on the 9.5.15) 

Though he has a long way to go, there is obvious improvement in coat and general condition - oh yeah .. and he's taller!!! lol

Onward and Forward eh! 

The Great Escape ...

Looking like Desperate Dan I'm abiding by the hospitals requests that I rest for 3 or 4 days. Sadly the troops are already getting restless, Steve took them to the field yesterday afternoon, but half of them came back! Not a new scenario, if I'm home they don't tend to go without me, whilst I'm at work he has no bother and they all get a good run.

Sammi loves uncle Jake 

Anyway this morning the pack of six were with me in the living room, the three in the middle room. Steve had popped out to post a birthday card for me. The living room door was open and the youngsters were out. I heard Steve arriving home and the usual barking .. but then the barking got more intense and I heard raised voices.
Now I know I'm a wimp, but I'm being honest, after the GA my legs are like jelly and I'm still a little disorientated, but I knew something was wrong and I had to go out! The gate was open and the 6 were out, by the time I got there 5 where returning in as Steve had called them. Linda was hanging on to Lexi in the middle of her garden and Sammi was snogging Jake through the fence! Between the accounts of Linda and Steve I know that our gate was opened from the inside ... all six dogs came out, Ziva and Sammi went straight to cause trouble with Lexi, Mikey stood back (as he would!) and the other three were a blurr. Because Linda was out and got hold of Lexi quickly no one got anywhere near each other, and in all fairness 5 came in almost as soon as they were called. Number 6? Well what do you expect, she doesn't bloody listen!  She ran round the caravan a couple of times, stopping only to flirt with Jake. Sammi has always loved Jake, and the feeling is mutual. Interesting to know that flirting with Jake was more interesting than fighting with Lexi!

Loki and Mikey

So how did they get out? Well it could have been a lucky paw on the catch on the gate, or it could have been Loki! He has once before opened the gate to get to me by twisting the catch with his mouth. We gave him the benefit of the doubt then, though he had opened the catch the gate had not swung open, so we though he may not have put two and two together. But whatever, however it happened it can't happen again, Steve is currently busy devising a new system and it looks like I won't be able to get out either!

Loki's Still On Duty!

Bless the little guy, none of the others seem to give a shit! 

Dr. Loki

Home from hospital and Dr. Loki is looking after me now! 

I had to have a Wisdom tooth removed under GA in the hospital today. It was really deep and was on it's side so I never knew it was there until I started getting abscesses last year. Having never had a GA, well really never been to hospital I'm not afraid to admit I was terrified. Anyway all done and dusted, I look like a hamster now and I'm sore and sleepy, but so pleased I slept soundly through it all!

I have to say everyone from cleaner to nurse to the consultants were lovely. (Mr Consultant now knows not to say "alsatian") Seriously I can't praise them and their care highly enough. Though they were concerned when I confessed to having an adult and not necessarily a responsible adult to be with me for the next 24hrs!!! lol  

Some Pics In The Ring

The main photo is of the junior class, Sammi pulled out first and about to win her class. The top photo's show her in stance and socialising with her brother "Barney." The bottom photo's show Ian with Loki in the challenge, Sadly there are no photos of me in the class with him ... at that time the photographer was trying to hang on to Sammi!!!! The last photo is of Loki and Sammi stood next to each other in the challenge. But it was the adult bitch from open who was to take BOB. 

Twas A Pretty Good Day!

Nico's kids

Barney, Sammi, Loki and Bella 

 Sammi-Belle 1st in Junior with RBOB

Loki was 1st in puppy and BPIB

Off To A Show Tomorrow

Well after humming and harring all week the decision is finally made. We are off to the Royal Welsh tomorrow. It's just the babies entered and both have been bathed and blasted this afternoon. Neither are currently amused; Sammi hates the bath, but likes the blaster; Loki likes the bath but is a little scared of the blaster. Ah well, he'll get use to it. I don't bath them before every show but they are both still a little thin on the ground for coat so it bulks up what they've got. Not expecting much down there tomorrow ... but hopefully an enjoyable day whatever the result. Watch this space!

Blanik Isko and Ivana

Barney and Sammi. 

Peas out of the same pod eh! Though very obvious difference sexual characteristics. 

Yeah very pleased! 

Blaniks in a ditch, again

In my defence most of them where there when I got there!

Ziva Gave Us A Scare

Well we had very brief but very scary few minutes here this morning, panic stations really set in. I thought I would be cancelling my pre op to go to the vets!
At first I thought Ziva was lame, then she looked to be swaying, very similarly to how Sammi was when she hurt her back. She had a worried expression on her face and she was physically shaking. We separated her from the others and quickly discovered the problem. Her front leg was through her collar and the sliding bit that extended the collar had opened, so the collar was tight around her neck on one side but now large enough to have gone under her armpit. It was so tight it had to be cut off, thank god it was webbing and not leather! I guess it had been like that for hours overnight and was affecting her circulation as well as causing her pain. Poor Ziva, I was so upset for her. :(
I do feel they still need to wear collars. The older generations never did, but when Louis took himself off to the village and I found him in someone's house I knew I had to change things. She could have phoned me if he'd had a tag on instead of us going off our heads looking for him.. Also when Kiri and Nikki had "the fight" years ago we had nothing to get hold of to try and split them. So yeah, taking all things into consideration they still do have to wear their collars!

Now Do You See What I Mean?

Similarly Angled Photo

Give Loki more coat and fade his forehead - as no doubt it will! 

Loki and Kai 

Left In The Shadow

I don't often write about my human family, but today the relief is immense. My father has been so poorly the last couple of weeks that really nothing else was of much important. Dad is in his early 70ies and has really always been pretty damn healthy, but the last 2 weeks has really given us a scare. It got so bad that mum called 999 and thankfully had great help from the ambulance team, and then the doctor at the local hospital. Anyway it's not my place to print details, and I doubt he'd like it, but that brings me round to things very nicely ...
Someone is behaving badly, she has thrown her toys out of the pram and no one really seems to know why! What's really frustrating about it is that she's gone silent, and if we/I have done anything then at least telling me what it is may help the situation. I have asked, but been ignored. Hand on heart to my knowledge I've done nothing, but if she knows or feels differently then she needs to tell me. That would at least allow me the opportunity to apologise, explain or defend my case. The silence is not helpful at all! Still like I said I've had far more important things on my mind these last 2 weeks, times like this you really discover what is important, and my father is far more important than someone who's being childish and obviously thinks the world should revolve around her! Sad though, we've been friends for over 20 years, but they way she's going she won't have any friends left. Still as life goes on we discover that we only need positivity around us -  we may have others in our lives but we must see them for what they are and not let them influence or impact on our lives. Anyone that doesn't add light to your life should be left the shadows! (Well said ladies!)

Been Editing Loki :)

 Quite happy with that! 

A Few More Pics