Last Day Of Meteorological Spring

 Walking with Linda and the young guns where we shouldn't be and seeing things we shouldn't see!

But it was bloody lovely and no doubt we'll go further next time. 

 Come On - open the bloody gate

Comparing The Boys

Sitting here and thinking about the recent boys I wondered what they looked like at 12 months old. Nico wasn't here and I didn't have a digital camera when Louis was 12 months old, so really there's only Loki and Mikey to compare. I went searching the blog and instantly hit a blank with Loki .. I missed his birthday as I was in Walton for 2 weeks and of course my time in the local hospital before that. When I came home it took me a while to get out and about again, but obviously I do have photos of Loki just before he was 12 months,  he won BOB at Merioneth so really about a week or so before. So here goes...

Loki's head has improved dramatically, but really even though he's stood quite differently construction wise you can see that really all he's done is filled his frame and has an improvement in coat quality. The potential was always there I guess. 

I'm absolutely shocked at the photos of Mikey. I swear I don't remember him looking like this but I know he was an adult when he show career exploded. I didn't see it then, but now I know why he wasn't successful as a pup. His head must have doubled in width between 12 months and 3 years, his coat came on dramatically and he had far better hind quarters as an adult than he did as a youngster. 

The 12 month old boy

and the mature male.

I guess young Ross only has the same issues, though currently I see his head is ideal for his size and shape. He needs to fill his frame which he will with maturity .. and here's hoping for a better coat.

(yes it has improved but still needs to come on to finish an otherwise pleasing picture!)

Birthday Boys Walk To Llyn Ffynhonnau

 Of course he took his best friend

 Someone smudged the lens - still a nice pic 

 Doing what he loves most

Happy Birthday Ross

Don't Buy a Puppy

Don't buy a puppy without seeing him in the nest ... I Did!
Don't buy a puppy without seeing the parents ... I Did!
Don't meet half way to pick up the puppy .. I Did!
I picked Ross from a photo of him and his brother on the internet and the word of his breeder. In all fairness I did go to one of the top breeder in the country, a person know for her excellent reputation, a top championship show judge. We had every intention of traveling down to Suffolk to pick him up, the route was planned at approx 300 miles and 5.30mins, but on the day Ross only had one testicle so I decided to leave it a week and see what would happen. By mid week he had both and the trip was rescheduled for the following Saturday, but on the Sunday his breeder was at a GSD seminar near Birmingham and offered to bring him there. We gave it thought and decided that a 6 hour journey was far more appealing than an 11 hour day in the car and took her up on her offer. So I first met Ross in a car park in Birmingham on the only day of his life that Ian Turner was late!
Of course had I not liked him the option was always there not to buy him and I did go with that in mind. He had to be right. My initial thought was that he was quite small, but I thought of Loki, he was small at the same age too. I should have noticed then that he was going to be a handful, he had the cheekiest, naughtiest expression and in my mind I still see the way he looked at me that day full of confidence and attitude.
The journey home was loud at times, and life with Ross has continued to be loud. He sure has been a handful, full of determination and his own self importance, but we are getting there and my god I do adore him.
So don't buy a puppy off the internet, go and see the pup with the mother in the home, don't do what I did ... unless you do your research and know the breeder by their excellent reputation.

Happy First Birthday Baby Ross

Click to enlarge and see the baby boy growing up. 

Llyn Ffynhonnau and Cwm Dulyn

You Stole My Heart

Seffe

Hiding from the sun today, just me and my thought I started to reminisce and think about the puppies who had stolen my/our hearts over the years. All our puppies are precious, whether born here or bought in. One thing is for sure if you buy a puppy from us they have only known love and the best we can give them. Some litters are equal, but some individuals have stood out and had to stay, but sadly that was not always the case. In the "A" litter it was Aria, always Aria that had my heart. She was half the size of the others and her struggle for survival brought us so close. Having her taken away from me was like having my heart ripped out, Id never experience pain like it and now I can only compare it to the pain of grief at the loss of one of my family. Well I guess it was the same, I was grieving for the loss and never really forgave the people involved in the situation. With years my love for Seffe - my second pick in that litter, grew stronger and stronger. I never resented her or blamed her and we became the best of friends, she became my heart dog and as I've said, without her it would have been a very different path that we'd followed.

Krizzie

Little Dinky Dee was kind of special in the "B" litter, but she didn't stay either though that was my own decision. I was looking for a pup to show and little Dee didn't have it, but she had the perfect pet dog life.
Seffe had 3 bitches and 2 dogs in her "D" litter but they were all pretty equal and not one of them really got a special place in my heart, though Krizzie (Snap) was always the nutty one. At the time I did feel sorry for her future owner .. not realising it was going to be me! The adult bitch was an exuberant character, very loving with a wicked sense of humor!
Krizzie's first litter has been well documented .. The bitch was long coated and I was advised not to keep the "smaller" male as he would never have enough length of foreleg. But the larger male that appealed to others didn't do it for me and I was left in such a quandary as the smaller male was my heart dog. I remember Steve's words so clear, if you're going to make a mistake, let it be your mistake then you can't resent or blame anyone in future. I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders and the smaller male, Louis, stayed. Not only did he become a top winning show dog but he quickly became the love of my life.

Louis 

I still needed a bitch to continue my line and in Krizzie's second litter there was only one bitch, Tali, and of course she stayed. Initially Tali was hard to love, she was independent, naughty, strong willed and distant. Because of Tali disobedience I even lost the confidence to do pack walks, but the making of Tali was having her litter. If ever a bitch blossomed after a litter it was Tali .. she really did become a better person after she became a mother.
Tali missed after her first mating to the top winning import "Ice." By then her mother had died and I so needed a puppy to help me move on, to help me recover the huge losses of 2007. (We had lost 4 dogs in 6 months)  I remember I was devastated, heartbroken and so I did what I do and I went out and bought a dog! Kaiser Vom Conbhairean - Kai who was to become the sire of Tali's litter.

Mikey 

The "G" litter was born in 2008, 4 bitches and 2 dogs. Plenty of choice for the ideal bitch to continue my line, but who stole both our hearts? The black faced puppy dog. There was no option, the ideal and lovely bitch Asha stayed .. and so did the black faced puppy dog .. Mikey Mikey.
Born by cesarean Asha had 7 bitches and 2 dogs in August 2011. I have to be honest, not the best quality litter I've bred but Danni and Ziva were just the most divine puppies. Keeping both would have been the dream, but we had to do what's right by the sisters and it was another heart ripping experience to let Danni go at 8 months old.
The sister .. OMG the sister, an experience and a learning curve. Let common sense prevail and never ever keep litter sisters. I had Jezi and Ziva both health tested and came to the conclusion that my way forward was with Ziva, though many disagreed as the plainer colour Jezi was more shapely, but Ziva had better hips, better colour and a softer character.

A Young Nico 

2012 was quickly becoming another year from hell, Kai had died and left me in pieces and I was falling deeper into misery when I offered an opportunity that I couldn't miss. Conbhairean Danko, Nico, came to Blanik and filled my heart with his kindness, love and devotion.
Mating Nico to Ziva took a lot of thought, research and planning. Nico and Asha were cousins as Nico's mum was the litter sister to Kai, and Asha is Ziva's mum. But with my eyes open I went ahead and had the best litter I'd had in years. So Asha may not have produced the best, but her daughter sure went ahead and did it, and there in that litter of 6 was the next heart dog. The bitch I called "Belle" stole my heart very early on and I remember willing her to be the best bitch for the future of Blanik. I loved her so much that had she not been I'd have been devastated. Sammi Belle, the Naughty Angel .. now the Angel ... a best friend a dream come true.

Sammi and Kaiah

Sammi's pregnancy was a roller coaster ride .. and when the three musketeers came into the world I was ecstatic. From day one I knew who was staying and my bond just grew and grew. A few months back we did have a glitch in our friendship but we worked through it and I now look at Kaiah with love and pride. Sammi Belle's daughter is the best bitch at Blanik in a long long time .. by that I mean constructional .. the show dog. Though I have to admit that she too is an absolute darling and has wormed her way deep into my heart, even though I do feel she's laughing at me most of the time!!!
So looking back at Kaiah's pedigree, on the bitch side we have Nikki, Seffe, Krizzie, Tali, Asha, Ziva and Sammi .. and I'm equally blessed that she also carries both my Conbhairean boys, Kai and Nico ... she's a combination of so many wonderful dogs and bitches .. can't go wrong really can we?
And then there was Ross, lol. I only mention him here and now as with successful health tests he will hopefully be the sire of the next generation. If his health test are not acceptable then we will look elsewhere for a man for Kaiah .. but there's a good while till then, maybe a year, maybe more.

Back With His Hareem

After Sammi's marathon season finally things are settling and Loki is back with the girls. 

Dreading Kaiah coming in season now, well mid July if she comes to date, I guess we'll get a short break. 

Dwyfor Horse and Dog Show

Despite the weather forecast we made it and had an almost dry day at the show. It was only a companion show so not the place to take your best .. but ideal training ground for the young .. and a treat for the old who still so much want to go. 

The grass was very long so sadly no feet. I was surprised and delighted that Ross was 1st in puppy and Best Puppy In Show. Please don't shout at me for stringing him up on the move but he just wanted to mess about in the grass. 

Even though the boy is almost 12 months old the socialising continues and he was spot on again today. 

Asha had a lovely time but I think her highlight was sharing my burger. LOL 

Darling Asha was Best veteran in show

A video sent to me after the show. Again, I'm so please to get this. Lovely to see Ross looking so well, even though we are both high stepping in the grass! lol I sent this to his breeder and she said ..."Great, thanks foe sending over, he looks like he's developing just right for his age."

We agree!

Looking forward to a few photos from the professional photographer now.

More Lake Walks

 Nico and Jezi at Llyn Cop

We had to make a hasty retreat as the cattle headed downhill towards the lake,
and there was no going back there today.

 Loki, Ross and Kaiah at Cwm Dulyn

Nice to see Kaiah getting a taste of her own medicine 

 Asha, Ziva and Sammi also at Cwm Dulyn 

Who's toy is it anyway?

A Few Blanik Look A Likes

Generally I resent it when people say the dogs look a like. To us they are all individual in looks and nature, but of course being "family" we have to accept some resemblances ...

Kiri in 2011 and Ziva today (Below)

It's not so much that these two look a little alike, and they do.  Both strong, slightly shorter in leg and reasonably heavily built bitches, it's the mannerisms and behaviors that really do it. They both like mud and ditches and they both "smiled!" Kiri was Steve's pride and job and he still misses her dreadfully. 

Mother and daughter Seffe and Storm 

Could be the same bitch a few years apart? They looked very much alike but Storm was much taller than Seffe and their characters where worlds apart.

 First cousins Nico and Mikey sure do have a look of each other don't they.

And then of course the last apple didn't fall far from the tree ..

Kaiah and Sammi are very similar 

Blanik WELKS Critiques

To be honest I'm really chuffed with these from WELKS, but Steve and I giggled this morning wondering how Ross could be "Leggy" and short in foreleg at the same time. Funny yeah. (and now others have picked up on it too on Facebook)

 2 Stanley's Silkenwood Poldark Of Blanik. 11 month sable, another leggy youngster, but promising, confident attitude, good profile, just a little short in foreleg at the moment, good angles, elbows well tucked in, tidy feet. Need to firm up in hind quarters, but most are like this at this age. Liked him.
 2 Stanley's Blanik Jeevana. 19 mths b/g, on a par with the winner attractive well balanced head, keen expression, quite confident, very even proportions well boned. Good fore hand, deep chest. Elbows well tucked in. All my notes suggest quality,such a close call on one. Well done.

Happy Days

 Today I decided to take Nico and Jezi back to Talysarn and follow a path towards Dorothea,  I had last walked here in the company of Pat Scouse with Blade and Pepsi in the 90ies. I didn't remember anything of the walk and once I got away from the lake where it seems everyone walks in the mornings it was lovely, sheltered and secluded. I'd love to go back but it was a little busy in the first part of the walk for my liking, at that time of day anyway. I have to be on the ball with Jezi, I never give her the opportunity to make a mistake, but it was a shame that some people were resentful of my request that they should put their dogs on the lead. Jezi didn't put a foot wrong but my priority is to keep her safe, even if I do offend the odd other dog walker!

 Another lovely dog walking day had me taking the others to Llyn Cop. Not a long walk but a place they love and the girls had a fantastic time.

 Ziva giving Sammi the evil eye .. lol. Ziva doesn't like it when Sammi's out in front

It was back to Llyn Cop with these three as well, but I love the photo with Llyn Nantlle in the valley!

"Kaiah, Nope I've not seen Kaiah!"