This Morning - 3.5 Weeks

Asha got us up at 5am - well when I say us I mean Steve, this morning it was me who slept through the winging. He let her out for a few minutes and then both went back to bed. Around 7.15am she started again and this time I heard her. In my lovely PJ's I went to look around the yard - nothing suspicious - I then let her out and went to make a cuppa. Before getting everyone up I checked the yard again, nothing suspicious. Though of course we will always get up for her but I do wonder what wakes her. Is Steve right, is this just a new habit of old age? Like I said previously, I'd rather not chance ignoring her, I'd sooner get up than be faced with an avoidable accident.

Kaiah was sick this morning, just a small quantity of froth. I got all excited until Sammi did the same. But, "Morning sickness affects some bitches, but only for a few days during the 3rd or 4th week. (It's caused by hormone changes.) She may seem tired, and she may eat less than usual." So it is the right time and though she did eat she did hesitate for a few seconds, just enough for me to notice. Anyway I'l continue to stay very guarded because phantom pregnancies can also cause the same symptoms. Come on Kaiah - cook me some brown puppies!!! LOL

Asha Missed Her Footing

Today for the first time, that I can recall anyway, Asha had a miss jump into the van and I had to help her back end into it. I'm not going to worry about it, I'll take it as the one off that I hope it will be. Still it made me worry at the time and then reminisce about the generations of my bitch line that came before her. Asha is just so well, though she's been moulting and looks tatty but that is only coat. Her mum Tali was 13 when we lost her, I can only hope Asha does as well.

To be honest the bitches do seem to do well age wise, Kiri was the oldest and was going on for 14, Krizzie is the only bitch we've lost young. Poor, beautiful, crazy Krizzie was only 8 and died merely months after her mother Seffe. It's hard to comprehend that we lost her at the same age as the sisters are now .. it was just heartbreaking, she was such a darling and her exuberance for life was overwhelming. She left such a huge hole in my heart and she was so missed by the family, though Louis sought comfort from his auntie Kiri. Stolen too young but the experience of living with her and the things she got up to were such a pleasure and she has left me with wonderful memories of sharing great times with a cracking character. Till we meet again dear Deeanna!

I love them all so much. 

Remember Little Ivy?

Sammi's sister from the Xmas litter - now called Stella and loving her life. 

It warms up my heart so much seeing one of my babies living life to the full. 

Boys Bonding

This is my favourite of the photos taken in the woods today. Autumn photos aside it shows clearly what we have been discussing regarding the height of the boys. Both boys are so close in height but Loki always appears so much taller when he's not. Here you can see he is holding his neck upright whilst Ross has his head and neck forward. Ross always drops his head whilst Loki lifts his and therefore he gives the impression of greater size. In the photos where Ross has lifted his head (Like today's walk photo) I've thrown Loki's toy, he will watch it and wait .. but if I throw anything else from a stone to a clump of grass he's gone after it!

When making the Blanik calendar I spend a lot of time looking for the right photos to suite the month. Bluebells in May, snow in January and when I can colourful Autumnal colours for October and November.  Today Steve and I went for an extra walk to Parc Eryri and we horrified to find the far gate to the park has been closed off .. and so has the route down to the walk by the river. Apparently traffic on the track for the new bypass has made the route inaccessible. I'm sure we can still get to the river from the hospital track though. 

Anyway the photos are nice but not good enough. Should I get some motivation to get a calander done for next year then I'll have to get better Autumn coloured photos.

Happy Walk On The Hill

 Oh look - an extra dog!

Worms and Things

Bloody Isla has got tapeworm again. It's only been three months since I wormed the whole lot and now I'll have to do it again. Thank god for Animed Direct, it cuts the cost quite a lot. I'd never worm them with the over the counter crap but I still hate giving them these chemicals. (Panacur for the dogs - drontal for the cats) I guess with the murdering these cats do I have no choice as they are continually re infested.  I'm not sure what to do about doing Kaiah now, I may wait a couple of weeks for safety sake.
A friend has a bitch who has pancreatic problem and needs a pancreatic enzyme med that she has been on for the past 5 years. But now because of Brexit they can no longer get it.  Apparently according to her vet they are stopping alot of drugs for animals, they and making it harder for the UK to get them! The bitch has been tried on several other medications, but none have worked, without it she will probably die! Ah well just one dog .. as long as they get Brexit through then the UK will be happy .. yeah just another dog, another casualty of Brexit, unless it's yours, your family's or your friends. Heartbreaking.
Whilst I'm on the subject something else was brought to my attention. Now you may not think the EU have strict enough regulations on animal welfare, especially were animals for the food chain are concerned, but they do have them! We like to think that all animals are treated with dignity. Well think of this, when we leave the EU and Britain starts buying from other countries who have no animal welfare acts at all .. think hard about what you are eating, where it has come from and how it has been treated when it was alive and dead? I think I may become Vegan!
Oh what have they done?  .... Now vote for the bumbling idiot or the terrorist  ... Good luck UK.

This Week - Hopefully

DAY 20 TO 21
Embryos less than half an inch in diameter begin to attach to the wall of the uterine horns. Ideally they should be evenly spaced, as overcrowding leads to poor development and weak puppies at birth. At this stage the central nervous system is formed.

DAY 21 TO 28
The brain and the spinal cord are developing, the embryo begins to bend it's head forward and curl up into a classic foetal position. All the organs of the body, the limbs, head, eyes and face are being formed.

The fertilized eggs have been free in the uterus and uterine tube for up to 20 days after mating, they have been surprisingly safe and immune from any infections the bitch may have suffered. Now we are entering a a very vital stage of the prospective pregnancy. If she picks up an infection,  is given a live vaccine, certain medication, has an accident or becomes overheated the development of the organs of the foetus may be arrested or distorted. Deformities such as cleft palates , single eyes, under developed limbs, abnormalities of the urinary system, the heart circulatory system  all occur at this time even though the foetus is only one and a half to two inches long. Foetus more badly affected may die and be reabsorbed. It is therefore important to keep the bitch away from any source of infection or gathering of dogs during this period. (Three and a half to five weeks of pregnancy) So the period before the bitch shows any clear signs of pregnancy is a very significant time in producing health puppies. 

Autumn Sunshine

Almost perfect walking weather - just a little bit too much of a nip to the breeze on this side of the mountain. Funny how it was warmer at home today. 

Cwm Dulyn Walks

I Went For Plan A

Last night we had a peaceful and totally relaxed evening in the living room. Nico had to go in a crate, which he only ever goes in on shopping days so I have no problem with putting him in it from 7pm till 9pm daily. Jezi chose to go to bed and Loki stayed loose in the middle room. He didn't seem too bothered about it and was relaxed and calm when we went through. No pushing to try and get into the living room, no winging or scratching at the doors. I think it's much better for us all and more importantly much better for him that he is removed from the situation that causes him so much stress. The rest of the day there are minimal issues so I plan that he will be with the large group as normal .. let's see how it goes!

Out In The Afternoon

Struggling With Loki

Last night the situation with Loki in the living room in the evening escalated. I don't think I can write about it, it's too raw, to be honest I don't I will be able to write or talk about it in any detail so please don't ask me. Let's put it this way I'm really shocked and disappointed, and not necessarily in Loki.
If last night proved anything it proved that we have a problem that needs sorting. How can I even consider bringing a puppy into this tense situation? Well I can't, not without changes. I don't want a third pack and I can only think of a couple of instant solutions. One, Loki stays out of the living room in the evening or two, somehow we find space for a crate for him in the living room in the evening. Unable to sleep last night and mulling it all over I did consider he may be better off returning to the breeder .. of course I quickly quashed that thought but for Loki and everyone sake it needs to change.
I still think a lot of the issues are to do with us shouting at a rebellious Ross when he was younger. For some reason now Loki has it in his head that evening will be tense. But Ross is so well behaved now and the only reason we ever shout is because of Loki's growling. Ross can't get up to get a drink, or change positions, well generally move without Loki's tense growling which in turn unsettles the girls too. Of course Ross being Ross he doesn't help by insisting on going over and doing the submissive licking around Loki's mouth, which infuriates Loki further. Ross is behaving naturally, trying to say OK you are the boys, but Loki doesn't seem to get it at all. I generally try not to shout I just call Ross away and praise him for getting it right. In the meantime Loki has squashed himself between the chair and the fish tank and the expression on his face is just tension.

There is no doubt Loki has issues, nature or nurture? Well I now consider maybe a bit of both. I've tried so hard with him, I took him everywhere and did everything I could to try and help him grow up from that anti social puppy to a more rounded adult. To a degree I've succeeded but I still think he does not have the strength of character to be the older male in the pack. Nico, who gets on with everything hates him and Asha still treats him like a 4 month old puppy. Why? What do they know? We will probably never get the answers to the questions. The most important thing now is to try and get peace and harmony back in the pack, and to get that all the dogs need to be happy and confident in their places. Somehow it needs to change and I think to do that we need to find a way to help Loki build up his confidence here in the home because this is the only place where the problem continually shows itself!

They Didn't Miss Out

But I'll have to try and get them somewhere better in the next few days

I love Autumn woodland walk so here's hoping ...

Ross And Kaiah's Walk

Some of the photos were sadly a little dark with some lens smudges from the rain - but we had a great time walking along the river bank from Talysarn towards Penygroes

Oh shit no! 

Where the bloody hell did he find that? A lot of the path is narrow it's not going to work.
I must get rid of it

Guess who fell in? Kaiah and I laughed!

So many berries on the trees and I accidentally on purpose broke the stick in half

Treats And Toys

Why do I always end up with the greedy chaps? Well almost always - I do have a fussy sod in Ross who without doubt has a sweet tooth and less interest in his dinners.
Luther has now well and truly joined the greedy club. He, Perry and Choo eat on the other side in the Utility room to give the older ones a bit of piece. The three eat at the same speed and Choo then goes off to find a bed for the day .. but these two then start hounding the other cats. This photo is them under supervision, I dare not walk away or they steal .. and it's usually Junior that gets pushed out of his breakfast.
Ross and his sweet tooth eh, bloody hell .. cakes are a firm favourite though he will hound Steve for a piece of apple. Denta sticks are a favourite for him too. To be honest I don't buy too many as they really don't do what they say on the tin do they. They really are not good for the dogs at all, such a high calorie content, but it's so hard when they love them so much. I'm humanising slightly but saying no would be like telling me I can't have chocolate again .. yes they really are that bad for the dogs .. so I do for them as I do for me, 1 or 2 denta sticks a week only! (maybe I should give Loki one a day to see how quickly he gets fat! lol) Actually my mum buys them a packet a week, denta stick for the dogs and dreamies for the cats. I'm not sure how good they are really either as the cats go nuts for them too, but they get them, all in moderation.

Earlier in the week I had a message to say that Paul had dropped off some gifts for the dogs at my parents house. I love getting things for the dogs, but I also dread it. People's ideas of what is safe and sensible are very different to mine. Cheap toys are just a waste of money and also often dangerous .. remember the nuts and bolts in the toys from home bargains? Oh and the flashing thing in Aldi had a battery in it? OMG safety first! Well Paul couldn't have got it more right could he .. two black kongs and some very happy kids .. especially Ross who grabbed one and ran off with it still in the packaging!  Most of the kong products are brilliant, these love the Kong Trio's as well as the scrunchy ones .. though Sammi has now killed both the scrunchies but it did take a couple of years for her to decided to do it. The classic Chuck it balls are also brilliant but with the van costs and my recent purchase of 50 bags of food they will have to wait a while now for new toys and to be honest they are not short anyway!

Look At The Sky

Just fantastically dramatic. It was so breathtaking but maybe it

had to be seen to appreciate it, wish I'd thought of a video  

Food

 Asha has had me up again early this morning. If she needs to go she needs to go and I much prefer she lets me know, but why? She hasn't got diarrhea or anything. (by the way I know I use the American spelling for diarrhea - have done for years - it's so much easier to remember!) Anyway, Asha does need to go out, she needs a poo but I do wonder why she is now unable to go all night? Steve says it's becoming a habit, but I don't fancy ignoring her and facing the consequences.  Meal times hasn't changed and her food is yet to be changed. I guess we can only put it down to two things .. her age and that maybe she's so concerned about coming in for her carrot and bonio at bed time that she doesn't go to the loo .. or more likely a combination of both.
I'm really chuffed with the Titanium food, which Asha will now be getting mixed into her food too. (though I find myself singing "I am titanium" constantly!) These dogs are what we feed them, and though I can't afford what I'd like to have them on I think this is a great alternative in an affordable price category. Reasonably good on the scale of dog foods, the green-lipped muscle is a huge bonus, they all like it and none of those harmful artificial colours. I think even Bakers have seen the error of their ways and are removing the colorants now, god the damage they have caused just to make it pleasing to the eye of the humans, though I still would never feed it to these. Read about it, it's shocking. Some of you may remember Asha blew up like a balloon when she was a puppy after being given bakers puppy by a friend, the vet suggested it was an allergic reaction to the artificial colours. In an ideal world they would all be on Arden Grange .. but needs must.
When changing the food all I did after the transition period was transfer them onto the same quantity as they were on of the CSJ. It's worked in all except Loki, he has lost a little weight, but that could be for other reasons. He is generally a stress head and Kaiah being in season wouldn't have helped. I've increased it slightly now and we'll see what happens. I still think Loki poo's too much. Not such a strange statement honestly. I don't think he absorbs everything he should from his food. I think more passes out than it should do. I use to add Tree Barks and Live yogurt to his diet but he now gets Yudigest instead. An expensive upgrade but I feel a necessary one in his case!

We All Made It To LLyn Cop

.. and Nico came away with a green snake called Trixie! 

I posted on Facebook tagging the village just incase this is someone's precious toy. 

"Nico has a confession to make .. he found it and despite my requests to leave it there he took it home. If your dog has lost a Trixie snake by Llyn Cop and he/she wants it back then I will insist that Nico returns it!"

Blanik Bus Number Three

Some attention seeking behaviour from the Blanik Bus has ended up costing us a small fortune. Sunday we called out the AA and they didn't have a clue .. the man who can couldn't!  7 garages later we finally found someone actually willing to look at it. Within minutes of shutting off the engine the light and wipers came on .. very odd me thinks! (we had to disconnect the battery overnight to get it to stop)

I can't tell you how unhelpful most of the local garages have been. At least our usual garage was honest in saying, well it's electrics and over my head. I just can not believe how disinterested the others were... anyway 2 days and a small fortune later the van is back. Apparently a common fault in Peugeot's that this fuse box had fried .. just wear and tear and age I guess. I was thinking of getting side windows for the guys to have a better view and a Blanik logo put on it but now I'm hesitating. I'm not spending money on cosmetic things until it proves to be reliable. If it's not it's gone and I'll go and steal my yellow bus back ..I know where it lives! lol
Funny yesterday when I picked it up a window was wide open. Why is it every time one of my vehicles go to the garage it come back with windows wide open? I honestly don't smell dog in them at all, and I honestly am making an effort to keep this clean and tidy .. and succeeding in the cab at least so far to my standards! Of course as my friends know I absolutely hate artificial smells, perfumes, scented candles included so there is no chance of an air freshener in it, I'd sooner smell wet dog any day than sickly artificial smells. On a few occasions in the past Steve's air fresheners in the car landed on the motorways on the journeys .. of course I'm far more aware of litter, pollution and recycling these days. The easy solution, just don't buy them!

I was going to do a decent drive in it today, but Asha got me up at 3am so I've slept a little late to take everyone to the woods. I'll aim for another day and try and get everyone to Llyn Cop ..as long as the cattle are not there. Asha? She's fine, I think maybe some night are now too long for an old lady without a loo break!