When We Were Out

Xmas Shopping

Thanks to everyone who gave me money for Xmas - I didn't buy make-up, shoes or a handbag - I got this trolley for carting stuff from the van to the show ring, and a decal for the van. (which has not arrived yet.) Jamie has been testing this out to make sure it'll hold the weight 😮 Now I can say that, you can't!!! The trolley collapses almost flat and is less than 3ft tall, so there should be no problem getting it into the van. Can't wait for a go now, I think I'll take Jamie for a spin! 

Blanik Jeevana

The beautiful Kaiah - or Miss K as she's often referred too. 

Beautiful, affectionate and obedient. A strong-willed female within the pack, one who doesn't suffer fools and is not afraid to show her authority. She controls the pack, but her patience with her hooligan of a daughter is unequalled. 

What do I do, breed again or spay her? Currently, I just don't know!

Isla - The GSD

Just a lovely video that I thought I'd share. Isla is from the "K" litter and is the bitch that I co-own who lives with Sarah. She's out here with Sarah's daughter Ellie, Sully the adult male and Jessie the paler female. Isla is easy to pick out, she is the very dark female.

Like Merlin and MalaKai in Stafford, Sarah dogs are occasionally taken to a rented dog play area. This looks great doesn't it, I wonder if anyone would want to bring their dogs to play in a field in Fron for £10 an hour? I guess not when we have so much space already on our doorstep! 

My Facebook Memory Today

Geraldine AKA Siska

Super photo, just made me smile.

 She still pulls that superior, arrogant expression at times!

Yesterday - as beautiful as ever

Crufts

Only days after entering him at the most expensive show on the calendar Orin has decided to throw his coat. Ahhh. I've no idea what will come now, if he has a serious junior moult then he won't be going, but if he does what he did last Summer we should get away with it. It'll be a waiting game now.

In The Fields

Starting tomorrow we find ourselves having to isolate for the second time this year, therefore we had to go and get some extra shopping in today. I got the troops out into the field this morning and again this afternoon, it may not be ideal but they still get to have some fun ... and Siska goes twice! I gather we are lucky to have missed the wind that has hammered a lot of the country. 

Dear Mr P...

There is no point in hiding there, we can all see you. Can I just say, you hurt me again today ... if you break me there will be no more walks, no more trips to the lakes or even a run in the field. Bruised and battered, I ask once more - Please look where your going!

Lovely Day

This Virus

One of my friends dogs, who was at the show with us, has been ill since first thing Tuesday morning. He has sickness and diarrhoea. His owner say that in all her years of owning dogs she has never seen the likes. Unfortunately, another of her dogs now has it too. It's hard to tell whether this dog carried it from the show or had picked it up out and about in the days previous to the show. So far, none of the other GSD from our gang is ill, but what is the incubation period for such a virus? I suppose it could go from a couple of days to a week or so? I'm not sure. I know the virus is prevalent in the area and sadly a dog in Waunfawr has died with it this week, both young dogs in the household had it and the other full recovered. 

My gut feeling would be that my friends dogs picked this up before the show and not at the show .. but the fact remains that my dogs, particularly Siska was in his company. So far these are fine, I guess it'll be the weekend before I full relax about it. 

Zeus Chose Blue

Thankfully the crisis is over, we found these online. Nothing else has come close to his precious red ball. He seemed delighted with these, and I let him chose his favourite. The other will be safely put away. The game seems the same as ever and with a solid rubber ball it's not a game to play indoors. The ball is now tied to the long line ready for the next game in the field. 

Bella and Jezi

 I've had another stud enquiry for Orin. It may not amount to anything, but the interest in him is still positive. The bitch is a sable, actually a very well-bred show line female. Her sire is the stunning CH Kiplyn Hero and her mother goes through Videx lines to German dogs. Should anything come of this it would be a very interesting combination. Bella is already health tested and everything is spot on. As you can see she is a pretty girl, but I do cringe at their choice of collar for her!

I hope Arya comes in season before anyone else wants to use Orin. Arya's owner is adamant that Orin is the right guy for her and I must admit I'm very excited about the prospect. Like Orin she is a mixture of German and Italian lines and being reasonably local she can visit as often as she likes!!!

Jezi still has it on her with Zeus, he so wants to play with her, but she only has eyes for Nico. Zeus is probably a bit of a bull in a China shop, but his intentions are obvious to all, and she should be able to ready doggy language better than me. Her aggression the other day was unnecessary and uncalled for. All she had to do was say no and walk away.  I've told her if she carries on being a miserable old bag and upsetting everyone, she'll end up a lonely old bitch one day! LOL. Seriously though, she and Nico are getting on in years, if he happened to go first then she'll have no one, she has the chance here of at least some young male company. Nico doesn't have such issues, he gets on with all the girls and is quite tolerant of Ross and Orin too. (Though he hates Loki) 

There's Always One

Well there's always someone who wants to stick the knife in isn't there. As I've said before, if you are going to slag off someone's dog, or even a group of dogs be careful who you say it to! I have been told that a fellow breeder, but not a friend, said it was a good thing that Dax won the ticket on Saturday as the rest of the line-up was crap. Err hang on a minute misses Orin and Callan were in that line up, where was yours? Not there .. put your money where your mouth is and see us in the ring. I must admit after such a high it slightly put the dampeners on it all; but I'm over it now, and I'm damned if I'll let the likes of her piss on my parade again. 

On a positive note I had a message from Dax' owner, she had watched the video from the challenge over and over and truly believe that Orin should have won the RCC. It was really nice to hear her opinion, but O is still very young, let's hope his day will come! 

My father is starting his Chemo infusion tomorrow. Sadly the cancer in his spine has surged over recent weeks. We called in today and he looked and felt awful. I honestly could have cried, but made a conscious effort not to and just talked as much as I could about this, that, and the other. 

Whilst I was at the show on Sunday Steve had tried to integrate Loki back into the pack at home. He said Loki was tense and stood stiff and growling the whole time. How odd, I walk them together and then bring them in together without any tension at all. Anyway Steve felt uncomfortable about it and decided to put Loki in the bedroom. Apparently Ross was oblivious to the tension, no surprise there, when he's not taking me out he's a great lad! 

Walking

Having missed a days walk Zeus was completely OTT today. Still there is no need for Jezi to be such a cow. If he ever turns back on her, well I wouldn't like to imagine the consequences, luckily for her he shows no dog aggression. 

Trying to get Bohemian Rhapsody right. 

Siska that's a stupid face!

A Very Emotional Win

Two years after winning Best Puppy In Breed at Manchester Eira Haf won her crowing CC there yesterday. "Monksley Faye Savannah" is now a Champion, and we were over the moon to see her winning so well for her breeder. But of course the joy was laced with so much sadness as Eira Haf use to belong to Debra, I can only hope that somewhere Debra is celebrating the win of her precious bitch with us all now. 

We still think about you and talk about you Debra.

Manchester Champ

With Deerhounds in the ring before us we didn't need to set off at the crack of dawn yesterday, but getting up at 6am is still a shock these days! Unlike the previous show at the venue this show was being judged inside, at the door we had to show proof of our covid vaccination and were given an arm band to wear for the day. It did make everyone feel safer, but the halls are so vast that there is plenty of space anyway.

Orin is fast approaching 2 years old and had never been to an indoor dog show. I could feel he was a little tense as we first walked into the huge building, I'd experience a similar response from Mikey when he first walked into the NEC. Orin kept jumping up at me for reassurance, reassurance that he didn't get. I pushed him off, numerous times, and carried on walking. Within minutes, he was calm and relaxed, I was very proud of how quickly he settled. It was harder on dogs his age than many younger ones I'm sure. 

Friends puppies from club were in first, and they were place first and second in puppy dog. Great start. Callan was in Junior, OMG another first. He looked super in Sarah's hands and went round like a dream, thoroughly deserving his first. My O was in next, there were 6 entries, but only 3 came into the ring. Two of the usual suspects, Floyd and Ocean Cruz. Sadly Ocean Cruz was taken out of the class as he growled at the judge. His owner was obviously upset but felt the dog had found it all too stressful. So disappointing for her. O won the class and my heart was racing looking at how stunning he looked in the ring. Four boys exhibited from our little North Wales club, 3 first and one second, we can't get better than that can we?

After the males had finished it was a bit of a rush to get Siska in. Thankfully, as expected, she didn't give two hoots about anything other than "those people have got cake, I like cake!" She gave her usually half-hearted performance, but it was enough for her to win the class. I must admit that when she was standing for her critique she did look super, but as you can see when she was in the ring she still preferred to have a good look about! 

Bella, Loki's sister was in veteran bitch, now I'm sure Ian won't mind me saying, on paper she was not going to win, but she hammered it round the ring to show the others exactly what a veteran bitch should look like. She looked amazing and I think we all got a thrill from seeing her strutting her stuff. Maybe she can teach Siska about performance?  After all it's not just a beauty show a dog must be able to show that he's/she's capable of doing a days work. The beauty of correct conformation goes hand in hand with movement and a willingness to perform .. and not looking for cakes eh Siska! 

Firsts All Round

Callan - 1st in JD

Orin 1st in PGD

Siska - 1st in JB

Bella (Nico's daughter) -1st in VB

Show Tomorrow

As predicted, there has been a change of judge for tomorrow. How crazy that an 85-year-old American was lined up for two days judging in the present climate anyway? Apparently he should have been doing Rotties today and GSD tomorrow. Ah well, now we have a lady from Scotland. I've been told that win, loose or draw she's as straight as the day is long, all we can ask really yeah! 

Siska is still moving a little oddly, which is concerning, I'll take her with me and see how she goes. If it continues, then I may book her in for her health tests and a check-up the same day, sooner than later. You know me, glass is half empty! 

The bag is packed, hope I sleep tonight.

Meat Loaf - I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)

RIP Big Man 

Bath And Blast

Tantrum time this morning. Following their walk Siska had a bath and blast. Having had one bath last year we knew she wouldn't be best pleased, she wasn't! Still, these things have to happen and they have to get use to them. As she has profuse feathering and quite a lot of length to her coat I wanted to get it done today so it would settle before the weekend. 

To be fair it all went better than I expected, she wasn't happy but she put up with the warm shower, she was less amused about the blaster. At one point she took it on her to snap at the blaster, now poor blaster has no way of sticking up for himself, so I stepped in and put her in her place! LOL She's now finishing drying by the fire! 

It's funny how much they hate this blaster as youngsters but the more they put up with it the more they like it. Orin hated it, I used to have to drag him out of the house when he saw it, but now like his mother he keeps pushing for his go. To be honest no one was as bad as Ross was, he screamed like he was being killed, he doesn't mind it now either.  Anyway no bath for Orin today, I think he has enough coat and substance, I don't want him to look like a fluff ball! 

Not A Soul In Sight

Zeus, Jezi and Nico

I couldn't get a decent photo of these three today. Luckily, I managed a captured from the moving image. Getting all three to look ahead at one time is so bloody difficult. 

Ziva, Ross, Sammi, Loki

Loki's tail is back in full working order today. Odd yeah

Siska, Kaiah, Orin

These are Blanik's future. I hope for continued success in the ring and somewhere down the line to be able to continue with the "M" litter. Siska will soon be going for her health tests, if they are favourable then hopefully we'll continue the line through her, if not then Kaiah will pay a return visit to Zalu. Theoretically, there is no reason why Siska's should not have good scores, but of course some of the lowest scoring parents can produce high scoring progeny, so nothing is set in stone. 

Two Years Ago ... Edited

.. we were at Nantwich visiting Fransisco with Sammi B. This is just a snap taken of him on the day that came up in my memories today. Wow I can see a lot of Orin and Zeus there, Maybe not as much Siska and Callan but this boy sure has complemented my bitch line hasn't he. 

Orin 12 months ago - just needing to fill in that frame.

I'll try and get a photo of him on the same angle in the next few days to compare development .. and to see if he still looks like his father. 

Edit

I forgot to take a photo of Orin for this post - but this is recent .. ish. 

Orin still has some maturing to do but, yeah he's his father's son!

Loki's Tail

 Well I suppose it was all going too well, but I can only hope it's a glitch. Today Loki has lost mobility in his tail, it's just hanging there lifelessly, no wag, no raise, nothing. It's actually almost seemed to be getting caught between his back legs. The boy is Ok in himself. I guess something has moved again, or is pressing on the nerve. He's still full of himself but was crossing his back legs a little more than usual as he set off out this morning. I'm not running to the vet, there is nothing more that can be done, I'll just see how he goes over the next few days.

Things That Made Me Smile

If you look carefully, you can just see Orin legging it out of the derelict building

I'm not laughing O - well maybe I am.

Good girls!

Loki winning the race - at this rate he'll be back in veteran classes (Joking)

"Errr how do you get out of here?"

That'll teach you for following your mother everywhere!

What Weather!

I've taken the spring off Zeus lead. Yes it definitely helped with the jarring when he got to the end of the lead, but the weight of it pulled the lead down under his leg and I was continually having to unknot him. I came to the conclusion that I'd have to put my big girl pants on, brace myself and just get on with it!

Loki just seems to get better and better. The brown fool was on form so I do get nervous, but I have to let him live his life to the full.

What are they looking at? I've no idea. 

On such a beautiful day I expect to see more people, but I only saw 2 or 3 lots of people today and they were all at a safe distance. Kaiah is so used to people about that she takes no notice, but I guess Orin and Siska kind of think this is all their place. Two people and a dog came towards us today, I changed paths and the troops didn't notice, but as we got into a direct diagonal line with them they air scented them. Orin thought about it and started to thundered off, Wow great recall O .. gold star day, Siska took a few paces but thought better of it. From where we were there was no way they could see these people, did they hear them or air sent them? I'm not sure. Sammi's air scenting is amazing. With Sammi you may not see anyone, but I can guarantee you, you soon will! 

Who's there? Kaiah showing no interest!