No Zeus?

Steve took Zeus out today and he doesn't do photos.

Bath And Blast

Another great mating again today, both dogs up for it. My god if this one is capable of mating all his bitches like that then given the opportunity he'll be a fantastic stud dog. 

I decided that I would give Orin a bath after Arya went home, he's really chucking his coat and it was looking grey and dirty. There is no point hanging on to this dead hair, the sooner it's out the sooner it'll come back. Even now he has twice the coat of Ross! After giving him the shower I passed him over to Steve and tidied the bathroom ... I came out to this! And no I couldn't stop her doing it either! It really was funny, but not if you know what I mean!

Idexx Tests

I've been thinking things through again about the Idexx testing and how invaluable it has become, especially now as Milfeddygon Deufor has an in house idexx testing kit. The results are with you within an hour rather than within 24 hrs as it was from the laboratory. I suggested Arya's owner do the first test yesterday on day 10, I anticipated the test results would be low and that he would be retesting on Monday. Well I was wrong, on day 10 Arya had already ovulated and would be ready for mating within 24 -48 hours. Now compare that to Sammi who's tests proved she was not ready for mating till day 16 -17 and then Kaiah who was tested at 15 on day 20 and was mated day 21. In the past we use to mate bitches on days 12-14, well maybe Arya could get pregnant if mated in that time frame - but my two bitches certainly would not have gone on to have litters. Sperm from a health young dog can live for up to 7 days, but they say a minimum of 48 hrs anyway. By the time Arya comes back tomorrow I would guesstimate she will be in the 32 -64 category, that really should be ideal to cover here. I can only hope now that there will be lots of little O's for me to visit very soon. 

Nice One O

I'm over the moon to report that super stud Orin has mated his first bitch. He was amazing, quite the professional .. almost as good as Jay .lol Orin and Arya spent 20 mins playing, flirting and getting to know each other before they mated and had a 20 min tie. It could not have been more perfect for Orin's first experience. As Arya's blood test was 17 yesterday morning, she had already ovulated around that time. Theoretically, tomorrow will be the optimum mating time and Arya is coming back for round two then. I suggested he came today as well as I had no idea how things would go, but honestly it couldn't have been more perfect, a great first experience for Orin.

Knackered boy now

Nico's Day

A lovely walk in the woods for the guys after Nico's vet visit today. We didn't go as far as I went with the youngsters the other day but they had a lovely time.

After explaining to Beth the vet what we had seen with Nico she went on to examine him. I told her he was obviously very sore, and she suggested I muzzle him for the examination. I declined, though I understand dogs can react uncharacteristically when they are in pain, I would trust Nico with my life. Beth was happy with my decision, but joked, "Well you've got the teeth end anyway!" I sat on the chair and Nico tucked his head under my arm, bless him, he was winging but stood still the whole time and was pleased to have several biscuits after his ordeal.

Beth thinks/hopes that he has a simple but painful abscess on his bottom. She said it could be one of three things, but feels it was too painful to be a tumour and was presented differently to AF (anal furunculosis.) So with a bit of luck, some antibiotics and some anti-inflammatories the boy should be OK. She wants to see him again in 10 days and thinks the gland may need expressing again then. 

I can't stress how super Nico's behaviour was today and how proud I am of him. He never lets me down, he's guaranteed to be predictably safe in all situations. 

Llyn Cop

Aren't we lucky!

Things

I have almost finished writing a long article about Zeus to go into the GSD National Magazine. It was not really anything different to what had been written here over the last 10 - 11 months but the magazine needs articles if it is to carry on. Now with the tragic news from his previous home I have decided not to publish it, or even finish it. I've no idea how the family move on, my heart goes out to them. 

Zeus is happy, well and loved here, and I hope his owner knows that by returning him she did not fail him, indeed she put him first. Maybe now I understand a little more about how a dog can be two versions of himself, circumstances do dictate who they are. 

Orin and Siska have got diarrhoea today. They are not ill, maybe they picked something up at the show, odd for them both to be with it otherwise. At the show a friend who had a Fransisco litter just before Sammi had hers introduced me to a friend of hers who's also into GSD's but doesn't show. They were both chatting about Orin and saying how much they loved him. Then the lady said she "use to have" a Fransisco son who looked so much like Orin. I questioned, "use to?" She said "yeah, sadly he died young, he just dropped dead." OMG, what could say? My heart went out to her, it happened to one of Asha's sons many moons ago .. OMG I'm so very sorry. Loosing an old dog is bad enough, but at least they have hopefully had a full and happy life full of love and fun. Loosing young animals is unbearable. She asked if I'd like to see pics ... Oh wow, I never expected that, first take that could have been Orin, he is so like him, down to the same colour eyes and slightly loose jowl. They must be so father typical, I now know where those eyes have come from.  I've never seen a dog look so like one of my own before, honestly it gave me goosebumps. So often people say, oh my dog looks like yours, or they look similar, when mostly they don't, or I don't see it, they are just black and tan with sticky up ears. So sad though, poor boy, poor owner and breeder.

Last night I was sent this lovely photo of Enya with their new puppy Jackson. Jackson was one of the litter born in Welfare. Well he sure has landed on his paws. Enya was one of the 4 bitches who stayed here too long in 2011/12, she really was the darling of the litter though. 

Tomorrow I have to take Nico to the vets, he was licking at his bottom overnight and this morning again. I had a look and he seems to have an abscess or something similar on his bottom. I'm a little scared that it's the dreaded AF, but less scared of the condition than I used to be. I know it can be treated and with Nico's age long term side effects of the medication is not anything to worry about. Anyway as usual I'm putting the cart in front of the horse, let's get the diagnosis for whatever it is first.

Bwlch Derwin

The van was packed and we headed for the vets to pick up Siska's pills. I love Gyrn Coch so much and I intended to do 2 x 2 walks there on route. Being so close to the road I don't like taking too many out of the van road side in one go ... anyway it was not to be! 

I can only guess that the winds have caused damage to the large trees and that now the woodland walk is too dangerous to walk. I do hope they are able to make it safe there soon.

Anyway option 2 was Bwlch Derwin on the way back, I could take all 4 together there so we walked even further. I love it there, I miss woodland walks when I don't go - I must make more effort!

I smiled as I walked over the path where the big water pipe is, the panic that day as I couldn't find Asha, before realising she'd gone under the path through the water pipe. I smiled as I thought of her enjoying herself in the ditches there ... happy days, memories to treasure. 

Siska's Throat

Siska is back on form, full of fizz and energy. I can't feel anything in her throat but I do have a concern, she's not eating at all well. I'm worried that she still has a sore throat, or worse still that there is still something there. The vet has prescribed another 6 days of rycarfa anti-inflammatory for her. Here's hoping this will be enough to sort it. 

We Can't Complain

 After such bad weather we have been very lucky to have no damage to the property. I think last night was the worst storm here. Let's hope we get some peaceful weather now. We have lost a couple of trees, sad yes but when I see what has happened to some people, well it's shocking. 

Anyway Just a few snaps today

Nico found and stole Loki's toy

Siska and Kaiah watching Orin

A bit of a tree in his mouth!

St Helens Show

Siska and Callie

Well I'm not sure where to start, with 772 dogs in Sutton Leisure Centre I guess it was going to be chaos. We were lucky to get a parking space behind the bins, the van half in mud and half on the car park, but you know at least we were not miles away like some. 

The Society had posted on their Facebook page that the show had far exceeded their previous entries and asked that people be mindful of others when parking and setting up in the show. Well by the time we got there at 10am people were three deep around all six rings, and of course all the "Smaller" dog exhibitors had their trolleys and crates and grooming tables, so basically at that time there wasn't any room for even a chair. By mid-morning some working breeds exhibitors were moving on and we managed to grab a space and a couple of chairs, but an elderly lady look over at me and said are you sitting there .. Oh hell, "no you have it" ... she was so grateful and she sat with us. Considering there was room now for my chair from the van, Ian bought it in for me after having yet another cigarette, but sadly I didn't get to sit in it again ...  "Siska's chair, Siska sit there!" Well I know I could have thrown her off, but to be honest I felt she was safer there from trolley wheels and careless human feet. It was quite funny really she was so excited when she saw the chair .. she never considered it may be for me, she was in it instantly. 

I have to say that Siska and Orin were fantastic in such a crowded venue. They were not bothered at all by such an unfamiliar floor, the dogs, the people, the noise or the atmosphere. Neither growled, barked or backed off from anything, I was so proud of their behaviour outside the ring. 

I was handling Siska and she stood alone in junior, she put no effort at all into showing, but did nothing wrong either. To be honest, on that floor it was better that she didn't have any "go" in her. Ian was taking Orin in and I ran out to get Kasey. I came back in to see Orin doing his individual, the judge approached him and looked at his head and teeth, but as she moved to the side Orin turned his head to look at her, the more she went over his body, the more he leaned away. I've never seen him like that before, he was obviously uncomfortable with her and unsettled. But Why? We'll never know. He didn't freak out, he was just unsettled, and of course that cost him a decent place in the class. Whilst turning the last corner with him Ian felt his leg "Pop," he was in absolute agony and just made it back to the van. On the way home I dropped Ian off at A&E, and he was diagnosed with a tear of gastrocnemius calf muscle, healing time is 6 -8 weeks. I really hope he's better soon because I'm not pushing him around Crufts in a wheelchair! 

Kasey and I went into the open class and she showed beautifully for me. Ok she was still leaning back slightly in stance, a habit that she has, but with treats I did manage to get her looking quite well. Kasey is a lovely bitch who often doesn't do herself justice in the ring. I was very pleased that she was second and maybe in a bigger ring with more room to move she could have even done better! BOB went to a puppy.The ringside fell silent as the puppy was not of great quality. BOB without doubt should have gone to one of the adults, Kevin or Callie.  Ah well open shows are always a lottery! With Ian in so much pain, we didn't stay for Bella's veteran class, such a shame but couldn't be helped! 

Can you spot the only dog with a seat??? 

Click on the photo to enlarge and you might!

A Couple Of Photos Today

Happy Hairy

I managed to get everyone out before the wind arrived. Wow we've had a battering but I think we've been lucky. Zeus is looking so good now, such a happy boy, a pleasure. 

Cwm Dulyn And The Big Rock

First there was Siska - they all have to go up it don't they.

Hi Orin

Kaiah Wait fecking WAIT - she didn't and of course they followed her down that way. My heart was in my mouth with Siska, but I guess it's now too late, what will be will be.

I love this place - should go more often.

Walk One And Two

Nico wasn't on form today. He had diarrhoea and I found him lacking spark. He was also grumpy with Zeus. I know he's an old man, but it was a tad out of character. 

Loki is doing so well, honestly it's quite unbelievable.

My Pride and joy, my angel - covered in fox poo.

Little cow

Siska's Facebook Post

"Baby Cakes here - I wants my buddies to know I is not been very well. I been feeling very sad and had a pain in me neck (Careful!!!) Doggy Doctor said me was hot and i got a habsecess in me throat. She asked had I been eating naughty things? I said NO, 😮 but Mr S and Auntie Shaz said I be telling untruths and that I eat everything. They snitch. I got two jections and lots of pills and if I no better they have to think of somat els 😮 Mrs S was very worried cos I ws sad, but today she says de devil is back inside me! Me can't win!"

Well if I thought she had the devil in her last night then I wasn't prepared for today. Four days of pent-up energy ready to explode .. and explode she did, with Orin for company. The living room became a race track, the sofa a bouncy castle - look at the state of it! I've got to take her out today, otherwise she'll drive us insane. Should I muzzle her? Oh bloody hell a bit drastic maybe? I haven't been able to feel her neck as she won't stand still - of course I could insist, but I'll do that when the fizzy starts to flatten!

The only thing that was a concern was that she was reluctant to eat this morning, I broke house rules and added sardines, that helped. Actually, house rules don't apply when someone's not a 100%, and she needs to eat to have her pills. Right I better take her and her family out! 

Manchester Critiques

 I'm wondering what I think, maybe I'm a little disappointed - reading the other critiques I kind of think that maybe she wasn't that keen on my dogs - ah well. I agree with some of the negative comments, but not all. 

PGD (6, 3) 1 Stanley’s Blanik Kyriacos (Francisco Di Casa Gregori x Blanik Ivana). 22 month old large black and tan male, good head, ears slightly wide set, normal wither, firm back which moulds to a croup which is slightly short and flat, upper arm is slightly short and steep, correct underline, good hind angulation, firm elbows and hocks, displayed a co-ordinated steady side gait.

JB (4, 3) 1 Staley’s Blanik Liszka (Francisco Di Casa Gregori x Blanik Jeevana). 12 month old, medium size and strength, feminine head, ears slightly wide set, good length of neck, normal wither, firm back, croup is a good angle but slight short, upper arm is a good length but slightly steep, good underline, good hind angulation, firm hocks and elbows, co-ordinated gait but she did drop on the forehand slightly at times on the gait

Siska Update

 Sweet poorly Siska has left the building and I'm pleased to say the devil is back inside her. The swelling is hard to see under her coat but I guess it will take time to go down. It's not as noticeable as Nico's was years ago. They never really knew what that was .. but it took 2 courses of antibiotics for it to clear up, and if my memory serves me correctly it came back a month later and he had more antibiotics. Keep everything crossed this disappears with one blast for Siska.

Arya And Orin

I've had a message this morning to say that the lovely Arya is coming in season. Her owner does what I do and had put white vet bedding in her crate to try and catch the first coloured discharge. As Arya lives with two males, it had also been observed that they had increased interest in her over the last couple of weeks. Arya is a lovely female with a super character. She has a top class Italian/German pedigree and has had all the necessary health tests, as well as a breed survey. I'm really excited at the prospects of a litter from her and Orin. 

Of course I'm apprehensive about getting a mating, you never know how good a dog will be at stud do you! Believe me not every dog will mate a bitch, we found that out with Mikey. Dexi failed to mate the first bitch that came to him, but my lack of knowledge didn't help then either. The second bitch who came had a lovely litter, and from then on we had no failures. Kai too was awful, overexcited and couldn't find his mark, so to speak. We were lucky to have the litter out of Tali to him, but the other bitches were failures. Jay and Nico were excellent stud dogs, Jay was nearly always a hole in one, job done turn around before the bitch had been given time to think about it. Nico has also been a fantastic stud, he's not always had easy bitches and I told everyone ... I will not allow him to be bitten. Dexi had his ear ripped by a bitch playing hard to get, that was not going to happen to Nico. Sadly it's time for Nico to move over and let the young guy in now, I really hope that when it's time that Orin gets the job done and that babies of quality arrive in the nest. 

Loki Memory

One of today's Facebook memories made me giggle, Tracy brown with Ross in the ring, her face an absolute picture. Then another lovely memory of Kaiah and her babies having bedtime games in the living room, but the one to share just had to be this of Loki. 

When Loki was a puppy there was so much support for him, but his continued support dwindled from some corners as he won almost every show we entered, to be honest only Bolt and his sister Bella gave him a run for his money. The knife dug in deep, but Loki and I continued to win with pride and loose with dignity when needed. I can understand people being fed up with his constant wins, but what was I to do, leave the boy at home? I think not! From one corner criticism was made of everything, including his eye colour and the way I handled him. "That's not the way you show a GSD!" Well it was how I showed Blade and Loki and most of the judges loved to see a freestanding dog that was not being attracted from outside the ring. Of course horses for courses and Sarah or Ian took him in under judges that we knew would like something different!

Even though Loki continues to improve and strengthen, it's now down to Bella and Sammi to annoy the bad looser in veteran classes ... and I think Orin is already making his mark in the breed classes - haha

Siska At The Vets

I think I may have picked up a Winter bug and I spent half the night and morning in the bathroom. Of course my main concern was Siska. 

Last night, pretty close to bedtime I noticed a hard long swelling down the right of Siska's neck/throat. Had she not been sat at the angle that she was, I would never have seen it .. and Steve had check her glands earlier in the evening. There was no choice, Siska had to go to the vets ... thankfully Steve could take her and Sharon was on duty to help him if need be. 

They think Siska has an abscess in her throat, well as upsetting as it is, it's no big shock really. She is quite a liability, she eats everything. I'm hoping that something she was swallowing has caused an irritation and that there is no foreign body. They vet is very concerned that operating to remove something, or making a hole to drain it would be very risky as it's close to veins and arteries. 

Luckily, we were pretty quick in noticing that little miss was off colour,  she couldn't have been left any longer as her temperature was creeping up. (39.8 by the time she was at the vets) Let's hope the antibiotics and anti-inflammatorys are all she needs .. Poor Siska.  

Whilst she was there Siska had her first weigh in of the year -28.3kg - from memory about even with her mum at the same age.

Siska's Off Colour

My baby cakes really isn't well today. This morning as she got out of her crate she went to jump up at me, as she does, she then squealed, but carried on outside as normal. She had breakfast but seemed very quiet during the morning. At one point Steve was messing with Ross with his kong and she went to jump off the sofa to join in, again she squealed. We've both been over her, every bit of her but we can't find what is hurting. She's been flat and quite all afternoon and this evening picked at her meal - that concerns me. 

Siska came in season on the 14th of December, so she's not out of the period of time when pyometra could be a risk. I've taken her temperature and it was 38.9c so within the normal body temperature range, she's not drinking excessively though ate very slowly. I've seen no discharge but I'm keeping an eye on that too.

Hopefully Siska has just jumped up and twisted something - hopefully she'll be back to her normal naughty self tomorrow, it's really not nice seeing her so off colour.

Laurence FOURNIER BEAUDRY / Nikolaj SORENSEN Rhythm Dance 2022 Canadian ...

 A bit of George 

Not Going Out

Who Can Blame Them? 

The Sable Saga

 

It looks like the Breed Council are not going to drop the case of the magic sables, and so they shouldn't. Apparently they are seething that the KC were willing to drop the case on even more false and inaccurate information. Even people like me who are involved in the breed but are not geneticist know that the possibility of a sable being born to two black and tan parents are zero, it is simply impossible. It really is simple, there must be a sable in every generation to produce sables, though white can mask sable, but white is a non-standard colour and not relevant in this case. Ross is sable, his mother was, his grandfather was one of the top winning sables (Ch Idol vom Haus am Lerchenweg) and his mother before him was sable - and so it goes on. 

As we've said, mistakes happen, but the deviousness here in trying to hide the false registration proves these breeders knew what they were doing. To not do anything about this because of who they are would be so wrong, and really an insult to Tom ... who's punished crime wasn't that different. I'm so sorry for the people who are the innocent victims in this story, but if it wasn't for them, then the truth would never have come out! When I was first told about this it was very hush hush, but now people are talking and names are being named! Still innocent until proven guilty .. we'll wait and see! 

To the untrained eye, a lot of adult sables can look like a black and tan, but sable puppies in the nest are so different to black and tan puppies that a mistake could not be made. If a judge is unsure with adults, all he has to do is part the coat on the saddle area and the light colour of the sable is obvious for all to see. On a sable each hair at the root is light and is tipped with black. (A bit like a smoke coloured cat)  Orin and Ross in the above photos showing the differences.

The puppies are Nico kids, Kia their mother was LSH sable. One parent is sable, about half the litter were sable, so there was a mixture of coat colours and coat types in this litter. 

I'm sorry to keep going on about this, but I am really seething about it. A litter of puppies have been sold at a high price with a pedigree that can not be theirs. They were not even endorsed, so one novice person has done all the relevant health tests and used his so-called "black and tan dog" on a black and tan bitch and has a litter containing sables. Unaware of the genetics, he registers them, advertises and sells his "well-bred, health tested" puppies with their pedigrees ... So that 23 dogs that I know of out there with false pedigrees .. what if it was yours? The beginning of your breeding line? Without knowledge, what if you mated her to a close family member? After all you wouldn't know because you don't know the pedigree .. no it has to be stopped and sorted! 

OMG - I've just heard the original breeder has also had 2 litter from a sister - so another 11 incorrect pedigrees! Feck, it makes Tom look like an angel! 

Maybe I Should Just Have Cats

With wind and rain battering us today, we stayed in the fields.

Really short videos, I think they are all there. 

They tell me there are dogs who don't like wind and rain, I'm yet to own one!

Remember This?

We'll Call Him Tom 

Click on the above link for a reminder. 

Yesterday the KC made an announcement that Tom would be banned for 8 years from any further KC activity and that the fraudulent litter (Proved by DNA) had been deregistered. Well banning a dead man seems a little crazy, but in fairness the KC later put out a second press release to say that they had not been informed that Tom had died. 

Mistakes happen in multi-dog households, it's what you do with them afterwards that matters, isn't it? Tom had an accidental mating between puppies, brother and sister .. not only did he allow the pregnancy to continue but he registered them as being born from an older bitch and an import. That mating did happen, but the puppies died leaving him a convenient escape root .. but it was fraud. The owners, his dogs, his reputation and the breed suffered. 

I'm really glad that this was not swept under the carpet, I'm really glad the announcement was made and that the litter is deregistered and the dogs owners informed. But I am honestly sad if all this stress caused Tom's heart attack, I wouldn't wish that on anyone.  

It looks like case no 2 about the magically appearing sables in a litter may be dropped. Apparently a photo of the mother, a sable has appeared, how odd though when she is registered as black and tan and so are her parents (Photos of both are available) Impossible, it really is impossible, there must be a sable in every generation to produce sable, so someone is telling a very big lie and may well get away with it making generations of future pedigree's invalid! Hmm 

That Hairy Thing

Ok, he's a handsome git!