My Pastern Obsession

 I found this photo of a young Zalu on a hard surface. 

Yep they look Ok to me! 

Loki Update

Great isn't it! 

 

Making Matters Worse

I didn't expect Kaiah in the picture and Orin is standing naturally, not placed in stance. Recently I'd started to realise that the hair on his croup is worse at shows than it is at home, so the conclusion is that by trying to make it lie flat for a show I'm making it worse. I'll leave it alone now I think!

Caught Out Again

Even though I set off at 9.30am I got caught out by the heat again. I had to cut the last walk short as Siska was obviously uncomfortable and poor Zeus with that ridiculous excess of coat. Ah well the last day of meteorological Summer - I'll soon be back in my wellies and my big yellow coat 😜

Nos Da Barney

I'm walking, screaming and shouting, as I do. "Ziva, Ziva ... stop eating the cow shit, Ziva stop eating sheep shit." Her teeth and tongue are brown. Bloody disgusting creature. I ignore my phone, I always do .. but with Steve somewhere on the A55 and my Mum a little vulnerable, I decided to look. 

I'm devastated at the news that confronts me; "I'm absolutely devastated to write this but we lost my darling Barney this morning. He went out for a pee this morning with the others in the garden and he just laid down and fell asleep. I'm absolutely heartbroken he wasn't even ill, I've lost my heart dog."  

Barney was Nico and Ziva son, Sammi's brother. Not even 9 till Xmas. Why is it these boys live much shorter lives than the females? Why are so many taken away from us so young? 

I so wanted to keep Barney as a puppy in the nest, I sobbed my heart out as he left. I said at the time that I'd never come so close to going after someone in my van, stopping them and telling them "no, I've changed my mind, you can't have him." He was special, and obviously Claire felt that too. 

Sadly Claire has never been one for taking many photos, not all of us do, do we? When things like this happen it makes me realise how precious preserving the memories are ... 

RIP dear Barney (FKA puppy Noel) 

Fun Show

I gather there is a fun dog show locally on Sunday and a few of my friends want to go. Weather permitting, I may well go, but a decision to be made on Sunday morning and not before. 

So if I go, who do I take? Certainly not Orin or Siska. Fun shows are a great training ground for puppies and a nice day out for oldies. I think it's very unfair on other exhibitors to take champ show winning dogs to a fun show. Of course not everyone has the choice and I appreciate that, but I do so the current cream of the crop stay home. If I go, I may well just take Sammi for the veteran class and Loki for some fun classes. He'll be over the moon to be showing and won't know the difference. Of course, another way of thinking is - can you imagine if I took Orin and he was beaten by a dog of less merits? I'd spit the dummy out, though at the end of the day it would be my own fault for putting him there. So for me, fun shows are not for Champ show winning dogs.

I considered taking Zeus, but had a change of heart. With those typical L/C but dreadful pasterns I'll never show him, so what is the point?  I'd like to relax, help Delwyn with puppies if he comes, and give Loki some normality. After all Loki was the dog to beat in his time, and he loved the whole experience of a show day.  Bless him because of covid followed by his illness he's not been since January 2020, and it'll be his birthday on the day! Who's bringing him cake? 

These Guys ..

Yeah, these guys are my everything. I with I could take Loki with them, and so does he no doubt, but I tried to explain to him why not! Feminine bitches, masculine males - my Blanik family.

Not Eating

Here we go again, barely two weeks after the end of her season and Siska has not eating breakfasts yesterday and today. What do I do? Eat it or lose it is my normal practice, but I sympathise that after a season hormones are at play. Did she do this last time? Did I make a note of it? Answers on a post card please because I don't know, but I will look back later. The only time I remember her not eating was when she had whatever it was in her throat. 

I don't want to get into a habit of adding things and for her to start to expect it, on the other hand I don't want her to lose condition either, unlike Ross she has a reason for not wanting breakfast right now. Hard decision, maybe I'll see how she goes with her evening meals, if she's eating that I'll increase it slightly to get us through this time. 

I do wish Ross ate a little more, but there you go, he is who he is. 

The Boys Are 5 Weeks

Don't they look amazing!

Cats And Dogs

Last night I was chatting to Gail about cats, as we do. She still works at Freshfields and was telling me that three middle-aged cats are being returned after their owner died. The cats are from 10 to 12 years old and sadly will now struggle to find homes. We talked about Mam and I told her I hadn't broached the subject of her having another cat yet. I can see issues, my brother's allergy will be a problem, and mum is passionate about feeding the birds these days. As lovely as the birds are, they won't keep her company over the long Winter nights will they? But of course it is completely her call. These cats would be about the right age for my mum, but I don't feel ready to discuss it with her yet. Rescue centres have rules about rehoming kittens, it's a no-go where toddlers are concerned, and obviously an 80-year-old would not be considered as an option for a kitten. The long term welfare of the animals have to come before the feelings of people, but of course most animal lovers completely understand that. Since a kitten can live 20 + years, we really don't want to think of them ending up back in rescue in middle age, do we! On saying that, because of my past I feel strongly that anyone who wants an animal in their lives should not be deprived of that, there is a dog or cat out there for everyone who wants one, it's just making sure it's the right one!

When I was a child we didn't have a dog. My grandparent did but we didn't. I had never wanted anything more in my life than a dog of my own, a GSD of course! To be told year in year out, no you can't, left me with some bitterness, and now because of that I will not accept anyone telling me what I can and can't have. It was a bit of a joke between Steve and my Dad, because they hadn't let me have a dog as a child that I was over compensating as an adult. To be honest it's probably true and if I want it now, I will get it, and I would lose respect for anyone who tried to stop me. Naturally I'm quite happy to talk it through, and if there are reasons not to, then I take that onboard. There was one kitten whilst I was at Freshfields that I really wanted, but Steve and I discussed it and I could see it was not the right time. More recently there was Orin's daughter, the blue collard bitch now called Taz. Delwyn offered her to us for free, at the time my father was poorly and Steve had had his diagnosis, we knew his treatment plan would be gruelling, it simply wasn't the right time for us to have a puppy. Later when the puppy came available again it broke my heart, but I had to say no again. As much as I wanted her it was not a healthy environment to bring in a puppy. Dad had died, Nico and Jezi had died, we had covid and Kaiah was hormonally off her rocker. No one told me I was not having her, no one dare, or I'd do the opposite, it was my decision, common sense for the puppy and all at Blanik prevailed, but I still cry about it now. To be honest I do think it goes back to my childhood, when I left home I decided then that no one would ever stop me having anything I wanted again, deep down it only breeds resentment, and that's why in this situation I treat others as I hope to be treated myself. If Steve wants something, then he should have it. 

Arya and Orin's pups are looking great. The photo is of Soloman who was Mr Orange and he will hopefully be making it into the showring. 

Too Hot

 I got caught out this morning and by the time I was ready to go out it got too hot. I didn't realise it was forecast, but mind you I am a wimp where heat is concerned. Anyway, a quick whizz around the field and everyone is happy!

An Your Problem Is?

Mum had not had a great day yesterday. Of course she's going to have some pretty low days, but mostly she's doing great. She and Steve both love lasagne, I don't mind it but maybe don't cook it often enough. Anyway, I decided to cook one and take it there for lunch for the three of us. Last night I left the mince out to defrost, Steve accidentally left the kitchen door open, and yes you've guessed it, fecking Junior ate loads of it! I cried yesterday, emotions are running high, but of course today I see the funny side of it.

Oh and when I shouted "I hope you get the shits Junior," I did really mean it at the time!

Studs

A friend had mated her bitch to the fantastic Tom. According to the vet the scan at 4 - 5 weeks showed puppies, but he would not commit to even a baseline. By 7 weeks the bitch still did not seem to be showing any signs of pregnancy and I suggested she re scan with a canine pregnancy scanning agency and not a vet. She did, sadly no puppies, just the odd shadow fluttering about. It is impossible to know if she had been pregnant and reabsorbed, or if she was never pregnant in the first place. My friend is devastated, and by the time the bitch comes back in season, Tom will have gone home to Jamaica. 

Tom was probably one of the top winning dogs to ever come into the UK, he was graded VA - Excellent Select, the highest attainable award to a German show dog and granted only at the annual Sieger Show. Most imports to the UK have managed a credible V, but you know, Dexi was V graded. Tom had not been sold to the UK, he was here a short time, I do hope people took advantage of his qualities and that we see his progeny at UK shows. So where does my friend stand now? I honestly don't know. She's a large stud fee lighter and unlike me she will be unable to claim that stud at a later date, unless she uses another male at the same kennel of course! 

Like Nico, Orin is offered at stud and should the bitch miss then a free repeat is on offer. Payment is generally given at the time of the first mating, you pay for a service not a result, but thankfully it doesn't work that way with friends! 

A Close Call

Picture it, I've moved Ross' crate into the middle of the room to hoover behind it. His bedding is in a heap in the back of it. I crawl in and pull it forward. Loki is standing by my left shoulder, supervising .. as they do. I hear a crash in the utility room but think little of it, I carry on with what I'm doing. Loki starts to growl, I turn my head and Zeus is standing there by my right shoulder - he now starts to growl too. I'm unnerved, but I have to act quickly, I get up off my bottom onto my knees, I grab Zeus's collar and push him backwards into the utility room. I become aware of the fact that Loki has run away, as he would, but Zeus is still growling. I can't close the utility room door as I have the hoover cable running from there and anyway the hoover is in the way. Somehow I managed to shove it to one side and close the door as far as I could over the cable. I call Loki and I'm instantly able to get him into the bedroom and close the door. I let Zeus out of the utility room and say nothing. This is the second time he's managed to get out of this crate, Nico used it for 10 years and not once did he get out of it. The first time I doubted myself, wondered if I hadn't closed it properly, well now I know that I did. This crate is no longer safe, we have to re-think and re-adjust. 

I must admit that whilst I was able to deal with the incident, it left me quite unnerved. My legs turned to jelly and I felt sick for a bit. Loki definitely growled first, but thankfully he's quite a coward, we saw that when his father chased him in one time. Zeus was not for backing off and even after Loki had gone he continued to growl. Loki has to be my priority, I doubt he'd survive an attack from a young, fit male. I really do have to re-think things now. I so wish I hadn't let my heart rule my head a year ago, I do have regrets, I admit, hands up, I did the wrong thing for Zeus, for us and the rest of the pack. We are where we are and now we have to deal with it! 

International Dog Day

Lovely Morning

Quite a few areas of white heather this year. 

A Dream

I often dream, but last night's dream was vivid, intense and left me emotional. I was telling Lesley that I had given Nico and Jezi away, she was disgusted with me, as only she could be. I told her I was going to try and get them back. I had given them to Janet Poynter (A lovely friend who'd had two Blaniks) and I told Lesley that when I got them back I would never give them away again. In the dream I saw them both so clearly, Nico was so close that I could touch him, Jezi a step back, as she always was. I woke up and cried my eyes out, it was so emotional, to almost touch them and have them taken away again. Obviously, I didn't give them away, old age and the normal progression of life took them away from me, so I guess the dream was a mixtue of loosing them and other events which left me devastated this Summer. 

Bethan's Pics

Love this of Orin, one of the best photos of him yet.

What a Hunk!

Siska looking super as well. Such a shame she's leaning sideways! 

Miss K - was it her only CH show day this year?

Costs

Photo of Loki today - but look at that sky!

I still have a bee in my bonnet about costs. The basic food costs about £28 a week, but of course there are extra's. 

9 Tins of Sardines - £3.24

Yogurt - £2.00

2 Bags of wonky Carrots - £1.16

Aldi treats - £1.50 

Chicken Feet - £7.50

Fish treats - not sure as I don't use that many. 

Sprats - £1.50 (ish)

The box of bonio type biscuits is £40 for 10Kg - no idea how many is in it but it does last awhile.  

I suppose we can come up to about £50 a week then. Scary, but we don't drink, we don't smoke and we never go out for meals or buy takeaways - so there we go, the money goes into the dogs! 

The Baby Boys

Orin's second litter has been registered. 

Great names, I've looked up all the characters.

Food And Walks

I didn't take any photos today, but couldn't help but take a short video. Sadly an anti climax as Siska spoiled the game, as she does! It sounds so windy on the video, but it honestly wasn't, or I never noticed anyway! The rain was so light that it was almost refreshing and the mountain was peaceful.

With Steve on day 3 of 20, after the walks I went to pick up the dog food on my own. 5 Gold and 5 Titanium. I checked the prices of the food on the shelf, and yeah I am getting a £70 discount, so no complaints. I think I use a bag and a half a week so that comes to roughly £27 a week. They are well worth it, and more. I decided to carry the bags in when I got home, I couldn't leave them or Steve would want to help when he got home and that really wouldn't be wise. Anyway it didn't go well, the wheel fell off the trolley, it pissed it down so I kept dropping the wet bags and my hair will now ended up looking like her from Crystal Tipps and Alistair (You have to be a certain age) Anyway I had to do it, I now simply have to do more. Iv'e been thinking of putting Ziva, Loki and Sammi just on gold, giving Ross, Kaiah and Zeus half-and-half initially and keeping Orin and Siska on titanium. I've never mixed foods before, but it is the same brand, just slightly different food. We'll see, trial and error I guess! 

Two Brothers Two Recalls

As funny as Zeus may be in one short video, you can understand my frustration I'm sure. The joke is a little stale by now. To be fair, if I come in now, then so does he. A year ago he'd have just stayed out there laughing at me! He is 90% better at coming when called around the home, but if he did that on the mountain, or he saw a sheep then what chance would I have? He is safer on the flexi lead, if anything happened to him I'd never forgive myself! Maybe I expect too much sometimes?  These all have good recalls, though Ziva went deaf as she was eating cow shit this morning. I have to realise Zeus was 13 months when he came back, his training was different to my lot, in my opinion, mistakes were made.

Look at my O showing off, he can throw deaf one near his pissing places too! 

Royal Welsh Critiques

Critiques from Mid May

 1st Mrs R Stanley BLANIK LISZKA – 16mths B/G medium size Bitch. Alert feminine head good length of muzzle correct dentition, eyes, and ears used very well. In good bone and condition.  In proportions in the stance showing good length of neck into firm back line to a graduated croup, hocks starting to strengthen, moved well away and back. Side gait steady maintains top line without extreme well done.

1st Mrs R Stanley BLANIK KYRIACOS 2yrs B/G top size male,  macusline head with alert expression strong muzzle correct dentition, eye lovely, ears strong and set well-used to his best advantage. In good bone and condition strong in the stance, and in proportions nice length of neck flowing into firm back line and graduated croup, strong in hocks, moved well away and back, free flowing side gait maintaining level top line without extreme, well handled ran BOB all the way RBOB

Dog Food Bill

The dog food bill came as a huge shock. Last time I paid a few pounds over £700 for 50 bags of Titanium. I honestly don't remember when it was, but I remember being told then that it had gone up and would be going up again. Well so it has, now 50 bags of Titanium comes to £1,050. I discussed with the lads the possibility of getting 25 bags of Titanium for the show team and 25 bags of Gold for the others. He said he would ring the managers to get me a bulk price, £900.75p Ok so over a £100 less, but I was still shocked. There is nothing I can do, the guys need feeding! 

Obviously, Orin and Siska will stay on Titanium - and probably Kaiah too for now. I think I'll have to see how it goes with the others and adjust accordingly! Ross doesn't really eat enough, will reducing the quality of the food affect that, or will this food contain more carbs and fats? Something to check. I hate having to do this but there really is no choice. Thanks to Orin, I have just about enough cash to do it now, but in another 6 months I may struggle and buying it weekly will just increase the cost further. 

We Got Out

Finally we got out.

This photo looks really blurred on a laptop, but then I realised from the comments on Facebook that people looking on a phone didn't notice. 

I guess there is an advantage to a small screen.

Anyway I can't help but sing the Ed Sheeran song when I'm out with these two,

"The Joker And The Queen!"

Two quiet peaceful walks- other than me shouting "Look where your fecking going" at you know who!

A chaotic walk, it was like Piccadilly Circus up there.I realised quickly Orin didn't have a collar on, which concerned me, but not him! They cattle to the left who'd been sleeping were on the move, and then another heard arrive at the top of the slate path. The lads arrived with their dirt bikes, there were people walking and a couple of cyclists. To quote Siska the girls were "excellent," but Orin really needed to get to his pissing places!

Blanik Liszka

 Showing off Siska, well if I don't show them off and promote then, then who will? I'm proud of her achievements this year, very proud! 

1st at Manchester - 3rd at Crufts

1st at WELKS - 2nd at Bath 

2nd at Three counties - 1st at Blackpool best junior and group 3

2nd At Leeds - 1st at both WKC and NWGSD

I best include these too

Unplaced at Sheffield and The National

The bottom two are Open shows 

1st at The Royal Welsh, 1st and BOB at VOC

So not a bad year so far 7 class wins - 3 seconds - 1 third - and the other two! lol 

Baby Cakes

When I first got into showing, I was told that you pick your puppy at 6 -8 weeks and then if testicles are present in males that you don't then change your mind. I was interested to see a newcomer to showing telling another that she should keep two till 12 weeks, then choose! Hmmm, I was under the impression that by that age they can look anything like a cross between a hare and a kangaroo, but there you go!

I picked Sammi and Orin before 6 weeks, I was smitten with both. I remember asking Orin when he was just a tot, "please let it be you?" I'd said something similar to his mother when she was no more than 3 weeks old. But I always kept my options open and waited to decided at the right age that the puppy with the most show prospects would stay, I was just lucky with Sammi and Orin that my heart dog was right for Blanik. Being the only females in their litters, with Kaiah and Tali there was no choice, but both turned out cracking girls. I almost didn't keep Asha, I was influenced a little too much by colour and her sister Seren was the better colour. Eventually I put my brain in gear and kept conformation over colour! 

So you make your choice and you stick to it .. some go off, they usually come back. A baby Siska was promising, a 6-month-old Siska was stunning but a 9-month-old Siska was a lot less pleasing to the eye (bottom left) and I was starting to doubt the decision I made when she was in the nest, but now baby cakes is really coming together. Since she turned 12 months she's got better and better and has been in the first two at most of her champ shows. I was happy with her 3rd at Crufts, and oh yes, of course at Sheffield and The National she wasn't placed ..  but neither judge liked Orin either! Though I'm chuffed with every win, and her seconds, I think her wins at Blackpool under Gary Gray and yesterday under John Cullen have been more significant. When breed judges see the prospects in her then it means more. Two more Champ shows this year - lets hope she can keep up the good work! 

Today Stars

My lovely little Perry and Ross too scared to get his kong back off Siska.

Be a man Ross!

As handsome as you are Zeus, I'm not amused. 

Good thing for you they are only £3.00 readers from Hampers!

A Few More Photos

Siska - but of course!

Isla and Siska in class order in the challenge WKC - So proud

Siska in third place in the bitch challenge for NWGSD - wow - proud again.

Callan

Orin

My escape artist - Kaiah