Abbie

Beti's sister Abbie who is at home in "Pinchmill." Emma doesn't show and has no interest in showing but she has tried to let us see who Abbie is. If all is well, we may pop over to see Abbie and Zoe on our way home from Bath at the end of the month and get photos of both. From her description, Abbie is a much bigger bitch than Beti, and she does have better colour. My only criticism is that she needs to drop into her hindquarters a little more, as many of them do with maturity .. (i.e Loki here!) I have to say the females of this litter have really turned out well but baby B is still the one for me! 

Scotland And Welks

 We've packed our bags and Beti and I are heading off to Scotland later this morning. We are staying at Abingdon then tomorrow morning will take the 30 min journey to the venue at Strathaven. I last attended this show, Clyde Valley GSD Ch Show, with Dexi so yeah many moons ago. Over the years I've travelled a lot to the Scottish shows, SKC, WPBS, Breed Champs Shows, and Kelso for Border Union, now that one is a killer to do in a day. We did them all in a day, sharing costs and driving pretty much as we do now.

I just had to buy this photo of Beti in the ring at WELKS last week. Isn't it a cracker! Only one foot on the floor, and it is only the foot and not the rear pastern! This weekend will be a very different style of showing, maybe my last other than the Sieger. I think, certainly for now, I'll be sticking to general Champ shows with Beti and Orin. 

Going AWOL With Orin And Siska

I left a dry Fron and ended up getting a soaking walking on the Lon Goed. I didn't even have a coat but it was raining all the way from Penygroes to Porthmadog. Still it didn't matter, this was a lovely walk, a new one for us and less than 10 mins drive off the main road. Though soggy underfoot, the whole place was beautiful ... I will be going back!

Beti is 10 Months

Just love this photo of her. She is so pretty. 

No idea on weights or measurements as I tend not to bother really after 9 months, but thankfully she's still a lot smaller than Sammi.

Feeling Deflated

Days like today really leave me thinking. What the feck is this dogs problem? How can he be so different to the others?  At times, he is a liability and this morning he showed me how difficult he can be. This was not fun and games, not haha catch me if you can. In over 30 years of owning this breed, this was a situation I've only previously found myself in with him, for the third time he was a leads length away from biting me. And what did I do to warrant such behaviour? Well, I tried to put wound powder on a small cut on his foot.

When I worked at Freshfields I really saw some unpredictable dogs, some proper arseholes, and I prided myself on the fact I'd never had a dog like that, well I have now! Ok he has one thing in common with them, an unknown history ... Steve constantly preaches, if he'd always been here, he wouldn't be like this? Steve is so quick to forgive him any misdemeanour, but it's not in my nature to have a dog I have to manage and not just love. On days like today, I really could not give a feck about his past, I could just give up on him, the dog gives me little pleasure, he is unpredictable and unsafe .. there you go I've finally said it! I try my best for him, I really do, but he breaks my heart, every time we begin to bond there is an incident which leaves me doubting I'm the right person for him, but seriously who the hell else would want him? And more so, who would be able to manage him? I honestly think had we rehomed him, he would have been PTS by now. Don't worry, I won't bow down from my responsibility, I bought him into the world, therefore it's down to me to keep him safe and give him the best I can. Had he been my first GSD, I'd have never had another. 

So now I'll go back onto Facebook to read all the cooing comments about how beautiful he is, well there is no disputing that, but sometimes beauty is only skin deep eh! (Or hair in this concern!)

#blanikgsds

 

A very proud Mrs S with her team of Blanik kids, show dogs and retired, they are my world. 

Anyway I've added a hashtag page on Facebook, so if you have a Blanik bred, or a progeny of Orin/Nico - please can you add the tag which I've used as the post title, making sure to spell it correctly. Thanks all ...

Loki's Librela Day

Yesterday Loki travelled in style to the vets, well on the back seat of the car with his auntie Linda. We know it's illegal for a dog to travel in that manner, but this time it was needs must! Beth was pleased with him again and he weighed 39.8kg, which is great. 

Sunshine

Blanik Bus

So I'll start at the end, you may recall I mentioned the van was playing up on the way home from Builth last week. Well it was checked out twice over the week and we were told there was nothing seemingly wrong with it. The knocking noise was from some brushes that needed replacing. With this in mind I was quite happy driving it to Malvern, ignoring the knocking and the occasional juddering from the steering wheel. On the way home at the Minffordd roundabout the knocking got so loud then there was a bang/snapping and a scrapping sound. I pulled off the roundabout and up onto a grass verge. The Blanik bus was going no further. The first port of call was to ring Steve, then the AA. So here comes another problem, wearing my driving glasses I couldn't read the details on the card, thank god for Jackie. A Police officer stopped, she was lovely and as I was concerned that something may have fallen off .. she went to check. It took ages to get through to the AA, who then sent a link to my phone for me to register the breakdown and give a pin drop of our location ... all easy I'm sure with reading glasses .. Impossible with driving glasses, and what about the people who are not able to use a smartphone? What about the places where there is no signal? What if it was my mother? Anyway with the pin drop sent we were given another number to call, it must have taken 20 -30 mins to get through and with a low battery it was a concern. I have to say that it took longer to get through to them than it did for the guy to come from Caeathro to pick us up!

Well if your my age or older you probably remember the AA adverts .. "The Man Who Can!" Well yeah this one was the man who can, but only because he had too. He was really grumpy and moaned about everything, as I think was his nature. Anyway he told me that the rear axel had collapsed and it could not be fixed he said replacing it would be over a thousand pounds and that my van would probably be off the road for a long time. He made me get on the floor to see, yeah I could see that it was much lower on one side than the other, but what no one took into account was that to get off the road I'd pulled it onto a grass bank so it was uneven. Jackie and I are not mechanics, we just drive them! When Mr Grumpy got me home, Steve came out to see the van .. he said, it doesn't look like anything has collapsed to me. I looked .. oh bloody hell now on even ground the van looked OK. 

Yesterday our local garage came to collect it, he says the CV joint has gone on it, which is at the front apparently! Funny that, I think Frank had mentioned that last week. According to Ian it can be lose and go back into place, so it may rattle and judder on the move but be hard to spot in a stationary vehicle .. Ok so I'll stop threatening JP in my head, but I never warmed to him, and never will. 

The van is now in the garage waiting its turn to be fixed, here's hoping once it's on a ramp that its an easy, inexpensive fix!!!

Ram Jam - Black Betty (Lyrics)

Put your headphones on and listen to it LOUD. Imagine it paying as she one day makes her lap of honour in a big ring .. well we can dream!

Videos From Welks

Beti being presented with her BPIB rosette 

BOB, Best Female, Best Veteran, BPIB

Beti in the group

WELKS

                                      

Not many photos from WELKS, but a lot to say .. Later

Orin was first out of seven in limit dog. Beti won Puppy Bitch, then beat the Minor Puppy winner to be best puppy bitch and as no males puppies were exhibited, she was automatically Best Puppy In Breed .. and Siska .. well she was last .. again!

Out With Zeus

Yesterday On The Mountain

It was just too nice not to take photos. 

Seasons And Things

Miss Sisks had been sick yesterday morning. Carrots and mud .. she still eats everything she shouldn't and often leaves me in a panic. So breakfast was left, and she wasn't quite herself for the first half of the day. This morning as we set off she barged into Orin and took a bite at him, he floored her and just stood looking down at her as she crumpled in a worried heap. I said nothing, other than, "serves you right." Having taken charge from her mother and pushed Sammi down the pecking order she really thinks she's the big I am, but it's good to know someone can still put her in her place!

Siska last came in season on the 2nd of November, so the 2nd of May it will be 6 months, but Siska has always gone 7 - 8 months between seasons. Interestingly, when she weed out this morning Orin took a long time investigating it, and then cocked his leg over it. Hmmm, now I know he takes interest in her pee for sometime before a season, but not normally for two months! I'll keep a close eye on her now, and also observe what Orin tells me! Again Siska hasn't had a dramatic moult and the new coat is now beginning to come through. Though my other bitches are coming back into coat as they come in season, Siska is usually in full coat by then. My only concern if she comes in early is that Lucca is away on holiday in Scotland on the third week of May, Siska wouldn't do that to me ... would she?  I do have a back-up plan and should things look suspicious with timing, I'll introduce you to George! 

Strangely, I had the same scenario with Loki and Beti today, her sisters have all had their first season, just Beti to go. Of course Ross isn't interested so that doesn't help, but interestingly Sammi was and she also weed next to it. Some people may find my observations odd, but living with families of dogs teaches us about their natural behaviour more so than living with a single dog. Sniffing and wee is the dogs social media! 

Last night at club as I cuddled a members dog she jumped on me, I said "Oh I don't mind," to which the owner replied "I do, we don't let our dogs jump up." Well absolutely, their dog, their rules and I will always abide by that. I'm still fighting with Beti's manners, as I've said she's very full on. Teaching her to be calm in certain situations is down to me, though of course I need the support of others if I am to succeed. Yesterday she was over enthusiastic about Linda being with us, and though it's lovely that she loves her "friends" manners are important!

Moving On?

Last night someone young took the piss again. Really it had been quite a day for it. The leg of lamb, the shredded rosette, the disappearing brush and washing basket. You name it, our Beti does it, but she sure brightens the days. Last night at 10.45pm she lay on the rubber matt in the middle of the yard and said .. "I'm sleeping out tonight!" The head tilted as I called her in, but the bottom didn't move! Well I'm sorry Miss B but it's not happening, I got hold of her by the collar and marched her to bed where her bonio was waiting for her, she looked at it, then looked at me as if telling me where to stick it. lol. We had a quick cuddle and I told her how funny she was, how lovely and how sweet and before closing her crate I thanked her for bringing such joy into my life, and then my mind went elsewhere and I cried! 

A year ago I was tucking Kaiah up for the night in that very space, you see I can't even type about her without crying. I can't really talk about her, I can't enjoy my memories because the sadness and guilt still haunts me so much. It's not a choice, I'd move on, if only I could.  Having Beti here is wonderful, but sadly I never forget why she is here. The little bright spark came to help me heal from the heartache, and my word we have such fun, but those memories still rip at my heart. In just a couple of weeks it will be 12 months since Zoe came to be mated to Orin ... and it's fast approaching 12 months since Kaiah was so cruelly ripped from our lives. I've no memory of feeling such intense sadness at loss for so long before, I've no memory of every, 12 months on being unable to speak a name without welling up with emotion. I've experienced so much loss, Blade, Louis, Kai, Seffe, the list is endless .. but this grief remains on another level. 

Leg Of Lamb

Well can you see Beti? What do you think she has in her mouth? Well, I'll tell you, a lambs leg! I've no idea what happened to it, or where the rest of it was, but there wasn't a hope in hell of me getting it off her and yes eventually she ate it! Beti is very obedient and very quick to learn, but today I saw that she can also be a Tali. I just couldn't get to her, and she forgot what a recall was, the more I tried, the faster she chewed and I was afraid she would swallow it, basically it was safer for me to leave her to chew through it as we went along. Now I'll worry, of course I will, but I had to make a decision in the moment, and as revolting as it was, I felt it was the safer option.

For The Hairy Fan Club

Nice yeah! 

Maybe one for next years calendar. 

Beti At Home

At Home Today

Sorry hairy fan club - no pic today! lol

W+PBW

A lovely day yesterday at WPBW, though an uncomfortable drive home with blinding sun, the Blanik Bus playing up and the Kamikaze pheasants. Anyway a fun day with my lovely friends. Thanks to judge Sue Forman for Beti's BPIB with the icing on the cake being shortlisted in the group by Steve Hall, how emotional was that! Thank you so much Arron Price for handling Beti today, she looked fab. I really enjoyed being back in the ring with Jackie's Kai and our Siska. Well done Jackie with his 1st place in PGD. Well done Ian Turner with Kiaan's BPD, Denise with Jimmy's BOB and well deserved Group 4, and Heulwen with Gina's Best Female. Thanks, Linda, for the picces and the sing along with "Ed" on the way home, and to Jackie and Ian for the giggles all day. Also thanks to our Judge Sue Forman for the lovely gifts. Lastly, thanks Siska and Beti - my stars ⭐️⭐️

A cracking photo of Beti in the breed ring. Collars and leads edited out and the colour lightened as it was a dark room, but Beti, as she is! 

Siska could have done better with a handler I'm sure, but we had fun!

Loki Today

Whilst searching for something else I came across this video, so just a quick update on the boy. This was him at his worst in Sept 2021, the day before he lost complete mobility and we decided to call it a day and have him PTS the next day .. Monday. But unable to sleep that night I thought I'd discuss steroids with Beth our vet. She prescribed 25mg for 10 days, the improvement was quick and dramatic. I guess Loki then had a couple of wonderful years but went down hill again before Xmas 2023... anyway the bottom video is from today ... he does his walk every day and though now he's a bit more wobbly, he still really is amazing! 

Feeling A Little Fed Up

I'm sure the weather is getting to all of us. Every day is the same, wet, windy, misty and cold. I've given up on taking photos, after all there's nothing new to see. I did intend on getting a couple of snaps today, but with sleet and sheep I gave up. I can see these three are going to be a pain in the butt! Other than intense heat, I think I'm one who tolerates seasonal weather quite well. But where is Spring? We are halfway through it, and it still feels like mid-Winter. It was better in Porthmadog yesterday afternoon, and I was hopeful we may return to something promising, but I was wrong, though it was sunny the strong wind was bitterly cold. I'm still drying clothes on the radiators for fear my knickers may end up in Carmel .. or even further afield. 😁

I've booked the rooms for us to stay over for the Scottish show, after my experience of the last two shows I fear this may be my last all breed show for a while. I gave up on them 20 years or so ago as I started attending General Ch. Shows and found a better, friendlier crowd of people at these shows, sadly it doesn't seem to have changed and Sunday was laughable in a lot of cases. Maybe I shouldn't tar them all with the same brush but I was interested to be sent this yesterday ... "Well he almost killed 2 Champion bitches here on the hottest of summer days 1st time he judged and only 2 in the class and he still couldn't make a decision. The handlers had to swap over 4 times the class went on that long. He hasn't got the knowledge or eye for a dog to be judging. He was an obedience man so when he moved to showing he thinks that if you train them to go and go it proves they can work. He's never had a great dog himself, bred a couple of good dogs but let them go and then charged the people for training classes, handling etc. He trained them to run like a train and handled them to their titles but cost him nothing, he made money from it. Put him on the never again list. He only got 6 dogs to judge here last year after his 1st appointment, and for good reason. Not even sure how he was able to award CCs as he hasn't judged the numbers to be approved. His lack of knowledge is obvious, he can't hide it. He just keeps moving dogs up and back down the line as he hasn't a clue." Enough said! 

This morning Steve and I discussed the forthcoming shows and who is going where. He has no problems with me staying over for the Scottish one and no concerns for anything else that I'm planing to do, but when he discovered that I'm still Billy No Mates for Three Counties and The Sieger his face dropped and he walked out of the room. (I think if he could walk quicker, I'd say "Stormed out of the room" but bless him he can't, no I'm not being spiteful, just continuing the humour that we live with!) Jane is going to stay over, but with her living in Staffordshire, we will be setting off from very different locations. I'm still considering giving the Sieger a miss .. but really, it's the 150 mile trip to Malvern alone that bothers him and me more. Of course I know the way, well mostly, but going it alone is just not something I've done since before the head explosion of 2015 .... Sadly, it seems too much to ask someone to come with me just for the ride and expect them to pay for a night away .. though OMG I'm shocked to discover it's half the price of the Scottish room. 

I think I may have to go back to Specsavers as I think my vision issues have deteriorated further. I'm now on the laptop wearing the right glasses ... but struggling .. and god knows what I'm sending in texts and messanger these days as I can barely see the screen! So if you can't read what I send you hell I'm sorry!!! 

The bottom photo is Sammi! lol 

Sheffield Show

Not sure what to say, it wasn't our day in the ring, but there is more to it than that. We had fun with friends, but the judging was all round beyond my understanding!!!

Tired and emotional, I cried as I went through dozens of photos of other people's dogs to find just this one of Orin, god it hurt especial as I continue to see photos of other people's dogs online. I take the camera mainly to get photos of my dogs ... and obviously photos of friends dogs to share and treasure memories, ah well!!!

Flying Solo

There are two weekends this Summer with shows that I want to go to falling on the Friday and Saturday in early June then Saturday and Sunday in late June. In both instances, it would make absolutely no sense to come home on the Saturday and go again on the Sunday, that would be a killer for me. It looks like my wing man won't be doing both shows on either weekend, so after giving it great thought the only option is to go it alone, well that or miss out. Steve is really not happy about my decision, but other people do it, so why can't I? And a friend who lives alone said .. "If I didn't do it, I wouldn't get to go anywhere!"  I know my way to Malvern and I have my sat nav to then get me to the Travelodge at Tamworth. I would probably be there late afternoon at the latest early evening, I could check in and have a lazy rest of the day in my room and mooching about with Beti and Orin. (if I was going alone for the first time, I'd only take two, so I wouldn't take Siska) It wouldn't be an early start to the second show as the venue is about 20 mins from the Travelodge. 

The second lot of shows later in the months starts me off at the same venue in Tamworth, for my confidences' sake, maybe I could follow someone there then at the end of the show drive up to that hotel in Swinton for the night. Again it wouldn't be an early start as Swinton to Blackpool is 45 mins to an hour tops. It all sounds very doable ... providing I can get my van fully serviced and get the confidence to believe that my head will be OK!

The photos are of video stills from Bolton show in Scotland ... Oops ... If you know you know!!!!

Birthday Visitors

Yesterday morning as soon as we put the guys out the coal man arrived, we got them back in and sorted out the payments etc. Unfortunately, in that time poor Loki had had an accident and pooed in his bed, the first time in weeks. We put him out, we cleaned it, changed the bedding, got his breakfast and said nothing. 

In the afternoon, within 30 mins of coming back from picking up my prescription, an unexpected visitor with birthday gifts arrived. We had tea and cake in the kitchen and Beti absolutely stole the show. She loved the visitor, though I did have to curb her enthusiasm a couple of times, especially when the friend got up to leave and Beti set eyes on the pompom hat!!!

In the early evening another friend came to see me, hell like buses, we never see anyone and two come up the same day! Ross and Beti again could not control their enthusiasm, and Sammi had to be told off too! It is nice that they love visitors, and visiting people, but manners are important with big powerful dogs. Sadly, during the enthusiastic pacing Loki had another ancient, this time in blobs on a walk between the kitchen and middle room. I told my friend, we say nothing just clean it, being a dog person she completely understood. Loki is not a dirty house dog, he is simply an older dog who has lost muscle in the relevant places. 

Anyway, a huge thank you to everyone who sent cards, gifts and messages. It's been a nice day, just Bill and Ben out for lunch in the Newborough! 

Tree Checking

Maybe it makes no sense as I'm not a gardener but I have such pride in these trees, the ones on the right in this photo have been in the ground 3 - 4 years but the ones at the bottom, fenced off behind Orin are new in from last Autumn. It looks promising that they all survived the winter, even the tiny ones which I've checked on regularly. We now need just a few more and we will have done two boundary walls. We've had sheep in two days this week, so Steve and I spent the morning patching up the fencing. 

                       

Not Going Out

Who can blame them? Wind and rain it's time to sod off now!

Beti And Orin At Bolton

We were back online this morning, that was one stormy night, but it was dry and blustery as we set off for Bolton GSD Club Champ show yesterday morning. It was a day of lovely dogs, friendship and fun with sunshine, rain, wind and flying tents!!! Neither Beti or Orin were in the top spots, but I was pleased with their critiques and performances. Thanks to Kayleigh Hoult for her lovely handling and encouraging words re Beti and thanks to Liam Henderson who handled Orin brilliantly. Well done to all who succeeded, and thanks to all who organised a lovely show.

Over medium size medium strength. Very good head and expression. Very good topline slightly short croup. Very good angulation. Good lay of the shoulder. Upper arm slightly short, slightly steep. Very good female all round. Moved reasonably well.

Over medium size medium strength, good head and expression but light eye detracts. Clean overline, well moulder croup, a bit of wavy hair over the croup. Good hind angulation - both ends. Powerful long striding side gait, but showing some softness in the back today.

*****

Some encouraging words from Kayleigh re Beti on the day and in a message this morning has helped with the slight disappointment that I feel today. Hey, you take the rough with the smooth, the knocks make the wins more special, as I've said before win with pride, lose with dignity, but when we love our dogs we can't help but feel it a little. Anyway Kayleigh said at the show that she thought she was a lovely pup with a bright future and messaged today saying "she was a tad heavy which spoils her top line but lovely little girl she is, with training she could do some great things ❤️ Anytime I will handle her and any of your gang x" So nice to get the encouragement at the right time, but I really don't think she's carrying too much weight, of course I will take the comments on board. Regarding the training, I do feel I've let Beti down a little. When was the last time we did ring training for this kind of event? I think she's lucky if we've done it twice when she was a little dot! Hopefully, some of my friends will be able to come up and do some work with her. 

As regards to Orin's critique, well I guess I can't dispute a thing, other than the soft back comment .. that implies lack of fitness .. so if it's correct that's down to me too!