Cuckoo Calling

I was over the moon to hear and see the Cuckoo with coins in my pocket for the first time this year on Thursday ... Sadly, I only had the phone with me, but you can clearly hear the male Cuckoo's call at the beginning of the video. He then flies off the wire and out of sight before a crow comes into frame. It's a widespread belief that jingling coins in your pocket while the cuckoo calls will bring prosperity for the year ahead. I'm not superstitious, but something I like/have to do!

Coat, Holes, Chicken And Things

Sammi seems fine today, though I'll give her loxicom again tomorrow. With Steve not getting into the living room, I've realised how little TV I watch. Yeah, Neighbours and Enders 4 days a week, but today the TV hasn't been on and Beyond Paradise at 8pm I guess is the earliest thing I want to watch. It's entertaining and just makes me smile. 

These girls are a handful, constantly up to no good if left to their own devices. I dread the time when Steve comes out into the garden and sees their handy work, anyway, I've filled in the hole and we've moved on. I'm so glad they have each other though, they do keep each other entertained. 

Facebook followers will know that Zeus stole and ate 4 raw frozen chicken thighs yesterday. Human error again. I left them on a tray on top of the cooker to defrost, it'll take me time to remember that there is a dog in the kitchen again, the kitchen here is usually an unsupervised dog free zone. Bet the little shit enjoyed it!!! 

I questioned on Facebook what people would do about showing a well constructed, fit but out of coat dog. I have my opinion but it was interesting to read the majority would show their dog out of coat. When I have in the past, I've often regretted it, a particular show with a young Sammi comes to mind. I know there are stages during moults when the coat looks tatty and dirty, that's definitely a day to be at home, but as the coating ends and shine returns bitches can look better, bald but better. (I have found that rarely have I had to withdraw a male from competitions because of a moult, but Ross went through an awful junior moult)I'm not talking about general open shows, or even breed shows, I mean champ shows where the best of our breed should be competing and coat condition in such company could knocks us down a fair few places. 

So, If I was going to WELKS on Sunday, (which I'm not) would I take Beti? I'm not sure, I feel I would be letting her and her reputation down if she didn't go into the ring looking her best, but I guess a bath and a blast would answer the question. I totally understand that coat is of secondary importance, as is colour (but we all know what can happen when you show a dog of Asha's colour!) but in a class of quality bitches we have to accept that our out of coat female, could be 2, 3 maybe 4 places further back than they otherwise might be, if we as owners can accept that then so be it as at the end of the day, the bitch really won't give a damn! 

With the help of friends, early indications are that I will get to the National on the 10th of May, so that's 2 weeks away. Let's just hope she looks a little better by then, especially as there is no yearling class and she, like others of her own age, will be in with the big girls in PG. I'm travelling on my own that day, the only way to make it feasible is to take 4 dogs, leaving Sammi and Ross for friends to look after, and for everyone's safety Zeus will just have to be in a pen. Here's hoping eh!

Sammi's limp

Not sure what happened to miss Sammi, but today she has a limp on her back left. With her hip score it can't be hips so that's one less thing to worry about. Hopefully just a knock or a twist, I've given her some loxicom. 

Uterine Blockage

 A friend's cat has been going through exactly the same as Luther, so that's the third I've heard of in a short time. Male cats are more prone to urinary blockages than females because their urethra is longer and narrower than that of females, making it more susceptible to blockages. Here's hoping little Tommy makes a full recovery but I would like to know what is the cause of it? Is it something we are feeding them? I know cats should have plenty of wet food as dry can cause problems, but some cats, Luther being one of them, will leave the wet food for the dry! 

Steve

Steve is progressing, but we accept it will be a very long, slow struggle. He made it through to the kitchen for the second time today. What he really wanted to do was go outside but it was just too cold. He is always more mobile in the first half of the day. The nights are the worst as he seems to experience great pain and leg twitches, he moans out loud in his sleep which keeps me awake. He has even been rambling and the other night when I questioned it he said "I'm just singing my song!" Of course he doesn't remember, but the lack of sleep some nights is really getting to me, especially as my hands and knee are hurting too. Am I Ok? LOL as they say I have to be don't I; but I'm walking a fine line between tears, hysterical laughter and exhaustion. 

I've been to pick up 10 bags of dog food today ... 10 left in the kitty at Wynnstay now. Tomorrow I'm going to empty the food shed of everything that shouldn't be there and give it a good tidy before bringing the bags in, I also need to order yard disinfectant (I usually get it at shows) fish, chicken feet and necks. I'm Ok for cat food, for now, but these days I get that delivered anyway. 

At Least We have Fields

Drool

Meerah's drooling seems to have stopped, as has the bed shredding, well for now anyway. She was drooling quite excessively, which was noticeable by her wet bedding in the morning and if she had spent any significant time in her crate it during the day. I can't imagine it was stress, she's not the type, so maybe just the last minor bits of teething as the teeth set into place. 

Easter Monday

My lovelies - and the tree is coming into life too.

Meerah's behaviour is really awful at the moment. Bed and carpet shredding, is only the tip of the iceberg. I do remember Beti being particularly bad at the same age - she chewed up my glasses. I can't turn my back on Meerah for 5 mins and she's done something, yet she so well-behaved when I'm there. She's also drooling a lot, maybe it's all to do with teeth?? 

Beautiful Beti is bald, so maybe not a bad thing that we are missing the 4th show of 4 next week. I'll still be gutted though!!!

Someone has been behaving very well, but today had it on him a little. Thankfully, a biscuit did the trick!

Steve has made it to the living room today. It was quite a task, but by going "out and in" rather than through the cottage he got there. Though I dread anyone just turning up, that would really do my head in, I think we both would benefit from seeing friends occasionally, it feels a bit like covid at times! At least the sun is shining again today eh!

Happy 6th Birthday Luther

Polly

Beti's sister is doing really well in her new home (well since last November) It just goes to prove that not every home is right for every dog and having the ability to know that a dog in your home would be better elsewhere shows understanding of your dogs and an ability to put their needs before yours. I did it with Lia, and Jake (Chino) it ripped me apart but the dogs thrived and blossomed in their new lives.