A Confession Of Confusion

Where do I start? To quote Mrs Brown, "I've no fecking idea." This post will no doubt be a mixture of thoughts, emotions and confusion!

Mr Orange with his black face really appeals to me

The puppies! Well I was so adamant wasn't I? No puppy, but yesterday's activities have left me in a state of total confusion. The 3 week old pups are adorable, 10 stunning babies of lovely substance with super coats and colour. At this stage it's hard to criticises any of them really, yeah one boy was a little smaller, but he wasn't lacking anything else really. If I were going to be critical,
and as I said a few days ago this is personal preference, some, like their mum, will not have a very dark mask, but she has enough!
Steve and I were smitten with the pups and the setting they are being brought up in is just ideal. Again 10 out of 10 to the owner/breeder for creating such a super space within the home for mother and puppies. As we talked Ian announced that he would love us to have a puppy. I explained that I was hoping to breed from Jezi next year so this was not the right time for us. As we traveled home Steve and I discussed the possibilities and how promising this litter looks at this age.

Stunning Mr Red will have less mask

Later in the afternoon Ian rang, he said "Listen, I don't think we made ourselves clear earlier, we really want you to have a puppy, any puppy you like, take the one you think is the best and get him/her in the show ring. You've done so much to help us it's only fair you should have a pup." Initially I was speechless and quite choked. Of course I want a bloody puppy, they are Nico's kids, and they are beautiful, why would I not want one of these puppies? But then my head stepping in and telling me, I currently have 8 dogs, a number we cope with easily. We have 2 packs that mostly get on well together, if I brought in another puppy which pack would he fit into? What if we had another Kiri scenario? We both know we have not been successful at introducing bitches into the home, but we have done well with males, is that a consideration?
I honestly don't know what to do? If I did bring a pup in I could put off mating Jezi for a year I guess, but that would make her over 4 years old and that's something I'd have to really look into again. I guess the most sensible thing to do is wait, if it doesn't mess up the breeders plans I could go and see the pups again in 3 weeks and then decide. If a male pup "really stands out" then that's the time for serious discussions and consideration
. Honestly my head is Cabbaged!!!!

Spot The Long Coats!!!!

 2 Girls

 1 Boy, 1 Girl

*****

The Rest Are All Boys! 

Fun and Games

Trying to upload this as a video doesn't work, but uploading as a picture seems to half work! I can't stop it and start it .... but it's there!!!!

Oops-Wasn't I Told.

I often refer to Jezi as the "plain Jane" of the family, and haven't I just had a right telling off for doing so. Therefore I must explain myself, the reference is simply to her colour! I, like most breed enthusiasts prefer a richer coloured animal with a reasonably dark mask. To me animals of pale tan's, gold or fawn are plain looking, as are animals without a mask!
I totally appreciate that their are many who prefer Jezi's conformation to Ziva's, and I can understand why. Jezi has a beautiful head and expression with just enough mask for me. A lovely clean overline with a smooth tail set and a super coat, yes she lacks front angulation, but her hind quarters are well angled and she moves beautifully.
So please don't think that I don't admire her beauty, I do, and I love who she has become. So to repeat myself, in my eye the only thing plain about Jezi is her colour!

If Only Mikey Would ....

Baby Nico is sleepy

Tomorrow we are going to visit Nico's 3 week old babies. I'm so excited, Tasha is a lovely bitch and I'm sure these puppies will be stunning. But, no I'm not having one!
 I'm over the moon with my "Nico" baby, I think probably the best bitch born here in a long time, no she's not perfect and my issues with her are well documented, but on conformation and character she is an improvement on many a previous generation. Funny, how I see in my mind now one face of disgust as I announced I was going to mate Nico to Ziva. An expression I'll never forget, looked like someone had cat shit stuffed under their noses, and honestly that person had no valid reason to doubt my decision.

Sammi with her parents

Moving on .... I'm so glad I was right, I have a stunning Nico daughter, and hopefully a mating to Jezi with the same bloodlines will produce the same excellence as I had through the "I" litter. So no, for the time being I'm not having another Nico baby!

Handsome Mikey

But how I would love a Mikey baby. He has so much to offer, so much to give, but we never get anywhere. We've had two bitches here to him, and he's been very very interested, trying his best whilst the bitch is loose in the yard, but as the bitch fidgets and moves he doesn't get anywhere. If we hold the lead to keep the bitch still he looses interest and just stands there, and you just can't force these things can you! Sadly his father ended up mating the first bitch, and three weeks ago Nico mated the other!

I doubt I will ever get my Mikey baby, unless we are lucky enough to get a bitch here that's as easy to mate as Ziva was (... proper little slapper she was!) I fear that like Louis and Dexi this boys line will end here. At least we had Kiri out of Dexi, and Louis was his great grandson (Through Jay) so we did keep the line for a short while. Oh Mikey ... if only you would!!!

The Rejected Name

Sammi enjoying our new garden 

 Turn the clock back about 8 months and I was gutted that the KC had not accepted my first choice of name for Sammi. I had my heart set on Blanik Isis; after all the meaning of Isis to me at the time was "Mythical goddess of magic. Isis is the most powerful of all female goddesses."  I had also decided to call her "Isis" but when the KC rejected it as a registered name I somehow lost my enthusiasm to use it as a pet name. I was not overly impressed with my second choice of "Ivana" but I have to admit it's grown on me tremendously, and I don't know another bitch shown by this name. (Though there must be plenty) Choosing her pet name was so hard. What the hell could I call her? I just couldn't think of anything .. she had been "Isis" in my mind long before she was born, and I just couldn't come up with an alternative. Luckily Steve did, it would never have been my choice of name, but yeah Sammi Belle bloody suits her!

Here's hoping for Blanik's "J" litter

Now I'm  glad Isis was rejected, in the present climate it has come to mean something so different! Hand on heart, had it been accepted I think I would now be thinking of changing it, as a pet name at least!
As we move on I've done it again, I have a name in mind for Jezi's daughter ... I think of what will hopefully be very often. Though I'm over the moon with my lot we all need dreams, we all need things to look forward too.  If things work out I have my heart set on a girl next time, but I will be keeping my options open, problem with me is, other than last time, I always fall in love with a boy!

Blanik Georgette

Oh Asha - It was not suppose to be a photo of you 

 but you are funny walking in front of the camera like that! 

Blanik Ivana

Beautiful Sammi Belle

Blanik Frankie

Our Tali doesn't do photos, she always has "A Face On Her" when she has to sit and pose. Always headstrong and determined I guess there a slight resentment in having to do as she's told! She's easily the most awkward dog I've ever owned, and probably the most intelligent, I find the two things go hand in hand really. Yeah the intelligent once are usually the most trouble! 

Anyway, true to form she's not posing, she doing what Tali does best .. ignoring everyone else, (Including me!) We where all sitting in the middle of the field playing and she's sat at the edge just watching. Though she adores her own kids she has no time for the youngsters or their stupid games! 

The Boys

Jamie and Junior 

Sweet yeah - though I doubt Jamie has any choice in the matter!