Thursday, December 30, 2010

Sad Times


Well thats Christmas over and done with for another year, and as a non enjoyer of Christmas, it was never going to be much fun.....however this year was particularly sad as we had Farlap Linesman staying with us for a few days , and sadly his diabetes took a turn for the worse and he had to be put to sleep on Boxing Day. He was 12 years old, and a great little character, and will really be missed here and by my Mum, with whom he lived.
The rest of the Christmas period has been rather miserable as the ground thaws out, the mud generates yet more mud, and the hounds get filthy. Our lovely crisp winter walks in the fields are now more like daily mud baths, and so we are hoping the cold smap returns soon. Logic is getting seriously fat, in her last few weeks of pregnancy and like us, is not enjoying the damp muddy conditions.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Relaxing in Style



This great photo arrived from Farlap Constant.....aka"Harry", hes finally learned to share his sofa with his dad!
Meanwhile the farlaps have been enjoing the tiny amount of snow we have had here in Devon, barvicka especially enjoys it!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Aha......there it is!!!

















Bas finally discovers his last sack of World Dog Show prize food!







































Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Mixing business and pleasure!


I had a job in Germany last week, which initially looked a straightforward job, photographing a wild boar shoot in the forests of Rheinland. Howeer as the day drew nearer, one or two strange coincidences started happening, and I was getting to hear tales of bloodhounds being somehow involved in the weekend. So therefore it came as a great and wonderful surprise to discover that the boar hunt I was photographing for a magazine, was actually one that was driven by bloodhounds....and not just ANY old bloodhounds, but two of them were the sons of my very own Generous. What an amazing coincidence.
Now all the bloodhounds I have ever owned, (apart from tolerant who was trained to track wounded deer) have only hunted "clean boot" ie the natural scent of man, and they have never been allowed to hunt "wildlife" so I was very interested to see what would happen.
You cannot begin to imagine the spine tingling sensation you get when 6 adult male hounds start speaking on the line of a wild boar, in the snowy forest hillside, and its echoing right up the valley. So although I always abide by the rule of never mixing business with pleasure, this was one exception I was happy to make!

On our return home, Logic was looking decidedly fatter and most definitely pregnant, so her special pregnancy (puppy building) diet has been started, and her waist is being measured daily!

APPARENTLY THE NEXT PARAGRAPH HAS CAUSED SOME CONTRAVERSY AMONGST A COUPLE OF BREEDERS, WHO SEEM TO IMAGINE I AM TALKING ABOUT THEM OR SOME FRIEND OF THEIRS. SADLY INSTEAD OF ASKING FOR CONFIRMATION, THEY HAVE JUST GONE AHEAD AND PUT A LOAD OF UNPLEASANT COMMENTS ON THEIR OWN WEBSITE OR BLOG ND ASSUMED THAT MY COMMENT IS DIRECTED AT THEM. IF THEY HAD BOTHERED TO ASK ABOUT WHOM I WAS REFERRING THEY WOULD HAVE REALISED ITS MOST UNLIKELY THE PERSON IM WRITING ABOUT IS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEM (UNLESS THEY HAVE SOME LOW LIFE PALS BREEDING FROM UNREGISTERED BLOODHOUNDS COURSE!)
I STILL MAINTAIN THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN GO TO AN ADDRESS AND BUY A 12 WEEK OLD PUPPY WITHOUT BEING ASKED ANY QUESTIONS, IT IS NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO GO ABOUT IT.

I am trying to fathom out why someone would rather have an "instant puppy" from someone who is a novice in the breed themselves, and (according to the kennel club website anyhow) from nonregistered or health tested parents. Why anyone would do that, when they can go to a breeder who health tests, who has many many years of experience to offer them, who can help them out with all aspects of the breed, whether it be showing or trialling, all for the sake of "wanting it now". I sometimes wonder if people use their brains atall, and whether they actually consider that they have to live with their hasty decisions for many many years to come.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

At last some news!




Well the news was good today, the scan showed some puppies all growing magically, so its been a frantic day of emailing puppy waiting list people, to tell them the exciting news. Heres mum and dad-to-be. Photos courtesy of/copyright Carol Anne Johnson, Nick Sutcliffe and Farlap.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!



well actually we have had about half an inch here on the edge of Dartmoor, not exactly wintery and white here! However just to prove we had some, heres Basnicky posing on the step in the snow!
Meanwhile, in Cambridgeshire they obviously have considerably more snow, as I had this lovely photo Baily arrive today (Farlap Crofter).

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Cover Girl


Looks like someones a cover girl! In a moment of mental block I had it in mind that it was Gerty, but now I have to revise that as its clearly Aust. Champion Farlap Cautious.
Also have to revise my earlier post this week about George in Russia and add to it that he is now a Jumior Russian Champion, so well done George....we are very proud of you!