Czech this out!

Well done to Generous's progeny at the Czech Bloodhound Club show today. Bille was BDP and Isabelle BBP, and jointly they were "best pair". Thankyou to lenka for all these lovely photos of the babies.

proud granny

Im such a proud Granny today! Heres Dominic (Farlap Curate) who now lives in Mexico, with his equally proud owners Karla and Gillermo, and friend Jorge (handling), at the national bloodhound show in Mexico. Hes the absolute image of his father "Cythar ivaliruz Farlap", with just a little of mothers head qualities as well.

Ratattouille any body?

Having livestock such as hens, ferrets, geese etc not to mention 200 heifers only a few yards from the house, means that there are the inevitable rats about. After the incident with Buck I refuse to allow any poison on the premesis, and have told Damson and Drizzle that they will just have to start doing a daily patrol around the out buildings. This is what happened this morning when Drizzle found a monster rat and caught it at the same time as Damson!

Dis Graceful behaviour

Sounds like sweet little Graceful is now behaving Dis Gracefully....teaching the other hounds to bay, and taking over the bassets beds...... just goes to show that the sweet quiet ones turn into the monsters!! meanwhile weve been having our own bad behaviour here, when Barvicka and Vivid formed a chicken raiding party and ate the back off the chicken coop this afternoon, thus freeing the chickens into the main garden, right into the hands (or paws) of the waiting hounds! At one point Andrew had to rugby tackle two of the fleeing fowl, whilst the somewhat alarmed and now positively irate cockerel decided that Andrew was a potential hen murderer and attacked him with full talons and spurs, flying at his face like a demon. Tennant was running around like the proverbial headless chicken, unsure whether he should be pointing them or doing live retrieves, and amongst all this, gutsy Gravity took the opportunity to get into the coop and polish off all the eggs in the nest boxes Eventually the hens were wrangled back into their coop, and no one was any the worse for the experience, apart from some ruffled feathers and a very very angry cockerel, with a death wish. Sometimes I think a "normal" life might be fun....but there again........

Pat a bloodhound

After several months, of not seeing him, I finally managed to get to see Watson briefly at the weekend when he came along to Devon County Show (where i was working) for a visit. I was very impressed with what I saw, he was so so different to the weedy boy who we rescued. Now a big strapping happy and confident hound, in amazing condition and looking a picture of health, I cant express how happy it made me feel to see him looking so well. Therefore today came as an even greater pleasure to hear that he had passed his initial assesment as a PAT (Pets as Therapy) dog. Well Done Watson!!! Cant wait to hear that he hs passed all of it and is a fully fledged PAT dog.
I had this lovely photo today from CZR, showing Isabelle winning Best Puppy bitch at the Litoměřice International Show in CZR. Well done Issy and "thanyou" to Lenka for taking her.

International travelogue!

Today has been lovely as we have received photos from Isabelle in Czech Republic, (Generouses daughter soon to be living with us), from George in Russia, and from Shelly in Australia. Heres Isabelle at the National Dog Show Jelenia Góra (Poland) winning best bitch puppy with her breeder Lenka, and George enjoying his new country home in Russia, meeting the locals!

Defying Gravity!

Once again I seem to be ensuring my vets get a good skiiing holiday again this year! Yesterday Tennant had a trip out with "granny K" (sorry karen but thats how he know s you!) to have his hips scored. he was less than impressed with the proceedings. Gerty on the other hand, who came along for the ride, had a lovely day out meeting new people!
Last night at bed time, Gravity didnt come in and claim her usual spot by the fire, so I went in search of her only to find her collapsed in some grasses by the pond. She was completely lifeless and Andrew carried her indoors and she lay motionless all night, with me sat by her side. Shes an old girl and has already had a couple of mini strokes so we thought this was probably the big one we were expecting and made her comfortable, expecting the worst...... However by breakfast time , apart from a bit of wobbliness, she was up and about and looking for her walk! Typical Gravity!
Candle went off to our own vet for her hip and elbow scoring today, so now we must just nail bite and await all the results. Meanwhile Cinammon (in photo) is still having problems with her shoulder, which she fractured after a running accident/collision.........so it looks like more vet trips next week!

The race for Life

Those in the "hound" world probably know Sandra and Margaret of "Barrenger" Bassets, and so I urge you all to go to this page http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/stephaniehake where you can sponsor their friend Stephanie, who is running a charity run to raise money for Cancer Research, as her way of helping Margaret who is herself suffering from this ghastly illness. You can make a donation safely on the website. Good Luck Stephanie!

Day one..........eat new owners toys

George is settling in well in his new home. Hes having a ball in the Russian countryside, and here he is within a few hours of arriving, meeting his new best friend Leonid
After my trip to heathrow I went to the National......bas won the res CC. The lack of entries were appalling, and apparently many people hadnt received a schedule which would explain it.....On this occasion I dont think it was a question of "voting with your feet" as this judge is generally a popular all rounder, so it can only be down to the poor schedule distribution

from Russia with love.......hes Landed!

Well we finally had a flight confirmed and yesterday I drove George to heathrow and he flew to Moscow. He arrived in the early hours of the morning and I had a text from his new owners at 2am to say they were driving home and he was fine. Today hes running around the garden, playing and acting like hes been there forever.....unlike his sister who is very miserable to have lost her brother and playmate.

Congratulations are in order

I hear that Farlap Baračník won the CC and BOB at WELKS, so well done to him and his owner Fiona. I also hear that he was reserve Best In Show at the Bloodhound Clun open show last week, again well done!
Meanwhile Gerty and george had a calendar modelling assignment today, so here they are posing their hearts out!

Show girl

Couldnt resist a little training session today with Gerty, in the sunshine/garden. Initially I tried with George but he had other ideas, but have to say Gerty was really very good about it all!
Had a lovely email from gracies new owners.....souunds very much as if she already has the other hounds where she wants them and by the end of the weekend I reckon the humans will also be towing the line!

.......and then there were two.............

yes its true....we waved a tearful goodbye to Gracie today, as she went off with her new owners.
gracie has gone to live with Alfie, another bloodhound.....oh and a few bassets too....and Im sure it wont be long before she has them all wrapped around her little paw.......shes a real prima donna and I reckon poor Alfies in for a tough time!!
Meanwhile George is still waiting (see photo!) for the airlines to get their act together so he can fly off to his new home in Moscow....hopefully another week and everything will fall into place.
This weekend is WELKS championship show........I couldnt see any reason to enter the hounds, but have decided that Tennant should have a day out with "granny karen" and also meet up with his daddy "Brokk" which will be exciting. Meanwhile hes intent on pointing the hen pheasant that has suicidal tendencies by trying to lay her eggs in our pond!

it was CASH we wanted from Iceland.......not ASH....

....and so still we cant get George on the plane yet. Next week hopefully, if normality returns! Nevermind, hes loving the sunny weather in Devon, and giving us all a lot of pleasure with his antics.
Gerty has now learned how to scale the puppy gate between their bedroom and the kitchen. Usually the pups are at least 4 months before they master this so obviously our Gerty is way ahead of herself! gracie mnaged to fall down the bank in the garden yesterday, giving her mum and me a fright but she picked herself up and was back to normal within seconds so no harm done. They met their 1st cow today......it was the other side of the garden hedge and stuck its head in to have a look at the puppies. Gerty had to bark at it....Gracie pretended it wasnt there and Gorgeous George didnt even notice it!

mr sexy

Tennant has decided to make himself as sexy as possible, knowing there are now 4 girls in season and so here he is in his "come and get me" pose. Very fetching!

from Russia with love.......just not quite yet!

Poor george has had his flight to Russia cancelled due to the volcanic ash. Its so disapointing for his new owners, we just hope that he gets rescheduled very soon. The biggest problem now is that the nice new travel box we bought him will most likely be too small by the time he flies so we will have to buy another one the next size up.....they grow so fast!
Gracie goes off to her lovely new home next week, I think she will give her owners a huge amount of fun although I think their other bloodhound may be in for a major shock when she arrives like a whirling dervish! here she is looking like butter wouldnt melt....but.....believe me shes the smart one of the 3 and definitely calculating something!!!

You're collared!

The pups wore their new collars for the 1st time this week We dont keep collars on hounds atall at home, partly because of the danger, partly because they would eat them and partly because of the problems it can cause their necks.....however....the pups have to learn about collars so on their afternoons in the garden, under strict supervision, they have been wearing collars. the reactions have been hilarious and oh so typical of their individual characters. George who is sooooo laid back, just sits like a statue and refuses to move. His record today was 20 minutes! Gracie, who is so "precious" decided she didnt like the webbing one but would tolerate the leather one. I have no idea why! Gerty, in her typical fashion, didnt even notice she was wearing one and continued to terrorise all the others as if nothing was different!

he weighs HOW MUCH??

Had to weigh George today for his travel box for the airline......when I told them he weighed 15kg today and that he would probably be 18kg by the day of his flight there was a stunned silence.....and then the sound of forms being ripped up........think they might have to re calculate!!
Hes formed a great friendship with Tennant and follows him every where.
meanwhile Gerty continues to be into everything, today she discovered the old saucepan we use to measure out the chickens food and thought it was worth investigating. Gracie, as usual, is on the go and running around at every opportunity with her ears flying!

The count down has started

We finally have the flight confirmed for George, so now the count down has started to his big day!!
They have all been enjoying the gorgeous spring sunshine today, especially gerty who has found an old rope in the fgarden and taken posession.
Poor Tennant unsuccessfully tried to hide in the bush so the puppies wouldnt spot him. Meanwhile Gracie is trying to master the steps!

A Royal winner!

Our 1st Royal winner! Well done to Farlap Cautious on winning BOB at the Sydney Royal Show in Australia. Good luck in the groups at the weekend!Well done especially to Shaylee on handling Cautious so superbly, and on her big win in the Junior handling this weekend!
Thanks to Michael Trafford www.traffordphotos.com for allowing me to use this photo of her.