Calendar Boys!

we are delighted that the famous browntrout calendars, are including three of our boys on their 2010 bloodhound calendar. F. Basnicky and Fergus (CH. Thankful) are the "February Boys" and Cythar Ivaliruz Farlap, is the handsome Mr April!

Sunshine

Today has been the first really nice sunny day in weeks, and the hounds have been sunbathing all day, soaking up the rays. heres a few shots from around the garden.From the top: Cythar, our gorgeous Czech boy, and the father of Candle and Cinnamon, Gravity (who is hiding in her favourite place....bum in the bush and watching everyone else!) and Bas, taking care of his Mother Tarnish, and also in his usual sitting position, like Lord of the Manor!

Disapointed

It was a disapointing day today. I was due to take F. Basnicky, F. Candle, and Logic to Richmond Championship show. However 2 days ago it was clear that Logics season was getting closer, and then yesterday Candle decided to start hers, then finally last night in the field, bas and his sister had a "mid-air-collision" resulting in him getting knocked into a ditch and hurting his leg.
hes pretty much back to normal tonight but certainly wasnt up to going to a show today. I dont think ive ever had all the hounds entered, unable to go before!
I was also meant to be collecting 6 sacks of dog food from David Gore, having been the successful bidder in the ABB aution at the weekend, and had to cancel that as well!
Talking of David, if anyone wants to see how a good judges critique should look, I suggest they read his write up from paignton Show. I wasnt entered so cannot be considered bias....it was just a superbly written critique, one of the best I have ever read, and there are many many experienced judges out there who could learn a lot from it.
Farlap Curate is off to the Expocan in Mexico tonight, for Mexicos biggest Dog Show circuit, so good luck to him! Hopefully his show weekend will be better than ours!

have you seen these bernese mountain dogs in devon ?

TWO BERNESE MISSING FROM WHIMPLE, DEVON EX5 2PP

I have just been informed that two Bernese bitches went missing from their home sometime before midday today, Tuesday 8th September 2009.
The two bitches were left in a garden considered to be secure. The garden gate was shut when the owner discovered the bitches were gone, there was no sign of forced entry and no sign of an escape route.

Jazz is 3 years old.
Ellie is 6 months old and described as small and very lame.
Neither are wearing collars but are thought to be microchipped (that is not confirmed)
Both are friendly and will likely approach strangers and dogs.
All the usual local agencies are being alerted.
Please report any sightings to Louise Oakaby on 07807 977138 or her landline 01404 822655
If unable to contact the owner contact Jude at Bernese Welfare UK on 01787 371940

A shining light

Heres farlap Candle...finally managed to get an up to date piccy (Thanks to Pearce Photographic)
taken at 9 months old.

Gratulace!

Well Done Astrid, she and Generous have produced 12 lovely puppies in CZ. photos to follow soon.

hard work being a hound

Heres Farlap Charity....aka Bobbi....showing how hard it is being a growing puppy with her young owner. Its so important to have good temperaments in such a large forceful breed like ours......and we are very proud of the temperament in our breeding, and place a lot of importance on it.
For more info on Farlap Bloodhounds visit the website www.farlapbloodhounds.com

Just for youNicky

Just for Nicky, I have updated Tarnish's photo! :))) http://www.farlapbloodhounds.com/section63657_32260.html

3rd show lucky

Today was Welsh Kennel Club Championship Show....only Candles 3rd show......we were so thrilled that she won PB. best Puppy and Res CC all at 9 months old. She was a real star and loved her day out. photo to follow soon.
On a sadder note we were so sad and upset to hear that one of our lovely foster puppies....Otis (our favourite) was tragically killed (RTA) 3 days ago. His new owners are distraught and all our thoughts are with them at this horrible time.

Daddy smells of Penguins!

Farlap Charity's (Bobbi) owner is back at last! Heres a couple of pix of the little girl when he stepped on Blightys shores again. Hopefully the real training will start now, and cant wait to hear about her career. meanwhile shes obviously taken to a keep fit regime on the trampoline!

hes scored!

Good news today from the BVA, we had hip and elbow scores back for Farlap Basnicky, he has elbows 0-0 and hips 5-8.
This is an essential part of our ongoing healthy breeding policy. heres Basnicky (right) and Ch. F. Generous (left)

HPR Working Test......

Tennant and I went to our first working test as competetors on Saturday..... it was certainly different to my usual days at tests when Im behind the camera!
Overall it wasnt too bad an effort although incredibly frustrating as Tennant proves time and time again that he CAN do simple puppy level tests.......he just wasnt going to do them too well at the event! Here he is (left) with his full sister Daisy (right) and his half sister Skarlett (middle). 3 nice Brokk Babies!

Mexico

News in from Mexico today.......Farlap Curate (known as Dominic) lives there with Guillermo and karla...and much to my amusement he has got himself a professional handler! The photo of him on the grooming table beggars belief....if I put one of mine up there they would bring it crashing down and probably break a leg or two in the melee! Goes to show that you CAN train them if you have to! Having said that, you only have to lok at the pix of him rolling on the floor with "Daddy" to see he has retained his typical clownish Farlap behaviour!!
Anyway at the tender age of 8 months hes been to his 1st shows....hes still areal baby and has lots of growing and developing to do yet, but his training is going well and he won Best Puppy in breed and group 2....so well done Dom!

Whats that smell??

We have a sweet puppy staying for 2 weeks while her owners are on holiday......sweet that is, until today, when she found a dead badger in the field, and rolled on it!!! I have spent the afternoon bathing her, and bathing her again!!
Training is starting again with Cythar, for the forthcoming Bloodhound Trials......but we did have a rather different "call out" a few days ago when a rottweiler....a very poorly and elderly rottweiler went missing in PLymouth, and so I was asked to help track her down. its not something i would want to do with one of the trials trained hounds as they are actively encouraged NOT to hunt dogs scent... only human scent... however I have always tried to have one hound trained for hunting lost dogs and have had a number of call outs over the years.....Im glad to report this one was a success.

Three blind Mice.......

.....well actually its 4 very well sighted mice, and they are loose in my office!! I spent all afternoon like "Manuel" trying to catch "Basil".......so far ive recaptured 4 out of the 8. The other 4 are still at large and enjoying their freedom. its still a complete mystery how they escaped as they are in a large glass tank with a fixed lid.....we can only imagine they legged it when I cleaned them out on Sunday and I hadnt noticed at the time.

"Subject to KC confirmation"................

..................Logic became a Champion at the Houndshow 2009!!!!
She won her 3rd CC (all with BOB) under breed specialist Carol Hutchinson. Her daughter Candle also won Best Puppy in breed. All this despite them both having baths......!!!
Our friend Carol Ann Johnson took a few pix for us hich I am very grateful for as I never get any pix of myself and the hounds together.. Thanks to everyone who emailed us and sent cards........ much appreciated, and especially to Evelyn and Robert who very kindly hung on to the hounds and their leads as I rushed in and out of the ring with different hounds! and Helen Powell who kindly handled Candle in the challenge.

Baily hits the Bottle

This photo arrived today of Baily (Farlap Crofter) who is having some holidays with his grnadparents. He appears to be picking up some bad habits (so far he has learned to steal and sit on chairs) and now he has "hit the bottle". There really is no hope!!

news from afar

I received this sweet photo of Henrik and great niece Sophie in Denmark, and am delighted to put it here on the blog.
I also had a dog magazine arrive from Australia, and it contains all the show results for NSW. I was so chuffed to see Farlap Cautious listed as best Puppy in Show, at the morisset KC championship show. Well done Steve and Shelly!!!
A little closer to home, I was approached by a distressed lady with a small breed of dog on Sunday, who told me her friends dog was lunged at and very traumatised by a bloodhound at a recent championship show. She wanted to know if this was normal behaviour for a bloodhound and I assured her it was not, but I explained that unfortunately I also have been witness to such an attack recently, and in this case it actually made contact with and bit an innocent puppys nose, making it bleed, at a show. I understand that the owner has made an official complaint to the KC so lets hope this terrible temperament will not go any further in either the show ring, trials or breeding lines.

Stop Thief!

This is what Farlap Crofter gets up to when he stays over at grannys for the night!! He was snapped here by grandpa, whilst helping himself to the roast! Oh dear!

On a sad note, we have to report the sad sad loss of Barcarolla Roborovski. he belonged to our friends Tony and Adela, and was the father of our B litter. Undoubtedly one of the most gentlemanly and sweet hounds I have ever met, as well as a champion of 4 countries, and holder of a working certificate, this magnificent chap will be sorely missed by everyone.

tired mr T.

Tennants on a hard training regime now.... just in case we get brave enough to enter the HPR test next month!! As you can see he now needs to sleep in OUR bed, to rest his weary head. Apparently no where else will do!