First Swim - Whoops!

Went over to Walkies last week for a collie pack walk and Kate came over with one of her Tollers, Bron loved meeting lots of new dogs and really hit it off with Meg the small collie pup, afterwards we went down to the river for the dogs to have a little drink and before I could pop Bron on a lead she leant to get a drink from the bank higher up and fell in head first!  Whoops!  She disappeared under water, popped up like a cork and immediately swam in true Toller style.  Out she got, had a good shake and looked at us as if to say 'how did that happen?' anyway rushed her back to dry her off with a towel as it was quite cold but was quite surprised how waterproof she is already at such a young age, a good rub with the towel and she was pretty much dry.

I had an export job to do with an import on the back of it which meant I wasn't able to take Bron with me so one of my friends Jo kindly volunteered to puppy sit for the day (had a job getting her back!) She had a great time with her dogs, cats and chickens and was fast asleep when i got home

Barnlake Agility

 

Video of Tasha & Trio in the agility.

A bit late posting this, it's been a very busy few weeks for the end of term!

Eleanor had her school play 'Jack and the Beanstalk - the musical! (of course it was only natural the she was picked to be the sheep dog!), which was fantastic.  Christopher and Tasha had a presentation evening, where they were both presented with merit certs. 

Anyway, last weekend was the Barnlake Agility comp, this had been rescheduled from January so only the munsters were entered.

We had a fabulous day, particularly considering that we hadn't been to any practices since Jan due to the girls being in season and then Crufts.

Maddie had a 4th, 5th and a clear round in the pairs (with Trio & Tasha).

Trio had a 3rd, 4th, 6th and also a clear round in the pairs.

We also took Eve along to gain some experience of being around a busy dog evironment, she enjoyed lots of fuss from everyone and took it all in her stride.  She even managed to meet some larger four legged friends as the event was help at a livery stables.



 

Bethan, using her 'cute face' to get some treats!

 

Here's Bethan, exhausted after her morning walk and taking a much needed nap.

 

Sian I took the liberty of posting this as it was stuck in drafts!  Welcome to the blog, great to see Bethan (Trio's sister) looking lovely as ever.  We will miss you all this summer, but hope to catch up in 2014 if you get the cottage booked.

A Very Muddy Munsterlander...

A muddy Bethan on her walk, after she has enjoyed a mud bath to cool down!

2nd Jab, Weigh In & Playing with Dad

Bron had a trip to the vets yesterday for her 2nd jab. I chose to have her vaccinated with Nobivac all in one after the age of 10 weeks so she did not need to have a second jab the same again.  Technically she could have just had a second jab of just lepto to complete her puppy vaccinations, however after discussing this with my vet and the manufacturer, because parvo virus has been very common recently especially in this area, I decided to take the precaution to be certain and have a further shot of just parvo done almost 4 weeks later. Bron didn't even notice the needle going in.  The vet says she has a very strong heart and Bron tested the stethoscope by having a good chew on it!

Weigh in at 8.6kg! what a whopper!  Not fat though. (she was 6.1kg at 10 weeks)

With the increase in age comes the increase in noise! hmmm, and plenty of extra energy too.  This pup has a lot of steam to let off !



I have to go to London on Thursday and cannot take her with me as I have an import on the back of an export so there is no room for her travel crate on board. So....my friend has offered to puppy sit for the day, she is due to collect her own new puppy in about a weeks time so hopefully it will get her geared up for it!  Hope she is still talking to me by the end of it!!!

Turkey, Runner Ducks, doggie friends and Gordon Sausage

Bron has had a busy afternoon today at Walkies dogs, meeting lots of people and lots of dogs. She had a lovely time doing the wall of death round the annex and bouncing off everyone.  She had a secret admirer (well not so secret actually) in the form of Gordon sausage who fancied her a bit too much!

We also visited Steph and her 4 dogs and Bron met some of her other pets.... Chloe the giant bunny who she woofed at initially and then went nose to nose with, had a sniff, then helped herself to some tasty 'bunny sweets' before having a lick of Chloe and then getting a bit too enthusiastic in the tasting trials so had to put a stop to that!

Moving on to the chickens and the Indian Runner ducks, the chickens kept a safe distance and played it cool but the runner ducks were scared to death and made a run for it! Good job Bron was on the lead.....and the turkey was making a hell of a row in the shed telling Bron in no uncertain manner not to come one step closer!

All in all, another day of experiences for the ginger fluff puff,  especially after yesterdays exposure to the grooming parlour spending the afternoon getting used to the noise of the blaster and everything.

Toller in the snow

 Here's Milly doing what she does best- taunting Amber ;)

They seem to go crazy in the snow!

Well, after the run up and thrill of Crufts we have settled back into a routine.  Milly, (fingers crossed) seems to be maturing mentally ;) she has calmed down considerably recently and, touch wood, hasn't chewed for months! Perhaps during the Easter holidays I will start leaving her crate door open again...watch this space!

Eve goes to town

Eleanor took Eve for a trip into Fishguard at the weekend.  We parked at the supermarket and gave her a leg stretch in the park where she met children running through the park, on scooters/bikes and playing on the climbing equipement.

From there she had a trip up the high street (anyone who has been to Fishguard will know that it's not a big town!).  Many passes by stopped to say hello to her, which was great and Eleanor encouraged her to sit for a fuss and not jump up.  A quick trip to the pet shop to choose some chews and treats, and lots of lovely smells to sniff at!  Again a lot of fuss here, which is what you would expect and none of the shop owners knew what breed she was, or had heard of a Toller when told!

Glad to know that she was able to educate, she walked back nicely to the car and went home for a well earned nap.



Eleanor and Eve in Lotta Park



Now what shall I choose?



And I was even allowed on the beach with the big girls!

Cooper does Crufts 2013 - the evidence!

Well I guess my indiscretions in the showring at Crufts are now a matter of public record so I suppose there's no harm in leaking this video!
To all you younger pups that may be looking on - DO NOT try and replicate anything after 1 minute into this video. 

Evening up the Numbers!

There are a lot of gorgeous red dogs on here at the moment and not nearly enough black and white spotty ones!!

 

Rookie would like to pop in and introduce himself. Rookie (Seahaven’s Celtic Commander) is a Maddie son, sired by Blitzan Eternal Chaos (Darcy). He is now 13 months old. He is the ultimate madman, always on the go and full of mischief- as he should be! Luckily we do get lulls in the chaos, and at those times he is the sweetest, most cuddly boy ever. He has the best nature I could have ever hoped for. He is a big clown, and makes me laugh every day. I also have a collie and a working golden retriever. He is completely under the thumb of my collie, and best friend to my goldie.

Rookie, Chili and Teak

Rookie has attended two champ shows- Paignton and Crufts and won his class at both, even with me as a handicap, so he must be super handsome! However, his real calling in life (apart from mud baths and laying four paws in the air on the sofa) is competitive obedience. He really loves his training, though we are still taking baby steps. He is so keen and always tries really hard. He is more into his toys, loves a good game but is also more than happy to work for delicious treats! I am hoping to have him in the ring to train a Novice round either at the end of this year or the beginning of next year. I am really excited about his capabilities and hope I can do him justice.

I am also hoping to do some working trials with Rookie, he naturally has a very good nose on him and is already proving to be a strong, confident worker, so I think he would really enjoy trials. I am giving him time to mature before doing much training in this respect though.

I hope I can update here in future with news of some success in obedience, but I know we will have a lot of fun along the way regardless. All in all, I am just thrilled to bits with my special boy, thank Donna and all at Seahaven for giving him such a fab start in life (and of course the beautiful Maddie for all she had to put up with) and look forward to what the future has in store!

Jess and Rookie

Last week a bit of a blur

The last week has just flown by!

I went up to Crufts to support the ginger family taking daddy Red up with me on Friday night and staying over with Lucy and the girls until Sunday.  Well, what a thrill to see the kids and Tilly do so well! Awesome!

Managed to buy a big bag full of lovely smelly natural doggy treats for the hounds and bagsy a load of new grooming brushes etc so I was quite pleased about that.

Lucy has a new baby bunny and Red was very interested in her (erm not in a good way!) and well, the hamster....that was like full doggy TV! when it was flying round on the wheel Reds head was spinning with it! Ha! so funny! Just so glad Lucy woke up with all pets present and correct by the time we went home....

Bron has been getting out and about a lot over the last week too. She has been on a road trip to London Heathrow and experienced the planes at cargo where I was working, took it all in her stride and didn't bat an eyelid. Stayed over with me at my brothers in Hampshire and ran riot for the evening stealing things and re-arranging his houseplant!  Met my old folks which was a surprise for them because they didn't know we had a new puppy......she was very good on the journey and seemed to enjoy her first trip away, sharing the ride with 3 bunnies and a ragamuffin cat on the way back. She did bark at the buck rabbit stamping his feet in the box next to her though, hehe

Today I decided to let her off lead in the park for the first time and she was very good, coming back when called and tearing around like a looney. Toby the grump has settled with her now and is relaxed around her, poor Jim has been ragged to hell and back and she grabbed his ears so hard today he screamed like a stuck pig! Poor Jim.....

She has also got the knack of scrounging for food too.....

Shopping for Toys!

Bron had an introduction to shopping last week with a trip to Pets at Home, choosing some toys for herself, she also found the food aisle very quickly by way of her super nose!

A long day at the office!

So that's what all the upheaval in my routine was about.  Crufts indeed! Though I must say I enjoyed it.  But first let me tell you how I got there.

In my last post you heard about my bath and my "lock in" at home.  On the Friday evening I heard Mam getting a case from the loft, then I saw her getting my special lead and treats out of my very own kitchen cupboard.  I may be young but I'm not dull.  Seen this before and it either means showtime or holiday time - either way I was like a dog with two tails.

It was only 4.30am on Saturday morning and my Dad came to wake me up - or so he thought.  Surprise, surprise though 'cos I was already at the door, tail wagging.  Very early breakfast (1/2 rations unfortunately) then a constitutional walk with Dad which was more of a shuffle really because his back was hurting him!  By the time I was back I could see the case and bags were gone.  I knew Mam had sneaked them into the car.  Won't be long now! Then off we go!!  Picked up my human brother Adam in Glynneath then way to go.

Birmingham at 7.45.  People and dogs EVERYWHERE.  Go into a big hall and there are tollers all over the place.  I love it here!  Lots of female tollers too - even better!  Glad I let Mam groom me now - first impressions are so important in my world.  I have my own bench to cwtch up on but I don't intend staying there for long when there's so much to explore. Then before I know it I'm in the showring.  Loads of tollers in here - all male though - and all about my age I can tell. Testosterone everywhere.  A nice man in a suit came to speak to me and stroke me and then Mam ran up and down with me.  Not this again!  I'm so, so BURSTING to get rid of this pent up energy in me and as Mam runs faster I jump up at her.  She's not happy with me for that, but hey, I'm a toller - what do you expect.

She makes me line up with all the others, then the nice man points to one, two, three, four tollers - then my Mam.  She seems really happy with me now.  Perhaps I should jump on her more often!  Everyone that knows me seems dead chuffed too, so yes, definitely will jump on her again!!

                                          Nice man gives a card to my Mam

After that I chilled out - Mam and Adam let me meet my dog Mam, Tilly and my littermate Milly.  That was really nice 'cos I love a family get-together.  Lots of people came to see me through the day - Sean and Donna and the children, Lucy, Ange, Jane (my real Dad's owner), David and Rachel - who I took to the pub in Little Haven, and Gina.  These were the ones I knew - there were loads more!

Then eventually home.  A nice big bit of liver cake, make a fuss of my Dad and then I collapsed into a heap on the floor!

Sweet dreams!

Love to all

Cooper
xx

Crufts 2013

Well what a busy week!  And such a busy Saturday, Gundog day!!

Sean and Christopher had a very early morning and delivered the dogs to us earlier than expected.  Sadly we had got on the wrong motorway on the way to Crufts and were delayed by nearly 45 mins, we just about made it to the Toller ring to see the final judging of Coopers class, and him being awarded VHC in a large class of 15 in Junior dog.  Dawn did a great job of handling this youngster who was rather excited over the occasion! 

We did a quick pip stop at the Munster ring and dropped off all of the equipment etc, whilst two of us went to meet up with Sean and Christopher to bring them and the dogs in.  Settled them on the benching, gave them some breakfast and a drink.  Tasha then had to change ready for the Junior Handling (YKC) with Trio, so sorted them out and packed her off with grandma to their ring! 

Received a text to say that judging was going well (quicker than expected!) and so took Tilly down for her class in the next hall, which had just started by the time I got there.  Tagged on to the end and then received a text to say that the Large Munsterlander judging was about to start!  Asked if I could jump the queue to be judged before the few dogs left in front of me, and was relieved when I was able to do this.  Tilly was a lovely girl as usual, and I asked Lucy (Milly's mum) if she would take over from me in the ring as I needed to go back to the Munsters.  Lucy did a fantastic job in my absence and Tilly was awarded Reserve!

Asked if Dawn (Cooper's mum) would take her into the Good Citizen class as I knew I wouldn't be back and wasn't sure if Tasha would be back in time.  Thankfully she agreed and really did us proud being awarded 1st with Tilly and Lucy had 2nd with Milly!

Back in the LM ring I was sorted out Max who was entered in the Special Puppy class, and I was handling.  Special thanks to Kathryn, Martyn and Ewan for bringing him down for the day.  Max hadn't been shown since Paignton show in the summer, well he was quite a good boy and was awarded 2nd being beaten by his brother Rookie!  Maxx then went on to gain a VHC in the next class Junior Dog.

Fae had also been brought along by Ruth and Xena, and settled well with our dogs on benching, and she was awarded Res in puppy bitch!

Trio was then entered in Post Grad, and showed herself really well with me handling her for a change as Tasha was still at the YKC ring.  She went on to gain a VHC in a good class.

Maddie wasn't placed in the Limit class, but handled by Eleanor went on to be awarded 2nd in the Good Citizen with Trio Reserve!

Not bad for a bunch of girls who are very badly out of coat! 

Out of eight Seahaven dogs ( 9 had qualified) present all were awarded at Crufts this year.  Sadly Nutmeg wasn't able to be with us for the day as she was in season, she was very sadly missed and I know that Nicky and family were disappointed not to be there.  Thank you for your good wishes though Nicky, I did pass them on!

Summary

NSDTR

Tilly       Dinaskarrek's Red Vixen at Seahaven   PGB  Reserve & 1st GC
Milly      Seahaven Red Adromeda                       2nd GC
Cooper    Seahaven Galactic Storm                        VHC Yearling

Large Munsterlander

Maddie   Paddockridge Madelaine at Seahaven     2nd GC
Trio        Seahaven Borrowed Heaven                    VHC PGB & Res GCB
Max        Seahaven Celtic Psalm                             2nd SPD & VHC SJD
Rookie    Seahaven Celtic Commander                   1st SPD
Fea          Seahaven Celtic Seren                             Res SPB

Tasha in the YKC handling

Max in the ring

The rosette collection

A huge thank you to all who came to visit or took part with Seahaven dogs!

Something's upsetting my daily routine!

Hi there.  It's me - Cooper - and I'm not a happy Toller!

I had a shortened walk this morning then Dawn put my car harness on me.

But she didn't take me shopping or to the canal or beach.  She took me to the dog groomers in Glynneath!

Now I don't mind calling into there as they usually make a big fuss of me as the only Toller in the village, and they sell lovely bones and biscuits. And there's always a few doggie friends for me to meet and laugh at as they are bathed and given a haircut. But today it was my turn for the others to have a laugh on me.  They tied straps to me and soaked me with water and smelly shampoo!  At least if I was a terrorist I'd only have been waterboarded  - that shampoo stuff makes a dog smell too human!

Once they'd finished that part of my punishment they took me out of the bath and tied me to a table. They turned hot air onto me!  Then when I was dry they took a scissors to my feet!

I must be a tough nut 'cos it took TWO of them and restraining straps to do all this to me. My Mam was no help at all - she just photographed the whole thing, the sadist. At last my ordeal was over.

 They didn't even give me one of my favourite treats from the shop - a PADDYWACK! 

Why are they doing this to me?

Even when I came home they wouldn't let me go out and get wet and muddy.  I've had to sit in my favourite spot by the window and watch the world go by.

There's obviously something big going to happen soon. 

Wonder what it can be?

Bron Says Goodbye to Naughty Boy

Bron had to say goodbye to her little fat friend yesterday. Ty the staffie went off to his new home in Pembs yesterday to live with 3 Rotties and has a change of name (one of the Rotties is called Ty) so he is now called 'Yogi' - he settled in well and found a new soft pillow immediately!

So...Bron was a bit unsettled again last night being on her own again so we had a bit of intermittant screaming through the night as she had no fat friend to cuddle up to! This morning she raced out in to the garden ready for her usual wrestling session and game of chase with naughty boy and realised he wasn't there and stood in the garden looking at me with a face that said 'oh, so what now?'  anyway, she has had a quiet day travelling about in to Llandeilo and meeting a few people and generally being oooo'd and aaaaaa'd over and people asking what breed she was and then asking a second and third time 'she's a what?'

Daddy Red and big half sister Dizzy have had a play with her - slightly too mad zoomies and 100 mph at one point so Bron had to lay flat to get out of the way quick at one point, but all ended with a nice cwtch up in the bed.

Weighed Bron last Thursday and discovered why my arm was hanging off lugging her around town - she was 6.1kg.....

Breeder Competition Practice

The children have been working really hard with Stephen and the Corgi's for next week.