No pups this time :(

 I haven't updated as I have been watching Florins tummy and hoping against hope that she had at least one pup in there (her nipples are big and her behaviour slightly different to normal), but I have now got to admit to myself that I think she is just having a mild phantom pregnancy. I am very disappointed as I had wanted to keep the bitch pup from her last litter, but as I knew Whoopi was only having one litter and Florin is able to have further litters I chose to keep Voodoo instead (no regrets there as she is just perfect and wicked). 

I don't know if the issue lies with Florin or the stud dog or is simply that the pair aren't suited to each other (sometimes fertility is non existent with a pair of dogs but when they are given different partners both parties have excellent fertility), so reluctantly I have decided to try a different dog on her next season. I am hoping to use a very nice white boy, but have yet to confirm this.

As there are no puppies on their way we will be having a litter of kittens instead, just waiting for Kenji to start calling and then she can spend a bit of time with Fawlty ;) 

 

The dogs have been enjoying some lovely walks whilst the ground was frozen and now that it has largely dried out and we managed a fab day in North Devon with a friend and her 5 standards a couple of weeks ago.

I have also been bugging a friend who knows Dartmoor like the back of his hand to take me on some hikes, done a couple now, the last one being 9 miles, and it is just wonderful to get out there again. I just take Voodoo with me as all my others cannot be trusted with sheep and the walk becomes stressful (with me constantly looking out for any white blobs on the horizon ) instead of pleasurable. No action shots as only take my phone with me :) 

Puppies, beach and Merry Christmas :)

 Yesterday, after thinking we were going to have to build an ark this week today we woke up to a beautiful sunny day. We were meant to be going on a walk with a friend in North Devon but as Florin is not long finished her season and the walk would have involved the dog she was mated to last week we decided that it might be best to postpone, so me and another friend went to Bigbury instead. Low tide was at 9am, which is when we arrived, fully expecting to have a good couple of hours before we had to worry about the tide coming in, wrong! We walked to one end of the beach, then started to stroll back intending to go past our start point and do the rest of the beach. About half way back we realised that the tide had actually come in far quicker than expected and although we had only been there about 90 minutes we were not going to be able to get back along the beach. So we headed back to the far end of the beach where we knew there was a public footpath, which we hoped would take us back to the coast road. Fortunately it did, so instead of our stroll along the beach we ended going up a very long and steep hill, through a golf course (bloody balls flying past us!) then through a sheep field, with 6 VERY alert dogs on very short leads, before eventually getting back to the car. At least it wasn't a boring walk, lol.

Last week Florin was mated, this is a repeat mating from 2021 and should give us a mix of blues, silvers and creams. Hopefully pregnancy will be confirmed early in the new year.

Which just leaves me to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy new year x

2023 Puppies

 Voodoo has taken me by surprise and come in season just before her 1st birthday, this means it is very likely that Florin won't be far behind. I am hoping to mate Florin when she is in season so if you are interested in a puppy or have previously expressed interest in a puppy please drop me a quick line to confirm your interest.