Today Treacle got her over five clear MVD heart certificate, and her daughter, Lily got the all clear at nearly 2 and 1/2 years old. The funniest thing whilst waiting in the surgery, another person was having their Cavaliers heart checked and came past me with their Cavalier barking and commented, "Look at that Cavalier, being so well behaved. Unlike you!" I felt smug for a moment, as she had gestured towards Lily sat on our son, Alfie's lap as she said it.
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Rosie and Jim had their first run out by the river Taw a couple days ago. I took the camera to catch their fun, and to experiment with the different modes I have on the digital camera I got a little while ago. The video "Rosie and Jim figure out getting down the steep bank" was taken the second time we walked down right beside the river, as we go down to this bit, as we walk out and back down to it, as we walk back.
We put the camera on sports mode and got some action photos of Jim being Rosie's lure and me being Jim's lure. And then home for a big sleep. Jim is the most beautiful tempered boy, and unfortunately the time has come that I must find him a forever home. He has his last jabs next week, his second Lepto4 and he will be 17 weeks old then. Anyone who has been following Jim's story and feel they could give Jim a wonderful life. Please feel free to contact me by phone at 01769 560969 for a chat about this lovely little chap. I will want him to keep the name, "Jim."
Lovely update for Alfie in the moor, who used to be Alfie in the Alps. Alfie is from Smudge's litter of nine little Hudges born in 2015. So he is our Bumble and Blottie's litter sibling, so that makes him Uncle Alfie to Teagol and Lottie. "Hi Jane, we’ve just got back from Derbyshire where we were celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary with our family. We have had a very busy summer but I decided it was long overdue to get in touch to bring you up to date. Alfie is a super dog, he certainly keeps us on our toes, as you can see from our pics of him climbing a tree to get to a squirrel! He had no difficulty getting down either. You will see from the pics that he is on a long lead, 20 m in fact. Sadly he is not off lead at all in open places so we run him on this lead and he does get plenty of exercise. We feel very guilty about this but he seems quite happy with the arrangement and it gives us peace of mind as when out doors his hunting instinct is very strong and he goes deaf to all calling for him and isn’t even motivated by very tasty treats when he is set in hunting mode. Indoors it’s a completely different story... he becomes a lap dog and loves to cuddle in. We have struggled to get him off lead and have tried quite a number of trainers who have not cracked the problem so we have located a safe enclosed dog field that we can hire by the hour and we take him there periodically ( it’s 45 minutes away from our home) where he can be off lead and we give him Jobs to do such as “search and rescue” where one of us hides in the grass waiting to be found and he is an absolute star at that and doesn’t even attempt to run off. He did run away in the ashdown forest near us and was lost for an hour but found on the main road by a young lady who stopped to retrieve him. Heart stopping moment!!!! We have watched with great interest the puppy diaries. They have all been so beautiful and I’m sure they will give great joy, as does Alfie, to all their new families. Jim tugs at my heart strings every time I see him. He is such a beautiful boy so I’m glad he is doing well now. I just read your recent blog too, so very glad all is ok. The photos of Bert were amazing you must have felt so proud to share such a wonderful event. We wish you all well and will Try to find time to pop over to see you in Devon when we are down there. In the meantime keep doing what you are doing. We feel so privileged to have one of your special dogs. He still Is greatly admired by all who meet him and we always tell them of your story. Much love to all at pound lane Joan and colin " Alfie enjoying climbing a tree "Hello Jean,
really sorry, I have not emailed back sooner. Just been off my feet a bit the last week running children to college etc. Happy 50th wedding anniversary! Wow, me and David are just clocking up 19 years married next month, we seem mere novices at it compared to you two. Those photos of Alfie up a tree are impressive. His sister, Blottie is a phenomenal jumper and climber. Glad that you have found somewhere to let him run off leash. Blottie only this year has become more reliable, and enough that we are going to take her beating this year. Her sister, Bumble though has always been spot on with recall, so I feel it is nothing to do with training, more with genetics. Some dogs are just born with more drive. Like Alfie, Blottie is just the most gentle and loving dog in the home, but get her lead and arrive where she is going to be run and worked, she has no interest in treats, tracking nose has been activated. I've just booked Blottie's daughter, Teagol in for the 11th December, when she is exactly one years old (That is the earliest they start to scan them, as the skull is pretty much fully formed by then), for her MRI scan along with Sasha (Alfie's half sister) and Teagol's paternal Grandmother Treacle (for her over 5 MRI scan). Fingers crossed that we have kept the improvement we gained with the first cross with the Brittany. Very proud of Bert to stick with it. It takes some sticking, all the finickiness that is expected of them. Yes, feel free to pop over. Would love you to meet Alfie's nieces Teagol and Lottie. Love from us all at Poundlane Jane x" Got this lovely photo of Skye from Jean, who was a bit worried, when I had not blogged for a while. Thanks Jean. Sorry to of worried anyone. "Hi Jane Just a quick note Hope all is well as worried 😧 no blog for a while. Although don’t know how you have time anyway!! But just wanted to check your all well Much love Jean ,Skye ,Family" "Hello Jean,
all well thanks. Thought I would take a few days break from the internet, and did not realise how long it had been since my last blog. Love the photo of Skye. Jane x" Received this lovely update for Herbie as he passed six months of age. He is our Lottie's brother. His Dad being our Ernest and his Mum is our Bumble. "Hello Jane, I hope all is well with you and your family. Treacle’s puppies were adorable and I’m pleased that Jim is recovering well now. With Herbie now 6 months old, I thought it was high time you received and update and some pics, sorry it’s taken so long. He is a lovely little dog with the kindest, most gentle nature. He’s friendly with everyone, although he is a little apprehensive with other dogs at first (probably due to the unfortunate attack he had from a Jack Russell when he was approx 16 weeks old) and does a belly crawl to greet them, he’s just now beginning to approach them standing up. We’re not exactly sure why, but despite his initial apprehension with dogs, he seems to get himself in a frenzy and will squeak and yelp with either excitement, fear or both (not sure) when he can see other dogs running around but cannot get to them because he’s on a lead and he is very persistent. He’s better off lead but this is not always possible. He’s never been ‘bitey’ (just very licky) or destructive, he still prefers his fox over any other toy and has created his own little den in the hedge in our garden to store his favourite chews and toys. He’s not at all food possessive and is very relaxed and chilled around us with his treats and chews. He is a very cuddly boy and loves trying to clean the boys ears out which has them in hysterics (as you can see in the picture below). He’s has joined us on two camping trips and slots in effortlessly, just going with the flow, although he does like to respond to other dogs barking - I think he felt the campsite was for us alone, we are trying to teach him the ‘quiet’ command which does seem to be helping. He is obsessed with birds and would give chase at any opportunity and will totally ignore a recall in this situation so we are very careful as to where we allow him off lead. He enjoys a swim and likes retrieving sticks or toys. Herbie is so quick and nimble, he absolutely loves chasing games with the children and dodges all 3 boys at once with ease, as for climbing - he’s like a mountain goat! Apologies for sending so many images but I thought it may give you a better idea of how he’s developing from a breeding perspective, we think he’s absolutely gorgeous in every way and we adore him! He measure’s 14 inches at the shoulder. Thank you so very much for all your efforts as a family in breeding and raising such a wonderful puppy, we are very lucky to have Herbie in our family! Love and best wishes, Debbie and family xx Photos of Herbie and Debbie's boys "Hello Debbie,
he was a gorgeous puppy and is certainly growing in to a very gorgeous looking dog. It really can set a dog back, when they get attacked by another, but it sounds like he is gradually getting back on track meeting and greeting other dogs. Thanks so much for letting me know how things are going, and you can never send to many photos, especially when they are such joyous ones. Your boys, look like they really enjoy Herbie's company. Love from us all at Poundlane Jane x" Update for Barney (that arrived a little while ago), who is Jim's brother. Barney has an errant testicle, which Wendy and Tony new about before he left us. Retained Testicle (Cryptorchidism) in Dogs is not a problem for a pet dog, and as this interesting article Cryptorchidism is complicated notes, it does not necessarily lead to infertility problems, in fact the contrary was seen in the study in the article mentioned above. "Hello Jane, We thought you might like these photos of Barney taken last week. As you can see, he has lost quite a bit of his fluffy coat and is definitely going a bit darker in colour. His legs and nose are now longer too. He's a lovely, lively little chap and is a real little character. He is proving really easy to train, he'll do anything for a treat and was a real star at puppy preschool, which we finished last week. We are off to puppy training classes next week. Daisy is so different now - it's as though Barney is reminding her how to be a dog again and she seems to be really enjoying having doggy company again. It's lovely to hear that Jim is doing well at present, we do hope that it continues, he's such a lovely boy. Kind regards to you all Wendy & Tony" "Hello Wendy and Tony, he looks like he's entering his lanky stage, like his brother Jim. Jim is doing really well. Second vaccinations tomorrow for him. I did wonder what would happen when Barney loses his puppy coat. Good to hear the training is going so well and Daisy is enjoying his company so. I just wondered if there is any news on the errant testicle. Has it dropped? Thanks for the update and lovely photos of your Barney. Kind regards Jane" "Hello again, Jane,
sorry I did mean to mention that there is still no sign of the missing testicle! Our vet is aware of the situation and we know that if it doesn't appear by 6 months we will definitely have to have him neutered. Regards Wendy & Tony" Ysobel (at 11 1/2 years old), Mum to Primrose and Grandmother to Sasha and Bertha
Rosie shows us how to do the yoga position "Upward sleeping dog." Nothing wrong, nothing up! I've just been busy, and a couple days not blogging, became a week. Thanks for those who have emailed me concerned about my lack of blogging. Normal service will be resumed shortly.
Ysobel, who is now 11 1/2 years old. Mum to Primrose, and Grandmother to Bertha and Sasha Toby (who will be seven years old in a couple months time), enjoys a chew Around a week ago our two youngest children, were fascinated by a black caterpillar scaling our gable end of our home for the best part of the day. I said it might be going to pupate and the next day it could be seen as a Pupa hanging from the gable end. And today we saw this caterpillar (below) making it's way up one of our outside walls. A week ago today, I took three of our dogs for heart examinations at the Bideford heart clinic, Cardiologist vet Jo Harris attends. The three dogs were Blottie, Ernest and Sasha. Ernest and Sasha I hope to breed together the Spring of 2019, I had also been thinking about rather than doing Lily with Henry Spring 2019, instead doing another litter from Blottie the beginning of 2019. Although the main reason for getting Blottie checked out again, sooner rather than later by a cardiologist vet, was I had, had a bit of a scare with her just over a month ago, when she had her vaccination booster jab. The vet could hear a murmur. The vet who discovered it knows how devastating it would be for me to have Blottie at three years old with Mitral Valve Disease (MVD). She said, "I'm sorry, but I can definitely hear something." I laughed and made a bit of a joke about stressing me out, and when she left I got on with getting her booked in to be checked over by a cardiologist vet.
So last Wednesday arrived, and I loaded up the three dogs and set off with a couple of our children in tow. I had put this to the back of my mind the last month, and part of me hoped that my GP vet had been wrong. I have had it before, where a GP vet has thought they heard a murmur, to then be checked by a cardiologist vet and nothing found. So fingers were firmly crossed. I was not to be so lucky with Blottie and Jo could most definitely hear a murmur. She though could not confirm if innocent or not, so the only way to confirm if this murmur was indicating a problem with her heart, was to doppler scan her. It was hard to hide my disappointment, this could be ten years of breeding gone. Firstly though she got Ernest and Sasha's auscultation done. Neither of them had a problem, and then she lead Blottie of to be examined more thoroughly. That was the longest 25 minutes, I think I have ever waited. She came back in the room with Blottie with a smile on her face, was it a smile of sympathy? Thankfully, it turns out it was a smile of relief that the murmur is an innocent one and "No evidence of structural heart disease" could be found. She told me she had not been looking forward to coming back if it had turned out that Blottie had MVD. I did feel a bit bad for making her feel under pressure, but I think she knows how much work I have been putting in to trying to improve health. This would of been a very hard blow to of risen from, so not easy to really hide your feelings when, so much is at stake. Jim had his second Distemper, Hepatitis and Parvo vaccination today with Rosie. Just his second Lepto4 jab and Kennel Cough drops up the nose to do in 2 weeks time, and then it will be time to find a home for Jim, which is going to be harder said than done. He is such a very gentle natured pup, very laid back. In the vets today he just lied out on the examination table and nearly went to sleep. The vet commented on how nice it would be if all puppies were this relaxed at the vets. Certainly a chip off his maternal Grandmother, Dolly's old block. Things to do with hair you groom out of your dogs. Make weird looking creatures with the help of some fruit Bertie went home yesterday evening. He's been a lovely boy as usual Got sent this lovely image of Barnaby "Hi Jane, While we were in France for 2 weeks Barnaby’s dog sitter Sarah's son, painted this beautiful digital painting of him. I just love it and wanted to share it with you. Hope all’s well with you and the pack. Best Wishes, Georgina" "Hello Georgina,
sorry for not getting back to you sooner. Lovely image of Barnaby. Thanks for thinking of me and sharing. We are all well thanks and hope your family and you are all well. Kind regards Jane" |
“The greatest pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him, and not only will he not scold you,but he will make a fool of himself, too.”
― Samuel Butler Me (Jane) with Puddin' and Teagol, waiting patiently to flush a patch of kale, December 2019
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March 2022
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