Got some nice photos of Puddin' resting upsides Teagal. I take a lot of photos of the dogs. Seeing them together in photos is a good way to study them and use as a tool alongside seeing them together in the flesh for future pairings. 

When I started this blog our second born would of only been 7 years old, now seventeen and over 6 foot tall. Our youngest son, took the couple photos below, as he thought it funny how diminutive Alfie makes his parents look, and he asked, "How did I give birth to someone as big as Alfie?" I replied, "Well, thankfully he did not come out that size." 

Four days ago I blogged about Ysobel having an abscess from what looked like a bite mark for maybe a snake or small animal. On Friday I was booked back at the vets for a check up, and maybe surgery to help close it up.

Friday, it was looking so good, I was given the option of surgery or letting it heal without surgical intervention. Surgery would do the job quicker, but the vet thought if given a bit of time the wound would heal okay without it. I decided to go for the option of allowing her body time to heal it, and yesterday and today, you can see her body is doing an amazing job of repairing it, with a little help from me. Keeping it moist and dressed.

Interesting blog over at Terrierman's Daily Dose ​Problem Dog Foods?

The rise of reports to the  FDA  is worrying,

​"Cases Reported to FDA
​
For the purposes of this investigation, the FDA defines a “case” as an illness reported to FDA involving a dog or cat that includes a diagnosis of DCM. Many of the reports submitted to the FDA included extensive clinical information, including echocardiogram results, cardiology/veterinary records, and detailed diet histories. The numbers below only include reports in which the dog or cat was diagnosed with DCM by a veterinarian and/or veterinary cardiologist. We did not include in these numbers the many general cardiac reports submitted to the FDA that did not have a DCM diagnosis. However, this case information is still valuable, as it may show heart changes that occur before a dog develops symptomatic DCM. (Please see the Vet-LIRN DCM Investigative Update for more technical information on the reported cases, including those without a formal diagnosis of DCM). Although the FDA first received a few sporadic reports of DCM as early as 2014, the vast majority of the reports were submitted after the agency notified the public about the potential DCM/diet issue in July 2018."

A few days ago, I received a lovely update for ​Ralphie from Peg. He is from Blottie and Casper's nine little Blenheim pups born March this year.

"Hi Jane,
How are things with you? Lots of exciting changes it would seem, with new personalities and treacle expecting- congratulations!!
I'm sorry it has taken me so long to write to you with an update,  Ralphie is doing brilliantly!! He has settled in so well, like he was always meant to be here.
Sadly my Dad passed away peacefully earlier this week. It has been a difficult time and Ralphie has been an enormous source of comfort.
So its a whole month that Ralphie has been with us and we have had so much fun! Trying to introduce him to a many different experiences  as possible in these early days. Lots of dogs and other animals, towns with trains, noise and people, beaches, rivers and woodlands, lifts and the pub!
He is so incredibly bright and eager to learn. He loves the training we do and has amazed me with how much he can do at a young age! Hes sleeping quite well in his crate, still needs to get up once, but he's still young. I thought we were pretty much there with the house training he was already a superstar at it when he first came, but we discovered that he really doesn't like the rain. I opened the door for him one night, he usually trotted straight out and does what he needs to do, but he took one looks at the rain then shot back into the hall and weed there!!😂
We struggled a bit initially when he needed to be left alone, barking non stop when I left his sight, but we have worked on it and now he's very calm and settled when I leave the house. Oddly though he still goes a bit bananas when i go upstairs....I think hes so bright that he realises I'm still in the house and thinks he's missing out on something. 😀 But he is so very loving and affectionate, that I wouldn't have it any other way!❤
Attaching some photos for you. First bath, first paddle in the sea, lovely local woodlands and he really loves the swing seat in the garden. Hes really growing, colour lightening on his ears now and i think he may be able to jump our stair gates soon!😱
We are enjoying keeping up to date with all your news. Thank you for breeding us the most perfect pup!!
Love from Peg, Alan and Beth x."

"Hello Peg,
great to here how Ralphie is getting on. Sorry to hear about your Dad. Thank you at this time for updating me on Ralphie.
No, they don't like the rain. It can feel like taking a step backwards. When it's tipping down and they really need to go, I use some old duvet covers in the doorway they go out to toilet from, so they have the option, and once dry again outside remove them. 
Lovely to see what a handsome boy he is growing in to. 
Love from us all
Jane x"

Treacle is now around 7 weeks pregnant. Photos below taken today of her blossoming.

Puddin' is our Cocker boy that we have bought in. He is now nearly 12 weeks old. From a line of really nice small working cockers that are worked. His Mum is black and tan, and Dad tricoloured, with his maternal Grandmother mother (who I met), black and tan, and maternal Granddad (who I met) being a tricolour. A really comical little chap reminds me in character of Jeff aka Barney from Treacle's litter last year. High hopes for what this little chap can bring to the table. 

Yesterday I blogged about Ysobel's abscess, and today after visiting the vet again, we can see the wonders of honey. I have used honey on wounds with horses, but this is the first time I have had a wound on a dog of this nature. It's always amazing to see how it will clean up an open wound and granulate the tissue, aiding the process of healing.

Last Thursday, I came in through the back door, after delivering our youngest to school, and I saw Ysobel lying on the floor in the utility room, next to the water bowl. I noticed two flies circling her, and thought they were taking rather a lot of interest in her. So I took a look over her, and noticed some sort of serum like substance on her fur on her neck, and on taking a whiff of it, I thought she must of rolled in something that had been dead for a while. So I got the bath running to wash it off, and on picking her up, and putting on my glasses, I could then see that the serum substance was oozing out of her. She had a massive abscess that had burst at the base of her neck.
I rung the vets and on getting in there and clipping off the hair over the area, what looks like a bite mark could be seen. Two little pin holes that we think may now of been from a snake. She has had five days on anitbiotics, and I have kept it draining washing several times a day with hibiscrub. We now have a hole around the size of a two pence piece, that is at least 5 mm deep. It's going to take some healing without help. So back in to the vets this morning, and I'm dressing with honey for the next few days, to help granulate the wound. Hard place to get a dressing to stay in place, but one of our lightweight harnesses is proving to do a very good job at keeping the dressing in place and stopping Ysobel from rubbing it off, as it is itching as it heals, and now she has the added itch of the area being tightly clipped. On Friday morning it's back in to the vets to review and maybe surgery to help close the area. 
Ysobel is a tough old girl, and has been a star with me keeping it clean and is a testament to how stoic these little dogs can be. I feel bad that I missed it, before it burst (although it was more inwards than outwards), as it must of been painful just before bursting. Ysobel did not let on. 

Casper's daughter, Flossie also left us last Friday, with a first report for her the next morning. I have since spoken with Christel, as a few things she has wanted advice about, which is to be expected, and what I'm here for now.

​"Good morning, Jane,

A first report.

Flossie had a very good day. She met a human friend at lunchtime. Then we went to school to pick up 2 grandchildren. Flossie was a surprise, so there was a lot of excitement and lots of attentive children. She was a bit overcome. 

Then home to the farm where she had a great afternoon with the girls in the garden. Garden only. She found guinea pig poo very tasty. I suppose it’s a bit like silage in neat packages.

When we came home the cat had returned and calmly sat in the kitchen but  little Flossie barked and growled, so cat fled. F did not bark at the farm cats passing through. Territorial feelings maybe, regarding my house/kitchen?

We had some more fun and games, a few snoozes, dinner offered but not really interested. I expect she will eat when she is hungry. 


Then came night time. The cat had not come back in, I thought, Flossie had gone into the crate with a chew and I worried that the cat would not come into kitchen to eat with a possibly howling puppy there. So I was tempted to take pup up with me but thought ‘no they will have to come to terms with each other’. I said goodnight to F.

As I approached the stairs, the cat appeared and I fetched him some food. He came and stayed by my bed all night. Dear Flossie complained (not too loudly)for approx 15-20 mins. Then all was quiet. All night!!

This morning at 5.30! The cat woke me by purring loudly in my ear. 

I had set the alarm for 6, remembering your early rising household, thinking Flossie would be crossing her legs. But no. She woke as I approached and had an excitement dribble. I quickly carried her to the back door and there in the yard she peed and pood, twice. Much praise given. As we went in, she had another un expected poo attempt on a rug but I quickly moved her to the yard where she did another. What should I use to spray rug/floor with where she dropped a bit? To discourage repeat?


The yard was cleaned and finally I’m having a cup of tea, with a sleeping puppy on my lap. 

She is like a little shadow and, so far, has always come back when called.

Were both very happy. Thank you.


Love from

Christel and Flossie xx"

Last Friday, Casper went to live with Rowena. I received an email that night to tell me how he was getting on,

"Dear Jane,
Just to let you know that dear little Casper is settling in well. He howled on and off for about an hour after you left and then ate a little of his food. After lunch he went for a short walk off the lead and behaved perfectly, he then watched a bit of racing on t.v. after that he went for a nice walk and met Araminta, the cat, who faced up to him and they behaved as though they had known each other forever. He ate all his supper and spent quite a while on my lap, he is so affectionate, like Megan. They have been playing together and now are settled in the kitchen, he loves his rug on the bed and so does Megan! Marcus has taken some photos which he is going to send to you tomorrow. I will keep you up-dated but I cannot thank you enough for giving him to me he is adorable and will certainly be very much loved.
With love to you all and it was lovely to see Florrie and Mollie this morning,
Rowena"

And the photos and another update arrived the next morning,

"Dear Jane,
Casper howled for about 30 mins last night and then settled down, he ate his breakfast happily and has been out in the garden a few times this morning. Gradually settling in to his new surroundings and getting on well with Megan and Bridie. Will keep in touch.
Love,
Rowena"

Teagal, Millie's Great Granddaughter watching us eating breakfast this morning, now 18 months old.

Millie is one of our old girls, now over eleven years old. She is the Mum to Smudge, Grandmother to Blottie and Bumble, and Great Grandmother to Teagol and Lottie.

The Swallows that nest in our stables are back, after last year having their nest destroyed and their first five chicks of the season killed by Magpies. They regrouped and built a nest in the tack room, a shed which we use a lot. They managed to hatch out three more chicks and they all fledged before they started to migrate. 
Back again in the tack room this year with a nest full of five chicks, which means us using the tack room as minimal as possible. Although, I think they have figured out we are not that much of a threat. Closer to us and the dogs, although the dogs pose a risk as their chicks fledge. I think they have weighed up the risk, and the bit of protection being nearer to us affords them, to predators like the Magpies. It's maybe worth it.