Sunday 31 August 2008

Back Safely

Thank you everyone for a lovely day! Ceilidh has eaten a bowl full of mince and her new type of meal sofingers crossed she keeps it up over the next few days.

As for what our Munsters have been called, yes a "funny looking springer" has been our most popular one, yesterday was a cocker spanniel?! Now Ceilidh is not small for a munster and not big either but if she was a cocker spanniel she would be of the streach armstrong variety. We have had dalmation too (Ceilidh has a black saddle right the way down and a black head with a tiny bit of silvering on her nose and long hair too) Never had a whippet or long haired dalmation though, I think you have got some of the funniest people living near you John! Or do you just attrack the strange people in the world?

For once I would love someone to come up to me and say is she a type of pointer, not even a Large Munsterlander, just to get that close would be sufficient for me.

Lovely piece on Mummy DD, she really is a star. Full of life and like you say very very chatty! She does like to pick the naughty sweeties and has to tell them off!

Well done

Well done to Summer, my Strider and their daughter Mathilde on all passing their Bronze Good Citizen Test today at Birmingham.



Nah its a Lurcher!!!

Well would you like a list of what my Munsters have been described as.
Sorry but Springer is commonplace, especially when Zelda was smaller.
Zeb is "What is that big dog" which is strange because Zelda is taller now.
In the vets a keeper of Labradors and Cockers told me Zelda was a lurcher.
She was pretty miffed, Zelda not the woman, So I put her right with the proper information.
I quite like the Idea of Zeb being a Lurcher because at times he is most ungainly and does lurch about a bit.
Collie cross is quite common also, I suppose it is the black and white.
The other one which was quite inventive was Long Haired Dalmatian.
I suppose we could have them labeled.
It is the way that people confidently tell you what is on the end of your lead that hacks me off a little.
I KNOW!!

That's a lovely springer!

In response to my photo being used on the photoblog and the question 'What breed are they?' I have to say it does get very confusing.
Having a Springer Spaniel too really doesnt help, especially as she is a tall field bred spaniel. When people see me with the springer they automatically assume Kaia is a springer too, just a black and white instead. It isnt helped by the fact Kaia is a very small Large Musterlander and there is only a couple of inches difference in height between her and the springer.
Having said that alot of people I meet think Kaia is a springer/collie cross, or as one lady so eliquently put it last week 'And she's a cross isnt she'.
Throwing Loki into the mix aswell serves for even greater confusion. "No, he isnt a cocker spaniel it's a Munsterlander puppy, it's a german pointing dog, the other black and white one is a Munsterlander too, but yes, the brown one is a springer!"
And the last hurdle is that I tell people Kaia and Loki are both Large Musterlanders but then have to spend 5 minutes explaining why they look nothing like each other, and that Loki will be very big but Kaia is very small and Loki is roaned but Kaia is plated and Loki has a all black head but Kaia has a white nose.................
As of yet no one has ever guessed Kaias breed correctly, and sometimes to save the trouble i just agree that I do have a very lovely collie/springer cross!
Sometimes I think I should have just bought a labrador!

Saturday 30 August 2008

Trimming!


I think Hudson will be needing a between the toes trim soon its getting a little long haven't paid much attention to willy hair although it is handy to check that they've had a wee!

Here's Hudson and Charlie enjoying a cuddle and some TV together..

Tied up for the next 3 or 4 days starting with Birmingham show tomorrow so things from me will be rather quiet, will catch up with all the news next week when I am back up and running!

Jiggy

Jiggy still stinks !!!! Just cant get rid of the smell. Hope it is gone by next week.
Yes trim his willy hair,(but you can tell with it that they have had the last wee at night) when he grows up you wont have too, only ever done my boys when puppies. You soon may have to trim between the toes too or they up like Yettie's
Love the story about Diva she is beautiful. Ringo loves to sleep a lot His favourite place is in the kitchen with his head over the back step so he does not miss anything. Jiggy must be pleased that his offspring love the muck as well. Ringo has a funny humm about him today so its shower time tomorrow I think. Just a little question should we trim his little bit of winkie hair as its always yellow or is it there for a hygine reasons ? On a spaniel forum they all go on about him still having it there.

Dont you

Dont you just love munsters jiggy and majik have been down to the viaduct for a walk and jiggy just had to get into the dirtiest smelliest ditch around, 3 shampoos and he still stinks !!!!!

Lovely write up on ditdot.

Show Champion Blitzan Leahs Stunner JW












Diva by name Diva by nature, such a happy fun loving girl, and a real show off. One of the biggest characters in our family, making us laugh on a daily basis, she is a real performer and quite a clown as well. She thinks she is human and deserves all the luxuries that humans have, including traveling on the front seat of the car, if she can get away with it! She has had her first litter of 'truly' gorgeous babies, and we are very much looking forward to her next litter, we intend to keep a son form our Diva. A loyal girl once she gets to know you she loves you to pieces and will tell you so over and over again, she has been known to knock glasses of Judges and friends. As a puppy she showed her socks off but the more she does it the more she enjoys it and we all know when she is loving it as she hardly keeps her feet on the ground! Yes she does jump up and kiss the judges from time to time, maybe that's why she is so memorable and has won so much. As a working girl in the field she is a fast precise worker, never misses a bird and always soft mouthed. Diva a girl who will always be admired.
At the Large Munsterlander Club show Diva won her title as a Show Champion in style with a record entry of over 100 Munsterlanders and then went on to win Reserve Best In Show. Taking some time out of showing for a while mainly because she has had a big phantom pregnancy, so much so she is convinced she has given birth to a cat!!!! She is such a huge character such and individual, and a dog who really knows how to get under your skin, she has several nick names, DD, Ditdot, DVD, De ve, to name but a few!



To sum Diva up she is the most chatty of the dogs often having long and noisy talks with chews and toys, she will often come over and insist on telling me her life's story, (the noise she makes is akin to a sea lion!) She is so beautiful and boy does she know it, a fun loving girl who adores all of us, and of course a real star.

Oopps! Think I said I would do one of mine!!

Elspeth think it was me who said I would do one of the gang,sowill do my 'bit' on Diva today as she is lying at my feet, seems appropriate somehow!

Friday 29 August 2008

I have to agree with you John, Ceilidh is collapsed on the couch beside me in a ball. Snoring as I type! I will tke lots of picture over the weekend to post on either Sunday or Monday. Who is doing their day on a dog next?

Munsterlanders have boundless energy















So the Large Munsterlander is a Hunt Point Retriever that has endless go and verve.
Always hunting, always questing out to find game and mischief.
Yes well whatever.
Here is a photo of what my two have spent the last few hours doing since they got in from their morning walk.

So funny watching Ilk and Sid together, think he taught her everything he knows looking at them! Keep forgeting to take the camera out on walks but must start remembering!

Thursday 28 August 2008

Both with the barrel


Wellcome back

Great pics, nice pony, and great pics of Logi.
And he he can imagine a cat being dragged round until fed.
Ringo and Stig sound so much like Ilka and Sid, Ilka can be over exuberent when you come back or she just wiggles her bum like crazy has a present ready and talks to you, and we get Ilka backpacks that sound just the same, but the crazy-ness is getting less (very slowly) it's mostly bum wiggling and kisses oh and taking you by the arm, and every thing Sid has Ilka wants and she'll bark until she gets it or finds something better (which is rare as she always thinks Sid has the best thing what ever it may be) and we are wondering if Ilka is going to take over but Sid I think is still boss.
Great pic of Loki chasing that duckling.
And love the pics Judith espacialy of handsome Jiggy.
Will get or find some pics of our horses.
Video of them both playing with a barrel to come.

Holiday snaps








Catch up

Lots to catch up on here and we've only been gone for a day or two!!!

Karen I remember very well the heat wave of 1976 with stand pipes and water rationing, far cry from today and then the hard winter of snow, we had so much snow that the roads were full of it we had over a week of school and I would ride my horse down to the town to get provisions for all the neighbours, good old days eh!

Sarah are you trying to say us older ladies are nutty Munsters old ladies????? ;-)
I have to say Loki is gorgeous with those ducks, but more like a Munsterlander in the second picture!!!!
Ringo is growing into a handsome young boy he reminds me of his Uncle Beecham.
Sophie - Ilka is so funny rolling that barrel around had us in stitches bless her! As for Molland what a character and so naughty Ilka is very good to put up with it, one of my cats will hang on to my ankle to be dragged around the kitchen first thing in the morning until I feed them.

Karen please put up a picture of the finished kitchen dying to see it!

Judith you know exactly what I am like about losing things so know how you and Tony must of felt and John you were very lucky to have found your wallet, makes you go all funny when you realise it's not where it would be doesn't it.

Right some pictures from our holiday, all two days of it!!!!!

Ringo

Thanks for all the lovely comments on the monster. He is such a good boy although he does have a bit of a problem with over exuberance when he meets visitors he wants to love them all and can be a bit overwhelming, We make him calm down and sit they only person who getas a Ringo backpack is my son Richard( He goes behind where Richard sits then gets his feet on his shoulders and Licks and kisses his ears and neck) He cannot resisit him :) Love all your photo's of the gang Judith. Ringo has a look of Keisha about his face and the other day when laying on the floor with his feet out in front looked just like a photo we have of her. Hudson will get the hang of recall Stig was awful and would be fine for days and then when we thought he was alright he would bog off over the fields and Pete would spend ages looking for him and then it was back on the training lead. He's 99.9% good now but you never know. Last week Naughty Ringo was tugging at a soft toy with Stig , everything Stig has Ringo wants it, Stig dosen't always let him have it but this time Ringo managed to get it so he did no more than take it in then hall drop it and wee all over it. We think her was marking it so Stig knew he had it, He has been good at toilet training and always goes out or stands by the door if its shut and it wasn't a big wee. There is a bit of power struggle at the moment :)

Wednesday 27 August 2008

Thanks

Thanks Karen they are all lovely dogs but then munsters are lovely.
Zoe i remember when my children start to understand maths and I got you cant be that age mum it doesn't add up right !!!! Don't you just love them

Twenty again!

I Wish!! Still feel like i'm, in my twenties but sadly i'm just out of it now! But i do remember hotter summers , and it does seem darker now. Unfortunatley for me Charlie know my age and keeps advertising it for me too!!
Oh to be twenty again! I certainly remember the long hot summers of my youth - especially 1976 - who remembers that heat wave?

It's been overcast and miserable here all day too, no rain though. Had another day of things going wrong, printers not working, Fridges being delivered to early or floor laid too late.... which ever... Maggie has moved next door and I think I might join her.

Certinaly some lovely pictures on here though to cheer me up. Loki chasing the duckling )lol - bit different to yesterday's photo!

And Judith - your dogs are gorgeous - especially Stella, such a sweet face, love the way she is looking longingly at that pigs ear.

Sophie, that naughty cat! Ilka is incredibly patient with him! Would love to see some more pictures of your horses.
Thank you, colourings are quite similar between the two. I think she has a more Diva face but she does have her daddys colourings. Cannot wait to actually see him.

Ringo and all pictures

Pictures are great everyone, Love the ducklings soo cute. Ringo is growing as fast as his brothers sounds like he is very well behaved too, I wish i could say the same for Hudson, we are having some difficulties with him at the moment, his recalls are pretty bad walking on a lead isn't too bad although he does have a head collar at the moment. He is still nipping at our hands quite a lot although when we shout ouch or No he is stopping.

He has improved a lot and is improving every day just probably a little slower than he could. I'm sure as i have said before that its all our own fault as he has to fight for our attention and we are learning with him as much as he learns from us.

Evenings are always the best with him though as he settles for a good cuddle! and the kids are loving every minute of having him, its soo nice to see Connie with him she will only ever remember having a dog and her face lights up as soon as she sees him!

Just 4 Elspeth











Just taken some of jiggy for you, he is not to happy standing on this floor because they slip and i got one of majik too.ha ha

Strider

Strider with his pig's ear but Majik always goes out of the room when the camera comes out.Will try and get of her later.

3 of them

Keisha, Jiggy and Stella enjoying their pig's ear each

Stella

She could not be looking more intensely if she tried! Is that Jiggy with her? Have you got a picture of him where you can see his markings better, would like to compare Ceilidhs to her dads.

Stella


I have been out now i got my pigs ear grand dad but I want yours really
No offence taken Sarah not to worry, older than my years at times so that is probably why you thought that!

Behind the scenes

Loki may have been behaving in the last photo but this is the one taken before both he and the ducklings got tired - makes me laugh everytime!

Elspeth - having never met you i always thought you were alot older than 24! (is that a good or a bad thing, lol) I'm 22 so we are fairly similar - both going to be nutty munster ladies when we're older i'm sure :D

Ringo looks fantastic too, he's so big now. Must be a handful at time but arent they just so much fun. Look forward to meeting him some time.

Molland

The little devil, I think there's something about him not quite sure what but it's really odd, the dog's don't bother him even when he's attacking them, and Skitkit who is normally very territorial and does not like other cats (apart from Jack) is fine with him and licking him, in fact Molland often chases off our other two cats very odd, think there's something different about him.
The evil little thing in action (note he can be worse than that)


Got to say Sid taught Ilka how to play with a barrel must get a video of him (will be very very noisy).
Great pics of Ringo he's got so much bigger.
Karen yes Poppy is lovely she would come in and sit on the sofa with you if she could she loves people but loves food more as you can see. Would put up a pic of Polo my grey but I've not really got any good photos of him hes awful to get a pic of he either has his eyes closed, has his jaw funny cos hes eating or is generally being awkward.

Better then

I am only 24 John and I seem to remember it was better then!!! Summers were longer and sunnier!!!

Ringo is growing up as quickly as his brothers! Great photos of them all.

Them were the days

I remember long hot summers, playing in the fields near home, Bike rides out into the countryside with no fear of problems,
Long summer nights.
So this year.
Rain, Grey skies, when the sun comes out the shock is too hot.
Nights are drawing in.
It seems like Autumn Already.
Do we just remember the good times from our childhood or was it really better then?

Well

It's very grey here this morning and a bit of rain in the air. Well just plain damp !!! I wish some one would tell the weather that it is August and not October/March which is what it feels like.
Last night we had to put the light on and by 9pm it was really dark. Sure i can remember has a kid playing out in the Fields to nearly 9.30pm.
So what is everyone up to today then ? I am on the first of my four days off, i've five this week because of the show on Sunday. I have a day of cleaning and catching up the housework :( Lauren will take the dogs out for me if i am lucky. Just think i will have another cup of coffee before i make a start :)

Wallets and Ducklings

I too have a habit of putting my wallet in the trousers back pocket but dont normally have it with me when walking the dogs.
Last week the pair of horrors bolted after a squirrel whilst we were walking up to the road and they were on leads. Had to shuffle along a bit sharpish after them in a rather ungainly manner until I got the breath to command Stop! Which they did. When we got home I looked on the side where I usually put the wallet, I had shopping orders from Madam, it was not there.
Its a lovely hot feeling you get when you realise it is missing isn't
it.
Walked back along the paths to see if I could find it, missed it the first time but then found it lying in some nettles.
I was so glad that no one had picked it up because it is such a farce doing the credit cards and the bank card leaves you without money for ages.

Now what a lovely picture with the ducklings,I would not trust mine with anything with feathers, they are that bit too interested.

Tuesday 26 August 2008

Karen it would be great to see a picture when it's all done. I thought of having one of those big fridges but i find the more i put in it the quicker they eat it !!!!!

Thanks

Thank you for the lovely pics of all the children, it is great to see what lovely dogs they are all growing up to be, if only we could win the lottery i would have them all back !!!!
Judith, had to re-read your post the first time I thought it said your husband lost his wallet fishing and imagined it to be at the bottom of the river )lol Glad he found it. The number of times I have pannicked about losing purse, keys phones etc... I have a bottomless pit of a bag that can never find anything in - had it when the kids were tiny and had to keep everything but the kitchen sink in it when we went out, but think I could probably get a smaller one now!

Ringo looks so grown up now - my he has grown! Seem to remember him being smaller than Stig not long ago )lol

Elspeth, the Kitchen should have been finished today, but hasn't been. We do have running water now but no washing machine plumbed in (have piles of dirty washing covering the upstairs landing (which Maggie is having fun with)!) or dishwasher and no oven (don't ever show me a chinese takeaway again!). Tomorrow the floor tiler is coming so we can't go in there at all. It is my daughter's birthday on Friday and was hoping to have family round, may have to postpone. Getting a glympse of what it may look like though so quite excited - especially about the new american style fridge freezer - it's hard to believe you could get excited about a fridge but believe me if you had lived with the one I have for the last......... I will have to take a picture of Maggie & Tilly sitting in it (the kitchen not the fridge!) to show you when it's done.

O what aday

Husband thought he lost his wallet, panic has he won his fishing match yesterday and being female i need my cut. He went back over to the shop and there it was, thankfully.
Sarah lovely picture, not sure any of mine would get that close safely even at that age.
Love all the pics and videos. I have been trying to download a vid of Stella and Keisha from my phone but the computer just wont let me play it ?

Ringo Update






Finally managed to get a few new pics of Ringo tonight, hope you like them. As you can see from the pic if him and Stig, he's growing well ;-). They both get on really well together but not sure which one is going to be top dog yet as there does appear to be a bit of a power struggle going on at times ;-). After a few probs we had with Ringo going through a fussy eating stage he has settled down and rarely refuses to finish off his food now. He absolutely loves raw chicken wings and as soon as we say "chick" we have his undivided attention :-). He walks like a dream on his lead only requiring the occassional reminder about straying in front which is pretty good as Stig requires a head collar and is still not averse to pulling on that. Off lead, Ringo is also pretty good, his recall works 90% of the time and his sit and stay is very good, he can be left upto 100 yards away and wont move till told. Not quite got sitting to just a hand signal yet but he's getting their. He's very loving and affectionate and also very very talkative ;-) and he leaves a big impression on everyone who meets him.
Loki and ducklings... could there be a cuter picture!!!! How adoreable can they be!!!

Great pictures Sohpie! Ilka and the barrel is really funny to watch! How long did she keep it going for?

Karen how long have you got left before your kitchen is done? I remember my parents having their kitchen done in the old house and it was about 3 weeks before they finished. In their first house before they had me or my brother or sister my dad ripped out the kitchen just leaving the cooker and the sink and went off shore for 6 weeks, so you could be worse off really. Pretty sure he has still not lived that one down.
Sarah, lovely photo of Loki and the ducklings - so sweet! He does seem to be getting darker in colour and growing fast.

Great video Sophie, Ilka is having fun with that barrel. The chew is enormous, I'm amazed she has it in bits already! Poppy is a lovely looking horse - I used to have a grey mare called Cressida that was part cob once - she was a favourate, such a character.

Workmen all here in force again today. Trying to get any work done is impossible! The number of times I have asked them to keep the side gate shut and I have still found Maggie wondering around the front drive. Cant relax as need to know where she is all the time. I have now shut her in the office with me so she is sulking. I'll be so releived when it's all done. Sometimes wonder whether it's acutally worth having a new kitchen - only time will tell )lol

Loads of ......

Great pics on hear, Sid should have looked something like that cocker, great slide show, nice to see Tally and Sarah yes very cute.
And hope Ali, James and Logi are having a nice time.
Video of Ilka she's so daft.

Ilka last weekend with a big chew (now in small bits) that we got free (not on purpose we put it on the counter with a few other bits, the person must missed it as it did not come up on the receipt did not notice till on the way home, so got a free chew)And a pic of Poppy Mums cob

Monday 25 August 2008

Making friends

Cute or what? :D
Elspeth, the walk was at Pitmedden Forest, a forestry commision park near Strathmiglo which is about 40 mins from us - up the M90 and turn off at junction 8. It's the one Jim was told about last week by a dog walker in Devilla. It was very nice, the forest wasn't too dense and the views at the top were lovely down the Tay estuary. The walks aren't well signposted - we got lost and couldn't find our car. Another walker ended up driving Jim through the forest to find the car!!

Zoe, I think Hudson's looking a lot leggier than Brodie is at the moment but they change so quickly. Good to see he likes the water too. Brodie loves swimming but only if he's in the water on his own now, he wouldn't even swim with Ceilidh the other day and it was her that showed him how to swim initially.

Karen, we had a cocker like that at our training and he had a great character. Brodie and him loved playing together.

Tally's markings are lovely, I like spotty dogs, and her tail looks really thick.

Pics

What a busy blog this has been!! Do not know where to start with out missing something so all I have to say is what fantastic pictures of everyones dogs! Ceilidh send kisses to her sister Tally (hope I got that right) Honey bear looks so sweet and nice an big for her age!

Tally

Just seen the pictures of Tally, must have missed them before. She has a lovely nature too - very sweet girl and very tall! Maggie loves to play with her when they meet up.
Round up is a safe one once it's dry you could spray last thing and it would be fine come the morning.

Organic weedkillers

Vinegar is a biodegradable natural agent which will kill plant material; normal vinegar for putting on your chips (fries) contains about 5% acetic acid and is produced from grapes, apples or grain by fermentation in anerobic conditions. This weaker product works on some young weeds, but higher concentrations produced by distillation (15%) and freeze evaporaton (30%), are needed for a more effective herbicide. The vinegar degrades after a few days so any increase in the pH is only temporary. Best results are obtained if it is used hot and repeated for three days. Concrete and stone can be hosed down after treating to reveal their true colour.

Corn Gluten Meal which is a byproduct of the wet milling of maize. It works by preventing the germinating seed forming roots with no effect on existing plants or seedlings which have developed roots, so it has limited uses. The main one being as a weed and feed treatment for lawns since it also releases about 10% Nitrogen as it breaks down. Of course it is also limited in availability as most maize production is in North America, and it is used in animal feeds as well.

Found the above from an organic gardening site. I'm sure you can buy some weedkillers that are safe to use with animals but we normally end up pulling them out. Have docs and nettles growing through the fence at the end of the garden - they are a nuisance.

Help

I need to use a weedkiller in the garden, i have lots of dock leaves coming up in between the patio slabs and i am fed up with trying to pull them up. Just been to B&Q but not to helpful on what was safe with the dogs. Anybody know what i could try ??

Blue

Blue looks really great, the life in oz must be very good for him. The babies look very nice to i just wish they wouldn't over extend them which is something they seem to do down under you also forget that they have baby puppy classes, i think that from 14 weeks.
Ali you must be very very proud of him.

Tally


Pictures of Tally - Another Jiggy x Diva daughter neighbours to Karen and Maggie, she is a beautiful girl who looks like her sisters if you ask me. The family recently went to a companion dog show only to win 1st for best sporting dog! Well dome Megan and Tally.

Update from Australia



This Is Aus Champion Blitzan Leahs Pride, Blue winning another CC and Best of Breed, and some of his babies.

Introducing Honey Bear

A friend of mine brought her new puppy cocker Honey Bear to meet us today. She is sooooooooo sweet - just 12 weeks old. Maggie just adored her! We were amazed at how gentle Maggie was with her, she was totally in love I think! Seeing her reaction to Honey today made me all the more excited about getting a puppy next year - Maggie is just going to love her to bits!

 

 

 

 
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