We're still here

LOL!!!!!

Bet you all thought I had deserted??? To be truthful I didn't realise just how much work it would be having a house full of youngsters.

Daisy is 8 months and an absolute heart breaker, her nature is fantastic, so soft and amiable. I suppose just like the rest of them really.

Grace is 5 months and belongs to Debra who was unable to take her home to France (long story all to do with a stupid port official) so she is staying with me meantime. She started her ringcraft training on Monday and took an instant liking to all dogs HUGE, mastiffs, retrievers and dobermans to name a few that she made friends with.

On Tuesday evening Jessica and Jenni joined Grace at the class for a wee while, they sat in there crate watching everyone going about there business and took it all in there stride. Everyone next week will start getting out and about on there collar and leads and see how they go.

Jack will stay with us and will go to training while we wait for his new home to come up. Such a shame about the markings on his face as he is such an outgoing and very confident pup. Hopefully he won't have to wait to long for his new family to come along.

I'll post some photos when I get my computer and camera to start talking to each other again.

A most enjoyable day

was spent stewarding at the Maltese Club of Scotland's open show in Gretna, right opposite the old Blacksmiths where I married my husband Jim 25 years ago.

Some pictures from the day, courtesy of Brian and Carol Lees of Lafford Toydogs

BEST IN SHOW

Reserve BEST IN SHOW

BEST PUPPY IN SHOW

Busy weekend

Had a bit of a busy weekend. Young Grace (phalene pup) who was staying with us for a few weeks went to her new Mum on Saturday to begin her trip to France to join her new human and doggy family. Though Grace was only small and here for a short time she has certainly left a big gap. But I dare say that the pups Jack, Jenni and Jessica will soon take up any convenient space left. lol.

Got home on Saturday evening about 7pm and had to load the car with the show trolley and all the other bits and bobs you take with you. Indy and Daisy then had to be bathed and all the other dogs tened to as well. With about an hours sleep I met Anna at 2am and we set off for Stranraer port for the ferry across the water to Belfast. As is usual when I travel I am so awake at the beginning of the journey that trying to have a sleep the same as most others on the ferry was impossible, but I did find others who were just as wide awake and we spent the two hour crossing talking about dogs.

This was Daisy's first time showing as she is only just 6 months. Not the most enjoyable day in her young life so far. She didn't mind at all the people who wanted to give her cuddles, or the dogs that quietly approached and wanted to say hello. The sound echoed round the hall we were in and this really unsettled her quite a bit. She was a wee star on the table and quite happy to let our judge Michael Quinney look at her teeth and go over her from head to toe without a fuss. Indy had what I can only describe as a really bad hair day, always remember to read the label before you put conditioner on your dog the night before a show, lol used the wrong one on him and he came out of his bed looking like he had joined a punk rock band!!!!!!!! all I can say is thank you Gordon Urquhart of HUB who very kindly took time to advise the best "approved water" to help control Indy's impression of a burst cushion. Doesn't help that his coat is at different lengths just now as well.

Indy stepped out in the ring looking decidedly better than he did when he came off the boat and took a 2nd in the Post Graduate class. Daisy came 3rd in Puppy. This gave both of them a qualifying place for Crufts 2010. Looks like it is going to be a Phalene only trip to Crufts which is a first for us and certainly something to look forward to.

The journey home was the same as every other show except you got out the car for a couple of hours to stretch your legs. Again most of the bench seating on the ferry was taken up with people stretched out trying to get a couple of hours sleep before starting the drive home, some longer than others. I wasn't able to sleep on the ferry so spent the crossing talking dogs. Whats new there then lol.

We're back!!!!!!!!!!

Bet you all thought I had fallen off the face of the earth LOL. The last couple of months have been taken up with the pigeons. Between training, club racing and running our own races, then going out and doing demo's with the Benzing ets it has been a busy time. Usually only get to Belfast once a year for the champ show, but we have been over quite a few times in the last couple of months and even managed to fit in a couple of nights in Dublin as well.

Below is a picture of my car with the training trailler that I take the pigeons in and the view I get from the liberation sites we use for our own races.

Meet Drop Dead Gorgeous (DDG) George , he was a gift from a local pigeon fancier and is a yellow pied born this year.

Pictures, pictures and more

Haven't been to many shows due to Hatty (mum) and Indy (dad) having had pups, Ayla losing her coat, and Daisy just isn't old enough. I'll just post some pictures for you all to have a look at and then I can get back to doing what I do best, blethering LOL

Meet her pups, Jessica black & white Papillon girl, Jenni red sable & white Phalene girl and last but not least Cap'n Jack (bit of a rogue he is) black & white (possible tri) Phalene boy.

Jessica and Jenni will stay with me, but because of Jack's head markings he will probably be looking for a family home as a companion.

Above are a couple of snapshots of Daisy (Serenglade Drivin Miz Daisy) who will be going to Belfast champ show with Indy for the day. This little girl went down a storm with the local pigeon men who take time out when visiting to say hello to all the dogs. But Daisy with her outgoing and in your face attitude to life has made an impression. LOL

Dancin' in Dundee

Well it could only be Ayla dancing with joy after winning 1st Papillon Puppy and best puppy in breed then winning 1st in the av toy special puppy class. Judge was Mr Tony Allcock (MBE) who judged the Toy group at Dundee premier show. Indy was placed a very respectable 3rd in Post graduate dog, shame the bitch in front was only a week or so out of season which meant he went round with his nose glued to the ground and when he stopped the grass was flying.

Times they are a changing ...........

Abbeyton and the word Papillons went so well together (well I thought so anyway) but as the title says changes are afoot.

My interest in showing Papillons started in 1995 when Jim my husband bought me my first Papillon called Poppy and ever since our lives and home has been taken over by these small dogs with HUGE characters and even bigger ears. lol I have enjoyed thoroughly being owned by Papillons over the years but I now find that we are being taken over by the Papillons ancestor and the original dog The Phalene, or Continental Toy Spaniel.

One of the first and most memorable Phalenes I ever saw was Serenglade Symphony bred and owned by Mrs Linda Greenslade when she won the Reserve Chalenge Certificate at crufts in 1992. (was there with some obedience folk long before I started showing) After that I became more aware of the occasional Phalene being shown and believe me they were few and far between. The next Phalene I met was a young dog imported into Scotland from Europe by Mrs Mary Fraser (Fraserdene)

Anyway fast forwarding to more recent history, Liz Anderson (Northlyte) had a Phalene, Northlyte Fire 'N Brimstone (Flame) a beautiful petite red and white girl who I was able to buy. It was almost a year later that I telephoned Linda Greenslade (Serenglade) who let me have my boy Serenglade Indigo Moon (Indy). From mating these two dogs I now have Abbeyton Fire Dancer (Ayla). And dare I say it that I recently went to visit Linda Greenslade with every intention of coming home with an absolutely gorgeous red sable Phalene dog puppy that she had sent me a photograph of but like all the best laid plans I came home with his litter sister. She is a black and white and her name is Daisy (Serenglade New Moon Rising) I was so tempted to bring back both of them (still tempted to go and ask Linda for the boy ) I had even phoned Jim and told him to expect both of them home, Jim was quite surprised only to have Daisy come in the door he went looking in the boxes for the boy as he didn't believe me that I had come away without him. LOL And so we now have four Phalene's and two Papillons!!!!!

Not quite Crufts.......

But a great day all the same.

ABBEYTON FIRE DANCER

(AYLA)

Shows off her Best In Show rosette and Best Puppy In Show trophy from the local Agricultural exemption dog show where we spent the day with Anna and Carter of Bonmeshay. Leavings on the ground from sheep, cows and horses a wee pleasant change from the usual meat treats offered from me so Ayla thought. LOL