Easter Weekend

It was -1 last night and driving wind today but at least I didn't have to dig a way out for the dogs to be exercised as Catherine Steel had told Anna on the phone that Billy had to set on and do. The snow had drifted so much around the shed door -about 4 foot deep in places with a covering of around 4 inches.We are lucky not to have had the snow although it is bitterly cold. So I set to work to find a job that would warm me up , I have been planting trees and bushes up in the woods that George and I went to Castle Howard nursery for last week . This week we went to get some fir trees from Thorpe Underwood. Then I cleared some of the rides up through the wood so it will make it easier to get to the top. Fiona brought little Owen for his Easter egg this afternoon. He showed great interest in the cat but when it came to see the two Labrador pups that I am keeping he wanted to be picked up. He likes to watch them eating their food and could not believe it had "all gone" so fast - that is Labradors for you

Y10 at Harrogate ,was it Molly ?

Anna went to the Y10 tourism conference at Harrogate today and there was some clips on a short advert promoting Yorkshire. Anna was sure she saw Molly my English Springer spaniel in one and one of me walking with the fox red Labradors over the grouse moor at Dallowgill. No doubt she will put her Inspector Morse hat on until she finds out if it was . As far as I know I am the only one who was with fox red Labradors at Dallowgill. More later..

First Day of Spring...Tara and Hidi's 1st Birthday

A year has gone by very quick and here you can see Tara the yellow Labrador and Hidi the black one. Today the first day of Spring and it is their first birthday . They were born on a sunny day and here they are sat out enjoying the sunshine again.
Their sire is FTCH Leadburn Viceroy and Tina- Jakoranda Moment is their dam. The genes of these two have created two well conformed,intelligent dogs and I am so pleased with how they are coming on. Tina is enjoying a rest after a busy season picking up and I guess Viceroy will be doing the same.

America bound

Here you see two of the fox red bitch pups finishing off their breakfast before Simon Tyers came to pick them up for their onward journey across the Atlantic . They are the first pups we have bred that have gone to America. We are looking forward to hearing that they have got there safely and settled in to their new home. It is nice they are going to the same home and will travel together in first class style on the aeroplane.

FTCH Leadburn Viceroys pups

These pups are coming on nicely and are not afraid of water and look as if they are into gardening too as they are pruning the plants round the pond very well -much to Anna's disgust.They have already started carrying twigs about and wont be much longer before they are all carrying pheasants.

FTCH Leadburn Viceroy x Jakoranda Mango by FTCH Talisbrook Rhum of Bolton Abbey

Here are Mays pups at 6 weeks old. In between dog training with Rollo,Tara and Hidi and puppy feeding -they are up to 5 feeds a day now I have been busying sawing wood up as we are hoping to get another wood burning stove put in. There are so many on the market but think we will go for a Jotel like the last one.Anyone with a better suggestion please let us know

Rollo goes to Stuart Ellis' eye clinic and passes

We had our fingers crossed yesterday as Rollo- COPPERBIRCH WINNEBEGO - went to have his eyes tested for the first time.His eyes are brown but the camera just caught him wrong on this photo thats why they look a funny colour. We use Stuart Ellis who travels to Castle Vets at Barnard Castle. The waiting room was pretty full as There had been a fall of snow which meant the A66 was closed so Stuart had to detour by Newcastle. Anna went to the shops and I had some very good fish and chips at Fryer Tucks fish shop just down the road from the surgery.There was a 2 hour delay but Rollo didn't let the Cuckavalda Gundogs down as he sat there patiently surrounded by other unruly dogs and a few whining cats. He took it all in his stride- showing first class signs of being a peg dog. His sire is FTCH Greenbriar Viper of Drakeshead and his dam is FTCH Ernvale Maud of Tudorcourt who was the top bitch in Ireland in 2008 bred by Keith Matthews. He is turning into a fine dog. I think he was quite happy to get home and out into the field.He was born at the end of July 2009