Off to the Vet’s

We have taken the ladies to their pre-flight check up at the vets, four yesterday, and three today. They were weighed and given the once over, all passed with flying colours, we had difficulty getting out today as the other ‘patients’ wanted to know all about the cute Welshies.

All the puppies are over 4kg, the heaviest is 4.7kg, more than 10 times their birth weight. No wonder it feels like a workout at the gym to chase and catch 7 of them to put them away in their room, especially as they never want to go to bed any more.


Rosie is off to her new family tonight, then Mati tomorrow, and Polly on Saturday. Mati and Polly are now heavier than Bessie, so she’s not Bessie Mawr any more!


I’m also packing take-home bags for each of them, with an information folder, puppy food, a vetbed blanket, all sorts, even some Risca water for the puppies going a long way, to help avoid upset tums.

Heads Up

The first lot from this weeks set of photos....

Sorry for not keeping you all up to date, we’ve had a Championship Dog Show to organise, and assorted other projects calling.

Some of the girlies will be leaving soon for their new homes, they are so big and boisterous now that they are all growling and bickering and vying for our attention. Owain the dad is very good, playing and they chase him around, but tug of war games and chase end in squeals of pain from sharp little teeth, and they really do need the individual attention they will soon be getting which will channel their energies to less aggressive play hopefully.

A great new Monster was vanquished this morning, they were rooting around in the porch where we keep the logs for the fire, and came across a small bit of crinkly crackley material peeking out from behind the basket, the three bravest took turns to attack it, and gradually pulled it out of it’s lair. When the Monster was dragged outside the rest of the pack dived on it and pulled it about, yapping and growling. Very funny to watch and photograph, but a reminder too that the pack instinct is still strong, and if they were fending for themselves that may have been a rabbit, or bird, and would not have lasted long. Especially if the mother had helped, and that’s why we’re keeping a close watch on our chickens!

Another mad weekend, 

lots of visitors for the girls to play with,

Happy Mother's day to Megan the Welsh Springer Spaniel love from her Magnificent Seven 

and now, at 11.15 at night they are fighting and causing chaos downstairs, and I'm off to bed 'cos they will be awake at sunrise expecting breakfast - look out you new owners, it will be hell!

What a busy day!

lots of visitors today, two friends from the Welsh Springer Spaniel Club came over to see the puppies, the two Jan’s - one is Owain’s breeder Mum, and the other is Megan’s Dam’s Mum(!) so they had great fun looking and assessing.
Basically, they think they’re Fab too!

and then another family came ‘just to see’ if they might have a puppy, of course, they were totally won over by them, and gave up without a fight - knew they would, ‘Resistance is Futile’

All was quiet while we discussed the merits of Welshies against the English Springers etc. how quiet and well behaved they were - and then we opened the kitchen door to a scene of destruction, Owain had nicked the empty egg boxes fron the counter, and they all assisted in shredding the lot, 

good game, good game.

Early birds


The girls are 6 weeks old now, very vocal,  very mobile, very hungry,  and very much awake.
The morning routine has settled down to be-
06.40 approx - Alarm bark  from Owain at early dog walkers sets off the puppy alarm chorus, which cannot be ignored even from upstairs in our bedroom,
06.42 - so we sleepwalk down to open the front door and the puppy gate, stand aside as they rush outside like a flood, for the first wee of the day, and associated ablutions.
06.44 - Breakfast is served, in three huge bowls, not so messy now, they’ve learned to stand outside the dish most of the time, and a cup of tea each for us
06.50 - I then have a bit of time to clean up the overnight mess of shredded newspaper, clean up any poo, put down clean and change the fleecy bedding,
07.00 - back outside to help supervise playtime, we are constantly counting 1-2-3-4-5-6-7- where’s No7?? not the same one, but they are so quick now, even chasing the chickens this afternoon, and squeezing under the shed

Crufts 2012

Owain was second in his class last year as a puppy, and he had gained several wins in Championship Shows during the year, BUT, so had all the other dogs competing, so it was quite a surprise to be picked as the winner in the ‘Junior Class’, I am always so grateful to Jan, his breeder, for getting the best out of him in the ring, we had a great day out, even though the 5am start is a bit of a shock.

Owain’s sister Tegwen and auntie Carys had good results too, so it was a very tired but happy car on the journey home. 

Megan's Puppies - 5 weeks old

The puppies are now 5 weeks old and are starting to establish their own characters.
They now have their names, yet to be ratified by the Kennel Club, - and we also have our official kennel name which is "YBerfa" - Welsh for WheelBarrow.
These are the cutest photos yet - go and have a look.

 

Daffy time
They are not giant dogs, just tiny Daffodils!

A couple of the bravest have even gone outside to look at the bigger world, in the front garden, with a chicken or two as audience,
Once they had been out, the others followed, and if the weather stays warmer, I hope we can start having Lunch on the Lawn, which will help with toilet training, as they poo immediately after eating, and are then in the right place to do it, with a lot of ‘there’s a good puppy!!’

Weekend 3/4 March


All have sharp little teeth, barking and growling, play fighting, and they escape through the gate to their room like quicksilver, tumbling over each other to get into the hall and the kitchen. This is a much more interesting play area. Shiny fridge door, dishwasher, also the corners of the mats, which was Dad’s favourite ‘chew’.

 Mum was known affectionately for many years as ‘Megan the Destroyer’ due to her penchant for chewing the buttons or zips from her soft beds and toys, then carefully teasing out the stuffing bit by bit, until she was surrounded by white fluff, like a snowstorm.
Changing to a hard plastic bed with the vetbet liners solved the problem, as well as her growing up a bit, but there’s still an occasional tuft appears

Puppies_ 1st time outside

Megan's puppies' first excursion to the great outdoors - and being Welsh Springers they head straight for the daffodils

Megan and Owain

Everyone coos over the puppies - but look at mam and dad - handsome couple I think...