WOW what a weekend !! There was me just doing my dogs at home when I got a phonecall to say that Ann Brown with Deepha had not only gone BOB but won the Pastoral Group at Blackpool Championship show, making Breed history, being the only Malinois Ever to win a Group at this level in the UK !!! We will definitely be celebrating this win when they come down to stay in a couple of weeks time!

Meanwhile Grace with Kiah won Grade 3 Agility and is now into Grade 4. What a star !

Jo has had a good weekend too. Keisha won Novice Jumping,Novice Agility and 4th in Power and Speed; Kody 4th Primary Jumping,Ronny 1st Primary Agility and 2nd Primary Jumping. In Flyball the Brickyard Bandits were 3rd with a time of 20.05. In the ABC pairs Ronny and kody were 2nd and Ronny won the ABC Singles !! A great videoclip of Pudsey (Laekenois) doing his first Flyball run on Jos' blog (link below mali-mania).

Well Done everyone for keeping the Bonvivant flag flying!!!!!

Just when I thought it was safe to get my supper and get to bed Lisa rang to say that Fidget had decided to start whelping. She wasn't due until Thursday but she was such a size I think she had no option! Two pups had decided to arrive together and this was not going to happen so I had to manipulate one back to get the first one born. After that they came regularly and all were good strong pups. 4 bitches and 3 dogs and it looks like there are 3 greys. I had expected some as Fidgets' sister, Flic, is grey as is Bruine. It was a long night but lovely to see Fidget happy with her brood.

Training Tuesday and Wednesday with Cello and Crusoe. Cello blotted his copybook when he nipped off on the way to his retrieve to grab some yummy chocolate cake that had been brought to celebrate Davids' win in B. Joan makes the best choc cake and Cello just loves it--he did go and do his retrieve afterwards, then washed his cake down with some elderflower wine!

Crusoe is very laid back about his lessons and watches from an upside down position most of the time! (photo below)

What a busy week, and I did intend to update a lot sooner but the time just sped by. I had some lovely photos sent to me this week. Two from Bridgit of Tiva, one of her looking like something out of Return of the Jedi with her sandy boots on, and one of her at an exemption show getting her Rosette. Max is having a great time and is seen here relaxing with his equine friend--what a great photo.

Yukon, a Chili son is looking good on the settee and has been busy making friends at the agility shows.

It has been another chicken week--we now have six chicks--only a few days old, but they are growing so fast! In the next few days we are going to try hatching some eggs from various rare breed eggs--fingers crossed we will have little chicks by mid-july (hopefully we will get a good hatch rate). We have been making pens for when they are big enough to go out and I will post before,during and after photos. The hens are beginning to lay a few eggs now and they are quite fascinating to watch. I shan't be showing them though :)) I never knew there were so many different breeds and we have been visiting a local rare breeds farm, being followed by goslings and even seeing a newly hatched Rhea chick--amazing creature.

The weather, on the whole, has been glorious, and the dogs have all had plenty of run time-hopefully getting a bit fitter after such a long winter of cold,wet weather. More obedience training for Cello and Cruz and they are definitely getting a lot better despite my rusty handling--you never know we may be ready to compete by next year ! I must take some more photos but I have been catching up on more mundane kennel jobs and lots of grooming.

I went to see Fidget who is due to whelp any day, she is enormous but very cheerful despite looking as if she might explode at any moment!

Sunny weather and good news--a lovely combination.

Rusty and David gained their 2nd Agility CC this weekend !Brilliant!

Karin with Indi went to their Search and Rescue training and Indi was a very good boy. Karin says he loves his work and has really good concentration, and will be going forward for their assessment, along with Richards' Folly (working Mal), in September. Thanks Karin for the great pictures of Indi working.

I am hoping that the weather stays fine tomorrow so Udall can have his bath and groom ready for his owners' return on Tuesday. He has had a great holiday playing with Vogue, Brizo and Psyche. Lots of grooming to catch up on this week too.

There aren't enough hours in a day lately. Busy week with two training sessions for Cello and Crusoe, both boys were well behaved and enjoyed themselves. Three more hens have arrived, this time Speckeldys, so now there are 6 hens with theis rather handsome Maran cockerel. We have been clearing a new area in the field where we can put up some new runs and we have some Silver Lace Wyandottes on the way. Getting a few eggs every day which is nice.

Managed to get a few shots of the guinea pigs too today, the dark one is ancient and very much the matriarch-must be about 5 years old now. Very old in Guinea pig years.

The weather has been lovely so the dogs all got a turn out in the paddock. Chris came over and got mugged by Yaz who hasn't heard that Malinois are wary at all--he launched himself and landed in his lap for a cuddle. Chic had a cuddle too but preferred to play with her toys. It won't be long before they are out in the ring now--their first shows will be at the back to back club show in August.

Hope the weather will be fine that week as we have our usual camping here with a training day and BBQ on the 5th with Wendy Fairlamb taking the agility sessions. Get in touch if you want to come along @£6 a dog --should be a good day with all ages and standards catered for. Looking forward to meeting up with lots of Belgian owners and having fun-we are hoping to get to the beach too with a picnic one day that week.

Sunday I decided to go up to Newark to the Spinone Champ show to meet up with Lynn where she was manning the CSJ stand. The idea was to take a few dogs with me and find time to do some obedience practice and socialising with a couple of pups. As I set off the heavens opened with thunder and lightening and it was pouring down all day. Needless to say the dogs didn't get out much!

Lynn stayed over and what a totally different day--sunshine and we went off to pick strawberries and go to the farm shop for more cake.We visited Wendy and had a Bristle hug and a cup of coffee and then back home to take some photos of Quest and her daughter Rowan in the field. Altogether a nice day and then Lynn went off home. Lisa and Chris brought a rejuvenated Sophie to visit along with a barrel shaped Fidget--only a couple of weeks before her litter is due. Solo came too as they had been walking out at the reservoir.

I stole some photos from Bridgits Facebook and this is of one of Fidgets' Yorn daughter, Tiva. Training tomorrow with Cello and Crusoe is going Wednesday to see what we can do.

Busy week as usual with lots of visitors to see the dogs. Cello had two training days and worked really well. Ewa and Benjamin came to stay for the weekend with Dodi and Vialli. Dodi and Tia had a good game in the field.

The dogs have had a lot of paddock time as the weather has held for a few days and the pups have spent lots of time playing out there. Chic and Yazoo went to the vets as it was time for Chics' bloodtest, they were very well behaved and took it all in their stride. I managed to catch up on some much needed grooming but still a few more to do. The birds have all got fur lined nests now !

The paddocks had a good strim and look really smart but we have got lots of repairs to do to the gates.

Four new additions on the chicken front witrh a trio of Cuckoo Marans and a Blue Belle hen so we had to erect a new pen and utilise an old kennel which, fortunately, had pop holes. No eggs yet but they have got to settle in.

Poor Sophie (Bonvivant Galadriel) owned by Lisa and Chris, was really ill this week with a pyometria and a tear in her stomach wall which caused her to have serious infection. Too ill to be operated on as her temperature was over 105.6 she had massive doses of antibiotic. Touch and go as to whether she would survive the op she was spayed and cleaned out. She is making a good recovery and hopefully will soon return to her normal naughty self.

A sad day Tuesday as it was Carols' fathers' funeral, a lovely service he would have thoroughly approved of.

Saturday I drove over to see the litter by Cliche to Czara, a lovely even litter just such a shame it was so hot and, having got lost going there, I was late and the pups were so tired I didn't get many pics of them other than asleep! Marion went with me to choose her puppy dog and will go to collect him next weekend.

Sunday I went to socialise the remaining puppies at a small companion show and Carol Hall went with me. She took Cerise, who is maturing nicely now, Psyche and Crusoe went too. Psyche was second in Prettiest bitch and won the Best Condition class. The puppies took it all in their stride as usual with Elle managing to escape and create havoc (as usual). They had lots of admirers and then crashed in the van whilst we had a picnic. A nice change to relax with the dogs in the sunshine.

Cello has his usual training night this week and a day course as well--looking forward to that but wish we had had more time to practice !

Dare I say I feel a bit better this weekend--need some more energy though. I think the sunshine helps after such a long winter.