Good News Novaforesta Eton

Novaforesta Eton has officially a score of 8 for his hips. Fantastic news for the breed in the UK.

Nick Ridley Picture of the week.

Welcomes Novaforesta Eton and Novaforesta Demi.

http://www.nickridley.com/

Click on 'Picture of the week' to view

Novaforesta Enid aka Ellie

This is Ellie, sister to Esme and they are best friends as owned by two sisters. They look quite amazing together, and look good, both of them trimmed short.
Always makes me think of Effie, when I see them, but Effie is in Holland and doing very well in the showring (and fantastic health test results).

Novaforesta Esme

what was best about the photoshoot?.

Easy, remembering my own camera, so I can capture some of the pups when we meet up.
This is Esme from Betsy and Baccus.

Photoshoot at Loseley house with Nick Ridley

A fantastic day with beautiful weather and great company. Loseley House is a great location, and we had not only a lake but plenty of fields and woodland for our photoshoot.
Plan of the day was some dry shots of the dogs and then some water photos, so whilst we were waiting for our turn, the dogs had a run around in a field, and dear Betsy found the only bit of mud!!!!, luckily it was a hot day so a quick swim and the last dog to be photographed proved it wasn't such a disaster.More to follow.......as the photos taken by Nick Ridley are absolutely stunning.

Bedtime for Betsy and how she communicates

Although she has a long coat, its now Spring and Betsy has had her natural warm woolly jacket removed. I groom my barbets for the UK weather, but perhaps I had not taken into account our house is very cold and we have no carpets, so the flooring is cold!. At 7pm last night, after a very long walk, a good swim and a hearty meal she begged and cried until we realised she wanted to go upstairs to bed, as you can see that is where the dog beds are!. It really shows how the coat of a dog can be changed by grooming, Betsy spent most of our Snowy weather outside, she is not a dog naturally that ever feels the cold. Anyway, she didn't move, thats how she slept until 7am this morning, Bepop and Bobby thought it was great as they cuddled up. Its strange how dogs communicate so differently, Bepop if she wants something she looks with her eyes and then back to me, not unlike a baby would, Betsy dogs your heels and cries and you play the guessing game, Bobby is still a bit young and too preoccupied with retrieving anything not tied down, Jazz dances on his back legs near whatever he wants or runs to it.

Bepop can be a lady and a model!

Copyright Dogs Today,photo Tim Rose

Hard to believe that Bepop has three shoots lined up for next season, if she could speak she would be complaining that she would rather be holding a duck or pheasant, sometimes it is an advantage that dogs communicate with their eyes rather than words, and Bepop nearly always has one eye showing, so I can tell whether she is happy, or fearful or just plain hacked off! . 

Bepop as a puppy

Poppy aka Bepop
This photo was taken at the home of Isabella the breeder of Bepop

Happy Birthday Bepop 5 today

Copyright Dogs Today photo Tim Rose

Happy Birthday to Bepop, who is still curled up fast asleep and doesn't yet realise that today she will do no wrong as its a special day.

Dear Bepop.

Bepop  can be rustic and still have eyes!
This photo was just before she rolled.The Spring weather has increased her desire to roll in anything disgusting she can find, never a dull moment owning a dog like Bepop.

Chien Barbet

Terracotta statue of a Barbet by F. Foucher

France
19th century
Terracotta statue of a Barbet, a rare French breed of dog. The artist is F. Foucher, the piece is signed by hand and has an impressed mark on the back. 19th century, France.

A Barbet was at Crufts 2011

This wonderful photo by Anne Plomp in Holland of her dog Alba won the working photo competition run by the English Kennel Club, and YES it was proudly on the Kennel Club stand.
As we gazed at the photos with admiration, we were informed about the fantastic photo of the Bouvier!!!!! and the reflection of the water. Hmmm.......hopefully a genuine mistake, which we quickly corrected. If you are visiting Crufts tomorrow or Sunday, the photos are well worth a visit, and feel free to remind the staff that its a Barbet NOT a Bouvier in the photo, working photo with a Bouvier in water, very strange! 

Dog Shows

I would happily admit that I am not that interested in the showing side of owning a breed, mainly because I am not a competitive person, but I can see the social side of showing, its good to meet with others that you immediately have something in common with, and if a judge agrees with you that you have the best dog in the class, then its a wonderful experience. My thought for the day, is that with the rarer breeds that are low in numbers therefore low in numbers at dog shows, instead of winning as you are the only entry,why not allow judges to just write reports for the dog, that way judges could learn more about the breed, the faults and the good points and breeders will hopefully take onboard some faults within their breeding and gain knowledge due to other reports  how to improve the breed, it should also be free entry until the numbers are sufficient for competition. If you had a good report for your dog, then it would be on the internet next day, a bad report, then you probably would  have wished you had kept quiet about the dog show! Food for thought. 

CRUFTS What a result.

Well done Annette, her lovely boy Cenzo won Best overall Boy with strong competition.
Fantastic result and well deserved, Cenzo is the nicest male dog I think I have ever met, stunning in looks with a delightful character and so tolerant, as he has to live with Ooli (Novaforesta Dudley).

Brindille sister of Bepop.

Brindille is also keen on her veg, Bepop eats absolutely anything she is given, raw veg or cooked. In fact a couple of days ago she took a 1lb of parsnips and ate the lot with strangely no ill effects!

This is Brindille in the water

http://www.dailymotion.com/Piafou63#videoId=xdu9xq

Novaforesta Diamond Black

What a life for a barbet, reeds,water,windmills,castles,woods, thats what I would call a fantastic place to walk a dog.
A very lucky much loved barbet.

Bepops' brother

This is Boone, the brother of Bepop and yes he does look like her. He, like Bepop will be 5 years old soon and he has had quite a strange life. I met him  whilst visiting Bepop all those years ago, he was a lovely well adjusted pup, but living with another male dog was not a match made in heaven so he was rehomed, then he was sent to another home in the States and finally for  Boone, a fourth home and he has the  stability and a forever home with a wonderful family. I hope that Boone brings the same amount of pleasure that owning Bepop does, always good when a story has a happy ending.  

Bepop, Betsy and Dolly Photoshoot with Dogs Today.

We have just returned from a photoshoot for '' Dogs Today'' a popular monthly dog magazine.
The photoshoot was needed as the breed is now part of their perfect pup section, and Jilly (Dollys' owner) and myself are breed advisors. I am sure I don't need to say, but all three dogs were beautifully behaved, Bepop posed as I knew she would, she loves being the centre of attention, Dolly was a complete natural in front of the camera, and  Betsy  managed some beautiful sits. Hope to see some of the photos in about a week.

   

Betsy and Dolly

Novaforesta Dolly and Betsy Bonheur

Lovely day out on Sunday, Dolly and Betsy did some tracking work and both did very well. A full write up is on the GB Club site, anyway the walk wasn't just work it was fun for the dogs to spend time together. Dolly is Betsys first daughter and she is now 3 years old and is a very sweet calm dog used for pet therapy work.

Well done Betsy

Betsy Bonheur

Mustn't forget to say well done to Betsy for producing such beautiful healthy pups three years ago.

Not forgetting Boree aswell.

Happy Birthday 3 Years old today

Novaforesta Delyssa aka Nenu

Novaforesta Dexter aka Baxter

Novaforesta Dempsey aka Mr Bentley

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 3 YEARS OLD TODAY

Happy 3rd Birthday to Betsy and Boree's litter 4th March 2008

Novaforesta Dylan

Novaforesta Drew aka Remy

Novaforesta Denzil aka Odo

Novaforesta Dolly




The white cows are back!

Sadly I missed the photo of Bobby giving this cow a kiss, luckily the cow was not bothered.
Interesting walk today, Bepop managed a wonderful retrieve on a half eaten rabbit, she disappeared on the walk and after a whistle recall (twice) she re-appeared and then walked at heel out of choice, so she was either rolling in something unpleasant or she was chasing something she shouldn't, anyway I have to give her the benefit of doubt, maybe she heard the first whistle and ignored me, so that is why she felt guilty.

Sablecomb White Polar at Leander

I have just found this photo, this is one of the boys (my favourite) from the small kennel where I worked.
1981 he was Reserve Supreme Champion at Crufts. I must find the photos I have of him as he rarely looked this smart!. I knew him as ' White' and my other favourite was a standard called 'Blue'  I didn't think those names were odd at the time, and another lovely female called 'Bridie'. I still remember going back to the kennels about 3 years after I had left, 20 poodles barking like mad, and then I spoke, it was uncanny the mood change as the dogs that immediately remembered my voice, became very excited, the others realised I was a friend rather than an intruder. It was an emotional day, when I left I knew it was unlikely I would see the dogs again as I had moved many miles away, those that know me 'goodbyes' are not my strongest point!.