Martha and Murdoch puppies are 7 weeks

Before you all panic, I will be posting individual photos soon but just thought you might to see the gang in action together. I have been lucky enough to have had so many visitors over the week and some very special ones too, as one of my puppy owners from Croatia is on holiday and popped in to see the pups which is also the reason why I have these beautiful photos ( thank you Malik) As for telling you who they all are.....hmm......I can identify Gloves!. This litter has been a dream so long may it continue, the puppies remain very contented, they sleep very well and they are a quiet bunch, so even if they become hooligans this week I will forgive them and so far only one ( no not saying who) that bites your ankles!

Happiness is......

Three boys who like running, water and a completely empty beach.Life doesn't get much better for a Barbet.

A barbet weekend and grooming

On Saturday I had the pleasure of Eton and his owner, I am pleased to say we have experimented with a new brush on his coat. We must have removed nearly a black bag of hair, and he still looked like a barbet when he left, so now we sit and wait to see how the coat grows back. Learning about the breed and their coats will take time, in some breeds coat colour makes a difference, and whether the dog has been castrated or spayed can make a difference.So far I do think that shaving black dogs makes the coat curlier and thicker, but thats not 100% accurate. The future for a perfect coat will be the ratio of undercoat to the top coat, and the length of undercoat. If you look back at the old barbet, it would have been shaved with the sheep or as a peasants dog would have got so matted that as the hair grew the dog would scratch the matts out or they would get caught on something and get pulled out, not a nice thought as some areas would always remained uncomfortable for the dog, as some old books describe, the barbet was a smelly flea infested dog.

Barbet puppies at 5 weeks

The rain stopped and the 5 week old pups at Annettes were released into the bigger world of outside. When you see this photo you can't help but think they are longing for the next stage which is 'the field'.
Tomorrow I am going to see them again, so although I will say 'goodbye' to my temporary puppy residents, I will also get a few puppy cuddles with older pups. Having so much puppy time is almost as good as having my own, but it has made me realise its time for more puppies at the Preston house, its been far too long.

Ebene and Oolis pups 4 weeks old

What a wonderful litter these 5 are, Ebene has done a grand job of rearing them. I can't wait for my puppy visit again.I have delayed a visit because of having the two foster pups.  

Rare breeds and working

On Friday I was invited to take part on a new shoot for their 'beaters day', this is so good for Bepop and I as its new ground, new people and new dogs. To me it felt like the first day at a new job, but once again everyone was extremely welcoming and made us both feel at home. Bepop knows its going be a good day as soon as she sees my working trousers and my beating stick.Since the Shooting times article, I have realised that working folk are sympathetic to the difficulties of working a rare breed, they are interested to see how a different dog works. Bepop was good on Friday, she did turn deaf a couple of times, but she worked well flushing. My downfall is I issue too many commands, so I know we have a long way to go together.I am also lucky that I have the chance to see Remy (Novaforesta Drew) at work, he is a fine flushing dog, and not forgetting DiDi (Novaforesta Diamond Black) who have been present on other shoots. At least this year at the game fairs we attend, I will have a greater understanding of the shooting world in the UK, and more importantly how the barbet can fit into that world.