Well out little boy is coming along well, his coat is growing now although there is still some work needed on his face staining.
I am comfortable that he is now ready to go to a new home, he is a loving little boy, still very puppyish, although obviously house trained.
There are no ill effects from leaving his last home, he love and trusts everyone he comes in contact with, so anyone looking for a slightly older puppy/adult Bolognese would be enchanted by him and he with them.
If you are interested please contact me, he is to go to a loving pet home only, not for showing or breeding from.
Emi and Sebastian have produced three gorgeous puppy's for me. they were all born without any problems for either her or the pups and Sebastian, well he slept through most of it then took himself off for a long walk until it was done and dusted.
They were joined a week later by 2 Cavalier boys who at 5 days old were very poorly, their mum had lost her milk and couldn't feed them. Although on 2 hourly bottle feeding they were losing weight quickly.
Emi just took them to her heart and is nursing them as her own and after a week they have now thankfully regained their birth weights and I now at last have confidence that all is well with them
Thank you everyone for your e-mails concerning Jinkie, he is doing really well, the last of his mats came out at last weekend, his eyes and their staining have really improved and he can begin to smile and flash his teeth again. His coat is growing already now it is free of knots and the traditional ringlets are appearing now he has been washed, quite the little glamour boy.
He remains his loving little self and has found his niche within the household, I have had several enquiries about new homes for him but as yet none, although all sound very caring people, none have been absolutely right, he must now have his for-ever home no matter how long it takes to find and if I cannot find the right home he will remain here with me.
He is fascinated by my Budgies, I didn't have them when he left me, so he sits for hours by their cages and watches them intently with one ear slightly raised and his head on one side.
He enjoys his walks around the village, whether sitting quietly by the edge of the pond or meeting new people, he isn't phased by the tractors or even the children on their bikes, when people visit he loves all the fuss and when the excitement has died down he sits by their feet watching them intently with those very bright big black button eyes of his just in case they invite him up on their laps, that is one of his favourite places.
I could not have hoped for more of a success than this, it is such a shame he and his new family did not bond, there has not been one moment when I have had to question his behaviour and as to going to a behaviour therapist well, maybe, I misread the e-mail, just maybe it wasn't him that was going at all.
I have here a well balanced, socialised little boy who still loves life and people to the full, thank goodness.
It was an early start for this show and was taking 5 dogs but only showing two, Sebastian and Ksenia, my two puppy's Cornelious and Tuppence were coming along for the experience and Katarina was to meet what was hopefully to be her new family. They arrived the same time as ourselves so there was no time to get to know them just to introduce Kat to them both and see if there was any connection between them all.
The show went well, it was very friendly and relaxed and good to see old friends who have just pets, to catch up on everyones news.
Sebastian was in Post Graduate and came second, he showed well and is always a pleasure to take anywhere. He is always relaxed, ready to move at your slightest command and just adores being out and about with us.
Ksenia was in Junior bitch and gained a first, she looked good, her coat is lovely at the moment and she moved well, For once she seemed not to be on Duracell just EverReady, she has such an outgoing personality she charms everyone she meets but keeping up with her is a nightmare1 I just wish I could some of that ongoing energy for myself.
She went forward into Best Bitch and won it as well, amazing both John and myself, not because she isn't lovely but because of her young age.
She also got Res.Best in Show we were over the moon but she just took it in her stride as normal, looked at me with those huge eyes that seemed to so "did you ever doubt me mum, for same on you."
They had a puppy parade of 4/6 month olds which helps to get them use to the ring, people and what is expected of them, it is a really good idea and gives you an idea of their show potential as usual every puppy got a prize because they were all so good. Kathy did the judging looking at teeth conformation and ring skill she is very good and spends time with the more nervous pups.
Cornelious headed the parade, he is a little more withdrawn than his sister but led everyone with confidence around, stood on the table four square, then even let her look at his teeth I was very pleased with him and more importantly he seemed to enjoy himself hugely. Tuppence followed behind him with John I couldn't see her very well obviously and she tended to shadow me as well but on the table and her solo walk she was quite good as well so all in all a very positive day out.
However, the Creme del la Creme had to go to Katarina, her two new prospective owners are both in wheelchairs and at nearly 5 years old Kat had never seen a wheelchair before and we were not sure how she would react to two of them. Well! as soon as I placed her on Christine's lap she snuggled in and stayed there for hours, I went to exercise the puppies outside and there was Kat with them both walking alongside Christine's chair as though she was in the ring again, no fears at all. she spent time on both laps and didn't move an inch. I have to say she is not normally a lap dog so we were truly amazed.
Katarina's continuing story will be in my Family Circle so you can see just how she, Christine and David get on, their love of the Bolognese breed was obvious but I think even they were surprised at the instant love between the three of them.
So we came home after a busy but exciting day with mixed feelings, the hole Kat will leave is massive but the joy on the faces of her new owners makes it a truly wonderful one.
Well Crufts is here again and the hussle and bussle of preparation is over the car is packed and with the busy day behind us we left late evening for the hotel.
I was taking 3 again this year for Sebastian and Ksenia it was new, in fact Zen had only be shown twice last year in puppy and being hypo-active and strong willed anything could happen, Sebastian although lightly shown usually performs well but he remains a little unsure of these things called judges, why do they want to look at your teeth havn't they seen any before and as for the private bits, well, maybe a lady judge, but really it's a little personal, still mum says it's OK. I decided to take Simo at the last minute although I had not shown him since last year at Crufts, he was looking good and although there are a lot of nice youngsters in the ring at the moment I thought he could hold his own against them.
The day started badly, I overslept by 2 hours, not something I normally do, fortunately we were not in the ring until late but we met with the later heavy traffic and parking, however, at last we were installed and catching up with old friends and in competition mode. By the time we had exercised the dogs, fed and groomed them I and hopefully they were ready for action. I had been under Mrs Desserne before and liked her judging, she is thorough and judges the dog not the person, she definitely knows what she likes.
Let the show begin.
First of my three to go was Sebastian, he was in Post Graduate Dog, he went well, looked self assured and obviously was enjoying himself and all the attention he had received so far. He achieved a 2nd which I was really pleased about. He looked good, strode out well and I felt I was the weak link in our unison, normally I stack him I have always thought it would give him that extra bit of confidence, ( stacking is kneeling down and show him that way) however as it is now a struggle for me to get up and down that I think these days I will have to start getting him use to me standing him freeform.
Next was Simo in Open Dog, how would he match up to all these new youngsters after so long away from the competition circuit? Why did I even doubt him, he adores showing just as much as I adore showing him.
He never forgets, once the lead is on and we enter that ring he just blossoms we are and always have been as one, in unison, with each other, he follows my every move, just like a shadow I never have to say a word he just knows what I want, an absolute joy both in and out of the ring.
He got 1st place in Open Dog a very good start, then he challenged for Best Dog again he got the 1st place, I was over the moon and he was my shining star, I remembered back to 2 years ago when we had been in this position and he had collected the Reserve Best of Breed only losing to the Best Bitch, who would get the Best Bitch award this year?
Before that it was little Ksenia's turn, both Gina and Martin her Dams breeders were sitting ringside watching closely, they have been in Bolognese for many years and are part of the infa-structure would they approve of my mating choice I was more nervous them than the judge.
She did very well and although still playful and puppy-like she held her own very well in the Junior class acting more Grange Hill on a good day than St Trinnian's on a bad one, She just adores life to her everything is fun and she makes life that way, just a little nerve racking when you are the one on the end of lead, "when she is good she is very very good, when she is playful she's nerve racking but you know I wouldn't have her any other way - well, perhaps just occasionally in the ring. She came 3rd so I was delighted she is still a baby and has yet to mature but Gina was pleased with her as well as the judge and who knows she may get Best Bitch before long.
Time for the Best of Breed judging, we were up against Chris and her lovely Bella who is another well practised dog in the ring, the judge took her time making us go around several more times them she picked up the coveted Best of Breed Rosette around we went again for the last time, too late now she had made her decision she walked towards us, who would it be, she looked very decisive and came towards me, handing the rosette out I couldn't believe it a dream come true, it is always nice to win the title but at Crufts it is special.
Sebastian & Katarina 1st Litter, Well this was going to be an interesting litter, last year Kat gave us 6 puppy's with her first litter, 3 boys and 3 girls, no bother at all and all over within an hour an a half, were we just very lucky or was it to be a repeat performance.
Exactly the same day dawned as last year so I was on alert just in case she started her labour. Good old Kat, she did, it was as if she had read my whelping notes from last time, everything was the same, all over within an hour and a half, 3 boys and 3 girls with no problems at all, she didn't need me faffing around her she just went into auto drive until it was over.
As with last time she took to being a mum and very soon the pups were all clean, fed and tucked up around her, her look seemed to say, Ok mum go and get yourself some food now, it was nice of you to pop in but not really necessary but some food and another drink would be nice then I'm for some sleep and I suggest you do the same.
Once again a lovely healthy litter, only this time from Sebastian instead of Simo, he proudly came in to see them with a smug look that seemed to say "not bad mum five for my first time with Sofia and now six with Kat, ahh I feel a sleep coming on.
1 week on: Both the pups and Katarina are doing well, she is happy and a natural mum, the pups are growing and are very content, with the odd suckling noise and their strange little contented noises all is well in the StanHome Nursery
All the pups have new homes even before they were born so I will be busy taking pix for everyone and hopefully a trial video.
