|
|
|  News:
   BOTH Bailey & Phinias are Crufts Qualifiers Sunday 05th February 2012: We were in Carlisle today for the Cumberland show where Phinias got 2nd in Dalmatian Post Gradute and a 1st in AV Utility Post Graduate - the AV was more impressive as he beat the dog who go the first in AV Utility Yearling, which was a big class. Despite the weather warnings for snow there was none, and in fact the sun was shining, and it was about 7-8 degrees, which made the drive there and back very enjoyable. Next weekend we are staying local, s paws crossed. Tuesday 03rd January 2012: Well another year over, and a Happy New Year to you all. As you may have seen from the show results there has been a serious lack of shows of late, we were due to do two in December but one had to be cancelled due to lack of entries, which proves my point that we must support our local shows or lose them, and this is another we have lost. I hope all had a great Christmas and fab new year: ours was quiet as we are only a small family with David (son) and Gemma (daughter-in-law to be) and Gemma (daughter) and Michael (son-in-law to be) but we had a great time and seemed to enjoy each others company, which is always a plus. Bailey and Phinais both put on weight over the holidays so it is back to long walks for them to get them back in shape bless them. Saturday 19th November 2011: last weekend we were at Northallerton despite saying we would never do that show again as the hall is far too small for two rings, but we entered at the last minute to support the judge Hazel Chance, after all she is a breed judge and we should support our breed judges. As previous years the rings were to small, the hall to small for so many people, and the parking awful. We all ended up covered in mud walking from the car to the hall, Phinias having to be washed down before getting in the ring. This weekend we were at Newton Aycliffe and while the hall was ten times the size the rings were to small for Dalmatians, and the hall packed: I gave up counting how many dogs / people walked in to me as it was standing room only. We left after our first class as I was in agony from standing so long and had a migraine from the coffee Steve kindly bought me: it was meant to be a latte but it was in fact a machine made something or other, very strong and with far too much caffine, thus an instant migraine. We went shopping on our way home, had some lunch and I went to bed for the afternoon to recover. Good this show lark at times lol. Now to look forward to the next show, on the plus side it was lovely meeting up with people and meeting the new pups out at the moment. ............................. 2011: Well we finally came across a show we will never enter again, nothing to do with the venue or the judging but the attitude of a member of the committee, why you ask? The show was local if you read the show name, so we thought we would enter even though there was no Dalmatian class as there might be one next year, and I beleive you should protect your local shows if you do not want to lose them. However when I checked the post code for the Sat Nav the show was three counties away, yep three counties (40 plus miles each way). We got there, collected our catelogue and got a cup of coffee. While reading the catelogue I asked in passing a show official why the show was so far away from the show name - happens with Champ shows but this was not a Champ show - the reply was "if you bothered to read the clubs manifesto you will see we can have a show anywhere in the North East" followed by "and I live here!", I was amazed how nasty the comment came out. This show previously has been very close to the name on the schedule, and I remember it having a good entry. This show did not, and next year the entry will be a couple of people lower. We stayed for our class, did rubbish in that class as beaten by two fluffies lol, and went. We had bought raffle tickets but did not stay for the raffle, and we made a donation to a charity as we left, but the show itself is not one we will attend.    Crufts 2011
Sunday 13th March 2011: Well DfsCruft 2011 was a success, and so much fun, though a very long weekend. Bailey got binned (not placed for those who do not know show language), but then there were 19 in the class, all after just 5 places, however Phinias got 4th place in Dalmatian Dog Junior, not bad for our first ever Crufts! - had the entry rules been the same for last year as this Bailey would have qualified for last year as well as this, and as you know Phinias has already qualified for next year. Lisa got a 3rd with Diesal, and Christine placed with both Jack (2nd) and Tess (1st)!. Stuart and Carol got a staggering three 1st's! Not bad for a small region of Dalmatains. At the end of the day my feet were killing and so swollen. I think Steve's feet were killing as well as we both went to the bar, back at our hotel, with no shoes on. It has took two days to recover. Though I assume had I not got lost walking around the show, which was huge, then my feet would not have hurt as much. We spent a fortune but had a great time. Despite all the show shopping I managed to forget to buy new collars for Bailey and Phinias, and forgot to buy Garlic and Fenugreek for Bailey, opps. This is the first three dog classes for Crufts 2011: Steve and Phinias are about 28 minute in - enjoy    | |   About Us We are members of the oldest Dalmatian club in the world the North of England Dalmatian Club, plus members of the Dalmatian Club of Scotland, and the British Dalmatian Club & as of January 2011 are part of the Kennel Club Accredited Assured Breeders Scheme. Despite having always been dog owners we had never had a Dalmatian until 2008; Several years ago our darling daughter was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) at which time she was an Irish Dancer, the diagnoses explained her many health issues and constant tiredness, which resulted in her retiring from a hobby she loved. One thing she had always wanted was a Dalmatian so we got her to do her research, attend the North of England Dalmatian Club shows, speak to owners and breeders before saying "yes" to a new family member, one thing we asked everyone was "could a show dog be a pet first" and the answer everytime was "yes", in fact a show dog is a very much a pet with a social life - we asked as we wanted something that with give darling daughter a goal in life and something to encourage her to exercise and get out and about. On 30th March 2008 on getting home from the North of England Dalmatian Club Spring Open Show we received an email from Leanne Richardson that a litter of pups sired by Micky (CH Mapplewell It Takes Two JW) had been born that day and the rest is history. Funny though darling daughter never did get her Dalmatian as we loved Bailey so much we bought Bailey from her............ Bailey was joined by Phinias 18 months later, and from there we we had our first Dalmatian litter arrive on the 12th August 2011. Bailey and Phinias are very much pets with social lives, they live indoors with us, sleep on the sofa, and when we want a lie in, on our bed with us. Neither snatch food from the hand that feeds them. They enjoy long walks on the beach or park, and love being cuddled, or allowed to sleep on the sofas in front of the TV with their heads on our laps.   Baileys Irish Cream with Dalissm may have been our first Dalmatian but she is not our last and was joined by Heaven Sent Phreeman Calix with Dalissm (Phinias) on 22 November 2009.  Bailey aged 2 years & Phinias aged 4 months
Our
   Bailey aged 2 years & Phinias aged 6 months  Bailey, doing what Dalmatians do best...... | |
| South Shields on a warm but overcast autumn Sunday morning, a great place for walking Dalmatians This must be Baileys and Phinias's favourite beaches as they have several miles of sand over three or four beaches to play on and a good couple of miles of grass area to play, an area where responsible dog owners who clean up after their pets are ecouraged: you will find the dogs and myself on the beach most mornings from 5am (dogs are banned 8am-6pm May to September so early is better). While we have a Jarrow post code we live on the borders of South Shields, Jarrow and West Boldon. Ask anyone locally where we live and they will say South Shields as we are the wrong side of the A19 to be Jarrow. The plus side of living so close to the A19 is that we are only 10 minutes drive from Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, Washington, North Shields town centre and South Shields town centre, plus an hour and a half from Manchester, Leeds or the borders of Scotland . A big advantage of where we live is not only huge North East coast beaches such as those at South Shields, North Shields, Tynemouth, Whitley Bay, Whitburn and Sunderland but we have rolling countryside within minutes of leaving the house and three nature reserves within five to ten minutes walk from the house. What we lack in garden space we make up for in local area. Tyneside is very much a hidden gem in the North of England, and that is coming from a born and bred Southerner who had to look South Shields on a map when she met her future husband as she had never heard of it (me! lol), that will teach me to marry a Sand Dancer (Someone born within a mile of the Tyne). We are only an hour and a bit from Scotland (to the North) or Manchester and Leeds to the South thanks to the A19 and the A1, giving no excuse to stay at home and not take your great new pal out exploring the UK. The West coast is about and hour and a half away and the east coast about ten minutes. Have I ever looked back at moving to a gorgeous area? no as this is now my home and so much quieter than Dorset where I grew up. So thanks Steve for asking me to marry you all those years ago, and thanks for two wonderful children (David and Gemma-Caroline). And thanks to Gemma-Caroline for the most wonderful dogs anyone could wish to own (Bailey & Phinias). .    When not on the beach in South Shields we walk the dogs by the river and St Paul's Church, Jarrow (famous for St Bede), which is very pretty when the river is full with water from the Tyne but very muddy when not, which Phinias enjoys much more, mainly because he can get covered in mud! Sadly the bridge does not go anywhere, well it does if you do not mind walking in to a fence surrouding the Port of Tyne dock where they keep the Nissan cars for export.   | |
|
|