Hellfire Kennels

Obedience is upon us

About sums it up.

The boys are working hard to get ready for the June obedience trials. Maverick is a Novice dog and Ice is a Utility dog. I am super busy so don't expect many blog updates.  If we can survive June, we can survive anything. :D

The Singer puppies are to be picked up June 7th and 8th, just a day shy of 9 weeks old - so please schedule a time if you have not done so yet.  I'm not going to lie - I put a lot of love into these little orphans and it's going to hurt like hell to send them off into the world.  I'll try hard not to chase you down the road, like Maia used to do when people would pick up her puppies.

I will not put litter photos on the blog so use Facebook or the photo album links...although I am keeping baby Zephyr so expect to see a few cute pictures of her. She is awesome!

Versatile Springer

Still looking good at 13 years old.

It's official. FC AFC CFC MH RE VCD1 (TD CD NJP NAP) OJP OAP WDX Toby will join the ranks of the highest honored and is an ESSFTA Versatile Springer. So proud of him. I started out with this goal, but in the end it didn't mean nearly as much as the wonderful journey it took to get there. Honestly, when I submitted his application this year, I really didn't care if they approved it or not.

The Tobster is truly a special dog. His greatest strengths would be an amazing work ethic and a genuine love of learning. He never said no to any of the crazy things things I asked him to do, had amazing saint like patience as I bumbled through some of the newer training techniques and he always did it with a happy waggy tail. When he met his first full height teeter totter my plan was just to let him  walk around it and sniff it, but instead he jumped on, went directly to the end and rode it down like a pro before I could even run to the end to spot him! That's just how Toby rolls. 

Whether it was at a trial or hunting wild Montana roosters, in the field Toby was a magnificent bird finding warrior with relentless tenacity. I finished his WDX last fall, at age 12+ years old, in pounding rains during the historic (and scary!) Colorado floods... and he was unphased by it all. Truly an indomitable spirit.

PS: Toby had a stroke earlier this year, but he is still strong and doing great!

The Babysitter

The babysitter

Baby Zephyr

Before and After

Apres roll in crap shot:

Mr Stinky Pants

Apres bath shot:

Much better!

Outside at last!

Playing outside - finally! It's been a super long winter...now it's time to play! 

Roogie Boogie

We had SUN shine today. Yesss, the SUN was really out!!!

This is Ruger - one of the 2013 Haley X Bones puppies that his owner and I are getting ready for Junior Hunter. He is still in the chase every feather that floats by stage, but is doing really well and what a sweetie pie! 

Bring on Spring!

It's hard to believe the Singer puppies are now 5 weeks old! After the cruel winter blast this weekend I am hoping the sun will come out to play nice and we can finally get outside. I can't take much more of the blizzards and arctic cold.

PS: The May puppies are on the way! 

Prevailing Wind

Zephyr @ 4 weeks - my pick of the Macks X Singer litter. Gorgeous puppy - big, bold, strong girl.

 

And the beat burns on...

Yay for my Mia X Mickey co-owned girl Cate as she gets her first hunt test Q's back east. 

Meanwhile here in Montana more cold, windy, snowy, rainy, crappy weather.  The woodstove burns on...just as it has since last September. 

:(