Hellfire English Springer and Sussex Spaniels

Change of Pace

Maverick = GCh Stonecroft Windsong Banneker X Ch Sundowners Orion Uptown Girl

If you are on my Facebook, you already know that Hellfire has a very special new addition to the pack.

For the rest of you, meet Maverick...my new Sussex Spaniel puppy!

Sussex Spaniels are a rare flushing breed here in the US and are an endangered breed in the UK. A few breeders in the UK still use them on working gundog shoots, but here in the US they are mostly shown.  I've been lucky enough to see them working at both hunting and obedience trials.  Despite the long and low body type, they are quite agile, love to swim, get dirty, and make solid retrievers. They are very intelligent and if trained to do so, can be quite versatile.

Maverick - Sundowners Repeat Fire - was generously sent to me by highly respected and accomplished judge/breeder/exhibitor Pluis Davern (2011 AKC Sporting Dog Breeder of the Year) as a show/hunting/performance puppy.  He is ridiculously cute and charming, and I am just so thrilled to have him. He snortles when he's happy and already makes me laugh 100x a day.

I'll post more updates as time goes on. Since I'm already going to "the shows" to do obedience and rally with Ice and Toby, and a few are held in conjunction with conformation shows, Maverick also has a few events lined up this summer. Last year Montana even had two Sussex class majors. I also plan on taking the short legged fella hunting and maybe even doing a little tracking and agility with him so TALLY-HO! Off we go on yet another new training challenge and adventure!

Get used to it Tina. There's a new sheriff in town.

Buns in the Oven

I'm not sure an ultrasound will even be necessary with Mia as I'm about 99% sure I just palpated 5-6 baby muffins...err, puppies!

Very exciting!

The puppies would be due around March 27th - the same weekend as my favorite 3 day obedience trial.  Not quite sure how I'll juggle that one...

One thing is for certain, from here on out, 2013  will be a busy blur of training, obedience, agility, tracking and hunting trials!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cybernation

Annoyed with the cyber nutballs this month. After dealing with the Twitter image pirate stealing my blog pictures, now it's a Russian hacker. If you got an email from me with nothing more than a link, that's why. It's getting in from this blog. It looks harmless enough, but regardless, I certainly didn't send it intentionally. Sorry.  If you get another one please let me know! 

I "think" Mia is with pup. It's still too early for an ultrasound, but I have never seen her this hungry or calm.  I mean never, ever! It's weird. I can't think of any other reason she would be motherly and zenlike.

Tina is growing like a weed now. I thought she was a little small but she looks about the same size as all her siblings. Beautiful girl and a super nice puppy. She had  a blast at obedience practice last weekend and retrieved all the dumbbells straight to hand, even the ones not thrown for her. lol

I have so much to do with my dogs this year that the seasonal anxiety (frustration? panic?) has returned. I'm really hoping winter will go away. I know... we can expect 3 more months of it. Just wishful thinking. Le sigh.

 

 

Prime Directive

Oh, hi. What's all the commotion about?

Rabbits. 

Mean Seed Warfare

After last year's drought I anticipate the growth of the evil annual grasses will be unusually bad this year, therefore mean seed warfare has commenced.

As I have yet to use and compare them, I am not endorsing one over the other, but there are two very effective herbicides on the market to manage cheatgrass - Journey and Plateau. Both can be googled and purchased online.

This PDF, published by the MSU Extension Office, is excellent and provides a well laid out plan for longterm strategic management. Theoretically, most cheatgrasses can be erradicated within two years.

Not only does cheatgrass have the potential to kill dogs, it also has serious environmental consequences. I found this December 2012 article "Tracking invasive cheatgrass role in larger, more frequent Western fires".  That is all cheatgrass between the sages.

I have spent thousands upon thousands of dollars taking cheatgrass out of my dogs, and even the slightest possibility of reducing it, if not erradicating it from my fields is extremely exciting!

How NOT to greet a dog

Belated New Year's Resolution: Must resist #3 and #6.