Chickens!

Alongside the poodles, I have another love - chickens!
I have kept chickens for over 10 years now. They are incredibly low maintenence, make the perfect backyard pets and keep the garden pest free.
As well as providing eggs, their manure makes great plant fertiliser and they keep the grass down.  So what isnt to love?

Allow me to introduce you to my five current free range girls:

The black girl above is Morag who is a Copper Maran. Morag lays lays dark brown speckled eggs. Morag is a cuddly girl and will happily sit on your lap for a snuggle (especially if there is food on offer!)

Brenda is a Cream Legbar. She lays small green eggs. As much as I have tried, Brenda isn't the friendliest girl and does not much like being handled.

The two Rhode Island Red ladies are called Norma and Sharon. They lay large creamy pink eggs.
Norma and Sharon are overly confident and will wander in the kitchen and through the house if I have the back doors open. They also think nothing of stealing the dogs food!

Doris is a Buff Orpington, she is young at the moment but will eventually lay light brown coloured eggs. Doris is a sweet girl and likes a cuddle on your lap.

The problem is that chickens, much like poodles are addictive and it is tempting to keep adding to the flock! For now I'm trying to be sensible and not add any more.
The dogs are absolutely fine with the chickens roaming the garden. They mostly ignore the birds, with the exception of Edna who will play bow and try (unsuccessfully) to get them to chase her 😂

Keep an eye out for more chickeny updates soon!

Jade came to visit!

This week Stanley, Edna, Peggy and I were joined by our friend Jade who was visiting from London.

We had a fantastic few days during which many exciting things happened.

On Monday we met up with Lenny and his owner Pat for a walk on Dartmoor. Lenny has grown into such a handsome dog. It was a real pleasure to see him again.

On Tuesday Jade and I went to a poultry auction and we picked up a couple more birds to add to my flock. (Ill do a separate post about them soon!)

Wednesday saw Peggy get clipped off by the very talented Chris Briggs into continental, which I absolutely love.

Thursday and Friday, Jade the dogs and I went to North Devon where we spent a few days in a cottage and did lots of beach walks.

Here are a few pictures from our adventures.

Lenny

Lenny (looking very much his Mother's double in this picture)

Lenny

Stanley paddling at Westward Ho!

Edna

Edna and Peggy

Stanley

Peggy

Edna and Peggy

Edna

Stanley - the windswept look!

Peggy

Stan and Edna

Peggy daydreaming

Stanley

Beach babes

Jade with her poodle pjs and poodle socks in a poodle themed bedroom with the poodles! (Do you think shes a tad obsessed? 😂)

Paignton Championship Dog Show

Yesterday we went to Paignton Championship dog show, where we had a fantastic day and qualified for Crufts 2020!

Peggy did extremely well and placed in all of her classes:
Special Beginners - 2nd
Junior Bitch - 2nd
Post Graduate Bitch - 1st
Special Beginners Stakes - 3rd
Junior Bitch Stakes - 2nd

I have to say, the stakes classes were really good fun. I quite like being in the ring against other breeds and watching how they are judged and the classes are so friendly too.
I know a lot of show people don't bother with the stakes classes and think it is a waste of time because they are held at the end of the breed classes when most people want to go home, but I think its really great practice for the dogs and you have a chance at winning money too. Whats not to like?!

Unfortunately I have no photographs of Peggy in the ring but below are some of her showing off her placings when we got home.

Me and My Girls

I usually hate having photos of myself taken, but yesterday my lovely friend Adam captured these images of the girls and I together on our walk.
As a person who struggles with weight due to a medical condition, I thought I'd feel uncomfortable looking at these images but when I look at the love in my girls eyes I feel like that doesn't matter one bit. I am so very proud to their owner/ breeder/ handler/ trainer/ slave!! 😂
They have taught me so much and we have been on so many adventures.

Heres to many more!

Windsor Championship Dog Show

Peggy and I went to Windsor Championship Show this weekend, accompanied by our friend Jade who lives locally (and is on my waiting list for a puppy)

The weather was excruciatingly hot but Peggy did incredibly well - she listened to everything I asked of her and moved beautifully in the ring.

First we participated in a stakes class with around 25 dogs all of different breeds. Peggy did not place in this class but behaved beautifully; despite the class being so large and our wait to be seen being significantly longer than we have experienced before. It is so easy to forget that Peggy is still only 14 months old. She is so grown up and such a good girl!

After our stakes class was our breed class - we entered the junior bitch category. Peggy placed a very respectable reserve in this class - not quite enough to qualify for Crufts but excellent all the same.

At the end of every show Peggy gets to pick herself a treat from one of the vendors and this time she sniffed out a bag of dehydrated rabbit ears.

Here are a few photos of our day as captured by Jade:

Pupdates

Just wanted to share a few updated pictures of the puppies from our last litter, they are now 15 months old.
Above is Sawa (pronounced Sava) she is absolutely stunning and lives with her family near London.

The gorgeous Otto who is also living near London and is currently being gun dog trained. Otto's family are hoping for another Marcasitie poodle puppy from me in the near future.

Lovely Lenny who lives in Buckinghamshire with his mum; who is a brilliant dog groomer. Lenny visits Devon often and enjoys going to the seaside. 

Winston, aka Winnie the Poo(dle) who lives with another standard poodle and a labrador in Wales. Winnie's mum is a dog groomer and takes him to obedience classes regularly.

Ozzie aka Ozzie Fozzie Fuzzball who lives with his family in Hampshire. Ozzie lives with two other poodles and goes to regular obedience classes.

Archie who lives locally, here in Devon. 

And last but not least, my little wild child Peggy who is currently being shown.

I am so incredibly proud of all of these babies and cannot thank their owners enough for staying in touch and sending me lovely updates.