28th March

Tomorrow the pups will be 3 weeks old – it has gone so quickly and they have changed so much in that time. They are now starting to interact with one another albeit for just a few minutes and then back to sleep. All now have their eyes fully open and are much better on their feet, in fact so much so that we have had to remove the safety rails from the whelping box because they were using them as a climbing frame! The weaning is coming along – slowly, however we did actually have about four or five of them eat from the dish instead of my hand this morning, so that is a move in the right direction.

We have invited all of our prospective new owners to come and view the puppies over the Easter weekend, and we are very much looking forward to meeting them all. It is one of the hardest parts of having a litter, doing your best to ensure you find the right homes for your precious bundles – but we hope our instincts are correct.

I have added a couple of new photo’s taken to day and also a new video clip. I will try and get some individual photo’s so that you can see who is who – but be warned – it’s not easy and I can’t guarantee the results!!

24th March

Weaning started in earnest today, it's just a shame the pups didn't realise it. Having walked in it and covered themselves in food, they did just about everything except eat it. A couple of the girls did manage a few mouthfulls, but in the main it was just messy. The good news is that they are starting to open there eyes. All good fun though.

23rd March

Today the pups took their first taste of 'real' food. They had some fresh mince - and loved it. They are also starting to totter about, I have put a short video clip on the current litters page of Star, taking her first steps - or nearly anyway.

19th March

The puppies are now 11 days old and doing well. I have added yet another feeding video to the current litter page, at this stage in their young lives this really is all they do, but at least you can see just how much they have grown. Over the weekend we will start to wean them to give Isla some help and also so that we know how much they are getting to eat.

13th March

Isla and her litter continue to do well, all the puppies are gaining weight nicely and Isla is proving to be an excellent Mother. New photo's and video clip have been added to the current litters page, and I have to add that they are just lovely!

11th March

Isla and her brood continue to do well, she is a fantastic mum, if a little clumsy! The pups are gaining weight nicely and are content. We couldn't have asked for a better bitch, she made our job at the birth so easy by instinctively knowing what to do - whoever said that animals are dumb?

We would like to thank everyone who has written on our guest book sending us their good wishes and congratulations, it is very much appreciated.

Some more photo's have been added to the pups gallery on the current litter page and at some point I will try to get some video footage.

8th March

Excellent news - our 'Woodland' litter have taken root!! Isla has given birth to 9 puppies today, 6 girls and 3 boys. She is being a brilliant mother, and all are doing well. I have added a 'Current Litter' Page and on there I will post their progess and photographs. We will be intouch with those who are on our waiting list in due course.

1st March

It's been a very busy weekend, Saturday I went to the East Anglian Super Match with Jane Eyeington. Havey had qualified last year for his Best Puppy in Show. It was a lovely day, at a nice venue, sadly Havey was knocked out in the second round, but that didn't dampen the day for us at all. It was a lovely venue we had a nice three course meal and I won first prize on the rafflle - excellent! The top dog was a Greyhound, who's owner is a member of our ringcraft club, so it was nice to know the winner at least.

On to today, I had my first judging appointment today at Maidstone for Folkestone Hythe and District CS. I had a small but nice entry and although I was a bit nervous, I think it went off ok. I gave Best of Breed to a puppy, Wendy Walkers Petranella Perfickly Frank at Dexbenella. I would like to thank the exhibitors for their support and my steward, Dick Pattenden for making the journey down from Saffron Waldron.

23rd February

An update on Isla's progress. She is really well and expanding daily, she is day 43 of her pregancy today, so the countdown is on - about 20 days to go. On her walks she is a little more sedate than usualy, but is still enjoying getting out and about, and at home she tends to sleep more. The real hightlight of her day is her evening snack - this is one more meal than she would usualy get, and she is delighted that she is getting something that the others are not!!

17th February

Yesterday, Jacky Mitchell and I held our All Breed Educational Day and Conformation and Movement Seminars.  Both seminars were well attended and with the help of good friends, Celia Woodbridge, Graham Osbourne, Malcolm Pucknell and Wendy Walker - and of course Keith, we managed to feed and water 73 delegates, 3 speakers and 6 helpers. We held a raffel which was really well supported by many sponsores and managed to raise £260 in aid of the Cambridge University Research Project into Chronic Hepatitis in the English Springer. We are both thrilled with that. The hightlight of the day for me was handling a delightfull Bulldog by the name of Roxy in the conformation seminar - she was a star!

9th February

Fabulous news, today we have had Isla scanned and she defiantly has seven puppies, with another one or two tucked away!!! Now all our preparations can start to take shape. We are really pleased and just hope now that she has a trouble free time over the next four weeks or so and a normal birth.  They should be due between the 10th and the 15th March.

2nd February

The snow has arrived in Kent, and after a treacherous journey to and from work today, Keith and I took the dogs for a run in the park - and they loved it. Have a look at the photo's by clicking here. The forecast is for more snow tonight, so who knows what we will be waking up to tomorrow.

24th January

We don’t have any real news to speak of, Isla is still doing well and we are looking forward to her puppies very much. Today she has had a nice bath and a trim to make her feel good, and Harry also had a tidy up as well. With the weather as bad as it has been lately, the dogs and the house are constantly muddy, and this is when you acknowledge just how wonderful the Rottweiler is. A quick rub over with the towel and Grace is done – sadly I can’t say the same for the Springers!

Whoever coined the phrase – ‘Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud’ didn’t have dogs!!

11th January

Good News, we have successfully mated Isla and Havey, so all being well, we should have some puppies around the 10th March. We shall have her scanned in around 4 week’s time to confirm that she is in whelp.

Although the matings have been a success the journeys have been a nightmare. I have been dogged with freezing fog and ice, coupled with two accidents that led once to a hold up of over an hour, and then today, a journey home of three hours instead of one. Today’s accident had closed the M25 at the Dartford Crossing, leaving me no alternative than to go anticlockwise. So we have circumnavigated the M25 today, and like the advert used to say ‘and all because the lady loves, Newky Brown’!!!

Isla will be finishing her season soon and the fog and ice have gone, so thankfully we will be getting back to normal next week.

Progress reports will be added, so WATCH THIS SPACE!

2nd January

Well, here we are at the beginning of a New Year. We are looking forward to Isla's litter, and the good news is that she has started her season and we will be mating her next weekend. All shows are now on hold, so news may well be few and far between for a few months. However, Jacky Mitchell and I are looking forward to our seminar that we are organising on the 15 February at New Haw. We are holding two seminars on the same day (the venue has two halls), one will be 'Sex on Sunday' - now, don't get too excited. We have Lynn Hennessy talking in the morning on the care and work of the 'stud' dog, and in the afternoon, Keith Shea will be talking on the care of the bitch, canine reproduction and artificial insemination. The other seminar is Conformation and Movement for prospective judges, this will be given by Ann Woodrow, accredited trainer.

We are also looking forward very much to the English Springer of the Year competition that will be taking place on the 17th May in Hinckley, Leicestershire. Invitations have already gone out to those that have qualified, and we have already received some entries back. With a special events licence you are only allowed to have 64 dogs take part so entry is on a first come first serve basis. This has all the requirements necessary to be a great day, so we hope to see you there.

2009 looks to be a promising year and like most of you we are looking forward to it.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL