October news

October already, and it seems we are getting the normal Queensland spring weather…a couple of nice days and then summer starts! Lucky to get some rain late September, but many missed out. Peg had six nice pups to Chopper to start October off on a good note.

The previous litters of Lily, Brandy, Cadelle and Kahlua are growing into lovely pups. I love the four-six week waddle! I have read about different stages of development and how pups become more aware of their surroundings at certain ages; it was noticeable that the Lily litter became a little more wary for a few days at about 7 weeks, but were soon back to their super-friendly selves. Maybe the amount of food fed can affect their willingness to interact also!

K.Cherry(Chance x Brandy) has been away with Arthur Crumblin learning some manners; she’s a nice young bitch with heaps of work and power, but some nice eye and cover as well. Not an easy pup to start, but Arthur says this type always become the best workers long term. I think I might have been leaning towards the easier type pups to keep, so Cherry will be here for some time.

The young bitches still here from the summer litters are working very well; Wings, Jewels and Tock are showing  lot of promise, and Wings in particular seems a cooperative type. I also have Benalee Mocha(Karmala Brock x Karmala Lyndy) as Lisha Bennett had too many dogs to keep in the town limits. She’s a ‘cracker of a pup’ as Lisha says! Just starting to work, and she drove the ewes and lambs down the paddock on her own(and unrequested) beautifully yesterday. Calm and strong and patient. There were several late lambing ewes and she took her time and moved the whole mob. I was enjoying watching her so much I didn’t interfere, she reminded me very much of my all time favourite bitch who started similarly…like a trained dog.

It was great to have a visit from Mat Larkings during the Warwick Gold Cup week to see his ‘old boys’; both were happy to see him again, but also happy to carry on as usual…nice to see they’ve accepted their new home. We gave Wings(WilsonxPeg) a run and Mat couldn’t believe how similar she is to Polly, Wilson’s dam. Her work is lovely to watch when she’s settled down; she’ll relax and sit down when the sheep stop, drops into a nice extended trot, and reads her stock incredibly well. We stood and watched her hold ten lively shorn merinos around us, rolling the wanderers in gently, working like an experienced trial dog. She’s also inherited Polly’s ability to switch off easily when asked, something my dogs have been lacking! Wings also has little interest in food, again like her g’dam, preferring a pat to a feed. Mat’s advice: “Make sure you look after her, you won’t get too many pups like that!”