This will be my last blog for the “Herberts,” this litters collective noun as brilliantly christened by Kate, Dougies mum. The first puppy goes Wednesday, the others at regular intervals over the next week. This is always a sad time for Chris and I, though we are tired, we shall miss them all, they really are special little munchkins. Kate and Matt have managed to visit lots to experience their progress, which I hope has made them feel involved, after all Dougie played an important roll !! 

On Monday they went for their microchip and vet check, John who is having Grettal now Elsa sat in the back of Betty my car with the pups. Kate came over and Carol, Otto’s mum came too. The pups were so good, coped well with the journey and as soon as they arrived at the vets attracted lots of interest from other clients and staff. I do find this quite stressful,after all Jas’s and our hard work rearing them it is such a relief for them to be given a clean bill of health. The only pup to create was Chunks, a bruiser of a boy, he was not happy. The other boys and the girls were more interested in the little bicuits the nurses were feeding them to distract them from that huge needle, poor poppet’s.

Ruby my Shepherd pup ,who is now 5 months old, will miss her playmates especially Betty now Kaiko. She has been brilliant with them, that is until Ox ears came on the scene, she then thought they should all belong to her and spent her time pinching them off the pups and telling them off  if they tried to get them back. I took the opportunity to check she was still happy to give them up to me, which she was. She is such a joy, such a wonderful character and as near to an Ebby daughter as I could have hoped for. Ebby has gone from strength to strength since her operation, she looks years younger in her face and is so loving not being “the only Shepherd in the village”.

Jas is putting weight on again, her coat is sparse but I don’t think it will be as bad as Cassie’s when she had her last litter. She is behaving like a puppy herself playing with her babies. Its so good to see her feeling more like her usual self again.

Finally good luck to all “the Herberts” some will appear in the show ring, others are to be trained as gundogs  and agility dogs while some will be loved family pets . Whatever roll they take on I wish them and their new owners every success.