I have not had a moment to write my blog,so much has happened so here is a brief resume.

Firstly Crufts was brilliant Crumpsbrook Munsters had a great result so many really good placings .What is so rewarding for me is the number of new exhibitors with my babies. I know how much they love their Munsters and to see how thrilled they are showing at the biggest dog show in the world is unbelievable.

My Shepherds have been in the wars ,Ruby and a narrow escape on the yard with the horses. Johnson ,my cob, decided to push Pepper ,Chris’  horse off his hay and poor Ruby was in the middle .How on earth see escaped ith her foot intact is beyond belief .She had sliced some flesh in-between her first two toes and broken a nail . One visit to the vets and a few stitches later she was fine .She has new found respect for the horses now ! Then Ebby had to go to the vets for x-rays when she became lame.Normal rest for a few days did not help and then 4 days of Rimadyl made no impression, in fact she became much worse over night, preferring not to put the foot down at all .Anyway the upshot of this is the vet was amazed at her joints for an 8 year old Shepherd ,so they were not the cause, there was no sign of bone cancer which I was dredding. So the diagnosis was soft tissue injury. She has had a steroid injection in her shoulder and now we wait and see .Fingers crossed she has not ruptured a ligament or tendon because the prognosis for that is poor . She will have 2 weeks restricted exercise and we will see what happens .

The menage is finished now, I hope never to have to shovel sand again !  My back still isn’t the same, but it is so worth it.

I have been on my residential training course to allow me to teach  agility .My friend Jackie came with me ,she will teach at weekends and summer evenings. My aim is to hold classes during weekdays. Mannerly Mutts are holding an open day on Sunday May 3rd with ,Have-a-go agility, various demonstrations including Agility( hoping for a Munster versus Collie match ), Pet obediance, Heel work to music ,and a Gundog demo .I have a companies coming who specialise in raw food , doggie shampoo and herbal treatments, a groomer, and several products like special hand made doggie throws .  Everyone wecome.

 Cassie is imminently due to whelp, everything is ready in the maternity wing. She is very uncomfortable now and her temperature dropped this morning Thursday. Keep fingers crossed everyone for a safe arrival of the munchkins . Will obviously update as soon as I can .

Cassie has been scanned this morning . We are delighted to say we saw lots of little “splotts” so Dexter and Cassie will, all being well, be parents in 5 weeks time approximately. The theoretical date is March 3oth, it will fly by as March is my favourite month; Crufts, Cheltenham festival and this year my agility training course. Very exciting! 

The doggies are having a brilliant time here as the sand has arrived for our arena and they think it is there for them to play in. The downside is we have sand everywhere. Every morning the doggie beds are full of sand and if they shake there is a sand storm. I think I am going to change my address to Catherton-On-Sea! 

Horses are home now too, we have clipped them so they look much smarter than when they arrived home. This was the first year they hadn’t been rugged  and their coats were very woolly, but their skin looks great and they look so well. The downside was the clippers really struggled and we were covered in hair but at least we will not have the moulting hair issue in a couple of months time. I hate that.

I still not convinced my knee will be up to running in the ring with Jas and Fynn( Jas’ brother) so I will stack them and Chris or our friend Pete are going to run them for me if needed. 

Have attached photo and video clip of Ruby and Milo playing on the sand 

Had a lovely day at the club show ,the weather was beautiful, almost a shame we were cramped indoors for the showing.

Crumpsbrook had a brilliant day.

Crumpsbrook Bayleaf Von Rulander won minor puppy and puppy dog.

Crumpsbrook Rather Gallant Moss won Junior dog and Best dog then went on to win Best in Show such a brilliant achievement. He belongs to Mandy’s Dad Malcolm and is a puppy Mandy bred by Oscar ,Crumpsbrook Robinia out of Esther Raycris Quite Unique .Heart felt congratulations Mandy .

Crumpsbrook Mispel was unopposed but was placed first in Novice Dog and Graduate Dog

Crumpsbrook Robinia, Oscar was third in Limit dog .

Dougie, CH. Paddockridge Rulander won open dog and special working dog then went on to get reserve Best Dog  

Then came the girls;

Keiko, Crumpsbrook Angelica was 2nd in minor puppy and puppy bitch. What a pretty girl, she is so correct and moves well.She showed brilliantly, well done Sarah.

 Crumpsbrook Rather Elegant, Poppy, won junior bitch ,another Oscar x  Esther pup bred by Mandy.

Crumpsbrook Jasmine, Jas  second in Post Grad, only two entered but she went well

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 Crumpsbrook Accacia, Cassie won her limit class, the judge Larry Wilkes said she won it on her movement, second to Cassie was Esther

What a day for Crumpsbrook. Many Congratulations Mandy and Malcom, enjoy every minute. It won’t be long before he gets his first ticket, maybe Crufts, now that would be  special. I’ll be rooting for you. 

I was thinking on the way home how enjoyable it was running  without any pain, then guess what, I go to work this morning at the paper shop and fall over behind the till, tripping over cables. I fell straight on my knee without breaking the fall. I am now hobbling again, same leg so I’m well practised ! The frozen peas are out again and the ibuprofen, bum !! 🙁   At least it has enabled me to write my blog.

Cassie could be 2 weeks pregnant now 2 more to go before her scan. So exciting.Will confirm or other wise as soon as I know. 

Other brill news is Crumpsbrook Camellia, Ava  has had all  her health tests and the results couldn’t be better 00 hips 0 elbows, clear HUU. and clear hereditary cataracts, my third 0 hip and elbow scores, Cassie, Oscar and now Ava. Ava works with a hawk and does agility, a really versatile girl, super news Wendy.

Milo the Portuguese Water dog, is staying with us for his annual vacation, he and Ruby are having a great time. The photo is breakfast time in our lounge, sorry about my dishevelled appearance still in my jim jams!

See you all at Crufts, yeh !  

Well eventually Jas came into season, her first since her litter last April, followed a couple of days later by Cassie, hurrah!

I took her up to the Hargreaves on Monday 26th for her romantic liaison with Dexter. True to form Cassie played a little coy ! Anyway Dexter was very keen, poor boy has had 2 of his fellow Munsters in season at home so he was very happy to oblige. I am very excited about this mating as it is something different for me, a return to old Ghyllbeck lines  (Holcus), which is way back in Willows pedigree, (Willow is Cassie’s mum) and a German import line (Dixon Ciperro).

I know there are a few families that will be waiting for this news with great anticipation. I usually scan at 28 days or so for a conformation of pregnancy. That is the worst time, those 4 weeks seem to take for ever. Still remember that special things are worth waiting for ! 

 This does mean that Cassie will not be at Crufts this year. Jas will be there hopefully, and a few other representatives of Crumpsbrook Munsters.

If any of you can come to Crufts on Thursday 5th March come and say hello. If you haven’t been before it really is amazing and worth a trip. I will also be there again on the Cambridge Institute of Dog Behaviour and Training stand on Friday 6th, chatting to people about all things doggy. I can’t wait, I love it.

As far as home is concerned we have largely missed the snow so far 🙁 we had a sprinkling but that was all.  Perhaps there is time yet, I would love to be snowed in for a short while anyway.

Porta cabin has arrived, Chris has been busy repairing various bits of it. Delivery was a little stressful as the lorry got stuck on our surface luckily after he had lifted the cabin off. Our old riding surface had rotted down and was very slippy but Chris had borrowed a friends 4 wheel drive tractor and he managed to tow the lorry off. The riding surface has gone now to our local tree nursery as a mulch for their Conifers. Sand and fibre will be replacing it as soon as weather permits. Perfect for riding and my dog agility plans.

We have had our usual festivities here at Catherton. Plenty to eat and drink and some lovely walks with the girls. We will be going to Cheltenham races again on New Years day which I really look forward to, its such a lovely way to welcome the New Year in.

Jas’s puppies are growing up and I have managed to see Keiko and Hugo at LKA in December. Kate, bless her, had a good idea to take Lionel and enter Any Variety Gundog Puppy. Sarah and Karen entered to and I went along to see the pups. Lionel I have seen regularly and Keiko a few times but Hugo I hadn’t seen since he left at 8 weeks. They are such quality all of them. Keiko was the little girl I would have kept, so I shall watch with interest. Lionel and Hugo will both be regularly shown as well and my plans are to keep a Dexter and Cassie bitch pup and mate to either of these handsome boys. That of course is a long way in the future, I cannot help myself, thinking ahead. Lots of bridges to cross in the meantime but so exciting.

Cassie has had her DNA colour test done and can only have black and white puppies, good news and she has now had her eye test updated which is clear again. Now we are waiting for her to come into season. I have entered both her and Jas at Manchester in January and the club show February. Jas to is due in season, she hasn’t had one since her litter in April, but my theory is I would be disappointed if I hadn’t entered and they could have gone. I shall hold out until as late as possible for Crufts entries as that is more expensive.

It is sad that Jas and Dougie’s babies will not be at Crufts due to the lack of qualifying shows at the correct time. They were not old enough at the last Champ show of the season and we do not have another qualifier until WELKS in April, that is obviously for 2016. This means they will miss their puppy and junior classes at Crufts and will hopefully appear as post grads for their first visit. Large Munsterlanders have a 6 month period without Champ Shows with tickets October – April, we have to be placed in the first three at these shows to qualify for the following Crufts. I am sure this has been noted before but perhaps its time to push for a change. Something I will bring up at our Committee meetings.

The horses are coming to the end of their holidays, they are so woolly and fat it will be good to have them back. Neither of them did much last summer, I was incapacitated with my new hip and Chris was busy looking after me and the menagerie single handed, then we had the litter of pups and so the summer vanished.

I have exciting plans for my Mannerly Mutts business to for next year. I have 2 modules left to do then I will be qualified to do insurance work on dogs with behavioural issues. I have a porta cabin arriving next week which will be my office and consult room. At the moment owners and dogs come into my conservatory, not ideal as a lot of the dogs are very stressed or unbalanced and that brings its own issues. I am also planning agility classes at home on our riding surface so its all happening.

Whatever 2015 brings for you I hope it is successful and most of all a happy year, see you at the shows.

This year has gone by so quickly its scary. Crumpsbrook has had an amazing year in the show ring, Cassie has now got 2 tickets. One at Crufts and the second at Leeds. Yes, I would love to get a third, but I am thrilled to have bred a Munster from my first litter that has achieved what she has, to date !

Mandy has had success with her first litter too, Poppy, Oscar and Esther’s daughter, has her first RCC. Moss, Poppy’s brother, has had success too winning lots of puppy classes. 

Jas has had a busy year, she had her first litter of 9 puppies earlier in the year. Our friends Kate and Matt own the father Dougie, some of them will be out in the ring next year and they are looking very promising. Jas is looking good again, her coat is back and she will go to Crufts in the Spring, she is such a sweet girl, I am blessed.

Crumpsbrook is going from strength to strength, I am so proud,with the foundation and I always look to the future. With this in mind I have had long pondering’s about my breeding plans. I do have a plan to mate Jas to Dougie again in a year or two, the temperament and working ability,especially Dougie, of these two bodes well for the offspring. The problem I have is the bloodlines. The issue with Munsters is the small gene pool. This, combined with the rigorous health tests, make it tricky to find a suitable boy. I do not want to go abroad, I like to  meet my future stud dogs. I leave that side to others that have the knowledge and contacts abroad , and  foreign health tests are not as rigorous as here, which has caused issues. I prefer to wait and see what the resulting puppies from these matings are like, then consider the offspring. This is exactly what I have done. Those of you that know me may be surprised at my choice initially, not least because the dog is a big boy. I am not keen on dogs that are over breed height standard. My view is the standard is there for a reason and we should attempt to breed  to that standard, particularly with issues that may effect the dogs soundness. Tall is not necessarily good, an analogy I use is my cob Johnson. He is not tall, 15.3 h, but has great depth and bone, he could carry a greater weight all day hunting than a 17.2 thoroughbred for example. With my lines I have the opposite issue, my girls are consistently on the lower height standard and the boys could do with a little more masculinity, so I hope you can see my reasoning. What I like is a square Munster with good depth of chest, strong bone and balanced angulation fore and aft. I realise this is my personal interpretation and that’s why I am passionate about breeding. Its fascinating and exciting.  Pleased to announce results are back of Casssie’s colour DNA test and she is Black Black.

The boy I have chosen is Ellscott Glen Finnan Illa Ghyllbeck or Dexter to his friends. I had been warned by Mandy and Kate he is a big lad but to be honest when I met him I was not put off. He has substance to die for, such good strong bone and when I looked at him from a distance he didn’t look lanky or tall because he is in proportion. My other emphasis is on temperament and he is a joy, so affectionate, level headed and biddable. He didn’t know me from Adam yet coped with my stacking and going over him without any fidgeting. He has a classic melting expression which definitely worked on me. My plan is to keep a bitch pup, its so exciting. 

Hope you like the revamped website. Thanks Chris !

Ruby my new Shepherd puppy has her own page now. She is 8 months old now and such a fluff ball, her coat is the richest colour. She is just the most perfect girl I adore her. We often take her into our village and she attracts so much attention because she is so beautiful. She will have her health tests in Spring 2015.

Will keep you posted on Cassie and Dexter. 

It seems an age now since we had Jas’s litter running around. Life has returned to as normal as it ever is here . Decorating completed, chimney repaired and we have managed a couple of special days out with Pete and Marce. One to Gatcombe horse trials and the other to our local agricultural show, Burwarton. We had lovely food in the shape of a picnic at Gatcombe, which Marce and I are well practised at, a few bottles of bubbles, one “proper job” for Petes’ birthday.Then at Burwarton we take it in turns to produce a breakfast, it was Marces turn this year and she did us proud with a full English, yum.Both of these were much needed after such a busy year so far. 

Chris and I had a long trip down to Paignton Show which was made worthwhile by a visit to Liz and Mark’s lovely home in Ipplepen. They are proud owners of Zennor (Cassie’s daughter from her first litter) and made us very welcome.

Jas has recovered from her duties, she and Ruby are loving one another, I think Jas has taken the place as playmate for Ruby since the pups have gone. Her coat is sparce and she is entered into a couple of shows at the tail end of the season , I hope to qualify her for Crufts 2015 ,fingers crossed.

Cassie has been out a couple of times, its good to be out there again ,I can now run ,pain free, around the ring, such a shame Cassie has decided not to oblige !! She has been a right madame refusing to  move in the ring  . She has been pushing for” top dog”at home in our pack, showing dominant tendencies over Ebby ,my Shepherd . Ebby had not been herself for a while  and was allowing Cassie to dominate. Since Ebby was spayed a few months ago her energy levels have returned and she is so much better, this has resulted in her not being such a pushover. I am thinking Cassie had carried her new elevated position over Ebby to Chris and I . Not acceptable, in our household with 5 girls. We have been doing some training with her on a one to one basis to help reinforce our position as leaders. Though I do believe a pecking order has to be in place amongst the girls and they must be allowed to sort this between themselves, Chris and I have to be the ultimate leaders.Obviously the pecking order amongst the girls, will alter as new puppies come in and others get older, but our position has to be consistent.

During this phase of Cassie’s life she went to Leeds Championship show and won her Limit class and then went on to win her second C.C. Challenge Certificate , under Julie Derby , I know she has loved Cassie, having awarded her Best Puppy a few years ago. She obviously felt she had enough qualities and had seen enough movement to award her the ticket. I am very grateful to her, though part of me wishes her performance had been better . Two tickets down now, one to go ,who knows if or when, she will achieve her Show Champion title, but I love her conformation and am realistic about her chances.

Ruby my Shepherd pup is 6 months old now, she has developed into a lovely young lady. The longcoat German Shepherd has always been a weakness of mine. Some of you may be aware the coat length is not correct breed standard as it is at the moment . Shepherds have always thrown long coats even in Germany their homeland. It is a recessive gene . The German controlling authorities have never tried to remove this gene ,it is even described in their breed standard , the coat must still have a double layer. Times are changing and they now have classes for longcoats in Germany and the Kennel Club are considering including them too . I shall enter Ruby at LKA and see what happens, apparently some judges are accepting them. Watch this space !

Johnson my cob has had a very lazy summer, I even questioned whether I really missed riding and ought to sell him. Well that idea went as quickly as it came. I have got back in the saddle now and am loving it. He is such a special character, suits me so well , it has been a treat riding again and amazing to be able to get on and go without pain. He ain’t going nowhere! 

 We will be doing a puppies 2014 page on the website and a page for Ruby in the very near future. Honest !!