Posts filed under ‘Django’
Stellar show weekend.
Django’s Saturday rosettes.
Evidently saving their best for last, this very memorable weekend saw three of the Belatarr Puppies excel in the showring:
Django moving for the judge in the Gundog Group.
On Saturday our own Django headed off to the Okehampton & District Open, where he dodged the intermittent heavy rain showers to take Best of Breed & Pest Puppy in Breed under Ms N. Walker, before heading indoors where he scored an amazing Gundog Group 2 & Gundog Puppy Group 1 under judge Simon Luxmoore. Remarkably this is the exact same result that his father, Mingus, achieved at the same show 2 years earlier, and the third year out of the last 4 that Belatarr HWV’s have been awarded Best Gundog Puppy in Show at Okehampton, following Phoenix’ win here in 2009. Many thanks to Nige Small for taking these great shots of Django in action!
Django stacked for Best Puppy in Show.
Not to be outdone, the next day saw Django’s siblings Gryphon (Belatarr Dizzie Gillespie) and Billie (Belatarr Mahalia Jackson) head off to the South Wales Kennel Association Championship show. There judge Mick Howes awarded 1st Junior Dog, Best Puppy Dog and a terrific Reserve Best Dog to Gryphon, and then 1st Junior Bitch and Best Puppy Bitch to Billie, leaving brother and sister to compete against one another for Best Puppy, eventually taken by Billie:
Billie & Gryphon’s SWKA awards.
Many congratulations to both, as well as to handler Irene for a job very well done!
Puppy Updates.
It seems hard to believe that the Belatarr dozen are approaching 12 months old, but next month will see them celebrate their 1st birthday. Meantime it’s been as busy as ever in the lives of the pups:
Django, with his ever more luxuriant facial furnishings.
After a slightly delayed start in the ring our own Django is finally now becoming quite the showman and has racked up a series of Champ Show 1st places from his handful of appearances so far. His (usually!) superb carriage even won him a Best Puppy and then Best in Show award and the local DHK Pedigree Charity Dog Show where he beat approx 60 other (mostly adult) show dogs to collect his first ever trophy.
Like Phoenix & Mingus before them Django & his brother Finley also successfully completed their Puppy Gurus Advanced training this month, during which time Finley developed an evident love for agility – a whole new string to the Belatarr bow!
Their brother Otis lives with his Hungarian pack over at Nansavallan Vizsla in Cornwall. Much like his father before him he has rapidly developed a superb deep red harsh wire coat and is proving to be a complete natural at gun dog training:
Otis demonstrates his new skills.
Otis at 11 months.
Meanwhile, in a well-earned break from the show-ring, brother Charlie Parker has been enjoying the sights and sounds of rural France along with his big brother Oz the Chocolate Lab:
Charlie learns a new skill.
…and another.
A happy boy.
and a well-earned snooze.
Back on this side of the channel, and following their successes in the show-ring, brother and sister act Gryphon (Belatarr Dizzy Gillespie) and Billie (Belatarr Mahalia Jackson) have also been learning new skills as they try out for both working and obedience tests:
Gryphon, who has clearly learned to read.
Gorgeous head-shot of Gryphon (courtesy of Sharon Newman)
Billie, demonstrating her retrieve from water whilst showing off her perfect top-line. (courtesy of Sharon Newman)
….and the dried-off version.
Gryphon & Billie awaiting their next adventure. (courtesy of Sharon Newman)
Bristol resident Milo (Belatarr Thelonius Monk) has also been over to France this summer, and looks to have picked up a new interest of his own:
Milo waiting to be served at the pub.
Starting with his muzzle Milo now has a super, tight wire coat developing over his whole frame.
Milo on top of the world (well, the cliff, at any rate).
Across town is Digby (Belatarr Oscar Peterson), another Bristolian Belatarr with a super red wire coat:
Digby at the beach, back in summer.
Whilst down near the south coast are two of the Belatarr girls, Ruby (Belatarr Nina Simone):
Ruby says hello.
Ruby, keeping up the family tradition.
and last, but most definitely not least, is our very special little girl Ella (Belatarr Ella Fitzgerald):
Ella, in full bloom amongst the heather.
Ella with hew new big sister Ilka.
Ilka showing Ella the ropes….or is it the other way around?
Much more Puppy action coming to the blog very soon with a report/ photo-montage from the Belatarr litter reunion day…
Big Beach day out.
After seemingly endless rain the sun has finally made a return, so what better time to take everyone to the beach for a sandy romp! Little Django is now 9 months old (time certainly flies…) and is looking not so little and all-grown-up all of a sudden….looks can be deceptive, however!
Django in a rare moment of stillness.
This is a more usual pose.
Racing with dad.
…and with mum too.
The family emerges from the surf.
Django leads the charge.
A brief pause to pose with a stick.
…and swiftly back to bounce mode.
Strutting his stuff, showing off that awesome stick, whilst Phoenix looks on and hatches a plot.
In tandem with Mum…who, having hatched her plot, now has ownership of the stick.
So much sand, so little time.
And relax.
Django at 5 Months.
Hard to believe that our little bundle of fluff is now this mature, but Django is now 5 months old and suddenly looking very grown-up. We took the pack to the beach for only the second time since Django’s arrival and a high time was had by all:
A very wet Django concentrating (watching geese, in fact) at the beach....
Completely fearless in water, Django looking slightly bonkers but enjoying a good splash.
Django offers a play-bow to Mingus, who's generally more interested in chasing after gulls in the sea.
...and another...Obviously a new strategy.
Back on dry land and Ears-a-flying in the breeze.
Heading for home.
Stacked on the Tarka Trail, 4 days short of 5 months old.
Django update.
It’s been ages since we’ve had a chance to update the blog and a mountain of pup images have accumulated over the last month or so, so this update is definitely long overdue.
At the ripe old age of 4 months Django is now very thoroughly integrated into the pack and into our daily routines. Like his parents he’s incredibly affectionate and, if anything, even smarter and quicker to learn than they were. Ringcraft and Obedience training both started a few weeks back and, as with everything else, he’s taken them in his stride. Confident, calm & ever-curious would probably be his key adjectives right now, as he explores his world and we take him on his little daily adventures in the garden & river and, just occasionally, the beach too:
Django, hunter-of-voles, stalking his prey.
After a few tentative first introductions to water (not helped by him plunging into an icy pool one freezing day at the beach) Django now shares his parents love of water and excitedly heads for (and into) the river on his short morning walks. He also regularly demonstrates his HPR qualities and likes to Hunt, Point & Retrieve whenever the opportunity presents itself:
On point.
...and again - no vole is safe!
At the riverside.
Managing to keep dry-ish at the beach.
A rare trip out into the garden with mum - who's usually too fast for Django's young joints.
Ever attentive!
Retrieving a gull wing at Crow Point.
...and retrieving a stick from the river.
In profile.
Unlike the rest of the UK we've only had a light dusting of snow, but it was still something new for Django to experience.
Django & Mingus absolutely adore one another and when all the fun, games and training are over they often snuggle up together on the sofa.
Introducing Django.
An extremely exciting new chapter opens for Belatarr as young Django joins the pack on a permanent basis!
Django at 10 weeks old.
Following in his father’s paw-steps Django becomes our second Jazz dog, named, as he is, after the legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt – although we understand that Tarantino is soon to release his own Django project too.
Belatarr Django Reinhardt - at 7 weeks.
Django also shares his father’s wonderful coat – deep red & harsh – and has a head so similar to Mingus’ that we can’t tell them apart in their 6, 7 and 8 week pics – see below. He’s also very confident, extremely laid back and easy-going, and is already proving to be very keen to learn and eager to train.
Django immediately gravitates to the prime spot on the dog sofa.
Centre stage, flanked by his brothers Gryphon & Charlie Parker.
Spot the difference - Mingus as he was at 8 weeks.
Django shares a snuggle with Fred.
Django with his brother Charlie Parker.
Asleep with his dad on Christmas day.
Until he’s has his second vaccination Django can’t go on the ground in public areas, so, just like his parents before him, he’s been riding around in the baby sling in order that we can introduce him to the wider world. Needless to say, much attention and many oooh’s and aaaah’s follow from onlookers wherever and whenever he appears in public in this way!
Django out-and-about on the Tarka Trail on New Years Day.
It's very frustrating when you can watch your parents running around but can't join in the fun!
Getting to be quite a handful...
Riding in (or more often attempting to wriggle out of) the baby sling.
...he would really rather be hurtling around with all those other exciting looking dogs down there.
Belatarr Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla. 