Posts tagged ‘Belatarr’
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.
Mingus hits the big-time!
This last weekend saw Tim & crew set off on the 950-mile round trip to the Scottish Kennel Club Championship Show at the Royal Highland Showground on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Mingus was up against the big boys in his first Champ Show Open class, presided over by breed expert Jonathan Parry. Despite being the youngest in the class Mingus well-and-truly rose to the occasion, driving round the ring in great style, and we were absolutely thrilled when he was awarded 1st Open Dog – beating the Crufts 2012 Best of Breed, along with the only UK male Champion HWV plus the only male currently with 2 CC’s in the process.
Moments later things got even more exciting when Mingus was awarded Best Dog and won his first Challenge Certificate – given to HWV’s at only 8 shows each year, these are the ultimate accolade in showing:
The CC means that Mingus is granted a Kennel Club Stud Book Number and an entry in the revered Stud Book, which in turn means that he is also now qualified for Crufts for life and is one third of the way to becoming a champion, and all at just 2 years of age! We were delighted that his breeder Jacqui could also be at the show (en route to a working test with Mingus’ sister Love) to witness her baby all grown-up and hitting the big time in the show ring! We’re just so very proud of our beautiful boy.
Mingus back on home ground – wet and muddy in the garden.
A little later in the show Phoenix (who had most definitely never looked better – motherhood certainly becomes her!) also put in a great performance and qualified for Crufts 2013 at her first Champ Show for nearly a year, and also her first since her humongous litter of 12.
…and speaking of the Belatarr Twelve, Charlie Parker was the first of the baby boys to take to the ring, and went straight in at the deep end earlier in the month at the National Championship Show, where he thrilled Tim and also attracted a lot of other attention ring-side with his ultra-stylish and ultra-sound movement, not to mention his super-affectionate personality and beautiful head. Owners David & Jenny’s hard work and dedication certainly paid off when Charlie also qualified for Crufts at his (and their) very first show – cue excited squeals all round! Charlie took the whole thing in his stride and proved that he’s definitely made for the ring…his journey is only just beginning!
Mingus Vs. Jaws…
The gang had a quick (drizzly) trip to Northam Beach today to enjoy the massive several-mile-deep expanse of sand exposed at low-tide. Mingus also caught a shark!! (albeit only a young Small Spotted Catshark – a very common species in the waters around North Devon) which instantly became a very prized possession….plus we managed to get a couple of nice head shots of him too, despite the extremely low light levels:
A Dog and his Shark.
Belatarr Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker will always be a very special boy to us – he very nearly stayed on as part of our pack, and it was a considerable wrench to part with him, and a very emotional time when he left us for pastures new.
He now has a wonderful life with his new family of David, Jenny and (very importantly!) big brother Oz the Lab, who definitely takes a leading role in teaching young Charlie the ropes. This extremely handsome boy now looks uncannily like his dad, Mingus, and will also be the first of the Belatarr Babies to hit the show ring – very exciting for all concerned! Many thanks to David and Jenny for allowing us to share these fabulous pics of their boys:
Charlie & Oz hit the beach.
Aged 5 months.
The team!
Rewind back to 3 and a half months old, and Charlie meets snow for the first time.
Finley – Belatarr Art Tatum
We’re extremely lucky to have the very handsome Finley living approx. 2 miles from us here at Belatarr HQ. This means that, right from the get-go, we’ve been able to see lots of him. He and his brother Django (along with their parents) have enjoyed many romps together as well as both having been obedience trained by Tracey and her team over at Puppy Gurus, just like their parents before them:
Finley arrives home.
...and re-arranges his furniture.
Settled into his new bed.
Christmas!
It's a tiring life...Finley takes to the new sofa - the one that he wasn't going to be allowed onto 🙂
Another favourite snoozing spot.
Growing up.
Finley, now 5 months old, takes a seat at the kitchen table.
Who can resist!
Belatarr Babies update Pt1.
Since the Belatarr dozen will be 6 months old this coming weekend now seems like a good (and extremely overdue!) occasion to post some of the wonderful shots that pup owners have very kindly shared with us over the past few months:
Otis – Belatarr John Coltrane
Otis (in the foreground) out with his new Cornish Vizsla family.
Otto – Belatarr Dave Brubeck
Otto at 6 months.
Digby – Belatarr Oscar Peterson
Billie – Belatarr Mahalia Jackson
Billie at 5 months.
and at 6 months of age.
…and back at 10 weeks.
Gryphon – Belatarr Dizzy Gillespie
Gryphon (left) looking very Mingus-y, with sister Billie
Gryphon at 10 weeks.
Billie and Gryphon aged 5 months.
Brother & sister settled into their new home together.
Milo – Belatarr Thelonius Monk
Milo back at 3 months of age.
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.
Puppy portraits – 8 weeks.
Most of our boys and girls have now left for their new homes but we are still looking after three pups until their new families are ready for them, so our new, slimmed-down puppy-pack are now out and about with us and their parents throughout the day, and back in their whelping quarters at night. The warmer weather has also allowed them to take regular trips outside, several times a day, as well as individual trips in the car and round and about town in the baby sling, just like their parents before them.
Ella Fitzgerald, super-feminine and most definitely her fathers daughter.
Ella, in profile.
Thelonius Monk (Milo) - bad weather prevented us from getting a 7 week head-shot of this handsome boy, but we've managed to crack it this week.
Milo again - such a wonderful, sweet-natured puppy. He's staying on with us until early Jan - not exactly a chore!
The gorgeous Charlie Parker.
Charlie Parker - melting hearts across the land.
Charlie Parker once again.
Charlie Parker with his rather wet & windswept mum (just back from the beach).
Phoenix & younglings.
Mum makes for an ideal cushion.
...and so does Dad.
...and so does Tim's son Fred (or are they forming a cushion for him?)
The dog sofa, the heart of all action, as ever.
It's a waiting game.
Such a stressful existence.
Belatarr Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla. 