Bath night

Reuben had a bath

He took it well

After a short fight

The towel was defeated

9 and a half weeks

Size matters!

Reuben is going to be a big dog.

Bella of the ball!

Bella (Ribbon) is loving living with her owner Hayley, they went to a puppy party together at the vets where they met a 10 week old

Golden Retriever called Sunny. Bella hid, bit soon they were playing together which totally wore her out!

Watching you......

...watching me

Bliss sitting pretty under the cliff at Rock HQ

Sneak attack

We are trying to keep the Berners out of the pond, WooZah started it, but as the weather gets hotter they all seem to like a dip. This is having a big impact on the trainee frogs and even bigger impact on our clothing and furniture as our oh so friendly please lets have a hug sopping wet green and slimy dog bounds out of the pond and into our arms. Enough is enough. The Pond is now out of bounds. Bliss was caught having a sneaky drink today. Unfortunately we weren't quite quick enough to catch her brother Spotty who has just coated himself in pond and shared it with Tracey. The joy of Berners!
Tomorrow we are going to buy them a plastic paddling pool as a compromise. Spoilt or what!

Explosion in a mattress factory.....

,,,seen lurking on the bank above Rock HQ.

Oi!!!!!

Two pints of lager and a packet of crisps!

Nessa puts her order in.

So tired

Spotty as a puppy exactly a year ago, he still thinks he's the Lord of the Manor!

Growing lad

Reuben watching the grass grow

Five minutes peace

A quiet sit down in the garden at Rock HQ

My, what a pink tongue...

...you have Grandma!

Lucy, the first Berner I ever met, Rocky's mum and WooZah, Bliss and Spotty's gran came to stay for a few days.

Me...

...and my shadow

It was'nt me

Spot the guilty one that's been having a go at my trainer. Probably the same one who has rearranged the control buttons on the TV remote and let Reba take the rap.

Portrait time!

Close up of Reuben looking cute

So happy!

This is Chester, Rocky's brother, looking very happy.

You first!

Reuben, aka Bumble is getting on well here, rough and tumble with Reba on the lawn was the order of the day until a chicken letting us know she had laid breakfast interrupted the game. Reuben chose caution over bravery and sat behind Reba in case any killer chickens appeared.

I'm so excited

This big lad, Rocky, is the reason why the fish farm is still in kit form today. We spent three hours at the vets and after a barrage of diagnostic tests it was confirmed that he wasn't ill, just a sex maniac.
Panic started last night when it was noted by Tracey that Rocky's eyes had turned blood red. Now as he is a fit, healthy bouncy dog, this was a bit of a surprise. Consulting the diagnose a dog illness book was no help, red eyes in Berners means either death or demonic possession, and we were sure neither of those applied. The only difference from the start of the day to the close was that by evening there were five Bernese Ladies on site.
We waited until morning.
His eyes were still blood red.
Vet!
Quick examination, yes very healthy but to be sure, blood pressure, eye pressure, blood tests, kidney tests, maths test, spatial awareness test, walk straight line with one paw behind his back while barking the national anthem test, all passed, Rocky was in A1 condition.
The only thing the vet could think of was that having the choice of so many ladies Rocky got too excited and bust a few blood vessels at the literally eye popping choice.
He now has another nickname, Buster. Buster Bloodvessel.

Food for thought

Picture this.
A man enters the cottage weary from a days honest labour. He greets his beautiful and oh so patient wife, says hello to the dogs and as he tells of the days toil opens the fridge. A promise of a chili con carne for dinner a few hours before has yet to be delivered and with his stomach rumbling his eyes fall on the ceramic white bowl of freshly cooked mince.
Picture a man happily recounting the day from the kitchen, racing spoon in hand sampling the mince while he pours a well deserved ginger beer. Finally thirst slated, hunger temporarily quelled picture a happy man sat with his dogs while he reads his magazine and waits for dinner.
Picture the same man an hour later when his beautiful and oh so patient wife suddenly tells him that if he goes to the fridge not to eat the mince. Picture the man thinking, shall he confess to having already eaten a large portion of the chili ingredients, but instead has the presence of mind to enquire why not eat the mince. Its the dogs mince. Picture his face as he asks why feed the dogs mince, I mean Jesus, lets just stick money in their mouths.
Picture his expression of horror as his beautiful and oh so patient wife explains very slowly that the mince is the dogs mince, from the blue bag in the freezer, the one marked unfit for human consumption.

The Berner Bush

No idea why, but this bush attracts Berners. Auntie Montana has possession but WooZah is ready to pounce. Just by Mont is a huge hole they have dug so they can lie just out of sight.

Site inspection

Members of the Dolyhir Clan help inspect one of the proposed fish farm sites.

Spotty and Reba by the reservoir and spare tank in background.

Bliss posing, as ever.

Auntie Montana and Bliss judge the angle of slope for the water fall, WooZah takes advantage of an early mud bath.

Bumble

Reuben is growing and his favourite toy is a cuddly Leopard that growls when he moves it. Like all Berners he has a nickname, Bumble, which is apt as it really does fit his walking style, bumbling around.

Tracey tried to do some gardening today, this included trying to find enough earth to fill the holes some of the Clan have excavated under the Berner Bush ( a shrub with magical properties that attracts Berners from afar) and the tunnel under the foundations of the cottage. Asked how it was, gardening with Bumble, who instantly took to the challenge and who could not resist trying to help plant lettuce, although his style of planting included picking up the plant, shaking it until it gave up all signs of resistance before dropping it on the path and fetching another one, "Not easy" was the answer. Good job he's adorable.