Conalter Kennels

This is just a small thank you to John and Helen – owners of Oscar, Wallace and Bosun (Newfies) – for their gifts from Islay.  Laphroaig whisky and Islay tablet.  We  are overwhelmed by your generosity.  Thank you so much.  It was completely unexpected;  which makes it even more appreciated.  And you hadn’t seen what I wrote about your big boy this morning! Welcome home, and bring the boys back any time. x

It’s getting on for mid-September and the schools (Scottish and GB wide) are all back.  It means that we are fairly quiet. We’ve had the Newfies in for a week, which has been great fun.  We just can’t keep them out of the burn as they paddle up and down – under the little bridge and back up again!  Eventually they succumb to a treat and we can get on with it.  Oscar, the biggest, has decided he likes coming into the kitchen.  He also discovered that there can be more than one way into a house, as we found out at the weekend.  We had left the back door open, so Oscar sauntered in and made his way to the kitchen where I was preparing some food. I got a bit of a fright to find this big black mountain of a dog at my side, keen to sample my baking!

Some news on the business side of things.  We have at last received our credit/debit card terminal so are able to offer customers the facility of paying with plastic.  No more cheques though.  It’s a service we are happy to offer as we know it can be annoying having to bring enough cash.

My hip is splendid.  I’m even walking some dogs.  However, as I suspected,  Nigel has assumed overall control and is reluctant to give it up.   I have to admit that he’s pretty damned good and I might just let him get on with it!

I am sometimes asked what is the most popular breed of dog in the kennels.  I really don’t have to think very hard – it has to be the labrador.  We’ve had a good number of spaniels (of all kinds) and some lovely border collies  – but we’ve had more labradors than any other breed, predominantly black but a few yellows and a smattering of chocolates too.  Most of them are well behaved and responsive, and are, consequently, a pleasure to take out.  A little training and some discipline when still young make such a difference.  The ‘not so great’ dogs – of all breeds – are the ones who have been allowed to get away with anything when still cute little puppies.  Like children dogs need a bit of control and discipline, and to know there are boundaries!

Back to the labs.  Over the last week I think we had 6 labs in (and another three expected this week).  It’s great fun throwing the ball for them and seeing which ones use their nose to find it and how fast they all are.  We usually allow less bolshie ones to get a shot at the ball too,  so they’re all happy!  Charlie,  my own cocker spaniel, has to be put in his kennel at this point as he’s the absolute master at ball finding.

Readers of previous blogs will know that I’ve been due to get a new hip.  Well my brand spanking new ceramic hip is in and working very well.  I’m still walking with one stick but getting better all the time.  Nigel is  doing all the dog walking, and is acting Commander-in-Chief – (not just CIC of the poo patrol).  I better watch out or there might be a coup and I’ll be reduced to merely  blog-person

Sorry Rowdy, you may be the handsomest dog around, but I’m afraid I have been smitten by someone else – a bolshie, couthy little border terrier called Buster! He may be look a bit scruffy, but all ladies like a bit of rough now and again! Buster was with us for only a short time but he stole my heart and he was ever-helpful with preparing breakfasts (picking up the little spilt bits) and generally being a ‘very useful dog’. I really hope we have him in again.

On the dog front generally we have quietened down considerably.  A lot of folk must be back from holiday and getting ready for the start of the new school term – only a very few weeks away in most of Scotland.  And what weather we’ve been having here over the last week – just like the Med without the cooling sea (and the sangria).  Not sure how much the dogs are enjoying the heat.  I have one very hairy beast in who likes to lie on the cool kennel floor rather than in his bed.  Poor lad must hate the summer.  Not me though!  Just glad my work is mainly outdoors and not stuck in an office.  Thank god those days are well and truly behind me.  Running a dog kennel isn’t a bad job to have!

I am in love with a big beatiful golden retriever called Rowdy. He’s bouncy and bubbly but completely reliable. I just have to shout ‘Rowdy’ and he dashes back to me (and of course he deserves a treat for that). I don’t generally take to golden retrievers – they’re bit big and hairy for me – but Rowdy has such a lovely face and big black kind eyes; you can’t help but love him to bits. He’s only with us for a couple more days but I really hope we’ll get a chance to have him back again.

Not forgetting all the other magnificent four-legged friends who are holidaying with us at the moment!

Conalter Kennels is one year old today. We took our first dog in on 30 June 2010, a terrific springer spaniel called Rhona. So thank you Rhona, you were the first of many brilliant dogs!

What a year it has been. We have had many different breeds of dog, from the gigantic Nefoundlanders (coming back in today) to tiny little Karma, the KCCS puppy (still the grandchildren’s favourite), with many Heinz 57′ers in between. I can honestly say I haven’t regretted it for a minute – well only if I don’t think about going walkies in the driving rain or snow.

Seriously though, I am so glad I re-opened the kennels after a gap of 8 years. It’s been hard work, but the dogs are their own reward. There have been too many brilliant dogs to mention them all by name. I have also completely revised my opinion of ‘rescue’ dogs. We have had so many staying with us and ALL have been fantastic.

We have a very busy couple of months coming up, but that’s what I had hoped for. We are prepared for the rush – let’s just hope we get some decent dog-walking weather!

Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the last year. Let’s hope it’s the first of many.

xx

Way back in snow-bound January June seemed a long way away, and I longed for some warm weather and being able to take the dogs out without donning hat, gloves, two pairs of socks and the winter jacket. It certainly is a lot warmer than it was but I was hoping for some real heat. The weather gods tanatalized us yesterday with clear blue skies and the kind of heat that was really too much to sit out in! So what’s happened today – it’s overcast and not overly warm – cardigan weather my mother would call it.

I have to say, though, it’s a bit more pleasant walking the dogs in this sort of temperature – and they aren’t drinking out of every little trickle of water they find. We have some lovely ones in at the moment – it’s funny sometimes we have all girls but at the moment it’s male dominated. Drew and Dory (black labs) just do what labs do naturally – chase balls and try and get as many treats as they can. Todd (trail hound) is amazing. He’s pretty fast but just doesn’t have the nose to find the ball quick enough so I have to trick the labs and let Todd have the bragging rights occasiionally! Todd is a big boy who will run quite far in front but comes back the instant you call his name. I’m not familiar with the breed, but if all trail hounds have the temperment of Todd, they seem pretty good.

It’s mid-May and we are having a bit of a quiet spell before the summer hols.  It’s a good job as my partner, Nigel, broke his ankle three weeks ago and is hobbling about on crutches.  So the canine care is all down to me at the moment.  Fortunately he gets his plaster off at the end of the month and should soon be back in harness (or should that be on the lead).  I have a dodgy hip too, but thank god for the Tramadol, it takes all the pain away! I’m on the list for a new hip but that will have to wait until a. Nigel is fighting fit, and b. the end of the summer season.  We’re just too busy for me to be out of commission.

Let’s hope nothing else happens…. I did shut my thumb on the car door last week but that doesn’t really count.  It was, fortunately, my left thumb so I can still manage to chuck the ball for the dogs – and type this blog.

Up and out early this morning to give the dogs their first run of the day and heard that magical sound – the greylags flying high above on their way back home to Iceland for the summer. The familiar V-formation and honking just lifts the spirits cos you know that summer is just round the corner.  The fact that the weather was bright and sunny helped a bit!

Had a very busy spell when the schools were all on holiday – everything from a delightful little King Charles Cavalier Spaniel puppy called Karma – only 4 months old – to the big Newfoundlands.  They are all fantastic in their own way.  Karma even joined us for a family barbecue – the grandchildren thought she was so sweet.  I did toy with telling her owners that she had run away, but sense prevailed in the end.  A bit quieter now, but this will only be the lull before the summer kicks in.

We are right in the busiest time of the spring  and our kennels are full, to the point of having to turn away customers.  It makes it really frustrating then to have people let you down.  Over the past week I have had three ‘no shows’.  I wonder if they think we run kennels just for the fun of it and if they let us down with a booking, it doesn’t really matter.  We are a small business and one ‘no show’ means that we have lost 10% of our business.  So it does matter!

Fortunately most of our customers are not like that and if they cancel within a short period of time, offer to give a cancellation fee. I have never yet accepted.  But the actions of a few make me think of reconsidering this position.

Rant finished.  I feel better now!