Birthday Greetings to the seven puppies from Glen and Hanner's 2012 litter, who are one year old today!

And especial thanks to all their lovely owners for  these  beautiful pictures and interesting reports. I find it  fascinating to compare their progress and hope that you will too....

 Above and Below: Brambledale Beryl, owned by Charlie and Andy Morley......

 And (below) Beryl's brother, Drift, at the WBCS annual gathering in the Lake District last week.

 Below: Drift and Beryl 'relax' (at top speed!) on a Norfolk beach.

 Charlie writes: "Drift and Beryl are both great characters, the same in so many ways and yet still very individual. They play and play together, both ever at my side curious and interested in anything I'm doing, wanting to be involved, real companions. Not a day goes by when they don't do something to make us both smile, glance and say  ' just look at the twins'. The speed during their games of chase together when out walking is astonishing, although Drift usually has to be 'the sheep' and Beryl likes to be 'the sheepdog' and if our older boy will play as well than they are besides themselves with glee! Beryl has fitted in like the missing piece of our jigsaw and very quickly had the two boys wrapped around her little paw."

Below: Drift finds a quiet spot for a rest from Beryl........

 Below: Vicki Hassell's Rafe also enjoys the company of a brother....here he is (lying down) with two-year-old brother, Finn...

 Vicky writes:
"It's been a wonderful first year with Rafe. He's a lovely, sweet-natured and very clever boy, full of enthusiasm and boundless curiosity. He and his older brother Finn are the best of friends and love to romp together, devising their own woodland obstacle courses, racing on the beach and playing 'tag' and 'hide and seek' in the garden. Their games are full of invention and Rafe's particular favourite is repeatedly throwing a hard-won 'toy' high into the air and leaping up to catch it - he clearly hasn't read the books that say 'puppies shouldn't jump'! Like Finn he loves going to Agility classes where we have lots of fun although he can't understand why he's not allowed to tackle the big jumps and obstacles yet... Sadly it's very much a case of great dogs, shame about the owner! In his quieter moments he likes to sit on the conservatory window sill keeping an eye out for any trespassing cats or, apparently, just gazing at the birds flying high overhead - he's so clever he'll probably soon be able to tell me whether it's a buzzard or a raven going by.... Or he might be found quietly pottering around the bramble patch, carefully extracting the juiciest fruit from amongst the thorns and nettles. Thank you again Lynne for allowing Rafe to come and join Finn and share our lives - we can't imagine being without our Brambledales."

 Above and Below: Rafe shows off some of his skills.

 

Above and Below: Tudor and Janet Thomas's Gruff - the image of his mother Hanner.

Janet says: “We are thrilled with Gruff who is so similar to Barney our previous beardie from you. He is such a character and a favourite with anyone who visits our house. He loves our other dog Poppy, the Jack Russell and they play together for hours although she is the boss and lets him know when she has had enough! He now towers above her and his favourite trick is to put his paw on her head until she joins in the fun. He loves being outside on the yard 'helping out'and usually has his nose in anything that's going on!! He enjoys sitting on the top of the big round bales watching everyone and anything that passes our property.
The year has gone very quickly!”

 

Above and Below: Jo Beaumont's Fergus, of whom she writes: “Fergus is our gorgeous, happy, laid back comedian.  The sidelong look he gives you when trotting past with something he's not quite sure he should have in his mouth,  his crocodile stance in the river, waiting for the swallows to swoop past his nose, and his enthusiasm for "sorting out the sheep for you Mummy"  He lopes through life meeting and greeting everyone, and is just our lovely Huggy Bear.” 

 Above and Below: Gwen, owned by Alex and Hannah Arthur, who say "As to Gwen herself, we are both absolutely besotted with her!  She has become ever more gentle and affectionate; she plays happily with Grace (our King Charles Spaniel) and is slowly teaching Lily to play.She has also become rather vain... whenever Hannah is getting ready in front of the chevalier mirror, Gwen will walk up to it and prod the lower edge of the mirror with a paw so that it pivots in order that she can see herself!  Her paws get well used whenever she wants attention... whoever's attention is required gets a gentle prod to make sure they are aware of her presence!"

 .....And below is Jill Taylor's Glenys (named after her father, Glen, because she is so like him) is another lucky girl who enjoys a change of scenery....

 Jill explains;  "We have been in Cornwall house sitting for friends while they were away on holiday in Italy.   Glenys  and I have been busy looking after the house and her Whippet and lurcher friends!  She has come into her own and is a very loving and friendly dog who loves people and dogs alike.I have attached a couple of photos of her on her holidays.  We have started to do some agility training and she loves it and is coming on really well.She is  a  lovely happy dog who gives great pleasure to the whole family."

 

We send our love and best wishes to them all.