http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog A blog about rural life in the UK, our countryside and my country life. It's all here, farming, gardening, wildlife, animals and rural dating. Tue, 12 Jan 2010 08:31:27 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/mental-musings-of-a-shepherdess-my-dog/ http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/mental-musings-of-a-shepherdess-my-dog/#comments Sun, 17 May 2009 23:56:13 +0000 Jan http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/?p=621 I took my trusty sheepdog over to the farm where the nice old farmer let us play with his sheep yesterday …. we were having a lesson about sheep dog trialling … and believe me, that 20 mins in that field was the longest 20 mins of my life! My dog has a few personality [...]]]> http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/mental-musings-of-a-shepherdess-my-dog/feed/ 3 http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/labrador-retriever-puppies-working-dogs/ http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/labrador-retriever-puppies-working-dogs/#comments Sun, 12 Apr 2009 09:13:31 +0000 Sally http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/?p=355 Exelby Labradors have a current litter of labrador retrievers that will make excellent working or show dogs. I haven’t yet seen any pictures but judging by the parents I can’t wait to get a look at the puppies. Beanie (Exelby Beanie Baer) produced a litter to Timantti Solid Davidson (that is his photo on the [...]]]> http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/labrador-retriever-puppies-working-dogs/feed/ 6 http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/rouble-the-black-labrador/ http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/rouble-the-black-labrador/#comments Wed, 01 Apr 2009 03:44:18 +0000 Sally http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/?p=351 I wanted to share some pictures of my freinds dog, for whom I wrote the Ode to the Utility Room, mainly in the hope that you will all go awwww and join me in my kidnap plan to save him from the utility room bogeyman. Rouble was bred by Helen and Frank of Claychalk Labradors [...]]]> http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/rouble-the-black-labrador/feed/ 13 http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/ollies-exploits-in-the-showring/ http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/ollies-exploits-in-the-showring/#comments Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:39:27 +0000 Sally http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/?p=243 After Ollie’s excellent start to the show year, taking 2 x 1sts at Carlisle, Wish, Ollie and I head off to Ingliston to the the Caledonian Open in excellent spirits (me) and high spirits (Ollie), thinking our Italian Judge would like him.. Franco Barberi (Loch Mor) is a judge I hold in very high regard. [...]]]> http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/ollies-exploits-in-the-showring/feed/ 0 http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/working-dogs-category/ http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/working-dogs-category/#comments Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:04:14 +0000 Sally http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/?p=245 This new category of the Rural Diaries will be devoted to working dogs, from breeding to training and their working lives to their daft exploits. Over time I shall introduce you to some of the very special dogs I have the pleasure of knowing .. no not my over fed lumps but real working dogs [...]]]> http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/working-dogs-category/feed/ 1 http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/2009-international-sheepdog-trials-to-be-held-in-cumbria-uk/ http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/2009-international-sheepdog-trials-to-be-held-in-cumbria-uk/#comments Sun, 11 Jan 2009 20:31:02 +0000 Sally http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/?p=216 The International Sheepdog Trials for 2009 will be held in Lowther Castle, Penrith, Cumbria, UK between the 11th – 13th September 2009. This is great news for Penrith as the Lowther Driving Trials and Country Fair has been cancelled this year due to the dreadful wet weather recently and there is no time to get [...]]]> http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/2009-international-sheepdog-trials-to-be-held-in-cumbria-uk/feed/ 5 http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/working-dogs-should-work/ http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/working-dogs-should-work/#comments Mon, 25 Aug 2008 04:45:33 +0000 Sally http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/?p=181 There are few sadder sights than an overweight miserable dog designed for country sports lolling by the fire waiting for the next meal to magically appear before it. From sheep dogs to gun dogs to hunting dogs and beyond we often see these dogs bought and kept as family pets with little more than a [...]]]> http://www.country-couples.co.uk/blog/working-dogs-should-work/feed/ 2