Highlo English Setters

Highlo English Setters

Here at Highlo we have another passion besides pens - our English Setters.

This page is to introduce you to our dogs and keep you up to date on our new litter of pups, who will be looking for new homes around the end of May 2009.

This is 'Mum' - Leksmoor Desert Gold, our Florence (or Flossie/Flossie Freckles/Miss Frecks, as she is variably called, depending on how good she is being). Florence is an Orange Belton, and a cracking little beauty with strong setter instincts.

Floss was born in September 2006, and this is her first litter of pups. She is surprising us all by being a very good and tolerant mother.

This is 'Dad' , Show Champion 'Bournehouse Silver Dreamer', a beautiful Blue Belton & Tan, born May 2005.

This is Granville, our old boy, nearly eleven years old now. As we watch him gradually morph into Victor Meldrew, it is sometimes hard to remember that 'Great Uncle Granville' was once the life and soul of the beach where he goes for his daily walk, and that this arthritic old-timer could once clear the sands and hit the horizon in thirty seconds flat when he spied a holidaymaker who just might have a biscuit concealed about his person. Known and loved by everyone, he has always been a great character and is still guaranteed to bring a smile to the face of any passer-by with his melancholy and mournful expression. He is now very much a pipe and slippers man, liking nothing more than to curl up in an easy chair with a cigar and a glass of port, only looking up with a perfunctory glance at the antics of the young ones, and doubtless muttering under his breath 'I don't believe it!' We love him dearly.

Here are the pictures of Flossie and her new brood. I will try and update these weekly, so that interested parties can keep track of their progress. If you would like to see the pups' pedigree, please click here.

Birth

The seven pups on the day they were born: five dogs and two bitches.

Flossie cradles one of her new born pups.

Week 1

Sadly, we lost one of the pups at five days old, despite valiant efforts to save him. The good news is that all the rest are thriving and have doubled their weight in eight days.


*They have names now: Girls - Prima & Donna. Boys - Hector, Wellington, Rufus & Jasper*	*Eyes still tightly shut, but dark markings starting to appear around the eyes and nose.*

Week 2


We intend keeping one of these four boys and calling him Rupert. We don't know which one it will be yet, so at the moment they are all auditioning for the part. It's a bit like an Andrew Lloyd Webber audition, "You could still be Rupert!"	With eyes now open, these are the two girls, Prima (because she was the first-born) and Donna (because you can't have a Prima without a Donna)

Week 3


*The pups are now exploring their environment and can walk across their box.*	*Rufus says: "I can now sit up all by myself."*

Prima. Nan's favourite. Is this a chilled-out pooch or what?

A bucket of pups!

Week 4


*We can now just about tell what colour the pups will be. These are three blue beltons - Prima, Donna & Wellington. (They may be tri-colour, but we can't be sure yet .)*	*These three boys, Hector, Rufus & Jasper are definitely orange beltons.*

*It didn't take long to learn how to feed themselves - one day to be exact.*	Wot, no food? Or is she hatching an escape plan?

Week 5

Auditions are over for the part of 'Rupert' and the winner is - Wellington. The problem now is that we have got so used to calling him Wellington ('Wellie' even) that we may not be able to rename him Rupert.


*Following a mass-breakout from the whelping box this week, we have moved the pups to more secure accommodation ( but this time with en suite facilities).*	I can finally confirm that the litter consists of three Orange Beltons and three Blue Belton & Tans (tri-colours). The pups are pictured here getting their first taste of freedom and sunshine.

*We now have homes promised for all these five pups.*	*but - "Why does nobody want ME?"*

Week 6

The pups have now been registered with The Kennel Club. Their names are:

Prima: PRETTY BALLERINA. Donna: DANCER IN THE MIST. Hector: DESERT DREAMER. Wellington: PULAU BRANI REMEMBERED. Rufus: DREAMING IN SILVER AND GOLD. Jasper: SEA OF DREAMS


Prima & Donna - The Terrible Twosome. These two miscreants are the ones most likely to kick up a fuss at mealtimes, lead any break-out attempts, or front a protest march. They have now recruited my boy Wellington to their cause and, him being easily lead, are leading him into bad ways.	By contrast, these three handsome young men are content to sit and let it all happen around them. Strange that these are the Oranges, leaving it to the Tri's to cause the havoc.

*From left to right - Donna, Rufus, Hector, Prima, Jasper and Wellington.*	*Mum watches over her babies as they enjoy a warm day in the garden.*

We are, of course, keeping Wellington, but Prima now has a wonderful new home waiting for her in Reading. Donna will be going to some friends who live locally, so we will still be able to see her regularly. Hector will be moving to Glossop, where we are told he has the potential to be a possible show champion. Jasper will be having a wonderful time down south, exploring Epping Forest.	*but - "Why does nobody want ME?"*

Week 7


*Our boy Wellington has seen the error of his ways and is now associating with more respectable company - in the form of Rufus.*	This young lady, our 'Prima, Pretty Ballerina', looks like being the first to leave us next week. As Nan's favourite, she is going to be missed.

*Having outgrown the whelping box and the cage, the pups have now commandeered the entire conservatory, complete with their own private balcony and sun deck.*	*The move to the conservatory was timely, as escape tunnel 'Charlie' was very near completion.*

*As someone commented this week, they are no longer just pups, they are now recognisable as tiny English Setters.*	*"Can't you see I'm a tiny English Setter? Why does nobody want me?"*

Week 8


This week we said goodbye to our Prima, Pretty Ballerina - the first to be born and the first to leave. Her name is now officially Phoebe, and she is headed for a wonderful life with the Hughes family in Reading.	*We also said goodbye to our Jasper, who is starting his new life with Simon Gray of Battersea Pen Home fame. Jasper will be joining his half-brother Fergus,* chasing rabbits in Epping Forest.

*One final drink at The Last Chance Saloon!*	"I'm Rufus, the pup that nobody seems to want. Strange, because I'm the best looking and best behaved pup in the litter. Anyway, if nobody wants me I don't care. I'll just stay here with my mum, my brother and my Great Uncle Granville and have a wonderful time running free on the beach and in the sea, and you can all just go and get lost. So there!"

Week 9


This week we said goodbye to our Hector, who is moving in with Sue Bacon and her two setters in Glossop. Hector is to be a show dog, and I am sure he will make both Sue and us very proud. His Kennel Club name is Desert Dreamer, but Sue informs us that she won't be changing his pet name and will still be calling him Hector.	Not quite so heart-wrenching is the loss of our Donna, now called Madison. This is not because she is a little madam (which she is) but because Martin, Karen and family live locally, so we will still be able to see her from time to time and follow her development.

*Phoebe settles in with her new family. Looks like she's going to have a great time!*	*Jasper, now called Freddie, has already made friends with his half-brother Fergus.*

So that's it, the end of our journey, and what a rollercoaster of emotions it has been. From the excitement of the births, to the sadness of losing Oswald a few days later. From the fun of weighing the pups every day and watching them develop, to the tensions of keeping them healthy and safe. From the joy of playing with them and introducing them to the world, to the heartbreak of handing them over to their new families.

We still have our Wellington, of course - and Rufus, to whom we have become very attached and will only part with to a very special home.

Would we do it again? No. I don't think so. Four English Setters in the house has got to be enough for anybody, and besides - I don't think my nerves could stand it.

We would like to thank all the people who have logged on to this web page to follow our little story. We never imagined we would get so many hits and we hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as we have enjoyed writing it.

- Peter & Lesley