Twelve Weeks Later!

I know that I said in the last post that I wanted to write this little blog at least once a week (!) but when I saw that it had been 12 weeks since my last post even I was shocked!! 

So, what have I been doing in that time? Working my little socks off of course! At the end of February we got a rather lovely order for our wax dog coats from a well known store called Hawkshead, who do fab walking gear for you and your man, and now do fab walking gear for your dog! And their stores are Dog Friendly too! 

They have taken six of our most popular sizes, small, medium short, medium, whippet, and the two sizes of our Kent coat, that covers the belly and is great for westies and spaniels.

They also chose most excellent colours, green, brown and tartan. So, if you are in Hawkshead Village in the beautiful Lake District, and you have forgotten the dogs coat, or just fancy trying one before you buy, pop in to their wonderful store! 

That kept us busy until Easter when we delivered. 

Then it was full steam ahead getting ready for Badminton Horse Trials which last year was cancelled the day before we set off! This year the weather did us proud, the sun shone, and the peeps came out in their thousands, and I mean thousands! What a busy show that is! And so many fabulous dogs, all shapes, and all sizes! 

OUR best seller??? Bandanas!! they accounted for a third of all products sold! Obviously the fashion accessory for dogs in the horsey world! 

As usual we met lots of whippet customers who bought our wonderful soft collars, our warm jumpers and our properly shaped wax coats! We love whippets! 

After five frantic days of selling we packed up the van with a lot less than we went with, and headed straight to a local pub for a meal and a well deserved drink before heading back home, there by missing all that Bank Holiday traffic! 

That is where the time goes! The day we got back was my birthday, and it was the big 5 0 this year so I have been celebrating since then, with champagne, good food, and a Girlies Glamping weekend at a local Featherdown Farm. I can recommend it, maybe I will write a post about it......we'll see how the time goes!

See you all in a week or 12!

Debbie x

Wealden Whippet Walk

Some of you know this, but for those who may be reading my little blog for the first time, we live in the Garden of England, otherwise known as Kent! We moved from Surrey, via Devon, to be nearer to our families late last year. When you have dogs, you get out and about and discover the countryside in a way that is probably only shared with Ramblers. So today I thought I would take you on an evenings walk on the beautiful Weald of Kent which is on our doorstep.

Having parked the car, mmm I hear you say, on the door step, well, not literally, we do have to drive to this walk! we pass the beautiful manor house in the village which could not look more 'Kent', and every time we pass this green door, I so want to go through it, as I am sure that beauty lies on the other side.

Then we are onto the footpath, and the whippets are released from their leads, freedom is a wonderful thing to a whippet, they can then chase the many rabbits that are basking in the evening sun, just beside the stinging nettles, a very good place for them, whippets won't venture into those pesky plants even for the love of bunny!

The open fields have just been harvested and the smell of the drying grass is so wonderfully evocative of the english summer, I take deep breaths. The whippets are now running ahead, looking around and sniffing the ground at the same time.

I won't deny that some chasing of rabbits did take place on this wonderful walk, but you will be pleased to know, all rabbits out ran the whippets, they are getting on in dog years.

We pass orchards, and fields, and woodland. The whippets are so happy, and so are we. The evening sun is  still shining and making us feel glad to be alive.

Some time later we find ourselves back where we started, Frankie and Bruno somewhat tired, and us ready for our evening tipple of sloe gin, or did we fancy a sherry?

All happy in our household. 

Whippet Love?

It is no secret that my tippy top favourite dog breed is the whippet, closely followed by the lurcher and then any other long dog, saluki, greyhound, and any combination of the above. However, this week I have encountered a very special breed of dog. The Dandy Dinmont. This dog is very much in danger of becoming extinct with only a handful born last year. So, imagine how lucky I felt to meet two of these lovely little dogs at the Wealden Times Midsummer Fair two weeks ago. I promptly insulted the owners when I asked if they were wire hair dachsunds, and should have gone with my instinct, and extensive knowledge, I do after all go to bed with my Observers Book of Dogs, circa 1961, every night, because I knew they were Dandies! After all I have knitted a jumper for one and had to familiarize myself with the shape of this adorable dog.

So, back to this weeks encounter, above is a picture of Hugo, the Dandie puppy that I was lucky enough to meet and cuddle at the Cattery where we take our elderly cat when we go off to sell our wares at shows, as we were this weekend. Hugo has stolen my heart! Such a beautiful, calm and adorable dog. And they have an adult girl with whom they plan to breed, so more puppys!! I am definately going to do some photos for the website with these wonderful little dogs. So keep an eye out!

The book says 'Coat soft yet thick, rather like the Bedlington' This could be a clue, I adore the little Bedlington Terriers, and at the Wiltshire County Show I met one, a little girl, called Alfie, mmm I too thought, that's a boys name, but the owners were lovely and the dog sweet and playful. 

Then as if to temp me to abandon my 'I will only ever have a whippet' rule, a customer sent me this picture of Violet the beautiful Welsh Terrier. This is another breed that I have long loved and if it wasn't for the fact that they are terriers, well, I could be tempted!!

So, me thinks maybe the best solution when I am faced with the decision of what to get next, it will be a Whippet/Bedlington cross. Then I could get two of my favourite breeds in one. Or could I be tempted by a Dandie???

Then I look at these treasures I have, sleeping in their beds, or our bed, or the spare bed, sofa..... and I think No Its Whippets for me everytime!!Because I just love them. 

Raincoats for all Dogs

It has been wet lately. Understatement!June has not been basking in sun, but battered by rain, the wettest it has been for many a decade. A fact that has not escaped us here at Redhound HQ. My sewing machine has been whizzing up many a rain coat for many different shaped hounds to keep them pesky raindrops off.

It got me thinking, that you may not know that we 

a)make to measure & 

b)have breed specific sized and shaped coats

And here are those special cases

Dachshunds. They present a few issues. This means that they require a whole different shaped coat. Straight back, big ears, and short bodies! But they are wonderful dogs, and we can now accommodate their little bodies, and you can buy your beloved a coat that won't be massive in the body because you had to buy the right length. It has a popper front too.

Spaniels. Wonderful Dogs. Often not in need of a coat at all, as they seem to love getting wet!! But, some owners of these super dogs, don't have a downstairs shower to wash them down after a walk and have asked us to come up with a design that covers the underneath. I give you the Kent coat. It does the trick. Won't keep all of your furry friend dry, but will do a pretty good job! 

The Terrier! Well, my experience at the many shows we do up and down the land, is that these busy little dogs really don't like having a coat put over their heads! So, if you value your hands as I do, you will need our Popper Fronted Dartmoor Coat. Easy, problem solved.

And onto my favourite breed, the whippet! Obviously I am bias, I admit it, but it is a breed who's shape I have come to be very familiar with over the last 9 years. They have small heads and necks, long skinny bodies that curve near the tail. So, we do a special Whippet shape. This will not drown your dog because you had to buy a long coat, and will sit neatly around the neck. Just look at Barney and Cloud here. Neat.

Labradoodles. Not really in need of a coat, but illustrating that if you don't want a soaking wet dog on the late night comfort break, our standard shape will fit these lovely hounds to perfection.

So, I hope that helps. The Redhound guide to getting the right coat for your dog! I know this rain is good for business, but I really really would like it to stop now. Enough.