Crufts dog show

Good luck to all our friends who are now travelling from the lengths and breadths of the UK to Crufts dog show. Also from Europe friends travelling many hours to get there.  The Gundog group is Saturday and we would have normally been going as lots of our dogs had qualified. However when Willow came into season we realised it is Crufts weekend that she is due to have her puppies.  The scan showed her due date as Monday, but her first mating date was Saturday. So she could come later than the weekend.  She is very sleepy at the moment and suddenly her tummy has dropped, which means days away now.  Her milk glands have developed yesterday.  She can now feel her puppies kicking inside her.  I think she will be a great mum as she has always wanted other peoples puppies and gets in whelping boxes and licks others pups.  She hopefully she will enjoy being a mummy dog.  

Good luck to the Silvestre team going as we have 2 puppies, and an older dog I believe going in Vizsla.  Possibly 3 Bracco italiano are going also but thats if at the last minute the owners can go. 

For those of you looking for us as we get lots of people visiting us at Crufts on the day, Im sorry we wont be there, but we are always here for a chat if you want to speak to us via messenger on fb, whats app or instagram.  Everyone have a lovely day and remember take big bags to fill with all that shopping, and comfortable shoes.  

Fingers crossed Silvestre team will be at Crufts in 2026 if nothing else comes along.  

I want to make it clear we never put a show before our dogs welfare. I have a personal responsibility to our girls who look to me as their mother to help them.  Yes I loose sleep and I am with them the whole journey.  What if they needed a vets help and I wasn't there. Awful to contemplate.

 I understand that some articles have come out where breeders have left pregnant dogs for shows.  I want to reassure you we are not one of those breeders.  I still have a job to believe some of the articles ive read recently.  Especially those concerned and I hope it's all wrong.  If wrong it's bullying on a massive scale. But Im always hopeful for humanity and try to see the best in everyone.  I am let down often.   

Here at Silvestre we have always maintained our dogs are pets first, they mean the world to us.  We give them the right veterinary care when needed. We have a great relationship with our veterinary surgeon.  Which all good breeders need.  If we can breed from them great, if we cant then they are spayed.   Life is about being kind to your animals.  Breeding dogs is one of the most expensive things you can do and at the end of the year when you do a tax return you see how little you make. It's a passion, love and devotion.  

I also have some exciting news to share soon on a new career choice Ive made which can run along side our breeding for now.  Again widening my knowledge on animals.  

Have a lovely weekend everyone and send me your crufts photos or just taking your dog for a walk. I know our will be out if I can arrange my son to sit with Willow for two hours over the weekend.  If he can not then I will be at home.  We are lucky we all live together in one massive house, but there is two houses.  So any time I have to pop out he pops around and sits with the team.  He is very experienced in every aspect of dogs because I taught him from a baby.  I have photo somewhere when he is about 9 months old sitting in the whelping box with a dog.