Astros Mum Pauline
Debbie breeds the highest quality pedigree Kerry Blue Terriers. I live in an area with a lot of dogs and get daily compliments on how handsome and special my dog, Astro, is. My husband and I adore him. As a couple that couldn’t have kids Astro has filled a hole in our hearts. He is a smart, joyful, clever, very affectionate and caring dog. When we got him he was very tactile and clearly used to being picked up, cuddled and stroked.
He’s pretty much the perfect dog and I think a lot of that is down to his first few weeks with Debbie.
Debbie genuinely cares about her Kerrys and the homes they go to. I call Debbie ‘Mummy One’, because she spends a lot of time looking after her puppies and caring for them before they go to their forever homes. The aftercare from Debbie has been fantastic. She’s on the end of the phone when I need her and I feel like I’ve been welcomed into the KBT community.
I wholeheartedly recommend Debbie to everyone who falls in love with Astro and wants to know where they can get a Kerry Blue Terrier like him.
Debbie breeds the highest quality pedigree Kerry Blue Terriers. I live in an area with a lot of dogs and get daily compliments on how handsome and special my dog, Astro, is. My husband and I adore him. As a couple that couldn’t have kids Astro has filled a hole in our hearts. He is a smart, joyful, clever, very affectionate and caring dog. When we got him he was very tactile and clearly used to being picked up, cuddled and stroked.
He’s pretty much the perfect dog and I think a lot of that is down to his first few weeks with Debbie.
Debbie genuinely cares about her Kerrys and the homes they go to. I call Debbie ‘Mummy One’, because she spends a lot of time looking after her puppies and caring for them before they go to their forever homes. The aftercare from Debbie has been fantastic. She’s on the end of the phone when I need her and I feel like I’ve been welcomed into the KBT community.
I wholeheartedly recommend Debbie to everyone who falls in love with Astro and wants to know where they can get a Kerry Blue Terrier like him.
CLANCY-MAN WITH A MISSION
I have enjoyed the company of a dog for 46 years, and three years ago I decided it was time to discover the terrier, namely the Kerry Blue Terrier.
I had read articles on the internet and in dog books about the Kerry Blue, and though confident I could adapt to this breed, I had loved and owned Belgian Shepherds for years and felt somewhat naïve and ignorant about the Kerry Blue.
Thankfully the breeder, Debbie Veevers was not only informative and careful in allowing me to adopt one of her TassHot Kerry’s, but has provided ongoing support. Support which has included showing me how to ‘pluck’ my Kerry’s ears which was something I couldn’t even comprehend!
From day one, my new Kerry, who I named Clancy, made it pretty clear that he was not some push-overtook, his trust had to be earnt and his loyal little heart which missed his birth mother and first family, comforted. I discovered he loved lambs-wool, so my slippers became his, and as I later learnt, the first few weeks of his life with Debbie, included sheep. Loving my lambs-wool slippers made perfect sense – nothing was random with this little man.
Courage and a stout heart -
On arrival in his new home, Clancy found himself surround by new people, new dogs which were bigger than he’d ever seen before, and some creatures called ‘cats’. One of which, Fion, walked up to him, hit him across the face, then walked off… boundary set, relationship set. Welcome to your new home little man. Be of good courage…
Clancy the hero –
This courage was soon to be demonstrated within two weeks of being in his new home. As a ‘parent’ I probably did every thing I shouldn’t have. For the first few days he slept either by my bed or on it. Within two weeks as he grew more secure and confident in his new home, he decided that he was happy to sleep in the doorway of my bedroom – which is his usual place each night to this day.
One night, at only 12 weeks old, Clancy detected a prowler out the front of the house near my car. I was woken by the little ‘growls’ near the front door, which alerted the other two dogs, and prompted me to investigate. The prowler soon made tracks.
Proud of their ‘protégé’ my Belgian Shepherds fussed over him for a job well done. They were raising him well(!), and ‘co-parenting’ has been, as far as the Belgians are concerned, a necessity. There are some things, apparently, that his ‘human’ parent, just can’t understand or know, which every young dog should learn..
Clancy the learner -
Part of this learning has been to treat the four household cats with tolerance and respect, while always remembering that they are only cats, and being smacked across the face is not to be tolerated. This of course means that the ‘naughty’ cat, Fion, who for some reason considers himself the alpha male of the house, occasionally needs reminding that he is not.
While the first two years involved learning for both Clancy and his human mum, Clancy prove that he was a quick learner, whether through ‘puppy preschool’, professional training sessions, or ‘home schooling. And thankfully Clancy’s human mum had the sense to teach him from a young age the boundaries concerning the cats. That is, he is never to bite, grab or harm any of them in any way, and based on this understanding he is good friends with them, albeit like a policeman monitoring some dodgy characters. [Cats, for the record, are in fact remarkably patient and tolerant, allowing Clancy to believe he is the ‘boss’].
As far as Fion is concerned, there is a ‘code of conduct’, which is monitored by their human parent. This mean that if Fion starts to annoy one of the other cats, Clancy will stand between them with his body side-on and Fion understands that the terrier ‘tilt’ of the head and ‘arch’ of the neck, means “don’t push it, and move on”, and readily complies (because cats are, of course, actually smarter, and realise that Clancy is just a dog).
Clancy the watchdog and keeper –
Observing cats and establishing workable relationships is not the only skill Clancy has, to his credit, has demonstrated. His large, round black eyes are observant of many things, and its not unusual to find the black/blue head moving in for a closer look. Whether you’re just doing something your daily routine, or something knew, Clancy is there, nothing is missed. And he will not leave my side while there is any doubt in his mind about my safety and welfare, or that of anyone else in the family.
One night when my mother wasn’t well, Clancy noticed she was in an unusually deep sleep and not responsive. Whether it was her breathing, body temperature or something else, which alerted Clancy, he knew to be concerned and used his big bark, from that deep chest to alert me. On another occasion, when my dad had a nasty chest infection in his asbestos damaged lungs, Clancy noticed his breathing had changed and become irregular, again, Clancy used that big bark to try and wake my dad and alert me.
These same observations skills and instinct also make him a perfect ‘watch dog’. He has an acute instinct when it comes to people, as seen when he is out on his daily walk. Most people he likes to greet, and he is usually more friendly than most people, but occasionally, he knows that a person is not ok. Whether he can smell drugs or detects an underlying aggression, only he knows, and as a mere human, I know to trust him implicitly.
Do I think my Kerry Blue Terrier is a little hero? Yes, I do. Most people who love their dogs will tell you how they are intelligent, loyal, and devoted. But time and time again, Clancy has demonstrated this. He is also inquisitive, a thinker, and has feelings which can be easily hurt – such as me forgetting a Christmas present…
Is he stubborn? No more than any other dog I have owned. Does he have bad habits? Yes, such as wanting to jump up for a pat when meeting knew people. But that would be my fault, not his. He just has so much love inside him, and he wants to show it.
Clancy is a strong, healthy boy, with the ‘classic’ Kerry humour. He knows how to play the ‘guilt trip’, and does not consider that he should be or is an inferior being. He will voice his objection to the ‘rudeness’ others and let me know when someone has hurt his feelings. He will ‘tell me off’ if he’s not happy and I have offended – and usually this is quite justified.
He is forgiving and incredibly patient with his human parent especially during ‘ear plucking’ or the shearing and grooming of his coat. All he asks is that I don’t trim the beard too short – Clancy likes his beard, and apparently it’s something to do with ‘Kerry pride’.
Home coming ….
That ‘Kerry pride’ can also be seen in his love for his home and family. Whether it’s defending his property, looking out for his family, or just being a good and loyal friend and companion, who’s beard frequently leaves the dogs water bowl dirty, we would not be without our Kerry. And Fion, well he is also happy to let Clancy live with the delusion that he is boss.
His is not perfect, but not as imperfect as his human owner, and I can only suggest that the potential owner of a Kerry Blue is best advised to accept their Kerry for who and what they are – as you should any dog. Teach him manners, but don’t crush his spirit. Be practical, not unreasonable – s/he will shake their wet beard all over you, so dry it.
If you don’t like a loud bark, a wet beard, or a dog that needs a lot of grooming, who will ‘tell you off’ when he’s not happy with you, and show you when his feelings are hurt, don’t get a Kerry – for their sake.
If you are patient, not too precious about yourself, and appreciate a true companion dog, who will be devoted to you until the day he dies, then a Kerry is a friend indeed..
I have enjoyed the company of a dog for 46 years, and three years ago I decided it was time to discover the terrier, namely the Kerry Blue Terrier.
I had read articles on the internet and in dog books about the Kerry Blue, and though confident I could adapt to this breed, I had loved and owned Belgian Shepherds for years and felt somewhat naïve and ignorant about the Kerry Blue.
Thankfully the breeder, Debbie Veevers was not only informative and careful in allowing me to adopt one of her TassHot Kerry’s, but has provided ongoing support. Support which has included showing me how to ‘pluck’ my Kerry’s ears which was something I couldn’t even comprehend!
From day one, my new Kerry, who I named Clancy, made it pretty clear that he was not some push-overtook, his trust had to be earnt and his loyal little heart which missed his birth mother and first family, comforted. I discovered he loved lambs-wool, so my slippers became his, and as I later learnt, the first few weeks of his life with Debbie, included sheep. Loving my lambs-wool slippers made perfect sense – nothing was random with this little man.
Courage and a stout heart -
On arrival in his new home, Clancy found himself surround by new people, new dogs which were bigger than he’d ever seen before, and some creatures called ‘cats’. One of which, Fion, walked up to him, hit him across the face, then walked off… boundary set, relationship set. Welcome to your new home little man. Be of good courage…
Clancy the hero –
This courage was soon to be demonstrated within two weeks of being in his new home. As a ‘parent’ I probably did every thing I shouldn’t have. For the first few days he slept either by my bed or on it. Within two weeks as he grew more secure and confident in his new home, he decided that he was happy to sleep in the doorway of my bedroom – which is his usual place each night to this day.
One night, at only 12 weeks old, Clancy detected a prowler out the front of the house near my car. I was woken by the little ‘growls’ near the front door, which alerted the other two dogs, and prompted me to investigate. The prowler soon made tracks.
Proud of their ‘protégé’ my Belgian Shepherds fussed over him for a job well done. They were raising him well(!), and ‘co-parenting’ has been, as far as the Belgians are concerned, a necessity. There are some things, apparently, that his ‘human’ parent, just can’t understand or know, which every young dog should learn..
Clancy the learner -
Part of this learning has been to treat the four household cats with tolerance and respect, while always remembering that they are only cats, and being smacked across the face is not to be tolerated. This of course means that the ‘naughty’ cat, Fion, who for some reason considers himself the alpha male of the house, occasionally needs reminding that he is not.
While the first two years involved learning for both Clancy and his human mum, Clancy prove that he was a quick learner, whether through ‘puppy preschool’, professional training sessions, or ‘home schooling. And thankfully Clancy’s human mum had the sense to teach him from a young age the boundaries concerning the cats. That is, he is never to bite, grab or harm any of them in any way, and based on this understanding he is good friends with them, albeit like a policeman monitoring some dodgy characters. [Cats, for the record, are in fact remarkably patient and tolerant, allowing Clancy to believe he is the ‘boss’].
As far as Fion is concerned, there is a ‘code of conduct’, which is monitored by their human parent. This mean that if Fion starts to annoy one of the other cats, Clancy will stand between them with his body side-on and Fion understands that the terrier ‘tilt’ of the head and ‘arch’ of the neck, means “don’t push it, and move on”, and readily complies (because cats are, of course, actually smarter, and realise that Clancy is just a dog).
Clancy the watchdog and keeper –
Observing cats and establishing workable relationships is not the only skill Clancy has, to his credit, has demonstrated. His large, round black eyes are observant of many things, and its not unusual to find the black/blue head moving in for a closer look. Whether you’re just doing something your daily routine, or something knew, Clancy is there, nothing is missed. And he will not leave my side while there is any doubt in his mind about my safety and welfare, or that of anyone else in the family.
One night when my mother wasn’t well, Clancy noticed she was in an unusually deep sleep and not responsive. Whether it was her breathing, body temperature or something else, which alerted Clancy, he knew to be concerned and used his big bark, from that deep chest to alert me. On another occasion, when my dad had a nasty chest infection in his asbestos damaged lungs, Clancy noticed his breathing had changed and become irregular, again, Clancy used that big bark to try and wake my dad and alert me.
These same observations skills and instinct also make him a perfect ‘watch dog’. He has an acute instinct when it comes to people, as seen when he is out on his daily walk. Most people he likes to greet, and he is usually more friendly than most people, but occasionally, he knows that a person is not ok. Whether he can smell drugs or detects an underlying aggression, only he knows, and as a mere human, I know to trust him implicitly.
Do I think my Kerry Blue Terrier is a little hero? Yes, I do. Most people who love their dogs will tell you how they are intelligent, loyal, and devoted. But time and time again, Clancy has demonstrated this. He is also inquisitive, a thinker, and has feelings which can be easily hurt – such as me forgetting a Christmas present…
Is he stubborn? No more than any other dog I have owned. Does he have bad habits? Yes, such as wanting to jump up for a pat when meeting knew people. But that would be my fault, not his. He just has so much love inside him, and he wants to show it.
Clancy is a strong, healthy boy, with the ‘classic’ Kerry humour. He knows how to play the ‘guilt trip’, and does not consider that he should be or is an inferior being. He will voice his objection to the ‘rudeness’ others and let me know when someone has hurt his feelings. He will ‘tell me off’ if he’s not happy and I have offended – and usually this is quite justified.
He is forgiving and incredibly patient with his human parent especially during ‘ear plucking’ or the shearing and grooming of his coat. All he asks is that I don’t trim the beard too short – Clancy likes his beard, and apparently it’s something to do with ‘Kerry pride’.
Home coming ….
That ‘Kerry pride’ can also be seen in his love for his home and family. Whether it’s defending his property, looking out for his family, or just being a good and loyal friend and companion, who’s beard frequently leaves the dogs water bowl dirty, we would not be without our Kerry. And Fion, well he is also happy to let Clancy live with the delusion that he is boss.
His is not perfect, but not as imperfect as his human owner, and I can only suggest that the potential owner of a Kerry Blue is best advised to accept their Kerry for who and what they are – as you should any dog. Teach him manners, but don’t crush his spirit. Be practical, not unreasonable – s/he will shake their wet beard all over you, so dry it.
If you don’t like a loud bark, a wet beard, or a dog that needs a lot of grooming, who will ‘tell you off’ when he’s not happy with you, and show you when his feelings are hurt, don’t get a Kerry – for their sake.
If you are patient, not too precious about yourself, and appreciate a true companion dog, who will be devoted to you until the day he dies, then a Kerry is a friend indeed..
NEVILLE AND KIRRA
Just a picture to show how amazing these pups are. Neville and Kirra at 3 years, siblings, where did that time go? Cannot thank you enough, they are so cheeky, smart, kind......the life of the party! Great camping companions and never short of laugh with these two around.