We are a family dedicated to the dogs we keep and the puppies we breed, We live in a village situated on the boarders of Staffordshire and Shropshire and our dogs benefit from an abundance of country paths and open spaces.
Here is a Story from my very early life and although I’m included it’s really Part of the life of “Nellie” my first ever WHFT!
The story starts on the 19th of November 1957 in a house in Stafford, Staffordshire, the morning starts out uneventful with my dad Tom going off to work very early as he had to finish early to meet a man about a dog!
My mother who was heavily pregnant ( who knew nothing about any meeting with a man about a dog ) got up to make breakfast for my 2 sisters and my brother, I wasn’t expected to be born until the 27th of November, shortly after breakfast had been cleared away my mother felt some discomfort and sat down for a short rest but the discomfort turned into sever pain and my mother asked my sister to go and fetch Mrs James a midwife from across the road.
Mrs James hurried across to our house and quickly diagnosed that I decided to arrive a little earlier than expected, as home births still where not unusual, she helped my mother into the small bedroom at the front of the house.
My sister was sent to run to the phone box a mile away and call the doctors messaging service and ask for the doctor to come as soon as possible.
By this time it had gone well past 12:00 and my Dad was in full negotiations at the bar with the man with the dog! My mum told Mrs James where she thought my Dad might be and my sister was once again dispatched to the phone box to call the Public House where my Dad and the man with a dog where in serious negotiations, she got a message to him via the Landlady and he paid for and took charge of the stunning WHFT pup destined to become “Nellie”
On arrival home my Dad found I had arrived before him and even the doctor! He was directed upstairs to the front bedroom to meet me and congratulate my mum, on arrival in the room he detected a bit of animosity (lol) at that moment a loud knock on the front door was heard and my Dad spied the chance to make a quick get away he put Nellie on the floor and rushed downstairs and opened the door to Doctor McBaine another Irishman, who apologised for being late and asked Had I already been born, he was told I had and that if he went up the stairs to the little room at the front that where we where.
Doctor McBaine, went upstairs my father remained at the bottom of the stairs and as Doctor McBaine opened the bedroom door a loud Arrr was heard and Doctor McBaine called down to my Father and said which one have I come to Admire Tom? To which my father is purported to have called by the Dog of course have you ever seen finer!!!
Hence my life and Whft’s have forever been entwined!
The dogs are exercised on a regular basis and they accompany us on most of our walks to the village shops and “H” especially enjoys the occasional walk to the pub, where he meets up with lots of people and other dogs in the dog friendly bar of The George and Dragon!
“Paddy” is an excellent Wire Haired Fox Terrier, with superb bloodlines, counting many UK and International Champions in them, he has 28 UK and International Champions in his first 5 generations alone, whilst still only scoring 7.1 in the Kennel Clubs inbreed coefficient, which makes him excellent for breeding.
He is a wonderfully well balanced and tempered example of his breed and he lives as a much loved family pet with our other dogs, he loves children, just ask my 3.5 year old grandson they are inseparable, he has a gentle nature with other animals and he is regarded as one of the Village characters.
Paddy, really has an everyone’s my friend attitude to life, with a natural sense of humor which people adore him for.
We have two brood bitch’s, “Autograph Rose at Delwires” and “Glymore Trixie at Delwires” both beautiful examples of the breed and our retired bitch “Delwires Fiery Fern” who again is a brilliant dog she has the poise of movement that when you see her walking it look’s as if she is taking you for a walk, her puppies have been tremendous and we keep in close contact with all our puppies owners and we are always happy to receive emails, photos and visits from them.
“Fern” came to us when she was just under 12months old and she had a number of issues created by her previous owner but with love and care these have pretty much vanished, she like all our dogs is a people person who loves fuss in great measure and is known to give you a couple of tap’s with her paw if you are not fussing and stroking enough.
