💙 A Bittersweet Season – Skye’s Retirement Day

Today we said goodbye to Skye as she stepped into her well-earned retirement.

There are days in breeding that feel triumphant — first cries of newborn pups, tiny eyes opening, first wobbly steps.

And then there are days like this.

Quiet. Proud. Emotional.

Skye left for her wonderful new home this morning, and while I know she’s exactly where she’s meant to be, it never gets easier watching a Bluebell girl drive down the lane for the last time.

💙 A Girl Raised with Intention

Skye was raised here, shaped here, trained here.

She knew the rhythms of Rose Cottage — the fields, the routines, the boundaries, the calm structure that makes a Bluebell dog who they are.

Not every girl we raise goes on to be part of our breeding programme. Sometimes plans change. Sometimes nature decides. And sometimes, after careful thought, the right path forward is simply a different one.

Retirement isn’t failure.

It’s protection.

It’s long-term thinking.

It’s choosing the dog over the plan.

And that’s how it should always be done.

🏡 The Next Chapter

Skye’s new home is everything I hope for when I place one of my girls:

Calm, capable leadership

Time and space for her as an individual

Commitment for life

I don’t rush these decisions. I never have. If it doesn’t feel aligned, it doesn’t happen. The right homes come at the right time — and when they do, you just know.

Today was one of those days.

🌿 More Changes Ahead

This season is one of transition.

Indy will leave mid next week.

Buster will follow at the end of the week.

Each one carries history here — training hours, muddy walks, sofa cuddles, late-night checks, early-morning routines. They’ve shaped Bluebell as much as I have.

Letting them go is bittersweet.

But here’s the truth:

A responsible breeding programme evolves. Lines move forward. Girls retire at the right time. Boys step aside when their work is done. We protect diversity. We protect welfare. We protect the future.

That’s how you build something sustainable.

💙 Always Bluebell

Once a Bluebell, always a Bluebell.

Retirement doesn’t mean goodbye. It means their world gets smaller, softer, more personal. Less rotation. Less responsibility. More sofa. More one-to-one.

And if I’ve done my job properly, they leave confident, balanced and ready to slot straight into family life.

Skye did exactly that today.

So tonight the fields feel a little quieter.

But my heart feels proud.

Onwards, beautiful girl.

Your next chapter starts now. 🐾💙