Life with us at Cuckavalda

WOW - We have over 18k followers and are quite blown away so thank you very much . It was Jacks birthday yesterday but just another day in our world until we went out to Westow -the Blacksmiths Arms . Quite apt really as Jack was born at Westow- not at the pub though 73 years ago . How the years fly and the days are now rolling into Summer and before we know it will be "backend" again . We try to give you insights into our lives and thank everyone who sends us photos of how their puppies which turn into adult are doing . Here is a bit more of day to day life here at Cuckavalda .

Thank you to everyone contributes to making our lives here at Cuckavalda continue going on with yout lovely photos and updates .

Well what an end to a lovely weekend Sandra Ellis ,owner of(Q )Cuckavalda Black Bean took him to Yorkshire Golden Retriever club of Northumbria kc test at Lord Stones at Chopgate and he smashed it only dropping 1 point on the 3 challenging tests in 26° It is good to read his progress .To which Jack added when the going gets tough [meaning the hot weather] the tough get going. And then we heard from Debbie with her two cockers Well a day at Otley Agility show today and what a fantastic day my boys have had. Alfie came a away with 2 firsts and 1 second place💙🎉💪 Then my little boy Murphy got 3 clear rounds and came 5th and 6th, hit all his contacts So nice to hear they are all flying high .#CuckavaldaWinners

Take 3

The idea is to introduce pups slowly and not rush in .As if you do you can have problems . You may have heard of a gun shy dog this would 99% be the fact that it was not introduced slowly and then havingnoiseld buidling up . I write this blog as to us it is just every day life as I had posted a photo of Jack sat on a chair in the middle of some running water. The comment was "what a good idea". So you sit there and the pups, then realise that you are safe and so in turn they would be safe to follow. And with that thought in mind and also of getting a pat for their effort in they go. They may hesitate a bit at first as it is b .cold in the middle of a stream with fast running water in Springtime. But they get to like it ,think it is fun ,find that special stick or stone in the water and away they go. We know everyone is not as lucky to have access to water like we have so you have to be careful. Then out of the water a quick sprint down the wood and home all in time for dinner.

February at the Kennels

The working dogs have had a rest after the season has finished as has Jack. The tweeds are ready to go to the dry cleaners and the pickup is ready for a good service. And we look to start training the young ones which are under a year old now . Next week the year olds go to have their eye tests and fingers crossed they all pass and then it is the hips and elbow to be scored. This is like waiting for your 11 plus results as a lot depends on them as we would never breed from dogs with high hip scores. We are told it takes the BVA about 3 seconds to give them a score which is crazy when you think it can be a make or break time for the future of breeding the lines in the future. Finn is 13 this month and although he is fully retired he still enjoys doing what he does -trotting round the fields three times a day with the rest of the clan and enjoying an extra breakfast to keep him in good condition. Even the vet who came to inspect us for the council grading was impressed with him . Dont know if the same could be said for Finn as he is very much Jacks dog although he can be a bit of cupboard love creeping in and will wag his tail to anyone who feeds him a sausage roll or other tit bit. It saddens us to hear of people who bought dogs in lock down who were taken in by people only interested in making a uick buck rather than being respnosible breeders and "We have got the papers' doesnt really mean a thing as soon as they get them out of their cars you can see they are not true Labradors and no matter how much training is put into these dogs they will probably be "handfuls" for the rest of their lives. Minty continues her life doing whatever she pleases .She dines with the cats early morning and her brother George often shares his supper with her . She loves a sausage at lunch time and looks like a dog smoking a caigar with it stuck in her mouth as she proudly carries it about. She has a routine that tallies with Jacks and you certainly dont need a watch when she is about .As I type this they are both having their afternoon siesta on the settee.In th eeveings she makes a fuss as she likes to curl up with the cats so goes backwards and forwards to the door till we get sick of it and darent risk it any longer in case she wants to go to go to the toilet,but it is just so we let the cats in.

Sunday afternoon

There is something about relaxing on a Sunday afternoon and it is no different for the dogs.When they are working they have the day off and just like us look forward or not to what lies ahead. But when you see how keen to jump into Jacks pickup you can only think they cant wait to get going . Sunday espcially on a day like today when the sun is shining and the grass is lush ,the birds are singing and all is right with the world. They all do their own thing .You will see how the cockers are up there jumping on to Jacks knee time and time again .Minty likes to play fight with anyone who will give her the time of day and see how she bobs under the Labradors on more than one occasion. Finn sits up the hill side watching his family enjoying the sunshine and letting the others get on with it .A little grey "round the gills" now but he is out there and knows the routine ... playtime,"Beck time" when they get for a drink and a splash about in the stream .-Jack dammed it up a long time ago and it certainly freshens them up, then it is home time. He is usually the last one out of the field and the first one into his kennel.For some reason that Anna doesn't know Tilly always makes a bee-line to her for that extra pat and as they move off she returns to make sure she too is following the pack. So now the dogs are fed,watered and settled down for the night. Again they all have their own pattern as while washing up their bowls and having a sweep up you look through the window and see some dogs are ready for bed and gone into their kennels .Others sit out to get the last rays of the sun.... nodding off. Another day over. Tomorrow is another day .