Away up to Billy Steels...

It was up to Billy Steel snr yesterday morning to line Willow- who's sire is FTCH Talisbrook Rhum of Bolton Abbey with Billys FTCH Leadburn Viceroy. Thanks to Catherine as always for her kind hospitality.They had a full house what with us and someone who had gone to buy some pups from Kent. We arranged to meet Gary Wood from Fraserburgh to hand over one of our pups. Billy and Gary sometimes judge at the Labrador trials together. So as they say in Scotland there was a lot of blether going on. Here you see some of Mays pups who were born on the 20th Jan. Two of these are going to America.

Cuckavalda goes Dutch

I will remember today -not as Anna would have liked as it for being St Valentines Day but today was when we had our first Cuckavalda puppy go abroad into Europe. With all papers,passport and inoculation the Smeltink family came over from Wervershoof in the Netherlands to pick up their puppy. Frank already has 2 Labradors and has done trialling in the past but as one is getting on in years he is looking for a new pup to train on. He has been busy establishing his stables www.haflinger-horse.net and now is hoping to be able to set some time aside to spend with his Labradors.Here you see the fam de Smeltink getting ready to leave with Cuckavalda Frank's Scarlet. They are travelling via the Eurotunnel.

Thanks to Skeldale Vets,Thirsk

At least it was not the middle of the night .Daisy. a black cocker started pupping around 9am and by 11am she had only had one so it was off to the Skeldale Vets in Thirsk for Daisy to have a Caesarian. Fortunately the vets were just finishing morning surgery and after Peter took a quick look at Daisy he scooped her up in his arms and off he went with her. Usually a Caesar takes about 30 minutes but after 2 hours pacing up and down. Ellen finally handed over 7 more noisy not so little puppies. They had taken so long as two of them were not as lively as they wanted to make sure they were surviving before leaving. Daisy was none the worse for her ordeal and took to motherhood like a duck to water. This is her first litter and here you can see her 6 hours and a chicken supper late. The sire Simon Tyers bred Timsgarry Jenson by the famous FTCH Sanford Black Mamba. and Daisy were actually born on the same day on 2nd June 2007. Daisy official name is Cuckavalda Daisy Roots ,she was the first cocker pup we bred and was so named as she has white tips to her toes.Her mother was Penny -Parkbreck McCloomes and sire Chyknell Sourcerer by FTCH Chyknell Gold Star.

The shooting season is finally over.....

Now the dogs can start their official holidays and havent they earned it . It has been a long and hard season for them with the heavy snow and large bags of partridge and pheasants. Little Peg who carries a pheasant nearly as big as herself has developed muscles like Tyson.Even Quozzi was curled up asleep in some bracken today keeping out of the wind. She goes every day as she is frightened she misses something but even for her it is time for a rest. This last few weeks has been testing for both man and dog.
Many thanks to Mark and Rob for the last 2 days shooting at Newburgh.With bags of around 300 each day and perfect conditions even if it was a bit on the cold side. Their generosity continued tonight when pickers up and beaters were invited to the Fauconberg Arms in Coxwold for a party. The bar was full and no doubt a lot of tales are being told. The more ale that is being consumed the taller the stories get.Even Phil admitted he was ready for his bed.As the rest party on I have come home and now on my way to bed. Only .....days to next season.

Send the cavalry in....

Took Hamish out in the morning to see how he is shaping up for a peg dog for next season.His sire is Billy Steel snrs'FTCH Leadburn Viceroy and his dam is FTW Dark Secret Milly.He is a fine dog and takes everything in his stride. At 18 months old he is still learning but with such excellent parentage will have a lot to live up to. Hamish was the only dog I had out,but it was clear to see there was not enough dogs to flush the pheasants. I went back home to get a handful of dogs. Anna took Hamish as I want him to get to know what it is all about to be a peg dog. As you know Quozzi is always in the front of a photo but this time she got caught out as she goes ahead but this photo caught us from behind .You can see Quozzi in the left sniffing out a hedge back at the rear of the 3rd photo. It has been another busy week as May had her pups starting at 3am the other morning.She is a fine mother and the pups are doing well.She is dining on chicken which seems to be her favourite meal at the moment. Sorry to hear Mark Faulkner has broken his ankle but knowing Mark it wont stop him missing the last days of the season.

A Snowy day with the dogs and below My mate Geoff

It is always good to spend time with Geoff -my best mate -this is usually socializing down in the local pub but here you see Geoff with his dog enjoying himself on the shoot between drives . I prefer to work the dogs and this cold weather it also has being a better option of keeping warm. The dogs don't seem to have suffered by the cold weather and Quozzi is often sat out waiting when I go down in the snow to come out of her kennel as keen and ready to go as ever.

A puppy goes to the Netherlands

I cant believe I am getting so known and now one of our Labrador pups is going to the Netherlands. As we have never had one go straight from here abroad before there are all sort of regulations we have to go through. The Kennel Club was the first port of call who referred us to DEFRA who in turn sent us to our vet. The information we collected along the way was very misleading so after a wasted morning Anna started again ringing different departments . We are now sorted but for anyone in the same position as us I would recommend you double check everything that is told to you . Also set out to do this in good time as forms are to fill in and one thing the charges have gone up on with the Kennel Club and it can waste time if the papers are sent to and fro .With the help from the buyer in Holland we were able to ascertain what is need and not by both the Dutch and French government and fingers and paws crossed the pup will have a straightforward journey.