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.

Time to get out and about

These pups are nearly 6 weeks old. A fine litter and our first and last litter of fox red Labrador puppies this year. They have done very well and are coming on nicely .As Jack is laid back, so are these pups which makes it easier to keep them near together and they build confidence from each other . By the time they leave at eight weeks they will be going 200-300 yards down the road 5 times a day and also up into the field. This way we do not say they are house trained but they are more or less as they learn not to do it where they eat and sleep.

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.

New additions to the Cuckavalda Gang

Our #FridayFavourites making them #SaturdaySpecials as these are the ones we are building back up our Cuckavalda Gang .Heeling up already with Minty in charge Youngest cockers are 7 weeks old . We were very touched that when we lost the 13 dogs in the accident that people, some we didnt even know got in touch and offered to give us a pup from their litter .It was just not one person but many .People were so kind and we feel so humbled by this and will never forget it.As much as we were truly grateful for their offers, we needed to keep our own blood lines which made us who we are today. So Peg and Molly the cocker spaniels have given us Lucy,Blue and Twig .You will see 3 black Labradors too These were not actually bred by us but we bought them from the lady who bought a Cuckavalda Labrador from us 3 years ago and had just mated her with one of our stud dogs the week beofre the accident happened. We were keen to jave some as Guy is the grandfather, he was one who died. So as we started with 3 fox red Labrador pups many years ago we now start 20 years later with 3 - Well it was going to be 2 but Anna came home with an extra one as it seemed only right as a nod to the orginal 3. 2 have collars on as trust us 3 black Labradors are very hard to tell apart. So here we have Chloe- who we didnt name.. and Sky and Abbey. You will also see Minty out with them and Lucy too. We have to look to the future.

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Good Golly, Miss Molly

Good Golly Miss Molly .. not just #FridayFavourite but Anna's whole time favourite . Molly is the granddaughter of our original Molly. She is also Minty's mum . Last week she went to Grace Lane Vets in Kirkbymoorside to be spayed as she won't be having any more puppies. We have kept Lucy to continue the line and hopefully when she is old enough we will keep one of her pups which will be called Molly. The vet,unfortunately,found a lump and so she had to have that removed at the same time,making it a double operation. She was very sleepy for the rest of the day, but next morning she was up and about and hunting around in the grass to see what she could find. She has the most amazing nose and if there is anything to be found ...including food , she will find it . Molly is now up and about and just being Molly... Everyone needs a Molly in their life. We dont know what Minty will think when she comes to live in the house as Minty has prime position at the moment and is totally spoilt. People comment on how skinny Minty is, but she gallops about most of the day. Jack and Minty have a routine and she can tell the time even though she doesnt have a watch. She is up at before 4am and goes out for the last lap round the field about 8pm but she does have naps co-inciding with Jack's naps too. Although for the last couple of days they have been watching Ascot on the television.

We have a litter of cocker spaniels and have a couple looking for new homes

When life is full of puppies and daisies. AND for all you Minty lovers . Champagne coloured one who is the same colour as Minty are looking for loving permanent postcodes. While Duchess the cat is watching over them. These are the last litter to be born that Troy sired . He mated Molly in the morning and died in the afternoon in the storm . Duchess the cat is sat on guard and keeps them in order. .

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 .