Working Test

Almost in Southampton for a test on June 10th. Lille won a C O M (joint 5th place).

9 months old

Grace came into season 3 days after she was 9 months old - turning into a grown up at last! Her mum, Lillevenn, has been working hard in 4 working tests with another one due on Saturday on an estate near Beaconsfield. Best place so far was joint 6th in a Southern Goldern Retriever Society Novice test. We had a baptism by fire in a test run by the Utility Gun Dog Club where she scored 4 zeros - ouch! She just needs more confidence with longer retrieves in water....there is always something to work on. Gracie SHOULD have taken part in a mini-training + test day last Sunday with our local SGRS but nature took its course ..... (that's the trouble with bitches)

Am a liitle late in publishing pictures of Juno (thank you Jane!) and delighted to have very up-to-date pictures of Tess (thank you Jane!). It is LOVELY to see how they are growing up.

Tess (April 2012)



















                                                                    Juno (March 2012)

And Gracie swimming her first few strokes (April 2012). She has such long legs she can spring up and down on them until the water gets really deep.

Crufts 2012

First visit ever to Crufts on Gundog Day especially to see Phillippa Williams (Peter Bates' partner) and her Gun Dog display. Was absolutely thrilled to see Boycie (pups' dad) taking part. Tracked him down later in the hall with Philippa (yes, that is indeed where Gracie gets her huge paws from). See him yourself on the video! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT7MMgqUldo

7 months old

Grace (top) on a sunny day watching birds flying overhead and big brother Owain (below) practising being steady. These pups are growing up ........ Grace developing into a rather confident young girl! Got both her bronze and silver 'Good Behaviour' awards this month - no doubt thanks to her mother's watchful eye (!!!????) who was almost a year old when she got her silver (100% handler's fault). Well done Gracie - what a good girl.  

This is Lillevenn, mother Biba (aka Scherzando Libra) and siblings soon after birth in May 2009.  LV's pups  look quite a bit porkier but they are two or three days old. Just found this picture of LV's first pup (either Monty or Owain who was born in the car) before his fur had dried. He looked like a tiny chocolate lab! Many thanks to Ash (just in the photo) who delivered all seven safely. Lillevenn's expression says it all!

               Handsome Owain in January 2012 -  thank you Edward!      

6 months old!!

Grace is over 21 kgs now - as big as her mother and looks like she will soon overtake her. Shows interest in retrieving (of course!) and has her Foundation Behaviour Certificate. Six months old so on TWO meals a day.












And here is fluffy-eared Owain in Germany!












Daisy taking it easy.............

And here is Copper (below left) - the biggest pup at 7 weeks and still pretty big I would say - definitely a boy!

                                                 Tess doing her stuff - attagirl! -(yes, that is a pigeon in her mouth!)

And Monty.........

(Just need one of Juno for the full set.)
Would recognise them anywhere - still beautiful pups.