I was so pleased Mugi was as good as gold meeting all the dogs on Saturday, he didn't seem phased at all - it helps all the dogs were well behaved too. As he had done well on Sat he went to the Show on Sunday, he is still moving poorly after "the attack" but his tail wagged and his personality shone through. He successfully defended his Best Veteran Dog trophy.
Then Chase!!!!!
He worked his little socks off on Sat. He wasn't great but he was so much better than I feared he might have been as that was really his first training in company. The look on his face when he was being told to mind his retrieving manners with the lead to interrupt his behaviour - he collected the lead promptly while dropping the dummy and gave the 'fooled you' look. He is too bright that dog!!!!!
Then Sunday for him was a revelation........many people have helped me on the showing front but most acknowledgement has to go to Barbara for getting me working better with the lad and also Jeanette for unfailing encouragement and tips. It is definitely starting to come together. I would have been delighted with his 1st in Junior but to get the Best Dog award was just way more than I expected. I know he is a good dog but I consider us still work in progress with a long way to go!
By the time we went back in the ring for BIS the weekend had caught up with him, I had had to wake him from an unfamiliar car and he was cross and tired. He did not move for me but my day had so far exceeded my expectations I was happy to see his Sister and Half-Sister beat him for BIS and RBIS, the awards went where they were most deserved.
It was a great weekend .
Annie as admin
Yes, well done to the 'likely lads'
Patricia
Well Sue, your face said it all...
Chase is a rat bag, so is his father, don't be fooled. When he went for training with Eunice out of quarantine( because I wanted to do him justice)she had to stop him retrieving. He was game for anything...
For all of this, I have to thank their breeder, Patrick Morin from the Keranlouan kennel.
Yesterday, so many Keranlouan descendants were in the placings, from Chase to his sister Baileys, Reva, Anne's Belle ( by Spot de Keranlouan, which I imported) to Barbara's pups out of Sierra de Keranlouan.
Just goes to show you can have beautiful dogs from a working kennel
Annie as admin
Yes, but don't forget, Patricia, we shouldn't have just 'working kennels' or 'show kennels' They should be both. My other two (Al and Frecks) you might say came from show kennels, but the Fosscott lines are also based on French working lines - St Tugen and Hameau de Sorny - the top dog in France for years was Ska de St T. What I am saying is that the majority of Brittanys will work(admittedly to varying degrees) regardless of their breeding - but they just DO need the handling and the facilities to show their potential. Sue has had a LOT of help from a lot of people for both working and showing and has managed to get access to good ground. We are not all so fortunate. So far I am only just getting the working help now for Allez. We must not differentiate between working and showing side - if they are made right they will be able to work. The main reason Keranlouan is so well known for working dogs is because of Guy and Patrick's expertise in training, and in breeding dogs which show working abilities, but they don't particularly look for show qualities as well. We must encourage new Brittany owners to try to achieve that potential - not say to them 'oh you don't have a Keranlouan bred dog so it won't work'
We must not be biased.
On a personal note, I was delighted with 5 1st places at the Show, Reserve Best Dog and a beautiful dummy water retrieve from Allez on Saturday - never done before and always hesitant in water till then. Chuffed? You betcha
Annie
Patricia
?????????????????????????
Why are you so defensive? I was only stating that the Keranlouan is a working Professional kennel
I never said others don't work. Never meant anything like it.
To say most Brittanys work is simply not quite right. And I will get some stick here I guess.
I have had some USELESS working Brittanys who would not retrieve to save their life, hunted round your feet and had poor nose qualities.They went as pets. And had a lovely life.
Because I wanted some guarantees to have good bloodlines to work with, I chose that kennel, also because I could buy older animals who proved their worth. It is not an unknown quantity.
yes, I am lucky, we have land etc...I know others who find some, scrounge some and work on shoots too. Like Sue.
Your hero was obviously Ska, mine is Ebert
Now, to finish,and for John and Barbara: Usmael( Sierra 's son) went to Italy, and has 10 CACs , Utique( Sierra's daughter) had 4 this spring
barbara
That's great news Patricia. She has certainly been a great little Mum
Annie as admin
Quote:
Your hero was obviously Ska, mine is E
Nope, My hero is my little Allez ballez
Just saying that kennels should not stick to show or work - they should do both. And also making the point that achievements really reflect opportunity and facilities, as well as training ability and breeding. Not defensive at all, just making a point.
Patricia
From what I know of some of the good French kennels... Work comes first and foremost. Conformation is very important too as no dog would be made into a Champion if they were ugly
- he collected the lead promptly while dropping the dummy and gave the 'fooled you' look. He is too bright that dog!!!!! 
.
They should be both. My other two (Al and Frecks) you might say came from show kennels, but the Fosscott lines are also based on French working lines - St Tugen and Hameau de Sorny - the top dog in France for years was Ska de St T. What I am saying is that the majority of Brittanys will work(admittedly to varying degrees) regardless of their breeding - but they just DO need the handling and the facilities to show their potential. Sue has had a LOT of help from a lot of people for both working and showing and has managed to get access to good ground. We are not all so fortunate. So far I am only just getting the working help now for Allez. We must not differentiate between working and showing side - if they are made right they will be able to work. The main reason Keranlouan is so well known for working dogs is because of Guy and Patrick's expertise in training, and in breeding dogs which show working abilities, but they don't particularly look for show qualities as well. We must encourage new Brittany owners to try to achieve that potential - not say to them 'oh you don't have a Keranlouan bred dog so it won't work'
