[JohnW]

Charlie Chalk was relater to my Beth through his Heatherborne line. The photo below.

In fact there has only ever been 10 dual Champions in the UK. Interestingly almost half were owned by the same person!

Banchory Bolo, born 29/12/1915
Banchory Sunspeck, born 4/5/1917
Titus of Whitmore, born 4/3/1919
Flute of Flodden, born 19/2/1922
Bramshaw Bob of Banchory, born 11/12/1929
Banchory Painter, born 1/6/1930
Lochar Nessie, born 10/5/1933
Staindrop Saighdear, born 22/4/1944
Rockstead Footspark, born 26/6/1945
Knaith Banjo, born 29/3/1946

And there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that there will never be another dual champion in the UK. Two reasons. Firstly, with the advent of the hobby show people so few people actually show AND work their dogs, at least to a competitive standard, as born out by the lack of full champions. (Just one in 2019!!!) And even that would not be of the standard required to ever become a FT CH. Secondly Field trials has moved along to such a high competitive standard than nothing other than a specialised dog stands a hope of achieving the standard required to become a FT CH, and such a dog would be way too athletic to win in the show ring. Competition, either field or bench is just too specialised today.

 

[JohnW]

After Janice Pritchard died Kate Smith took on Charway Summerrain. I had the honour of showing her in the Gamekeepers ring at Crufts. Summer was the result of a collaboration between Janice and Kate to breed a dual purpose Labrador.

 

[JohnW]

Neither Chloe nor Amy would become a show dog by adding to food. They would just be fat.

 

[JohnW]

FT is far to specialised now in the UK Nicola for it to ever work here. Also top FT handlers would never ruin their chances of qualifying for the IGL Retriever Championship to try. It's a far too professional sport.

 

[JohnW]

Be careful not to go too fast. For example, I never do a retrieve from the point the adult teeth start to come through at around 12 weeks, until teething is finished at around 6 months. If the pup happens to knock a loose tooth and hurt herself it might easily put her off the idea, so it's not worth the risk. I'm working to a relatively relaxed timetable of having my pup ready to go our in the field picking up at around 18 months depending on when she was born in relation to the shooting season. So there is no rush. I know some people push their pups a lot harder and have them in the field by a year old, but I dont see the need.

 

[JohnW]

I use a stream here for swimming. It's shallow enough to just paddle, but it's dammed up at one point and above the tumbles it's quite deep, so I just get gradually nearer until the pup has to swim. This was Anna swimming there.