Everything kicked off last Tuesday. Winnie started digging. Just sporadically at first steadily building in determination and intensity. By Friday morning she was more than half way to Australia:).
 I had waited for this day with a mixture of excitement and anxiety since last January. The anxiety, perhaps , was a hangover from the loss of Breeze last October. Something like labour would not have cost me a thought a year ago especially as I am a trained midwife.Now,I fretted and worried over everything so I thought it best to remove myself in the early stages, go for coffee and leave Winnie in peace.
I need not have worried, true to form Winnie handled everything with the style and aplomb she has coped with everything in life.. dogged determination.By 7pm on Friday evening she was again proud mum to four beautiful puppies.
 This time the mix is split equally between the sexes . Amazingly, although it is a repeat of the last breeding, they are  very different . The biggest is a bitch and the smallest a dog but all weighing in at a healthy 400-450grams. I have to say I was somewhat relieved to see that neither of the bitches look like Breeze as I really don't want to have this little girl puppy  live in her shadow.

Now  3 days on they continue to thrive gaining weight steadily and feeding with gusto. Winnie has been a good mother to her previous litters and is proving to be again. She has the right mix of concern and attentiveness balanced with the sense to allow certain human visitors close but not too close. She generally stays bound to the whelping box for the first 4 days only coming out to toilet and then returning quickly, does a head count and settles back in  . After this initial period she relaxes her guard to lie outside the box and slowly extends her leave as the puppies get stronger but will continue to clean up after them and stand for feeding right up until 8 week,if allowed.
I am thoroughly looking forward to the next 8 weeks. I generally only breed a litter of puppies to bring a dog on for myself ,which is normally about every 3 years. What had sprung from devastation last year, following Breeze's death, has turned into a tiny miracle for which I am truly thankful.
Well done to my beautiful Winnie.

Copyright Riverrunchesapeakes 2012

Over the last few days I have been a distant obeserver on a forum where the interminable debate of whether Field trial versus Showbred gundogs are doing the greatest service to their respective breeds.
My dogs have been mentioned on several occasions, (not by me), being held up as examples of a truly dual purpose dog. This is something I am a little uncomfortable with as I don't Field Trial, I merely work my dogs in the Winter months and to many purists this does not qualify a dog to the title 'Dual Purpose'.
I have owned and loved chesapeakes for a mere 10 years. In that time they have taken me on the most wonderful adventures. This is by virtue of the fact that they are one of the few breeds left in the gundog world that still tread a steady path between the world of working and show gundogs whilst dipping a toe every now and then in to the field trial world.
I have stood in line twice in a field trial and not gotten past the first round, which requires the dogs to remain steady and quiet...they both failed on the quiet part :). It was most likely, at this point that I had to make a decision whether or not I would drive me and my dogs insane and insist that we continue to try and compete at FT level, leave the breed entirely and pursue success in FT's with a Lab, or enjoy my dogs for what they are best at and what they truly live and breathe for- WORK!
I chose the latter.
Don't get me wrong I have complete and total respect for the Field Trial Lab and the level they can be trained up to. Their complete focus and maturity at a young age and ability to take huge pressure  in training is remarkable and can only be admired. Although their conformation does not always aspire to what one might expect a Labrador to look like, I can completely understand that if you want to compete at the top in FT's today, then your number one prioity is going to be the trainability of the dog and not always their conformation. This is where the Labrador is King.
Chesapeakes suit me.There is a lot in their personality that I can identify with. They take a while, like me, to warm up to strangers and I love that slightly independent streak. They are quite happy to mix with other dogs as long as their own 'personal space' is respected. Unlike the Lab who will work for anyone or the Goldie who will share a picnic blanket with multiple other dogs, the Chesapeake will choose his master carefully and even within his household will build an alliance with the person he prefers and based on mutual respect.
I have said this before, one of the things I love most about this breed is their utter versatility. I love the fact that we can still take our dogs from the field one day and into the show ring the next. I think we have managed, as guardians of our breed and by taking that middle road to keep the form of our Breed to match its Function. We still value that wonderful double coat and its texture, something that's reputedly being lost in the FT lab. We are conscious that  enough length and depth of muzzle is needed to carry a goose. A sound moving dog is an absolute necessity in the field and harshly penalised if not found in the show ring.  Some may criticise that conformation plays too much of a hand in the modern Chesapeake to the detriment of making them truly competitive in Field Trials. However, I take pride in the fact that many of the Chesapeake breeders in the UK actively work their dogs throughout the Winter season.
Yes, Field Trials are wonderful and require a unique set of skills that is hard to match outside of select Field trial breeding but they cannot now be used as a measure of what is required on an average shooting day. Just as the pendulum has swung too far right for many Show dogs it has swung too far left for the Field Trial dog. I have yet to see a Field Trial dog, actively competing in the FT circuit, being 'allowed ' to participate fully as a member of the picking up team. Now, before everyone throws in their rattle, let me follow this statement by saying that I have absolutly no problem with anyone taking their young FT prodigy to a shoot to allow it exposure to gun shot and game. What I do have a problem with is that  the value of the work done and carried out by the average picking up dog  is often not appreciated by those who field trial .
It is my opinion that the average working day on a shoot levels out the playing field across the gundog spectrum. This is because dogs are required to be cut loose from the shackles of the whistle and use those talents they were born with..nose, eyes, initiative and desire to work.
I hope, for the sake of our breed, that we continue to be a 'Jack of all trades', and tread that steady path between Field Trials and Show ring.

Copyright Riverrunchesapeakes 2012

When the dust settles...

It's the 3rd of March and , at last, after all the preparations in the preceding weeks the Working test and Show season is upon us.
We head North, this morning, across the border to County Fermanagh to attend a 'mock field trial' organised by the Ballygowan wildfowling club.I have never had the opportunity to compete in this type of event before but know it will involve walk ups. A lot of steadiness and patience will be required on the part of Bertie.
This is a discipline, I think, that Chesapeakes struggle with. Originally bred as a single wildfowler's dog they were expected to find and collect all game shot by their owner. A lot of our breed still work within this area and are expert at what they do. Most of the dogs currently in the UK and Ireland are still only one or two generations removed from American breeding stock as such finding a dog 'designed' to work on a driven shoot on this side of the Atlantic is not always easy.
Fourteen dogs entered. Thirteen labs and one chesapeake. We were driven up hills and down lanes to the edge of a bog. The bog was about 200yds wide and stretched to infinity.. Ground underfoot was pock marked with bogholes and crevasses and areas that looked sound were bogholes covered with moss.It was going to be testing.
The dogs were to be split between the 2 judges. One took the even numbers and the other the odd numbers . The even numbered dogs walking up the right hand side and the remaining dogs taking the left hand side. We set off. It was run as a 2 dog line up on each side with each dog rotating out once they had their retrieve. This meant that every dog was guaranteed a minimum of 4 retrieves before a decision was made on run offs. It also meant that as the line was continually moving forward the dogs behind were obliged to follow. For me, this was an added bonus as it gave me more oppurtunities to stop and sit Bertie each time a shot was fired.
It became apparent to me very early on that I will have to concentrate on line manners over the coming weeks. Bertie is steady in line but is tending to pull ahead on a walk up and so when shot is fired  he's taking a second longer to stop. On his first retrieve he took a perfect line to the fall acknowledged it and hunted on, I handled him onto it again and he blinked it. I was confused. This, I had not foreseen as he had been marking superbly in training. Second retrieve, exact same thing. Took a perfect line, acknowledged it and hunted on. Someone suggested he may be hunting snipe, of which there was a plentiful supply on the bog and as it was his first competition following on from the working season it was a possibility. So after the second failed retrieve I took a dummy and got Des to throw it a few times at varying distances. Then third retrieve, fourth retieve and fifth retrieve, which was a cross over ,were faultless.
We broke for lunch at 1pm where homemade soup and rolls were kindly provided by the club and much appreciated.
The afternoon was originally supposed to be confined to top dogs only but because so few dogs had entered everyone was to be given an oppurtunity on a blind retrieve. Thanks here has to be given to Mr Wayne Carlisle who had been on the bog at 6.30am and laid no less than 28 blinds at varying spots throughout the bog. They were laid in a similar pattern to the way birds would be found following a drive. The same format was used as in the morning's excercise with a 2 dog line up and rotating as the walk up progressed. Bertie followed a dog that had been called up and I made the fatal error of allowing him take the same line as the previous dog instead of over correcting. He got his retrieve but it was the wrong bird :)  Lots to work on but also lots I was happy with.
 I found the day really well run, a lovely atmosphere and the judges open and helpful with their advice and guidance.

March 5th.
Happy Birthday Chester!
Ten years young today and what a wonderful adventure you started for us when we collected you from Wales almost 10years ago.

Bright and early this morning a special guest srrived at our home. Gerlinde, had travelled all the way from Austria, by car, with her 3 Chessies and a lab. She had contacted me towards the end of last year through the wonderful medium of Facebook and asked if it would be possible to come visit and travel on with us to Crufts. It's going to be a busy week, with final preparations for Crufts and organising the dogs that are staying home.
Winnie has picked up something in her front paw. A massive hole where it has entered and despite bathing it with hibiscrub over the weekend it is not improving. I had hoped to avoid a trip to the vet at this stage of her pregnancy but now it looks inevitable.
Saw Paul, the vet, at 2pm. He lanced the pad and  put her on 5 days of antibiotics.
Last ring craft class this evening and I took Gerlinde along to watch . I'm happy now with the improvement I've seen in Mossy over the last few weeks. The classes have been hugely beneficial. Structured in such a way that your dog stands for exam a minimum of 6 times in the hour. I feel more confident about how he'll behave on Friday.

March 6th
Took Gerlinde and her dogs to the beach this morning. Needed to get one more swim in with Mossy before we set off on Thursday. Being from Austria Gerlinde doesn't often get the chance to enjoy a beach and it was lovely to see her young bitch Lilu has no inhibitions crashing through waves. In the afternoon we took Bertie and Gerlinde's bitch, Bella, to the Hill of Tara to do some training. I was impressed with Bella's speed and handling ability and hope Bertie will get to that level in the next couple of years.
Did some mirror work with Mossy, brushed his teeth and trimmed his nails.

March 7th.
Happy Birthday Gerlinde!!
Last push to get everything ready for travelling tomorrow. I dropped Bertie to kennels and Bailey, Zoe and Lucky to my mum. With Winnie being as far on in her pregnancy as she is I didn't want any extra stress. She is staying home with Chester and my sister, Ann, is moving in.
A quick run to the shops to pick up last minute supplies for travelling and then spent the afternoon packing.
Of course all visitors to Ireland have to sample the obligitory pint of Guinness and Gerlinde was no exception. Before dinner we took her to The Snailbox pub, best draught Guinness in the area.
Tomorrow we travel, with hope but never expectation.

March 8th
Dawn was just creeping in when we left the house this morning. The ferry left Dublin port at 8.05am. we met up with friends Orlagh and Ruth, both Goldie Girls,and enjoyed a very smooth 4 hour crossing to Holyhead. We travel this road at least 4 times a year and by now have a tried and tested formula. Once clear of the port we drive for about 30 minutes to junction 17. We pull in to the car park and unload the dogs. When you climb over the sand dunes the most fantastic deserted beach stretches out before you. It's such a wonderful place to allow the dogs to run and stretch their legs after the ferry crossing.

March 9th
An early start once more as we pointed the car towards the NEC and Crufts.
This year I was at my most relaxed ever entering the competition. Mossy is still a very young dog by Open Dog standards so I would be happy if he remembered the lessons we'd worked on in the previous weeks and moved well. He has a real appetite for showing and nothing phases him in the ring. His biggest fault, so far, has been an over- abundance of enthusiasm something I plan to reign in  this year. The Open Dog Class had a very strong line up with dogs travelling from all over the world.
He did everything I asked and more. He won his class and went on to win Best Dog and his 2nd CC beaten for BOB by a beautiful young bitch called Lila.
At 1.30pm we were standing in the Gamekeepers ring. This is a competition, separate to Crufts. Any dogs entered have to have a signed form from the Gamekeeper to say their dog works on the shoot.Out of a class of 28 dogs and bitches Mossy finished 4th!!
Yes, Crufts this year exceeded all my expectations. We returned home on Saturday 10th very, very tired but very,very happy.

Copyright Riverrunchesapeakes 2012

To bath a Chesapeake or No???

28th February.
Of Course, technically chesapeakes are a 'wash and wear breed'. The coat requiring no major work or preparation before going into the show ring. One of the great beauties of owning this breed is that you can , and I have done it, work or compete with your dog in a working test on the Saturday and enter the showring on the Sunday.
That being said, I think it is a courtesy to any person who is going to have their hands on your dog in the coming months that your dog is at least clean....even sheep, cattle and goats are shampooed before being shown!!
We are now ten days out from Crufts and this is about the length of time away from a competition I like to shampoo my dogs. It allows the coat time to regain its texture as any shampoo will soften the coat. Mossy will continue to swim in the sea over the next week so the salt water will help regain the coat texture.
This evening we attended ring craft at Cloghran. It's a completely different environment from the classes we've been attending for the last few weeks. Cloghran is the National Show Center for the Irish Kennel Club so it's a huge building with lots of echoing and banging . A brilliant place to desensitise your dog to noise as its large enough to take your dog and work him on his own.
29th February
At last, after more than six weeks I collected Mossy's passport from the vets this afternoon.
1st March
The old saying 'March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb', certainly didn't hold true today. It has been one of those perfect Spring days. A pleasant 14 celcius with the added bonus of sunshine. I cut my lawns for the first time this year, the chickens started laying again after a long, long holiday and the frogs are busy making out in the pond.
I took Bertie down to Kells on his own today...my training partner has deserted me to suss out a training group in the South:). I am planning to compete on Saturday at the Mock Trial so I didn't want to do anything too intense and besides, in true chessie fashion  Bertie has developed a 'kink' in his training... spinning when sent for a cold blind!!. I may have to revisit training on memory blinds for a while in the hope of correcting this.  A pleasant walk to the Finns , interspersed with some blinds, did the job nicely. My aim for Saturday is to use the day as a training day. Personally, I feel he needs to settle more in a line out which should come as the Summer progresses and he's sitting in line more often.

Copyright Riverrunchesapeakes 2012