I am so pleased to be able to put this update up.  Today has been our final hurdle.  Maggie now holds a current eye certificate!  (although her previous eye certificate is still in date too!)

We proceed with our health testing with a certain amount of trepidation, caution and a lot of research goes into the decisions we make.  Obviously an eye test is fairly straight forward so when faced with trying to decide which health test to do, it has always seemed obvious to me to have the BVA Eye test done first.  The reason for the eye test being first – is that it isn’t invasive to the dog, so if you are going to fall at the first hurdle it may as well be one that hasn’t caused any worry in having it done (ie having bloods taken or anaesthetics) So last year at the very start of our health testing decisions, Maggie had her eye test done on the 1st of June.  As they are yearly tests it of course meant I needed to crack on with getting this test updated so we could then continue with a mating.

I have to make a point of saying that just because Maggie passed last year I couldn’t automatically assume she would pass again.  I am so pleased this hurdle has now been cleared as it now gives us the green light with our plans.

We now have to see how Maggie gets on with our chosen stud dog.

My beautiful gang of Labradors, with a couple of extra dogs.

In the top photo
At the back on the bench is Stanley and Melvin
In the middle (L-R) ….Holly (Stanley’s full sister), Bunty (Melvin’s full sister),  Archie (Dad to Stanley and Holly), Charlie and Molly.
Front row – starring our Maggie!

Second photo – the kids!

On the bench – Stanley, Melvin and Maggie with Holly sitting on the floor!

Melvin did us proud yesterday – we went to our fun agility club and he ran the course with ease.  We hadn’t been for a while as the club had stopped the evening sessions over the winter.

I feel so lucky to own so many wonderful dogs, who all have different characters but love to have their cuddles at home and fun on a walk – what more could I ask for?

I have now booked Maggie eye test for Tuesday.  Wish us luck – this is our remaining hurdle as to whether we proceed for puppies or not.

Our dear Maggie has just come into season, so this of course means we will be hoping to have pups with her this time around.

I must rather rapidly organise her BVA eye test as I had booked the test with a club on the 31st May (based on Maggie being due in season for June!).

The countdown is officially on as I would anticipate a mating in the next 12 days roughly!

The results of the test will indicate if we proceed with mating Maggie.

**WATCH this space **

This year is going to be an exciting year, hopefully we shall be having pups with our wonderful Maggie.  Making Molly a granny and all of the other puppies into Aunts and Uncles!  Fingerscrossed!!!

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas.

From the Marchstone Gang.

So pleased to be able to show you Maggie’s health test results are showing up on the Kennel Club website.

If you follow this link you will be able to see her results by typing in her full pedigree name.  “Marchstone Majestic Maggie”

A lovely CV of results.

If you have any questions regarding health testing – please feel free to contact me.

I am delighted to be posting that I have updated Maggies health test results on her page.  We now have her hip and elbow scores back.  Her hip score is 3:3 (so just slightly above her Dad and slightly below her Mum!) and Elbow score of 0:0

Having good results on the xrays gives us a good picture of how our dogs are developing and hopefully with this information we can use it to the advantage of ensuring the next generation of Marchstone puppies are as good as they possibly can be.

We are having so much fun with Maggie at Agility.  We will be taking Melvin along soon!

Our back garden has turned into an assault course – with jumps, weaves, tunnels etc just so we can make sure that Maggie is as ready as possible for taking part in the display next week.  I am so very proud of Katherine for her hard work with Maggie.  It is paying off and I am enjoying seeing the bond form between the two of them.  Yesterday Maggie had the chance to do some obedience work as well as try out flyball – she loved it.

It is of course lovely to give the other woofs a chance to bomb around the garden over the jumps too!

I have had a productive weekend doing training with the six dogs.  They are always keen to do training so long as their reward of the ball is given on time!  Always always keep training FUN!!!

I have spent a little time this evening updating a few areas of the website and adding articles.  I have designed a new lead, updated my journal and also updated the Heatstroke article.  Please take some time to have a little look around!

BEWARE – approach this animal with extreme caution!

I have just found out some really sad news about Booza.  Unfortunately he lost a battle to Prostate cancer.  He was only nine and a half.  So not an old boy at all.

Im sure everyone who has one of the pups from 2011 will be grateful to Booza for giving them special puppies.  We ourselves have Melvin and he is the best dog in the world A stunning labrador with amazing agility! I also walk Bunty everyday – another of Booza’s daughters.  She too has this wonderful leaping ability.  I have always referred to Melvin as being a Tiggeretriever as he is so bouncy!

Sending my sincerest regards to Nicola Grellis, at Smale Gundogs, Booza’s owner.  I am grateful for all your help back in 2011 when we needed your expertise.

Run free Booza, Im sure there will be plenty of rabbits and pheasants for you at the bridge.

It all began on April 2nd, with the first puppy being born late in the evening at 11.20.  Otter (formerly Peaches) came into the world!  Followed by Ben (who had the blue collar) at 12.20, then Rufus (white collar) just after 1am and then Dexter (red collar) at 2am.

It has been lovely to receive updates on the puppies throughout the past two years!

Happy SECOND birthday pupsters!