Brigburn Labradors

New homes here we come!!!!

2010-10-17T15:09:00.000+01:00

Puppies are nature's remedy for feeling unloved, plus numerous other ailments of life"
Richard Allan Palm

Well, the 8 weeks since Seda's pups arrived have flown by and this weekend has seen a seemingly endless stream of new owners arriving to collect their puppy. Each family has a slightly different list of wishes and I hope everyone has the puppy of their dreams. The lovely family with two small children who's delighted faces (despite the puppy nips) gave me such pleasure, to the keeper who wants a LABRADOR not a Whipador - thank goodness some still recognise them for what they are. One to a first time dog owner, two returning clients who have enjoyed their Brigburn's in the past one as a shooting companion and one as a pet. Finally one to a family who had a canine relation and wanted one the same. All in all just perfect - except for the almost empty puppy kennel - just three girls one or two will stay and one will be collected in a couple of weeks. Good luck and long and healthy lives. x

News from Brazil

2010-09-28T15:46:00.000+01:00

The following is taken from an email I received

............... I am so happy to inform that Brigburn Hardy , 2 year old boy is today
Braz CH, Great Braz CH, and soon Pan CH (he has already gotten 3
CACPABs of 4). In total 10 CCs, 74 CGCs, 2 races, 1 reserve of race, 1
reserve best.
He has for while only one litter in my country so far with a wonderful Bitch
from the Kennel Zack's........................Paulo and Renata Simm

I am delighted that he has proved such a success. His for his owners who consider him to be of very good type and of a more old fashioned English type than many of the dogs being exhibited.

Busy few weeks.

2010-09-20T13:57:00.000+01:00

So much for my plan to keep this up to date! That didn't last long.
We have managed to fit in a couple of shows with Brigburn Thistle he won Junior dog at just 12 months of age at SKC - the judge was Mr Andrew Brown, when not at shows he still enjoys his mud baths but has developed a new hobby - scrumping for apples!

We have been enjoying our busy summer - I think this is the first time ever we have had three litters in a year all born within 10 weeks! But amazingly with excellent help from the kennel girls we have really enjoyed every minute of having them.
First Smarties babies. My favourite black Smartie bitch pup has gone to a fantastic home locally with Elaine, Ian and Family (they hope to breed from her someday - they have had a couple of lovely litters previously and indeed can take the credit for breeding Tanner at Brigburn. The lovely dog pup pictured below has joined a lovely family as a pet.

Next came Tias pups just four, 1 choc bitch and 3 black bitches - most will stay home for the time being although one is going to a lovely pet/shooting home. They look very promising. :)

Finally and the last litter for quite some time (!), Seda produced a lovely litter of nine 5bd and 4bb just 4 weeks old at the moment (photo taken at 2 weeks)

Update on Tia

2010-08-10T15:10:00.000+01:00

Tia whelped over a week ago we have 3 Black Bitches and 1 Chocolate.

A busy Friday at Brigburn!!

2010-08-07T07:46:00.000+01:00

Yesterday we had a crazy day the sort we haven't had for a long time!

Our first planned visitors of the day arrived to allow us to catch up with their two Brigburn's - Schweppes and Mollie. Thank you Lucy and Mike for bringing them to see us.Schweppes is three now and despite having to 0-0 elbow parents is one of the unlucky ones who did have a problem with her elbow when growing up - which was a great concern to all of us all, now as is usual in the middle years her elbows have settled and we hope that things stay that way for a long time allowing her a lovely time particualry in the winter months when she enjoys accompanying her owners shooting. Younger pal Mollie is from last years litter to Ft. Ch. Darleigh Thunderbolt and whilst Mollie was one of the bigger pups in the litter she is now markedly smaller than Pearl (our retained Puppy). Pearl was the smallest and lightest in bone in the litter but my daughter Laura wanted to keep as she was the "naughty, cleverer one" that hasn't changed!! Mollie's gun training is going well and her owners report that she is very easy to train! Pearl is very bright too and our foray into carefully chosen Ft lines has been a great success - what we do from here on in from a breeding point with them will be interesting.

Next up on the visitors list, the Nicholson family - I had promised them a bitch puppy Smartie's litter - but as the litter had grown up I really would have preferred the chance to run both on as they are both in really lovely pups, but a promise is a promise and to my sorrow and their delight off they went with their new addition.

Hard on their heals came the Elliott's who are going to be having one of the boys from the litter- we had a lovely time play retrieving and studying characters and temperaments - none of us could spot any real difference's (this is a very even litter!) and off they went to think about it - before a planned collection on Sunday.

Our final visitors of the day were Martin and Carol Locke and friend Lynette who brought Hattie back to see me - Carol and Martin and I have been friends for a long time and last year when Carol rang to tell me she was looking for a foundation bitch - who she would like to work and show I really felt she needed something special - so complete with 0-0 hips and elbows, super temperament and fabulous looks Hattie went off to Herefordshire. Hat's has bodied up nicely- if a touch too much "body" on the day for me - she looked happy healthy and settled - now together we can plan a litter!

Accompanying Carol and Martin was another potential "Brigburn" owner who wants one just like Hattie - don't we all! Lynette I will see what I can do!

Charway Water Reed at Brigburn and Brigburn Simply Tia are pleased to announce they are expecting puppies!

2010-07-16T21:46:00.000+01:00

Brigburn Tia is an Ole daughter x Brigburn Lyric her puppies are due in 2 weeks photos were taken a couple of days ago.

Magic AKA Brigburn Thistle

2010-07-16T08:02:00.000+01:00

After ages out of the ring I finally made it to a couple of shows last week, not with my own dog but with Lesley Orchard's lovely Magic.

Magic was placed in both his classes at Cots & Wye Lab Club and we came home very happy - Magic had taken to showing like a duck to water.

After Cots & Wye, Lesley and I did have a chat about bathing Labradors the night before a show and how it makes the coat the wrong texture and we both agreed he wouldn't need bathing next time (4 days later) for East of England. However, it was a very worried Lesley who I met at 4 AM on the morning of East of England, as she thrust her phone into my hand to show me a picture whilst blurting "I know I wasn't supposed to bath him but last night............"

The night before a show a mud pack is highly recommended!

Luckily for Lesley despite the bath, which even I had to agree had been essential, Magic won Puppy Dog at East of England.

Lesley I can't remember anyone being happier and it made the day so special to share it with you thank you for allowing me to show your lovely boy.

P.S Lesley could teach us how to choose a puppy don't bother with the hours of analysing them point for point - choose the one that licks your face. Every time Lesley came to see the litter Magic smoothered her with kisses and she always knew exactly which puppy was hers- "I want the one that licks me you know which one don't you? Promise me you won't give him to anyone else!" I could never have fooled her.

I mention this method as it obviously works and could save us all a lot time and soul searching!

Reiver and some of her seven puppies

2010-06-23T12:49:00.000+01:00

A lovely litter by B. U'll Do out of a C. Water Reed Daughter. Well Done Jim and Laila on your first litter you have done them so well and I have so enjoyed visiting them.

Photo's taken at 6 weeks (thanks Anne) 21st June 2010.

One of the girls

Border Union Championship Show

2010-06-20T16:50:00.000+01:00

I am so glad that I made the trip to Kelso. I needed new bedding for the new pups and other bits and pieces so after an early start feeding the dogs off I set. It was good to meet up with friends and especially good to see Charway Water Reeds sons done so well firstly WYLANBRIAR AS TIME GOES BY AT MILLERDAN won Post graduate and LINNBURNHEAD REED WARBLER won Limit followed by his first CC with BOB this follows his 2 Res CC's. Reiver belongs to Joanne McDonald, good luck for the future and further success . Reiver was born at Brigburn after a succesful breeding terms arrangement with Malcolm and Marjorie Forsyth who also enjoyed being there today seee him win.

Linnburnhead Reed Warbler

(Charway Water Reed x Linnburnhead Genie)

1 CC 2 Res CC

Hips 5-6 Elbows 0-0

To find out more about Reiver click on the link Reed Warbler's Website
To find out more about Reed's progeny click on this link
Charway Water Reed's Progeny

Goose and Toby came to visit

2010-06-20T16:30:00.000+01:00

Thanks Simon for these two great pictures

Photo taken yesterday

Yestersday we had the pleasure of catching up with Toby and Goose, Toby is an old man of 13 now but still fit and well, it was lovely to see him it was like turning the clock back as he is a Zenny son.
Goose is a very stylish 8 yearold by Brigburn Smokey Joe and both are lucky to be shooting dogs as well as pets thank you to the Harle family for giving them both such wonderful lives.

Smartie is a mum again!

2010-06-17T21:50:00.000+01:00

Well today started very early Smartie had been a little unsettled last night but I must admit it was not enough to make me think she had begun first stage labour so I settled for a late night and an early start, thinking we could be whelping this evening - however when John got up around 5AM this morning he called me as he knew she had made progress and was in 1st stage labour. A cup of tea in hand Smartie and I had a walk around the garden - she seemed to appreciate the excersie and managed to produce a pup just over an hour later - very quickly 4 more followed and a lovely quick easy whelping meant she was finished before 8 AM - almost a record and certainly one of the easiest whelpings ever - she must have known I really wanted to take my mum for her hospital appointment and did all she could to help! How lovely to have an easy whelping they aren't all like that and when you get them you appreciate them!! Clever Smartie!
2 Black Dogs 1 Choc Bitch 1 Black Bitch

The Labrador Club 2010

2010-06-16T00:30:00.000+01:00

The Labrador Club Championship show was held on 12th the judge was Anne Taylor Fabracken
I am delighted and proud of the three Brigburn stud dogs progeny who had good results - thank you to the owners for bringing their lovely bitches to the boys.

Tintagel Winds Zest for Lab who is by BrigburnU'll Do was 2nd in Puppy

Trendlewood Lets Dance won Post Graduate she is by Brigburn Sedge.

Coode’s Warringah Karkirri won working and the Res CC she is by Charway Water Reed this follows her CC at Northumberland and Durham Labrador Club - Brains and Beauty how lovely!

Brazilian Ch. Brigburn Hardy

2010-06-15T21:34:00.000+01:00

In Brazil Paulo Henrique Pires de Aguiar's Ch. Brigburn Hardy (Lindall Court Master Piece x Brigburn Simply Tia) now has 8 CC's and has sired a lovely litter of 10 for Romy Fields Zacks Labradors we are very proud of him.

Hardy's dam has recently been mated to Charway Water Reed ( pups due late July '10). We hope for more than 2 this time!

Romy's sweet bitch Lucylu with her ten 5 day old puppies by Hardy

First post

2010-06-15T20:15:00.000+01:00

Well here goes, I am going to have a shot at blogging, partly to keep a sort of diary of what happens here at Brigburn but also to keep everyone who may or may not be interested in what is happening locally and around the world with Brigburn Labradors and their relations.
If this is going to be of any interest then "your" input will be most welcome and neccesary!