Charlie is a re-homed Lab who has a great sense of humour but is as thrawn as they come, and selectively deaf!  He is now 12 and still fairly active. Molly is a rescued LabX, now aged 6.  A friend of mine found her and two male siblings  dumped in a rubbish bag – they were only about 6 weeks old. Homes were found for the two males, but Molly was still looking and I fell in love with her at first sight and before I could stop myself I said I would take her despite the fact I was not really looking for

another dog at that time.

However, early on I realised she had competitive obedience potential.  I had done a very small amount of competitive obedience many years ago and thought it would be nice to have  a go again, so enrolled with Currie Dog Training, the nearest club to me, only to discover trainer Liz and I knew each other from years past!

Molly was eventually entered for her first obedience show, and came third in her class, a great result considering there can be anything up to 60 competitors in an obedience class!  I could hardly believe it, great inspiration to continue.  She has continued to do well and  slowly but surely is working her way up though the classes.  We are now competing in Novice and A, and hope to continue doing well.  She also does agility, though not at competition level.

Then two years ago I thought I would like something to show so went to several Breed shows to have a look at different gundog breeds (my favourite) and kept going back to Large Munsterlanders, a lesser known gundog breed.  I found a Scottish breeder who had just had a litter, went to look and choose a pup, and came home with Flint (Celtaur Smoking Gun), my whirlwind, hyperactive monster!

Again, I trained with Liz at her ringcraft classes as soon as he had had all his ‘jags’, and when he was 6 months entered him for his first show, SKC Championship Show.  My hands were shaking with nerves, but despite that he got 1st in Puppy, which qualified him for Crufts.  We have never looked back since, as can be seen below.

2009

. SKC (Ch) (May) Puppy 1st SKC(Ch) (August)

. Puppy 1st Junior 2nd  & Best Puppy in Breed

. Rutherglen Open 2nd

2010

. Caledonian CC Graduate, 1st Open  & Best of Breed

. Rutherglen CC Open  1st  & Best of Breed

.HPR Special Yearling,  2nd

.Tay Valley Gundog Open, 1st & Best of Breed

.SKC (Ch) May Junior,  2nd

.Waverley GundogOpen, 1st

. Dundee CC Special Yearling, 3rd

. Border Union (Ch)Post Graduate, 4th

. Blackpool Post Graduate 2nd

. SKC (Ch) August Post Graduate, 2nd

. Tay Valley GundogPost Graudate, 1st  & Best of Breed

. Gundog Breeds Post Graduate, 1st & Res Best Male in Breed Association of Scotland

In 2011, I hope to try him at some English Championship shows and see if he can continue flying the flag for Scotland!

I have also started training him for competitive obedience as he is highly intelligent and a quick learner.  His problem is he’s too keen and does everything at two hundred miles an hour!  Whether we ever actually enter an obedience ring remains to be seen, but I’m ever hopeful.

I have to say a huge thank you to Liz and Bill, her husband, for all their help and encouragement.