What a scorcher last week, I hope you have all coped with the hottest week of the year so far. Most of my dogs have dropped coat early, which is a bit of a nuisance when I�d entered a few shows hoping they would still be in coat. Keeping dogs cool is essential. I am lucky that my kennels are in a stone barn but I still hose down and wet the dogs throughout the day. The Chessies love it, queuing up to be sprayed down, while my Chihuahuas run for cover. Kirsty Watts sent me a photo of all of her dogs wearing cool down jackets, she has been using them for years and swears by them.
On the longest day of the year, and hottest, I arrived at Blackpool Championship showground. A 4 hour each way drive, the last 10 miles or so are not the easiest to drive as there is no post code for the ground, which is situated in back lanes. However I have been given the postcode for a farm and a few houses which are close by. I have already put it in my satnav for next year � PR3 0TR. After it tells you you have found your destination look out for Pinfold Lane and you are there.
One of our well known, well respected judges Patsy Hollins was awarding CCs. 22 dogs entered, 10d, 12b with 4 absentees. BOB & DCC Tracy Boyles� Pixierock Mr Tumnus By Bleyos JW, this is his third CC, bred by Lisa Murch who was the treasurer of the CBRC he is by SH CH Arnac Weatherdeck Buoy x Chesepi Utica; RDCC & BV Lorna Murray�s Takoda Nathan at 8 years old; BCC Broomfield, Broomfield, Mahon-Hunns & Newton�s Glaneils Don�t Worry Be Happy; RBCC Morris� Penrose Victoria. There were no puppies entered. Well done to Kirsty Watts who with her Oakmarsh team came 2nd in The Breeders Stakes.
I left straight after judging as I was expecting visitors from Germany coming to collect their puppy and stay that night. Boy, was I in for an unexpected treat! No sooner had I taken the M6 south when I started to see overhead bridges jam packed with people, my first thought was there must have been an accident, but what a delight to see the start of tens of thousands of bikers who had started in London in convoy on the M4, M5, M6 from 6 locations along the way up to Barrow in Cumbria for Dave�s Day � a charity bike ride in memory of Hairy Biker Dave Myers. Mile after mile bikes and trikes headed north. Even if you are not a biker it was sight to behold. Travelling via the M6 toll road they were gifted free of charge for all bikes and trikes. A truly amazing event made me feel we should have been part of it on hubby Stuart�s Road King.
Just a week or so ago one of the 6 a year American Chesapeake Club Bulletins arrived at almost the same time as the 2024 Chessie Chat, time for a pot of tea I thought. Both quite different but both filled with interesting reading and lots of colour photos. The Bulletin has results of all the many recipients of AKC titles, in just 1 month I counted 54 different competitions from showing to dock diving. Mostly The Bulletin is filled with results. The Chessie Chat is quite different, most competions and results come with an article, these are show or working tests. Any other type of competitions can and do appear when competitors are active in other clubs. The Chat also prints health results and registrations. Over the years the health results have increased as more dna testing becomes available. I have had quite a few members alarmed at the number of longcoat carriers there are and these are only the ones that are tested. If you breed from a longcoat and the other parent is not all of the offspring will be carriers. Positive to carrier will produce longcoats and carriers, carrier to carrier will produce clears, carriers and longcoats. Clear to carrier should produce mainly clears and carriers. The only guarantee with genetics is that there is no guarantee and the percentage of you can expect is not written in stone. There is no one type of longcoat, these dogs can have as much coat as an Irish Water Spaniel or an open soft coat or a curly coat, or a coat that appears almost correct but may have extra long ringlets on the tail and legs, often behind the ears as well. Carriers of the longcoat gene can also show an incorrect coat, soft open or curly, all of which are incorrect. I have known of owners clip these dogs � show and win, making it difficult for judges who do not have experience to know if it is a correct coat or not. Trimming a longcoat is the same as operating to straighten the tail or operating to correct entropion. The dogs may appear much more acceptable but the genetics stay the same!
Another health problem that seems to be on the increase is elbow dysplasia. It is not that many years ago The Club started recognising elbow dysplasia. Before x-rays I would hear from people that their dogs had fallen off a wall or out of the back of a vehicle or one lady who tried to convince me that her dog was a hard working gundog and was suffering from arthritis, even though the age of the dog it could not have done more than 2 seasons work. Today we all test for elbow dysplasia. What you do with this information is up to you as a breeder, the RKC advise not breeding from a score above 1. It is about time that the CBRC advise the same and stopped advertising dogs at stud or puppies available from dogs with a joint score of more than 1. When advertising stud dogs or puppies I believe all health of the grandparents should also be made available.
Kirsty Watts was cock-a-hoop to let me know her young bitch Oakmarsh Little Acorn JW RATN � Vixen has a clear eye certificate, elbows 0 and hips 0-0. Vixen is by Penrose Marsh Gunner x CH Oakmarsh Freedom SGWC RATN.
At The Royal Cheshire County Show BOB went to Cathy Broomfield�s Glaneils Count On Me; RBOB Dave Rigby�s SH CH Chesepi Waco. Judge was Mr Tom Graham.
If you are thinking where to go on holiday this year why not go to one of the two ACC National Specialties. The Field Trial Specialty runs 16th to 18th of September in Burnham, Maine. I have been to a few of the FT Specialties and it is an amazing event to watch, so totally different to anything we have in the UK or Europe. Website: amchessieclub.org/2025fts/
The National Show Specialty runs 20 � 24 of October at Ocalo, Florida. October 20th starts with the WD, X & Q. October 21 � 23 Dock Diving, October 21 Agility; October 22 Obedience & Rally; October 23 Sweepstakes, Regular and Non-regular classes; October 24 4-6 month Puppy, Junior Showmanship, Regular and Non-regular bitch classes ending in BOB. Please go to the ACC website for further information.
Janet Morris
01873 880271
penrosechesapeakes@gmail.com