I just wanted to say that I thought the flat coated retriever who won BOB Gundog yesterday was simply stunning.  He stood out from all the others.  He just has such a beautful face,  coat and temperament.  Maybe he could win BIS?

Snowflake

Heres hoping x

He is stunning! He is my favouite at the moment, but all 3 group winners so far would be worthy BIS winners

I remember seeing Shargleam Blackcap win Crufts BIS over 30 years ago - I saw him later that year and he was even better in the flesh!

So far out of him, the Boxer and GSD he is my clear favourite to win this so far. Not sure anything is likely to come close in my eyes, wonderful dog.. Jet to win :-D

Well - let's hope that the  BIS judge thinks the same as we all do!

I have never particularly been an admirer of flatcoats (I own a sheltie, JR, Westie and a Greek hound(!) but that face, that coat - oh my word Jet you are drop dead gorgeous!

Snowflake

Yay - didn't Jet the FC do well - always thought he would win!!!

Snowflake

Me too - I don't often get it right, but picked both top spots correctly! :-)

Jet is a truly lovely dog and Jim one of the nicest people you could meet and I am delighted they won.

Now that he has won however we are already suffering the back lash. This morning I received the first telephone call asking if I had any flatcoat puppies at 7:30am! Then just before I left the house at lunchtime I got an internet company ringing asking me if I would like to get them to design a web site for me to bring my dogs and puppies to the top of all the major search engines, so the public would be directed to my site for sales first.

I know there is a puppy farmer who has a dog and a bitch and will be rubbing their hands with glee, another contacting people asking them if they will let him have a dog and/or bitch, plus two idiots wanting to breed from under age bitches! It really takes the shine off such a lovely win by Jet and Jim. :-(

That's why I was quite relieved when the Boxer didn't win ;)

However I was more than happy to see both Jet and the PBGV win the top 2 spots.
Stunning dogs and showing their socks off. Well deserved.

The PBGV lives not far from me and I have seen it at local shows even got to have a closer look, it is a really nice little bitch and deserved to go RBIS I had thought it would be between Jet that and little dog from the moment they both won their respective groups.

Now that he has won however we are already suffering the back lash.

Polly, it was exactly the same when the Aussie won... and to a point still is.... The puppy farmers made, and are still making a fortune...we had no end of people thinking that it was the breed to own and win with...

I long for the days of the Import Register to come back...when there were no tickets and the breed was just progressing in this country...

I hope the same doesn't happen with Flatcoats... :-(

Gabrielle

Now that he has won however we are already suffering the back lash. This morning I received the first telephone call asking if I had any flatcoat puppies at 7:30am! Then just before I left the house at lunchtime I got an internet company ringing asking me if I would like to get them to design a web site for me to bring my dogs and puppies to the top of all the major search engines, so the public would be directed to my site for sales first.

Jet was gorgeous and deserved to win and he was 9 years old which to me made it even better!

I think we just have to understand that whatever breed wins at Crufts there is going to be a demand for that breed, and, PF's will get in there, so it is important to stop PF's and not being upset that a certain breed has won - otherwise there would be no Crufts surely!

> I think we just have to understand that whatever breed wins at Crufts there is going to be a demand for that breed, and, PF's will get in there, so it is important to stop PF's and not being upset that a certain breed has won - otherwise there would be no Crufts surely!

I don't think I am upset that Jet won but I am certainly cross that some stupid people are simply jumping in to breed from their dogs to make money. Not just puppy farmers but others like the two who rang wanting to breed from under age bitches.

Lovley dog, i am very pleaded he won hes very handsome

It may be the PBGV's that suffer most as it's a breed that many will not have heard of and may now 'go shopping' for.

As a classic hound they may get more than they bargained for and I really hope that they find themselves a good breeder willing to explain that 'obedient' may not be the first word they'd think of when describing their happy little dogs!

There was an article in our local paper (as they live in the same area) last night about the flatcoat. I didn't know that Jet doesn't live with Jim but was sold as a pup and he just borrows it to show.

I thought he was a very worthy winner, doesn't look his age one bit and was clearly enjoying himself :-)

Apparently he lives near me Jane :-) Glenfarg I believe. According to the papers he was co-owned but the co-owner died last year(?) and Jet now lives with his son and family.

>I didn't know that Jet doesn't live with Jim but was sold as a pup and he just borrows it to show.

I'm assuming many breeders find they cannot keep their pick dogs (with bitches), so this is a lovely example of a breeder working with puppy owners to keep good dogs in the show ring.  Not everyone wants to show or continue handling, particularly if it turns out they have a very good dog who may benefit from more polished handling skills.

How nice too that it was the breeder showing 'his' dog rather than a professional handler.  There are more and more of those each year at Crufts it seems - perhaps the foreign entrants more than UK perhaps?  

I hope it was a good positive story, I'm a bit tired of reading negative ones! :)

What I also like about this pairing is that Jet is a much loved pet too..Its clear that he is not a commodity like some dogs have become for some breeders.

I'm so happy for Jim and the wonderful Jet and its the best outcome for BIS in a long time that I can recall. Well worthy winners and not forgetting RBIS who really deserved that too. :-)

They said South Queensferry in the Edinburgh Evening News, typical of every local paper wanting to claim them!

Yes, it was a lovely positive story :-)

I think the breeder lives in South Queensferry but the dog lives in Glenfarg :-)

As far as I'm aware, Jet was bred by Jim and he is the registered owner.  He was originally co-owned, lived with the co-owner and when the co-owner died Jet went live with his son.

Jim actually credited his 'pet' owner with being the one who keeps Jet in such good condition :)

DogsaBabe - love your sentiments  mostly > xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> hope it was a good positive story, I'm a bit tired of reading negative ones! <img alt=":-)" src="/images/default/sml_pos.png" class="sml" />

Also, for me, I hope one day to have a 'top notch' Elkhound but would be/feel inadequate showing, so, your comment/suggestion re breeders showing sounds great to me.  I'd have a really good, healthy dog and the breeder could show off their breeding - properly.

Nah Heidi we love newcomers to show their own dogs and it usually doesn't take long, and the breeder and others are usually more than Happy to take your dog in for you occasionally to help you or to show you how they look.

You know that Brian Middleton had no intention of showing the dogs, it was his wife who made him as she couldn't' show two at the same time at a show, and now eh or their daughter do all the handling.  There are lots of others the same.

I'm not a great handler but I muddle along, and the other exhibitors shout for me to stop if I am about to garotte myself or trip into the next ring over the ropes or crasah into the barrier/other exhibitor/judge (remeber my eyesight is only 20%). :)

> According to the papers he was co-owned but the co-owner died last year(?) and Jet now lives with his son and family.

Is it only me whose heart aches for the owner that died, and never got to see his beloved dog do so well?

May be he was watching from some where....

Brainless, I know you Elkhounders are a great and supportive crowd, [I've appreciated all your support over the years - Heidi's 5 on the 29th]  but I really wouldn't want to reduce the chances of a dog winning through my ineptitude; it's interesting to read about Brian though. 

I'm sure you do far more than "muddle  along" despite your eyesight.  

teehee, You've obviously never seen me, major 'flapping' is what I am good at.