October 2004

Dog Days in Saskatchewan and Duchess County, New York.

After a rather busy summer here at Lanton Hill with puppies from Miss Alexandrovna (back to Rackateer again this time). Tullymoran Maid to Sealpin Enigma and Figgy of T.V. fame, to Sealpin Rolex. We began to look forward to our impending trip to Canada and the States.

Edward had been invited to judge a couple of Cocker Spaniel Field Trial Stakes, for the Cocker Spaniel Club of America, the first week in October. Firstly, asking Elizabeth if she was interested in going travelling!! Secondly a client in Saskatchewan, awaiting a trained black Labrador dog from the Sealpin Kennels, asked if Edward would be able to both deliver the dog and to stay a few days, in order to settle the dog in and to show the owner his handling techniques ……..Elizabeth, unquestioningly, said ‘Yes please!’

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First stop, after changing planes in Toronto for onward flight to Saskatoon, was to a lovely prairie town to the north. Our hosts kindly drove down to us, late one night and were duly introduced to Sealpin Hurricane, Cane, for short .He had travelled quite as well as the adults and was full of inquisitive excitement and tail wagging

He had a very sudden introduction to the households two Siamese cats, who were extremely interested in this big shiny black new-comer, definitely winning the first round, making free with his tail and paws!

After a couple of quiet days around the locality, Edward and the clients set off for their training ground, with the dog, feeling quite at home. As ever, a very stressful time for a new owner, wanting to do the right thing and the dog, not knowing quite whom he should be retrieving to! No game on the ground at all, dummies sufficed for these initial outings.

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As with many town dwellers in Canada our clients were lucky enough to have a super cabin home on the lakeside, some forty minutes from home. A truly superb setting and marvellous experience for Edward and Elizabeth, with the autumn colours just coming into their prime. Cane thoroughly enjoyed his swimming and retrieving from the lake, which will form a large part of his work, in this huge territory.

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The last outing, with Edward still talking and describing all aspects of his training and handling to the new owner, was to a small lake with duck and geese. Cane duly obliged by showing himself man enough to pick his first goose with ease and present it well.

It was obvious, with such a large country, that game is hard to find and we found no sharp tailed grouse, which would have been a treat. The long skeins of geese were always present in the wide-open skies, on their way south to their wintering grounds, with the wonderful evocative calling they do to each other.

Elizabeth was particularly fascinated by the old prairie steadings, both little farms and buildings, weathered and bent with many years’ hard winters behind them. Still standing proudly right out in the prairie. Along with some ancient churches, kept in good order to preserve the legacy and indomitable courage and faith of the early settlers. To see them one can just imagine the long lines of bullock, or horse drawn wagons streaming across the wild landscape of the new world.

We stopped on one of our outings to watch the farmer come across the end of a vast field of wheat to empty into the wagon, on the hard road. We were sorry to see so little of the harvest collected, due to a very wet summer, although we enjoyed hot, sunny and glorious days, for this trip to Saskatchewan. As we departed for the airport we were assured of the dogs comfort and enjoyment of his shooting career with his new owners.