The past 4 weekends Yvonne van Houten & I have hosted several 1/2 day workshops on different themes in the north of the Netherlands.

We have enjoyed all participants and their dogs – especially because of their dedication to learning and improving their teamwork.

Yvonne and I enjoyed having many different breeds joining and we feel very satisfied having witnessed their growth and pleasure in working. Thank you all helpers & participants.

• Water Heelwork
• Marking skills
• Working on the line
• Distractions
• Multiple retrieves

We hope to be back in the winter with an indoor heelwork workshop…

Today Flatastic Platinum Alignment qualified for the breed clubs’ best of the year games by coming in at a second place at the SJP A hunting exam in Biessum today. Their end result was 82 points. Very proud of this duo. It is Lieuwe’s first flatcoated retriever and Gurbe is primarily used as a hunting dog (year round) on geese, other waterfowl and hare.

Congratulations Lieuwe, Gurbe & trainer Yvonne van Houten

Thursday & Friday I participated in a gundog demonstration for the KJV on the Terdege Outdoor Fair. It was a great experience for me and the dogs and also a very good way to show what kind of gundogs flatcoated retrievers are. A bit of everything was included: steadyness, marking, heelwork, water retrieves and social behavior. The only difficult part was ignoring the pet rabbits on the other side of the arena fence…

Thank Gerald for the invitation & 2 wonderful days🐾

Today Flatastic Aquamarine Acceptance & his handler participated in the “Multidog SJP-B” test. This was a copy of the official SJP organized by Gundog School Multidog by Arno Brosky.

Here is a link to the photo album where you will find gorgeous photos of Jason. He is the big black flatcoated with a shiny coat and a fast galop with a male handler.

https://myalbum.com/album/dWk6tdKx9B8ADP/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1Us10r9RHfVXqbICu0Vfcj32a7m5GnDw8WxvylRK8HwDn_Q2t_4frtyhU_aem_r-mh39ioCyQXeyqVgh67_A

Frans & Jason – congratulations with your Multidog SJP B diploma.

That dogs build relationships resembling (up to a limit) the human species’ way of developing bonds has been known for some time in scientific studies. I always enjoy the joy I see in my dogs when they meet up with their friends. To be honest many of my dogs’ friendships have resulted in friendships for me too.

Sometimes people’s life stories touches us and reaches out to us.. and life works in wonderous ways. Last year I met Henk at a gun dog competition and we felt a connection and discovered that we share some of the same back ground in coaching and views on humanity. Jet had also met Henk and their meeting also left a footprint..

And so it came to an idea that the “old” map A group of Jantine would drive ourselves to Rheden and be treated with a guided walk through the Veluwezoom, Posbank. An area with forest, farmland and moorland. The area is home to Fallow deer, wild boar and wolf.

Of course also many different birds and other small animals..

The moorland is keept by a flock of sheep and their herder with herding dogs. Absolutely a treat it was to see the herder working her dogs in the hills.

After the 6 km walk we enjoyed a lovely lunch at restaurant De Ruif.

https://restaurantderuif.nl/locatie/

For the afternoon I had arranged Emmy Rensen from Partoe Gundogtraining to challenge us with a MAP A workshop. Young Jason (Flatastic Aquamarine Acceptance) was attending for “listen & learn” time.

I think the lovely photos of Linda Spaargaren speak better about the atmosphere than my words..

Thank you Partoe for a fantastic afternoon with challenging gun dog work full of blinds, distractions – waterwork and serious drags. Team Partoe – Emmy, Jan & John you really gave us a blast.

Frans, Linda, Jet & Henk – thank you for a lovely day. A perfect sunny day to forget all worries and enjoy our dog friendships and great gun dog work.

Saturday the 15th of June Flatastic Aquamarine Acceptance “Jason” achieved his SJP B hunting exam in Heerle. Congratulations Frans with your achievement.

This makes him the 4th male from our Aura litter who is meeting the breeding requirements of the FRC & WFRG.

Jason is a very sweet male – he is fairly strong minded and very keen on hunting. He loves adventures and living with him is never a dull moment. He loves to cuddle and preferably sitting on your lap which can form a challenge as he is a big male. He is like a good wine – taking his time to ripen – when out hunting he is very steady and quiet. He has lots of humor and he knows very well to be the clown of the party. When one approaches him soft hearted and positive he will conquer the world with you – but he is not the type for working as a slave. Exactly like his mother. Jason is very social and very friendly with other dogs.

HD A EL free Patella free ECVO & Gonio clear (2021) height 64cm scissor bite

Show:

2x Excellent

Working results: 

CDD – C

1st place Multidog Team Competition.

SJP-C Heukelom

WT Talentenjacht starters certificate

SJP B Heerle

Because of the limited gene variation within the flatcoated retriever I have spent energy and time motivating my puppy buyers to health test and show their male dogs in order to have more breeding material available. Not only Kaspar is approved for breeding but some of his brothers too.

Kaspar has been listed on the stud dog list of the two major flatcoated retriever clubs in the Netherlands FRC & WFRG for a little while now. Unfortunately the WFRG has had some “difficulties” in publishing correct content concerning his health tests and to avoid confusion or misunderstandings (in the eyes of breeders) I felt it was necessary to pull him back from this list. Kaspar evidently still matches the breeding requirements of the WFRG amd the FRC – it is solely due to my loss of confidence in correct communication from the WFRG about my dogs that he is off the list. I am of course sad about this as I still believe that all breeders with healthy good working gun dogs should be able to present their males to help maintaining the gene pool, making it easier for foreign breeders to find males.

Kaspar is however still listed on the stud dog list of the FRC (with correct details) and of course on our own website.

Should anyone wish to check out all the listed males of the FRC please follow this link:

https://www.frc-nl.com/fokken-waar-begin-je/op-zoek-naar-een-geschikte-reu/overzicht-dekreuen/

In the 2-2024 edition of the Dutch gundog magazine “de Jachthond” you will find an article about hunting with flatcoated retrievers. I have written this article inspired by many different interviews with other flatcoated owners, breeders, judges and hunters who use this great breed as a gun dog.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed!

You can order this magazine in a single edition or permanent distribution via http://dejachthond.nl/

Today it is 4 years ago that our first litter was born after a long and tiresome birth.

Today I received many photos of the gorgeous black beauties. Their joy of life is overflowing the pictures.

Happy birthday Kai, Kaspar, Shelby, Spyke, Lotte, Jason, Jones, Fien, Gurbe, Bruce & Victor 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳

Also in loving memory Line

Many discussions are held between breed clubs and breeders about the dual purpose of the flatcoated retriever. Dual purpose is a term that is used for well build, fit for function and healthy looking dogs who also have excellent working abilities. Attending dog shows used to be a way of judging the dogs on anatomy and looks. This is today also the case. But. It is a big but. Over the years showing one’s dog has become a sport itself. And of course it is lovely that we enjoy all kinds of sports with our dogs. This has resulted in the fact that breeders breed toward the sport they prefer and this will translate into different types. The showdogs tend to have long necks, long backs and a very charming trot. The working types tend to be lighter build, less angulation and having a more significant stop. My dogs may lean more against the working type being lightly build and not having enormous thick coats. It is therefore a bit of a surprise what a judge will think of them.

Friday the 10th of May we went to Zeeland outdoor dog show – flatcoated retrievers being judged by Hannie Warendorf.

Rumi & Kaspar were in a good mood. Lotte was not very motivated for a day in the ring and looking a bit scruffy in her coat her VG was suitable for how she showed.

Rumi very a bit affected by the heat but she reached a 3rd place Excellent- pleased with that.

Kaspar really surprised by being rather excited and showed off in the ring with high tail carriage and charisma. When he was appreciated with an excellent I was very happy. It is really nice that there is room for a more elegant type to achieve an excellent – the diversity in the breed is important.

When the end judging of the males took place – I was really surprised that Kaspar came in second with a reserve CAC. Thank you for the appreciation. Cannot believe that my Italian has 1/4 of a cert. point. Who would have thought to..

Kaspar is exclusively on the FRC stud list. The breed club FRC is the only breed club in the Netherlands who have a genepool supporting set of breeding rules – allowing breeders to use foreign studs and having ethical guidelines that must be complied with.

📷 Manon Eslooppoc