Our 2013 Calendar is Available!

You can find our 2013 Flat-coated Retriever Calendar at our Cafepress store:

www.cafepress.com/blazingstar

Please note that it is cheaper to buy it directly from our store (via the link above) than to search for it on the Cafepress website and buy it from their "Marketplace".  It's very confusing but that's how Cafepress is!

This is our sixth flat-coat calendar and as usual it is full of brown and black dogs,  prairie wildlife and scenery.  Enjoy!

2013 Cover

And here is a little blast from the past - the covers from our previous five calendars:

Cava Finishes her US Championship in Style

Liz took Cava and Tinbie south of the border to the Helena shows at the end of September.   Cava just needed one point to finish her championship and she did it on the first day by winning best of winners and best of opposite for her fourth major.  She was moved up to show as a champion for the following two days and won best of opposite both days, gaining points towards her grand championship title.  We are especially proud that she was owner-handled to her championship.  Thank-you again to Sarah Whittaker for letting us bring Cava to Canada.

Not to be outdone, Tinbie got a 4 point major, winning best of winners on the Sunday.  On that same day, Kona racked up another point by being awarded winners female.  Thank-you to Pat for showing Tinbie for us.

Am/Can Ch Bramatha Under Pressure WC

Cava in Montana after finishing her championship

Cava

Luna is pointed!

Luna, Blazingstar Midnight Loon (Remus x Teva), owned by Jennifer Stanley in Washington picked up a couple of points at her first shows this summer and fall by winning Best of Winners.  Congratulations to Luna and Jennifer!

Luna

Lupine 14/4/2003 - 12/9/2012

Ch Prairielight Blazingstar Kini CDX WC JH RE SHDX

This such a difficult and sad blog post to write.....  almost a month ago we had to let Lupine go.  She showed little to no signs of being sick and was happily swimming in the river just a few days before we discovered that her lungs were full of cancer.  We had noticed some increased thirst and took her to our vet for blood tests.  Everything came back normal, but then she started to lose interest in food, so we had x-rays taken and the problem was revealed.  She had only had one bad day and we didn't want her to have any more bad days, so we said goodbye.  An autopsy showed that she had histiocytic sarcoma that started in her spleen and spread quickly to her lungs.

We take some solace in the fact that she had had a great summer and was full of energy and enthusiasm right up to the end.  Her solid presence in our household is very much missed by everyone.

Here are some of our favourite photos that show Lupine and her wonderful personality and temperament:

She was an exceptionally sweet, calm and gentle flat-coat

She was a great hunting dog

She was an outstandingly patient and involved mother to her puppies and to all puppies we raised here

She was a High in Trial obedience dog and always had a good time in the ring whatever we were doing.

She loved scent hurdle racing

Swimming and water were one of her many passions

But most of all she was a loved and cherished companion.
We miss you Lupine.

Blazingstar's First American Champion

Back in August, Odo, Blazingstar King Eider CGN finished his American Championship by winning Best of Breed over specials in Colorado.  Odo is a mere two years old and finished very quickly, especially when he lives in an area where it is difficult to get those major wins.

Congratulations to Odo and his owner, Tom!  And thank-you to Pat and Susan for showing Odo.

Odo is from our seabird litter (Remus x Teva).

One of our favourite photos of Odo before he left Blazingstar!