Prairie Boy

We were lucky to have Kona's "boyfriend" visit us for a week.  Boy Wonder (Ch Flyway Farm's Boom Boom Pow SH WCX**) is a sweet, easy-going flat-coat with lots of energy and character.  It was a great opportunity to get to know this lovely dog better.  I think he enjoyed his prairie visit!

Thank-you so much to Xan Latta for letting us borrow Boy and use him at stud.

Puffin and Boy share some common ancestors and we could certainly see some similarities in looks and temperament.  Both of them love to leap through the prairie just for the pure joy of running.  

Blazingstar Puppies Due!

We are so excited to be expecting our first litter in over three years.  Back in June, Kona (Can Ch SHDCH Blazingstar Brown Coneflower RA) was bred to Boy Wonder (Ch Flyway Farm's Boom Boom Pow SH WCX**) and last week's ultrasound showed at least six puppies.  The puppies are due towards the end of August.  

Kona is her usual happy and active self and is still enjoying some field training.

While Kona doesn't live with us, she is very special to us because her pedigree combines both of our foundation bitches, Tally and Lupine.  She has inherited the best of the both of them and we are excited to see what her puppies will be like.  Thank-you to her owners Judy and Allan, for letting us have a litter out of her.

Just a bit under four weeks to go.

We tried to slow her down by doing only short retrieves and casting exercises, but Kona doesn't do anything slowly!

The first images of Kona and Boy's puppies, courtesy of Northside Veterinary Clinic.

Luna WC!

Congratulations to Luna and her owner, Jennifer Stanley on gaining her Canadian Working Certificate title last weekend!  Luna is Blazingstar Midnight Loon WC (Remus x Teva).  She passed the test both days in Abbotsford, BC.  In addition to her WC, she recently passed her OFA hip exam with flying colours - OFA Excellent.

Luna at the FCRSC Scurry last year

Luna practicing for her WC, at 8 weeks old.

Lethbridge Obedience and Rally Trials

In the middle of June, we competed in the Lethbridge and District Kennel Club's first independent obedience and rally trials:

Tinbie managed to qualify in two novice obedience trials and now just needs one leg to finish his CD title.

Puffin went in to the rally ring for the first time and successfully qualified and won high in class in Novice B.

Cava competed in rally advanced and she did marvelously, with a perfect score and winning high in class in Advanced B.

Showing off their ribbons and prizes.  Not the best of ribbon photos, but it will have to do! The cats were running interference and it was hot. 

Indy - Ch Blazingstar Brown Ruff CD WC (April 24, 2004 - May 29, 2013)

Indy was a lovely dog from our first litter that we co-owned with Katheryn and Brad Taylor.  He was an exceptionally good natured family dog who helped to raise their four children.  Indy was also Brad's pheasant hunting companion.  Sadly Indy was diagnosed with cancer shortly after his 9th birthday.

Katheryn and Brad kindly agreed to have Indy's blood sent to the Breen Lab at North Carolina State University to be used in genetically-based research projects investigating several different cancers in a variety of breeds, including flat-coated retrievers. These projects are delving into the genetic causes of some canine cancers and their results will help both dogs and humans over time.  Indy's pathology report showed that he had histiocytic sarcoma, one of the cancers that is being studied.

From a recent article in Science News (http://www.sciencenews.org/view/feature/id/348433/description/A_Cancer_Patients_Best_Friend):

"In 2012, a team of researchers that included Ostrander and Breen announced the location of a gene for histiocytic sarcoma, a form of lymphoma that is rare in humans but strikes up to a quarter of Bernese mountain dogs and flat-coated retrievers. It is an aggressive malignancy with no cure. In a cover article in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, the researchers described a genetic mutation that appears to be associated with the cancer in these dogs."

Indy will be very much missed by us and by his family and his best buddy, Pharoah. 

If you have a flat-coated retriever with cancer, please consider participating in cancer research.  To find out more, contact the Flat-coated Retriever Society of America's Cancer Support Team (see http://www.fcrsainc.org/health/cancersupportteam.html).