HISTORY OF STRATHUMMEL GUNDOGS (A love story)

In 1996 Alan, a university lecturer, met Marilyn, a student, and so started the story of Strathummel gundogs. At that time Marilyn owned a rescue dog, Laddie, having had a long line of dogs including a Rhodesian Ridgeback, a Bull Mastiff and a Maremma; while Alan had not owned dogs since the early 1980's when he had owned Irish Setters.

One of Marilyn's first gifts to Alan was a liver and white Springer Spaniel, Bramble, who was eventually to give birth to Lizzy. Both Bramble and Lizzy were used for beating, and when Laddie died in January 2006, Marilyn bought Skye, a yellow Labrador bitch. This purchase was followed in September 2006 by a black Labrador dog, Fen.

Seeking a new hobby in middle age, we planned to enter our dogs in both working tests and trials, and also work them in the shooting field. We are not a commercial kennels, but lovers of gundogs, who wish to own and sometimes breed good, sound working dogs.

In January 2008 we expect to take over a boarding kennels near Gans (South West France), while continuing to work and enter working tests and field trials.