Callie
Corran
Reme and Clipper
Reme and Meg
Chase at Petplan Final
Chloe - Cailloch Prima-Donna
Rhea playing mudbaths
History
Cailloch Golden Retrievers began with one as a pet, and developed into a hobby for me, (Lindsey) and then infected my husband Jack as well. Jack and I both grew up with dogs, but until 1999 our work commitments, and in particular a period of five years working abroad prevented us from being able to indulge in keeping a dog ourselves, mainly because we didn’t like the idea of having to put a beloved pet into six months quarantine on our return.
We were encouraged to pick a Golden Retriever as our first family pet by the then 10-year-old Nicola, who had fallen in love with the breed. Our first golden came from Ruth Turner of Amilone Goldens. ‘Reme’ (Amilone Remembrance) had been kept by her as a show girl, but an injury put paid to her show career and she came to live with us at 11 months old as a pet.
It was truly a sharp learning curve! Reme took her role as family companion very seriously. She demanded attention, games, cuddles, exercise and food in large quantities, and would paw you earnestly or grab your sleeve to remind you she was there if she felt she was being ignored. She protected us from the postman, workmen, squirrels and birds without fear, although hot air balloons are apparently a different kettle of fish! We felt that her sociable nature left her a little lonely as an only dog, and so one soon became two.
I had begun attending shows just to watch, and when Ruth gave me the opportunity to have a show girl myself I was thrilled. ‘Callie’ (Amilone Caledonia) was our first show puppy and our entry into the world of showing dogs began. She did well in the few shows she attended, but she did not take to the showring, never really doing her lovely construction justice, and preferring instead to chase balls and dig holes in the garden.
Nevertheless, we enjoyed our girls, and as our interest and enthusiasm grew, we decided to have a litter of puppies and applied to The Kennel Club for an ‘Affix’ for our kennel. Because we are Scots, and because golden retrievers are of Scottish origins, we chose a Scottish name: ‘Inch Cailloch’ is a small island nature reserve in Loch Lomond, which is near to where I grew up.
Our family home was in South Buckinghamshire, where over the years we raised four litters of puppies. In 2002 ‘Meg’, (Cailloch Meg O’the Mill), one of Reme’s puppies joined our family not as a showgirl, but because we fell in love with her delightful personality.
It was not until 2003 and Callie’s first litter of puppies, to Kim Ellis’ ‘Rowan’ (Tenfield Border Patrol JW) that we seriously began to show. With ‘Corran’ (Cailloch Flamboyant) we started learning in earnest. She has done us proud in the ring, qualifying for Crufts twice, winning at Championship shows, and winning ‘Best Puppy in Breed’, Best Of Breed’ and ‘Reserve Best Of Breed at Open Shows.
Corran’s litter sister Chase (Cailloch Racer To Tenfield JW) went to her Dad’s home in Wiltshire, and we are very proud of her achievements in the show ring. Aside from her many Open and Championship Show wins, she qualified for the Pet Plan Junior Stakes Final in 2004 - the only gundog to do so that year, and went on to win her Junior Warrant in style at Richmond Championship Show in September 2004.
In March 2004 Callie presented us with another stunning litter to Kim Ellis’ ‘Tor’ (Tenfield Border Rambler JW). From this litter Angus & Sylvia Perry (Melmand) asked us for ‘Chloe’ (Cailloch Prima-Donna) and they have shown her successfully, also qualifying for Crufts in 2005 and 2006
Late in 2005 Jack had decided he wanted his ‘own’ dog. So, although the summer of 2006 saw us lose our darling Callie to a sudden illness, it also brought us ‘Rhea’ (Rosinante Balalaika at Cailloch) a funny, mischievous puppy to fill the gap in our hearts, and to be Jack’s special girl. Her great grandmother is Reme’s litter sister, ‘Leah’ (Amilone Sea Pearl). Rhea is very clever, and Jack decided to try out the working side of golden retriever owning with her, attending gundog training classes, and trying out picking up at a shoot.
Corran took a rest from the showring in 2006 to concentrate on her puppies to Sh Ch Willowlawn Faberge JW (aka ‘Hugo’) and from that litter we kept ‘Teal’ (Cailloch Spinnaker). We planned to show her as a puppy but family commitments, moving house and holidays got in the way, and by her first birthday she had only attended a few shows, where she was placed at four of them. She has since decided she is not terribly keen on being a show dog, so has stayed with us as a pet.
where she was placed at four of them.
In September 2007 we moved to Gloucestershire, to a house with a little more land for our growing family to play in. ‘Echo’ (Tenfield Celtic Echo of Cailloch) Callie’s granddaughter from Chase (Cailloch Racer to Tenfield JW) joined us here in July 2008. She has her dam and grand dam’s lovely construction and lively personality, although her behaviour in the showring initially left a great deal to be desired. Her best trick was rolling onto her back in order to persuade Jack to give her a biscuit when she was supposed to be standing. After a great deal of patience and practise, she learned what was wanted and took Reserve Best Bitch at URC Open Show in February 2010, then she decided her tail needed pruning, taking her out of the showring for at least six months. We hope Echo will have some puppies in late 2010.
Rhea had a lovely litter of six puppies to ‘Reiver’) (Tenfield Sea Biscuit) in August 2009. And from that litter Cailloch Santos (‘Harley’) has joined John and Lesley Prior as a showdog. Rhea has proved an utterly devoted mum, and we hope will have a second litter early in 2011.
At Easter 2010, our grand old lady Reme (Amilone Remembrance) had to be given sleep at eleven and a half years. A good life, well lived. We miss her dreadfully but look forward to the future, and the possibility that a new member of the clan will join us to fill the enormous gap she has left.
Cailloch Golden Retrievers began with one as a pet, and developed into a hobby for me, (Lindsey) and then infected my husband Jack as well. Jack and I both grew up with dogs, but until 1999 our work commitments, and in particular a period of five years working abroad prevented us from being able to indulge in keeping a dog ourselves, mainly because we didn’t like the idea of having to put a beloved pet into six months quarantine on our return.
We were encouraged to pick a Golden Retriever as our first family pet by the then 10-year-old Nicola, who had fallen in love with the breed. Our first golden came from Ruth Turner of Amilone Goldens. ‘Reme’ (Amilone Remembrance) had been kept by her as a show girl, but an injury put paid to her show career and she came to live with us at 11 months old as a pet.
It was truly a sharp learning curve! Reme took her role as family companion very seriously. She demanded attention, games, cuddles, exercise and food in large quantities, and would paw you earnestly or grab your sleeve to remind you she was there if she felt she was being ignored. She protected us from the postman, workmen, squirrels and birds without fear, although hot air balloons are apparently a different kettle of fish! We felt that her sociable nature left her a little lonely as an only dog, and so one soon became two.
I had begun attending shows just to watch, and when Ruth gave me the opportunity to have a show girl myself I was thrilled. ‘Callie’ (Amilone Caledonia) was our first show puppy and our entry into the world of showing dogs began. She did well in the few shows she attended, but she did not take to the showring, never really doing her lovely construction justice, and preferring instead to chase balls and dig holes in the garden.
Nevertheless, we enjoyed our girls, and as our interest and enthusiasm grew, we decided to have a litter of puppies and applied to The Kennel Club for an ‘Affix’ for our kennel. Because we are Scots, and because golden retrievers are of Scottish origins, we chose a Scottish name: ‘Inch Cailloch’ is a small island nature reserve in Loch Lomond, which is near to where I grew up.
Our family home was in South Buckinghamshire, where over the years we raised four litters of puppies. In 2002 ‘Meg’, (Cailloch Meg O’the Mill), one of Reme’s puppies joined our family not as a showgirl, but because we fell in love with her delightful personality.
It was not until 2003 and Callie’s first litter of puppies, to Kim Ellis’ ‘Rowan’ (Tenfield Border Patrol JW) that we seriously began to show. With ‘Corran’ (Cailloch Flamboyant) we started learning in earnest. She has done us proud in the ring, qualifying for Crufts twice, winning at Championship shows, and winning ‘Best Puppy in Breed’, Best Of Breed’ and ‘Reserve Best Of Breed at Open Shows.
Corran’s litter sister Chase (Cailloch Racer To Tenfield JW) went to her Dad’s home in Wiltshire, and we are very proud of her achievements in the show ring. Aside from her many Open and Championship Show wins, she qualified for the Pet Plan Junior Stakes Final in 2004 - the only gundog to do so that year, and went on to win her Junior Warrant in style at Richmond Championship Show in September 2004.
In March 2004 Callie presented us with another stunning litter to Kim Ellis’ ‘Tor’ (Tenfield Border Rambler JW). From this litter Angus & Sylvia Perry (Melmand) asked us for ‘Chloe’ (Cailloch Prima-Donna) and they have shown her successfully, also qualifying for Crufts in 2005 and 2006
Late in 2005 Jack had decided he wanted his ‘own’ dog. So, although the summer of 2006 saw us lose our darling Callie to a sudden illness, it also brought us ‘Rhea’ (Rosinante Balalaika at Cailloch) a funny, mischievous puppy to fill the gap in our hearts, and to be Jack’s special girl. Her great grandmother is Reme’s litter sister, ‘Leah’ (Amilone Sea Pearl). Rhea is very clever, and Jack decided to try out the working side of golden retriever owning with her, attending gundog training classes, and trying out picking up at a shoot.
Corran took a rest from the showring in 2006 to concentrate on her puppies to Sh Ch Willowlawn Faberge JW (aka ‘Hugo’) and from that litter we kept ‘Teal’ (Cailloch Spinnaker). We planned to show her as a puppy but family commitments, moving house and holidays got in the way, and by her first birthday she had only attended a few shows, where she was placed at four of them. She has since decided she is not terribly keen on being a show dog, so has stayed with us as a pet.
where she was placed at four of them.
In September 2007 we moved to Gloucestershire, to a house with a little more land for our growing family to play in. ‘Echo’ (Tenfield Celtic Echo of Cailloch) Callie’s granddaughter from Chase (Cailloch Racer to Tenfield JW) joined us here in July 2008. She has her dam and grand dam’s lovely construction and lively personality, although her behaviour in the showring initially left a great deal to be desired. Her best trick was rolling onto her back in order to persuade Jack to give her a biscuit when she was supposed to be standing. After a great deal of patience and practise, she learned what was wanted and took Reserve Best Bitch at URC Open Show in February 2010, then she decided her tail needed pruning, taking her out of the showring for at least six months. We hope Echo will have some puppies in late 2010.
Rhea had a lovely litter of six puppies to ‘Reiver’) (Tenfield Sea Biscuit) in August 2009. And from that litter Cailloch Santos (‘Harley’) has joined John and Lesley Prior as a showdog. Rhea has proved an utterly devoted mum, and we hope will have a second litter early in 2011.
At Easter 2010, our grand old lady Reme (Amilone Remembrance) had to be given sleep at eleven and a half years. A good life, well lived. We miss her dreadfully but look forward to the future, and the possibility that a new member of the clan will join us to fill the enormous gap she has left.