Dunnabbey labradors is a small hobby show kennel based in the East of Scotland.
I currently have 5 show labradors, 4 chocolates and 1 yellow, and I co own a chocolate boy with my friend Paul and also a Border Terrier with my friend Mhairi.
My affix was granted in 2009 and is made up of the street I lived in Dunn St and the fact that Paisley Abbey was a 5 minute walk away from where I lived.
I currently have 5 show labradors, 4 chocolates and 1 yellow, and I co own a chocolate boy with my friend Paul and also a Border Terrier with my friend Mhairi.
My affix was granted in 2009 and is made up of the street I lived in Dunn St and the fact that Paisley Abbey was a 5 minute walk away from where I lived.
I have grown up with dogs. We have had all three colours over the years. Our first was a yellow, Trixie, then a black, Petra. They both came from the Marquis of Bute's gamekeepers kennel on the Isle of Bute where we used to live. They both had working pedigrees and were much loved family dogs. We lost Petra in 1991 and it wasn't until 1998 that I got another dog, Sam. She is reputedly!, a collie cross. She was 15 this year (2013) and leaps around like a spring lamb much to the amusement of everyone around her. Sadly Sammy was PTS on 13/11/13 after collapsing. She will be sorely missed by everyone who met her. Life will never be the same again.
December 2013. Ned the JRT has joined the gang here at Dunnabbey. He is very lively wee chap and is great fun to have around.
I went to Australia for a month in 2003 and when I came back decided to get another dog, a border collie, Meg. She was such a sweet dog but was only with us for a year. She had to be PTS just after her first birthday after having liver failure.
After Meg was PTS, foolishly, in retrospect, I went out the next day and bought Jack the chocolate lab, I has always wanted a chocolate and when I was growing up hardly ever saw one. They were considered rare.
At the time I didn't know anything about the BVA health schemes and just looked in the paper and found a litter of KC registered pups. Went to see them and came home with Jack.
At the time I didn't know anything about the BVA health schemes and just looked in the paper and found a litter of KC registered pups. Went to see them and came home with Jack.
Jack's health problems started when he was just 6 months old. He started to hold his back leg up. It was mis-diagnosed as the time and we now know this was the onset of ED - Elbow Dysplasia. The form Jack had was OCD - osteochondrosis. He now has arthritis in all his legs. As if this was not enough, Jack has severe allergies aswell. It has taken a long time to make a proper diagnosis but he has enviromental as well as food allergies. All I can say is thank goodness for pet insurance. Despite all the odds against him Jack made it to the ripe old age of 13 1/2 until he crossed over the rainbow bridge. (2004-2017).
In 2007 I started to go along to dog shows and help my friend Mhairi out with her dogs. I then made the decision to purchase a show labrador. I was fortunate enough to get a puppy from the Gilroys (Claychalk) in Fife. Into my life bounded a bundle of chocolate fluff called Niamh aka Claychalk Costa Amero at Dunnabbey.
She is a joy to own and has done very well in her time in the show ring. Gaining her stud book number at the age of three. Niamh is the foundation bitch of my chocolate line and she has grandchildren, great grandchildren and great, great grandchildren all over Europe. Nanny Poo, as she is affectionately called, is now a veteran and will be gracing the veteran/vintage classes when she is in coat and can be bothered to get out her bed! Sadly Niamh was put to sleep 22/04/19. She was my special girl and I miss her more with each passing day.