We started with Labs in 1995. Our first was a Black Lab dog called Crunchie. We weren’t really looking for a puppy, as the breeder didn’t really have any. They had Crunchie, who was 10 weeks old, and if we were really interested... He came home with us. Why Crunchie? At the time, we were both into Crunchie chocolate bars and there were several wrappers in the passenger foot well. He was his own dog. If he wanted to do something he would otherwise forget it. He was also a big dog, and I mean big. .
There are so many memories with Crunchie. Like the time, when he was a puppy, he got into the biscuit bag, and stuffed himself. We found this black furry ball just groaning. How we laughed. He never touched another biscuit unless he was given it. Or the time we were out walking and this Billy Goat ran past him, the double take and look of, “what the hell was that Dad?” He had the habit, which Wispa has also got, of pinching socks and carrying them around all day. If you wanted to find your socks, look in the Crunchie’s bed. Crunchie the sock monster. He used to climb on top of me and fall asleep. So many good memories. He passed on his 14th birthday, and I was devastated. He had been going downhill for some time, but we had managed his problems. He had lain down on his bed 2 days before he passed, and hadn’t moved. Not even for chicken! It was in his eyes. It was time. I spent the last night with him but didn’t sleep much. We had made the decision and it was the right decision, but the guilt and grief hit me in particular, very hard and I still miss him terribly even now 3+ years after he left.
When Crunchie was 2, we decided to get him a friend. So along came Sage. We were planning on a chocolate theme for dog names and he was going to be called Wispa, but as his kennel name is Sage and Onion, he instantly became Sage. Anyway, he was far too vocal to be called Wispa. He was a completely different dog to Crunchie and was very much a person dog. We decided early on, that as he was a lot more active than Crunchie, not to let him go as long as. He passed a few months short of his 15th birthday.
Sage would have made a cracking working dog. He was fast, always on the go and would find anything you wanted him to. But alas, it was never going to happen. We were far too busy work wise, at the time, to give the working gundog stuff a proper go. We had tried with Crunchie, and he was really good at it. I think Sage would have been superb though. He did his first gundog walk up at the age of 14 and was better than all the “youngsters”.
Crunchie and Sage were half brothers. They had the same father, but different mothers. They were a real pair together and often got themselves into trouble.
The week after Crunchie passed, we were back at the same breeders. There had been a huge hole at home with Crunchie, the big lad gone, Sage was also grieving, and had started to go downhill. I know people say dogs don’t grieve, but trust me they do. Sage knew Crunchie wasn’t coming home. He just knew. So we decided to go for another Black Lab. This time however, we ended up with a bitch. They had, had a litter of nine. Eight girls and one boy. We’ll have the boy we say, sorry that’s gone, but we have 2 girls. Well, we looked and Wispa came home with us. I have to admit, and I felt terrible for the one we left, but I loved Wispa’s eyes. Big, round and sparkling with mischief. Her kennel name is Shelby Dodge Carasal and at first Sage hated her. He soon put her in her place, but I think she always had the upper hand. 
With Wispa, we decided to again try gun dog tests and training. To me, she is a real star. To start off with we thought “Disaster”, she turned out to be gun shy. In a gun dog, this is the worst thing they can be. So we decided to get her on a shoot and see how she faired and make the decision then whether to continue or not. At first she was a little nervous, but then it twigged. Bang = Birdie. Gun shyness cured. So off to the tests we go. Her first proper working test my nerves ruined it for her. Her second test she won a certificate of merit, and her fourth test, she won outright. My little star. She’s a real character. Entertains herself when she gets no joy from us, which makes us laugh and join in. She has us wrapped round her little paws I think. She was 14 weeks old and swimming with Sage. At about 16 weeks, she decided she liked chillis, nipped one off one of my plants and ate it. The look on her face!! Sage just looked at her and you could virtually see him shake his head as if to say, “you dopey cow!!” However, she loved Sage and often wandered up to him and gave him a quick snog when he least expects it.
We decided pretty early on to breed a litter and keep a girl. I spent 18 months looking for the right partner for Wispa. Temperment, and well as biddability were 2 of the main criteria. He had to be a proven dog, health tests as good as possible. When we found the right husband, we then had to decide on the right time. 2 years after looking we were ready. On 31st May 2011, Wispa had a fantastic litter of 9 gorgeous puppies. We were going to keep 1, but it looks like we will keep 2.