Hill Top gundogs

01/03/2024

Ironically with the pups arrival yesterday this memory popped up on fb.
Mac was from the same litter as Piper and he became the front cover image of Sporting Saint - Gundog Training Equipment .
What a belter he's turned out to be!

29/02/2024

Litter of 9.
Piper been Piper she's taken everything in her stride "that doesn't surprise me one bit"
Mum and pups cosy and content as it should be.
Leap year pups!

29/02/2024

Could be a long night!

28/02/2024

Piper has been moved into the whelping section!
Her due date is approximately the 4th March and she'll become a mum for the first time.
Piper was from a litter of 11 and the Sire Vinnie was from a litter of 12.
Piper was scanned at 6 or 7 pups but who knows!
I'm guessing 8 pups! but I do know Piper will be a great mum and they'll have the best of care.

17/02/2024

A cracking Cocker bitch we bred with good results!

08/02/2024

Butch photo bombing River!

08/02/2024

A nice snowy walk with the dogs.
A steady walk with a few pheasants flushed, they just can't help themselves.
You can't beat the sight and sound of a c**k Pheasant bursting from snowy cover and cackling away as it takes flight.

06/02/2024

Fantastic news! Today Piper's been scanned and she's in pup 👌
She's currently just over five weeks and all is going well.
Vinnie and Piper make a perfect pairing and I'm really excited about this!
It's been a while since our last lab litter and I'm sure these two will produce excellent pups.

03/02/2024

Beef trim! A nice supplement for the team.💪

02/02/2024

28/01/2024

Slingley Dark Princess - River 🖤
Great game finder and great on the eye.. cracking example of a working lab bitch.

25/01/2024

Pics taken two years ago by Andrew Cavanagh.
Lark has since retired and moved into the house from the kennel block, possibly gained a few lbs but she's content.
The kids have certainly changed within the two years!!
I wonder what the next 2 year will bring... quite possibly more dogs 🤔

22/01/2024

A old photo but one of my favourites.
Without a bond you only get half of the results!
Photo taken before Piper was born and before River came along.

22/01/2024

The ultimate test 😆
Very confident the Labs won't shift but the Cocker is a different story 🙄

14/01/2024

8 years ago today I lost the best dog I've had the pleasure to own and work, she was called Sky.
Sky came from good working lines and her Sire was a top notch picking up dog! once I heard he'd sired a litter my name was down and I was fortunate to get the pick of the litter.
We travelled to the Scottish Borders and viewed the litter and Sky just stood out amongst the rest. I picked a bold pup out and the breeder said " OK no problem but let's have a cuppa and give it 15 mins and see if you pick the same pup again "
The 15 mins past and the exact same pup stood out to me again.. she was mine.
Time past and her training started and it soon became very clear she was on another level.
Sky was only a small bitch but she had a big heart with plenty of drive, good in cover, fantastic nose and only wanted too please but bold with it at the same time.
Working Sky was a total honour and at times it was like she was telepathic... we just clicked.
She was steady as a rock and during her training I could leave her in a pheasant release pen with over 1k birds in it with 100% confidence that dog wouldn't move, even when a confident young poult would peck her tail.
I once took her on a trout fishing trip, I sat her on the top of the banking and I tucked in beside the river, time passed and I heard movement.. I couldn't believe it thinking she'd moved! Nope she hadn't it was a young badger cub that had trotted straight upto her "Sky rock steady as ever with a very confused look on her face".
She soon developed a good working reputation and we had many good years together and I've so many good memories of great retrieves.
In truth Sky probably trained me rather than the other way around.
The only regret I have with Sky is that I never got to say goodbye, she was on the vets table and the vet called and said her lungs were massed in cancer! It didn't seem fair to bring her back around just for my benefit and she passed.
Piper is Sky's great granddaughter and she's doing her justice.
Thanks for the memories Sky and you'll always be my benchmark dog.. rest easy lass ❤️

13/01/2024

Butch and River doing their thing today!
Absolute pleasure to be out working these two today and they couldn't have done anymore.
This season has been a very memorable one for many reasons.. Good Times!

06/01/2024

Butch and River out today! A fantastic day in what's been fantastic season, the bags are more than respectable and our hrs spent keepering along with the other keepers have paid off.
I'm sad that the season will soon be at a end but in a way I'm ready for it.
Nothing comes close to working dogs for me but spending time with like-minded people is great! I've met many great people over the yrs on various shoots and this wouldn't of been possible without the love of gundogs.
I feel very lucky my eldest two kids are following my footsteps and I only hope they can continue to do so for many yrs to come.

03/01/2024

Team of two for the time being.
Willow and Piper are both in season, hopefully Willow will be back in action before the game season ends but as for Piper that's it for the season.
Piper will be resting up and hopefully exciting news will follow.
Take a bow Piper... I've massive respect for the work rate she brings week in week out.
So it's all down too Butch and River for the time being, I think they'll do just fine 🙂

30/12/2023

What a litter this was! All went onto great homes and the working dogs amongst them have done very well in the field.

29/12/2023

Dogs vs Bi***es, what's your preference?

The question that's as old as the hills.

For me it's Bi***es all day long!
In my experience Bi***es are easier to train and more willing to please.
The Males I've had/have all BIG personalities which is great but it can also cause issues.
By no means am I saying Bi***es don't have personalities but they tend to be more subtle in my experience.

I've known and know of great Males! Absolutely belters who not only put the yards in but also do it with style, power and intelligence.
For me not much tops the look of a male in his prime!
The type you look at and see the lines, the good deep chest where the engine works, the diaphragm movement and the muscle tone over the ribs (a little bit of rib is good in my opinion) good straight front legs that lead to the strong shoulders and neck and of course a nice head.. not essentially a very boxed head but a noble one.
On writing this I'm wondering why I don't have more males? but it's simple I suppose... I just prefer working Bi***es 🤷‍♂️

I've loved working Males and my present Male is a lovely grafter and once again he's a BIG character.
Maybe some trainers are suited to one s*x more than the other or maybe it's just down to experience.

A good bitch takes some beating, she should be all as I've described in the Male although gender will make her less defined but none the less impressive.

Are Bi***es smarter than dogs?
In my experience yes! But that's only my experience, that could also be my opinion because I've had more Bi***es!?
If you have a good Bitch it's also far easier too keep the line going by breeding for the purpose of a pup, not always as easy if your working a Male.

It's impossible to say if Dogs are better than Bi***es, it's impossible to say if Bi***es are smarter than dogs.. but you can go on your own experiences.

29/12/2023

Butch and his girls!
Three generations at the back, Lark (centre) is now retired and spends her days been cosy in front of the fire! Given the chance she'd jump in the truck and get to work but it isn't fair on her.
Pic taken a few yrs ago before River joined us.

28/12/2023

Willow!
First pic is a very young Willow and the second pic is a recent one.
Team of three out picking up tomorrow.. Willow, Butch and River! No Piper tomorrow as she's in season.
As the end of the shooting season is looming 😔 I can look back and say its been one of our best.
There's a real good balance in the team as all members have plenty of experience now and all dogs are in their prime although they all have staggered ages, Willow is the oldest but shes still very fit.
plan ahead as there's no point in your team all ageing at the same time.

26/12/2023

Captain Butch with his trademark black eye patch.
Pic taken late summer after a hot mornings do***ng in.
I never use my labs for do***ng in straying pheasants but this character does the job just fine.

24/12/2023

Happy Christmas everyone! I hope you all have a good one 🎄 🎅
Any messages that have come through recently I'll reply in a few days.
Time to chill with the family now and enjoy the best time of year 🥳

23/12/2023

After our recent post about River there's been a few questions asked about her, River is not FS.
The working dogs we have stay with us till the very end.
The hours spent training these dogs and the satisfaction gained watching them work outweighs any figure.
Next Yr River will be lined to a very good dog from our kennel "keep of Barnsley AKA Mac"

Mac is the son of our very own Willow and son of the well known Brig!
This is how we will bring Rivers bloodline into our own line.. the results should be exciting.

22/12/2023

Slingley Dark Princess AKA River!
Steady as a rock and has a great nose, will pick all game and a wiz at finding Woodc**k.
She's the double of her dad Leacaz Reed AKA Reed.
Cracking Bitch 💪

22/12/2023

Show them love and you get more in return!
I don't want dogs to work for me, I want dogs who want to work alongside me.. there's definitely a difference.

19/12/2023

A few actions shots taken by Andrew Cavanagh!
He's captured some brilliant shots on a very wet day.
We've also just hit 1,000 followers which is great! Thank you following us and please share.
I set this page up to promote gundogs, shooting and of course our dogs.
Gundogs/shooting brings people from all walks of life together!
In the time I've been working dogs I've met some fantastic trainers and made some lifelong friends.. long may it continue.

18/12/2023

Tired but a happy team!

16/12/2023

Focused River 🖤