Kennel �Goodquite�s� (Andrei Vinogradov at the head) was registered in 1997. Kennel �Loijalhart� (Valeria Chesalina at the head) was registreted in 1998. But these are jnly numberrs. The real interest to labradors as best hunters goes back to the end of 80-s. Our first labradors are Chees Solsberry Life and Rossy Idjil of Black Hanter, they are 10 and 8 now.

We try to do our best and pay much attention to the health of our dogs. Most of our dogs are tested on HD, elbows and genetic diseases of eyes.

High working qualities and kind character attracted us to breeding labradors. We still highly appreciate it. We are also eager to show them, that�s why we are glad to take part in different shows and can be proud of their results in our country and abroad.

A   F E W   W O R D S   A B O U T    O U R   K E N N E L S

From interview by Yankee-newspaper №3

       I think that you have already noticed that we invite to our Yankee-newspaper those who made a contribution to the development of breeding in our country.

Y:  Hello, Andrei! My first question is not traditional. How do you manage to do everything in time? How? An exhibition in Moscow, in a week you are in Petersburg, then field test in Finland, again an exhibition in Petersburg and going to Kaliningrad, Palanga. And you manage to write articles to some serious Labrador editions. It�s a pity but there are only few of them.

A:  Hello, Yankee. As for �you manage to do everything�. Really Valeria and I are not able to do everything because of the facts that do not depend on us. Today we can�t be simultaneously in different places. As for my articles. My articles appeared now and than in important Labrador editions, but it took place as I remember not more than twice. Certainly during our work on Labradors we accumulated some interesting thoughts and we are ready to share our views. But may be it�s not the time.

Y:  What about the name of one of the streets in Tver. Was it named in honour of you?

A:  I suppose that�s a joke.

Y:  I know that your wife Valeria  has recently given birth to your son. What�s his name. In June at the show �White nights� I got acquainted with Valeria and I think you are lucky as she is pretty, fascinating and of even temper.

A:  Thank you for your compliment but I am sure that our happiness depends on us. Valeria named our son Misha and I agreed. Now he is a year and 11 months. He was born in June, 2000 before my trip to the world championship in Milan. There our CH RUS EST BEL FIN Strongline's Keep Smiling (Sima)  made a present to her mother, Misha and, of course, to me � won in the working class.

Y:   Yes, Sima made an adequate present. And I�d like to congratulate you, Valeria and Misha on behalf of our readers and me myself. I want to pass a small present to your son when I see you.

A:  Thank you, Misha will remember your promise.

Y:  And now my traditional question. Please, tell us how you came to labrador-breeding, some words about kennels, your dogs and success�.

A:  I have already written about it in my articles, that�s why in short, for 40 minutes� In two words. I have been hunting for many years and I don�t want to come into October water for a duck. I met labrador by chance. I was all for buying my first bitch for my 24 salaries in 1991. Most of the people who knew me thought that I got crazy. and once one old hunter advised to check up my fantastic money. I did it in show �Euroasia-94�. The result was shock � the second in the Group. As a whole a pure accident for a real non-professional. Then there were �Russia-94�,�Euroasia-95� with approximately the same results. The next test took place in Estonia. I was said then that my RUS CH Cheese Solsberry Life was the first Labrador leaving abroad to an exhibition. The next years were also marked as the first. At the show Estonia we passed thought as the second in two in class and got �very good�. My champion (she won three times) �looked like Labrador� very much. At that Show I finally decided to devote myself to Labradors. There, in Estonia I came into important contacts with the Finnish kennel �Strongline�s� and now we�ve got friendly and business relations with the owner of it Tiina Rantanen. By that time my bitch was the first between labradors of Russia who got the Diploma of First degree for a duck and it the Second degree for a blood but was the second while registration in the All-Russian breeding book of hunting dogs. The first went to mate to Finland and did it twice during of her different hot seasons  and was the first who didn�t bring puppies. A patriot!!! I was the first who had to bring a male from Finland. That was how Valeria and I founded our kennels. How were they further formed? � That is another problem. When I married Valeria there was no problem concerning joining our kennels, though we play different roles in it. We�ve got a good consensus and are proud to call ourselves a cooperation of kennels Loijalhart (with Chesalina V.B. as an owner) and Goodquite�s (with Vinogradov at the head). We love all our dogs and separate them only for the coupling. I wholly divert myself of the problems of veterinary and ration as Valeria is unsurpassed in it and I am busy with study and training for the chase. Dogs can be spoken about for hours but in short we are proud of our success abroad. Russian labradors that got CC in Finland; the first has already two FiIN CC and BOB in this country. We tried twice to get qualification on Field test but failed and became the second in Russia after Strongline�s Comrade  FIN CH with Sima. We always were with she in all the prize places. Sima�s daughter Goodquite�s Nice was the third at club show in Finland in June, . At present we�ve got at home 5 labs and only Goodquite�s Nice has no champion�s tittle.

Y: Yes, I am greatly impressed with your dogs success. But it is not interesting to interview you because you answer before I ask. I think that you give long answers for me not to ask you. But I have some puzzling questions for you. You have got close contacts with Finnish breeders and you visit Finland so often as nobody else, you know Finnish labs. Please, answer me why no Finnish breeders comes to our international show �White Nights� which is one of the most representative in our country? What�s happened? As the previous shows were attended by them and now � nobody.

A:  Honestly speaking I can only suspect why it�s happened so. The Finns are very mobile on the one hand and on the another they are very prudent. We can regard that the level of Russian labradors has become rather high for the last 5-6 years and it is not easy to close our interchampionship. I want to say that not many go to Finland to show their labs. For example, there was one and a half of foreign labs at the world.

Y:  I can see from your activity that you have counted on Finland. Would you tell us a few words about the foundation and development of breeding in Finland?

A:  I can't say anything concrete about the development of labrador - building in Finland as I haven't studied the question. I only know that at first they leaned on the best English bloods. Later they began using Swedish and American bloods. And then as usual inbreeding on the basis of these bloods and obtaining their own genetically highly qualified population. Then again linebreeding, inbreeding and so on. They often use in such a way sperm of the best males of England, Sweden, Norway, American (of the living and late males). But it is better for you to ask them. I think it will be pleasant for the Finns.

Y: As I know you pay much attention to the working qualities of your dogs: training for the chase and preparing for hunting. That's your life, your mission, job and your attitude at last. You have got all the conditions. But most of the Russian labradors live in huge cities and their owners have no possibility and sometimes desire to go with their dogs to the hunting fields to train them for chase and hunting. It is easily explained from an ordinary point of view, but still. I am sure that the usual opinion about that fact that 40 minutes or an hour is enough to walk with a dog is not right. It seems to me that a dog living in a flat and walking only on a rein loses hunting instincts. A labrador, of course, is not a hound or a setter and can manage without long walks. But still what you can advise to the owners of "urban" dogs so that their labs can realize their inherent capabilities, feel wanted, useful and happy.

A:  I think we can't be sorry for "urban" labs and their owners. The fact is that the present labrador is already happy with having true friends (I hope you know it very well). And that's why a labrador can find the job which is necessary for his owner and will spare much of his energy for it. From the point of view of hunting labrador is thought to be "a dog of a day off". And so be kind to walk with him as much as possible on those days. It is better to do it in the country, much better in such places where there is "game". And if it is so why not to combine it with the real hunting, chase, training and so on. Let us say in the conditions of the so-called standing hunting (woodcock hunting, duck and goose transmigration and so on) your familiar and unfamiliar hunters having no dogs would be glad to use a working labs. In short, we are responsible for those we tamed. It is difficult for many - let us take a bicycle, some oporto, a labrador and go (don't be in a hurry) to some hill (better beside the water).

Y:   I want to underline that you are not to forget to take your lab and go not to a pub but to the country. And now, please, tell us about tests in Finland. When did you go there for the first time and so on.

A:  For the first time I went to the Finnish field camp for the field testing with my male Strongline's Union Jack (Man) in 1996 when he was only 10 months. He already really worked on hunting and I thought that there would be no problem. But they appeared from nowhere. Before his coming out he poked his nose under the stump and took it out with some wasps. After that he made up his mind not to go far from me in the forest (but it was necessary to do), and he worked only with the help of his eyes. You see that it is not enough for a labrador. As a result we were disqualified in one item out of 10 and failed. But in a day at the so called "funny tests" which are organized all the applause most of the prizes (I will open a secret that Andrei and not any labrador took the first place in Agility). For the second time we didn't go with him, I don't know why. In 2000 we went there with Sima and failed too as Man in one item - searching and bringing in area, that is on the territory far from handler. That was my fault as I paid little attention to it while training taking into consideration Sima's intelligence. It was a pity, because in the case of successful passing through tests she would become the first FIN CH from Russia. We had to go there next year and get this championship. A small remark - the Finnish national club doesn't recognize Russian certificates on working qualities and you can become FIN CH if you have a working certificate. By the way speaking about Strongline's Keep Smiling I recalled that there is her picture on the gate of the Finnish national labrador club.

   

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