Bryning Marble 283102
Sire Jaff 254094 Dam Spangle 236879
Breeder N Holtappel
Carries the dilute and brown genes
BAER Hearing tested Normal
Eye tested unaffected by CEA/CH and cPRA
DNA tested Normal for CEA/CH
DNA tested Clear of TNS
Hips - 2:2
Spark to her friends
Spark was bred by my good friend Nat. She was returned to Nat at 8 months of age through absolutely no fault of her own. Hearing her predicament I felt really sorry for her so I asked Nat if I could take her and try her on sheep.
Spark reminds me quite a lot of my first Border Collie, Loeki. When I first took her to sheep she was a complete idiot and frankly I didn't hold out much hope for her at all. Due to her early life she was really not suitable as a pet, so I felt I had to give her the benefit of the doubt.
It's taken a very long time to sort her head out, but things are now moving very fast.
She has changed dramatically from the unhappy and jumpy pup I brought home and is blossoming into a confident girl. She now has a good serious attitude to being a sheep dog.
I am pushing Spark's training on harder now. She is almost on her sides (come bye and away) and is stopping every time I tell her and walking onto her sheep nicely. With stability and maturity she is far more confident about life in general now and is able to take the pressure of serious training. She has plenty of stamina and will run all day.
Spark is now doing little outruns and starting to drive. She is now calling off sheep reliably and happily. I always think this is a sign the dog is really settling into it's job. She is a genuine bitch and I am really enjoying her. She has started doing the easy jobs at work and finish her training "on the job".
Outrunning.
These pictures were taken the first time I had Spark on really challenging bulk. There are 200 hill cheviot hoggs in this flock. They've hardly seen a dog so they are keen to split up and evade the dog.
Spark does really well and keeps off them until she gets to the head of them. Then works hard to keep the corners knocked in. I am really pleased with her progress.
Catching some cheeky ones before they get any further.
Got them.
Waiting patiently with "the big girls" on the way home.
Spark starting to drive.
With a huge amount of pleasure and pride, I now consider Spark as a work dog and future trial dog, not a dog needing to be re-trained :-)
Spark outrunning
Spark will be one of my lambing dogs since Mist and Ffi will both be on maternity leave!
Jaff, Spark's father.
Spark's mother Spangle.