Karen, don't worry about the dogs not being allowed back in. As long as the passport is correct (it's easy to check when it is issued), the dogs would only be delayed in coming back to the UK if the worming & flea treatment paperwork is not correct (usually the time is not filled in or correct from what I've read and what I saw when we brought Beecham back in). All that happens, then, is that the dogs have to be re-treated and you would just have to wait with them until it is OK (24 hours) to bring them back in - just expensive, but your dog insurance, if you have it, should cover some or all of that. But, they won't be taken away and locked up in quarantine.
Would it be possible for you to do a day-trip? I was going to do that with mine just to get Bosco used to it. Then, you would be able to get your own vet to do the worming/flea treatment before you depart as you would be back within the correct number of hours. I was going to get Peter,my vet, to do the dogs on a Friday afternoon so that we could go out to France Saturday morning and return Sunday lunchtime. Then, I thought my rellies and their Persian cat might not cope with the monsters, I mean Muensters, for even that long... I seem to remember that they once said that Wooster could visit them in the UK as long as he was tied to the bannisters in the hall throughout my visit ... I wasn't sure how strong the bannisters were, so I didn't try it, lol. But, doing a day trip might put your mind at rest to the procedure and at least you would go through the checks at the French end knowing that your paperwork was in order.
Thanks Karen & Ali again. Yes, I totally agree Ali. I think, looking back, that I had a few unfortunate experiences in childhood and that has led to this sort of phobic attitude, but it is fantastic to see the dogs doing what they were bred to do. This shoot used to be like the Clarendon one you mentioned, but they have a new gamekeeper now and it sounds as if it is quite different. There are certainly not the carpets of birds anymore, just shed-loads. They have not had an HPR on the shoot before. One of my trainers told me that I should not take the dogs as they would run amok and upset the gamekeeper and that I shouldn't take them on a lead as it never worked. I was intending to do the latter and watch as Bosco is young, not very experienced and I'm a novice. He would get a couple of retrieves if they were suitable - the gamekeeper was happy with this. Then Bosco broke his point to chase a rabbit @ training and didn't stop on the whistle, put up a pheasant the next day and didn't stop to the whistle (he's normally good on feather) and screamed when he saw a pheasant today. Ho hum.
All the puppies looked really great, Loudon, but Cosmos does look especially gorgeous. I love the collage. It must be very hard to keep a pup for longer than the rest when it is not staying with you.
Sue
ps nearly forgot, the current shoot sounds good, Ali. I'm not surprised the dogs are enjoying it. Ihe tornado sounds awful. I'm glad that you are all OK.
