
Teal age 7 years, standing 'au naturel' in the
garden and in need of a trim!
26th March 2001 - 31st July 2009
Snatched at just 8½ years old, due a ruptured spleen
Hips: 4-5 Elbows: 1
Clear Eye Certificate April 2009
Sire:
Messano Blueprint
Res CC, SGWC
Open Show Best in Show Winner
|
Guella Golden Hind
Res CC |
Ch Bryanstown Gaucho
18 CCs, JW |
Ch Stolford Happy Lad |
|
Janacre Gaiety of Bryanstown |
|
Guella Andromeda |
Ch Davern Figaro |
| Braconcott Ephermis of
Guella |
|
Barklands X-Planation of
Messano
|
Barklands Unicorn |
Fourwinds Bossanova
of Lorinford
3
Res CCs, JW
|
| Sandyne Nicola
of Barklands |
|
Gyrima Alexandrina of Barklands |
Sh Ch Gyrima Oliver
|
| Gyrima Wendella
|
| Dam:
Tenfield All At Sea
SGWC
Open Show Best Of Breed Winner,
Ch Show Firsts in Breed & Stakes classes |
NL/Lux/Dt/DtVDH/World
Ch Jamescroft Squire |
Sansue Castalian
1 CC, 3 Res
CCs, SGWC |
Sh Ch Styal Shelley of Maundale |
|
Rossbourne Party Piece of Sansue RCC |
|
Jamescroft Magic
Miranda |
Melfricka Ace In The Hole 1 CC, 1 Res CC |
|
|
Tenfield Rambling Runaway
Res CC, CAC, Res CACs, CK |
|
Starlance Huckleberry |
|
Bridgefarm Harmoney |
|
Dt/DtVDH Ch Unavale Kitywake of Tenfield
RCC |
Sh Ch Zach of Dunblair |
|
Unavale Bosanover Baby |
Scroll down the page to see more photos of Teal ...

A Summary of
Teal's Achievements:
Open Show Best AV Gundog Puppy Winner
Open Show firsts in breed classes
Championship Show places
Kennel Club Good Citizen Bronze Award
Phantom bedding chewer
Chief tail wagger
Super mum
Teal produced four litters of four,
seven, nine and five from which I kept Reiver,
Champion
Pepper
and Rally.
|
About Teal .....
Teal - not a day goes by that I do
not think of Teal and her tail that never stopped wagging,
that's what she was famous for. Never beaten
in a waggiest tail competition, the faster it wagged, the more I laughed
and the faster and faster it wagged. I miss her ever thumping
tail, you only had to change position on the sofa and all you would
hear was thump, thump, thump. All she ever wanted to do
was to be a good girl and make you smile. She was also
talkative when it came to letting me know it was dinner time or walk
time, Adrian nicknamed her 'squeal' because of this. She would
come and look at you intently and vocalise until you paid attention
to her needs! Extremely tactile, as well as very obedient and
intelligent, with lots
of will to please, Teal would have been outstanding in
obedience competition if ever I had the time. As a puppy, Teal used to have a really naughty streak, she was
known as 'destructo dog' - if she couldn't get her own way or was
ignored in favour of the other dogs, she shredded things, including
countless dog quilts. She remained chief dog bedding chewer to
her last days,
until Tamu the Basenji came along, whenever I found a corner missing from a quilt, I know who the
culprit was!
Having said that, a more loving and devoted dog you would be hard
pressed to find. Like her sister Bungle, her
temperament was second to none, the words I use to describe her are
'dear sweet Teal' for that's what she was, a real sweetie. Everyone loved her - a mixture of Darwin, Race and great granny
Ramble - I could see all of them in her. Apparently she
was also very
like her granny 'Bracken'
too. Teal was otherwise known as 'Tiddle' or 'Pom' and answered to both names either singly or combined.
I miss my little Pom so much, she gave so much and asked for so
little.


Teal never had a days illness in her
life, before that dreadful day. She was such a robust and
sound little girl, my 'mini' Golden - she took after her grandfather
'Yogi' (Guella Golden Hind) and inherited his small stature. Measured at 20"
meant she was
on the minimum of
the breed standard and would have been mostly overlooked in the show
ring because of her size. It didn't help that she was also short
coupled and compact, as anyone who judges dogs should know, a short coupled dog
will always look smaller than a longer bodied one. This didn't stop her winning
at the few shows she attended as a youngster under
judges who couldn't ignore her non-stop tail and sound effortless
movement. Although on the smaller side, she was very
well-proportioned, well constructed and an absolute delight to live
with.
Teal was a natural and enthusiastic retriever and like her
sister adored water and loved swimming. Teal went out on
the shoots in her younger days and proved particularly valuable in the beating line,
being steady and reliable. In 2002 Teal badly cut a front paw
when out for a walk, returning to me covered in blood making me
think she had ripped open her tummy. She spent four weeks recuperating
after the foot was stitched, she loved the attention having her paw
dressed daily and found out that she could use the 'drip bags' we
used to protect it as a boxing glove.
How I wish we could have recorded her sparring on video as she boxed
the other dogs!
|
| |

 |
| |
Teal was only
shown on five occasions in Junior classes at Open Shows and only had
one outing in Special Yearling, after that she stayed at home
and found her true vocation as a 'super mum'.
Teal produced four wonderful litters and proved to be the most
marvellous mum in every way, tribute to her fantastic
temperament. Particularly devoted to puppies under 4 weeks
old, while Teal was around I could rest in the knowledge that she would
always take care of any puppies if mum was unable to for any reason.
Teal is mother to my lovely Reiver, Pepper and
Rally as well as many other puppies including Yarka
working for
Canine
Partners and not to mention 21 other puppies who have given
their families unconditional love. As you progress through the
Canine Partners website, it is Yarka pictured as a puppy who is
their donation mascot on almost every page, tempting you to part
with your money - and who can resist!
Reiver has now produced a multitude of children and Teal is a
grandmother many times over, her grandchildren are bringing the same
happiness to families at home and overseas. Teal might not
have even stayed at Tenfield, but for the fact that she and her
sister were the only survivors of Darwin's last litter and right
from the start it was clear Bungle had a problem. Funny how
things work out .......

|
| |
Teal and Bungle
were sisters in every sense, they were almost joined at
the hip (pardon the pun) and I know Bungle misses her sister. In spite of her sister's
hip problem,
Teal consistently produced low hip scoring progeny, Bungle is an enigma!!
Teal accompanied Bungle on walks with 'Uncle Mike' from the age of
three, enjoying her last walk and running around Salisbury Plain just
two days before her untimely demise. Mike (who is in his seventies) adored
them both, they were 'his' girls. The very first day he came to walk them after
losing his last dog (who lived to the ripe old age of 17 years), I
gave him a whistle and instructed him to spread his arms wide and
simply whistle if they went haring off in any direction. He
told me he had opened the back of his car and they shot off at
speed, he panicked but remembered my instruction and was relieved
and delighted when they came back as fast as they had left him.
Mike was very proud of the two sisters, they were his special
favourites, he proudly told
everyone how gentle and obedient they are, I joked with him that the
three of them were growing old together, but sadly this was not
meant to be.
Teal was the sweetest of dogs and has passed this gentle temperament (as
well as her waggy tail and will to please) on to all of her
offspring, which is why Reiver has been a popular stud dog, in
times when Golden Retriever temperament and biddability is sometimes
sadly lacking.
Dear sweet Teal had been spayed in
November 2008, as being a girl that came into season every 6 months,
I thought it was fairer for her not to have to endure the attentions
of the boys and also wanted to avoid the possibility of a pyometra or
cystic ovaries later on. Since then, she had steadily gained
weight which both the vet and myself put down to being neutered,
even though she was on 'sparrows' rations. In late June 209
Chase had a litter of puppies which took up most of my time and I
didn't pay proper attention to some subtle things Teal was trying to
tell me, although she was well in herself. On Wednesday
29th July 2009 she enjoyed life as usual, enjoyed a run on Salisbury
Plain, ate all of her meals and biscuits as normal, enjoyed a cuddle
on the sofa in the evening. The following morning, I took one
look at her and thought 'you don't look right'. I took her
temperature which was normal and checked her gums, which were almost
white. I offered her some food and she tried to eat to please
me but her eyes told me she couldn't - anyone who knows Goldens (and
in particular a Tenfield Golden) knows that is serious. We saw
the vet that afternoon and he thought her spleen was enlarged.
We arranged for her to be admitted the next day for investigation. I
had to tell Mike that day that Teal wouldn't be able to go for her
usual walk and tried to impress upon him how serious the situation
was.
When I arrived at the vets the next day, Teal was being her usual
optimistic never complaining self, wagging her tail as usual, I had
to tell everyone that although she looked OK on the outside, I could
sense there was something seriously wrong. I shall always
remember her anxious look at me when the vet took her lead and I
told her 'It's OK, off you go'. At that she happily walked
away tail wagging as usual - that was the last I saw of my beautiful
golden girl.
Ultrasound and x-rays did not reveal
anything ominous other than her spleen appeared very enlarged, I had
said to the vet that morning that her abdomen felt fluidy. I
gave telephone permission to go ahead and operate to remove the
spleen, but within 20 minutes I had answered the phone and knew that
the news was not good. Teal had been carrying around a 2½ kg
benign tumour which had been attached to the spleen and the weight
of this tumour had eventually ruptured it. Teal had lost so
much blood, the vet advised that she be given sleep. Not to be
with her in her last moments was soooooo hard to bear.
I collected my golden girl so that I and the dogs had time to say
our goodbyes and she was cremated the next day. But the pain
never leaves, she did not deserve to be snatched so soon, I had
always assumed she would be around until she was 15 years. Of
course, I blamed myself, if only I didn't have the puppies I would
have been paying more attention. If the tumour and spleen had
been removed sooner, she would still be here today.
Consequently, I found it very hard to look at Chase or her puppies,
as we had never shared the close bond enjoyed with the rest of the
'true' Tenfields and with the support of Chase's breeders, I was
able to find her a fantastic home nearby, not long after the puppies
had left for their new homes.
Just a week after I scattered Teal's ashes on the 'Tenfields' in
Barnard Castle, her daughter Pepper won her first
Challenge Certificate and within a month gained her Show Champion
title. I felt Teal was with us and Pepper certainly wagged her
tail harder than ever, I shed tears in the ring each time for my
dear sweet Teal. She may be gone but she leaves a true legacy
and hopefully when Rally and Pepper produce puppies that legacy will
continue.
Rest in peace my dear sweet Teal, until
we are reunited again. You have left many aching
hearts, mostly mine and Uncle Mike's.
Below is a tribute I wrote to Teal through tears, the day after I
lost her.
I am broken hearted as I write these words, I can’t
believe that I have lost one of the lights of my life,
the dearest, sweetest and kindest dog anyone could wish
to know. At only 8½ years, Teal has been snatched from
me, after an emergency operation yesterday to remove her
spleen, proved to be too late. It had ruptured, so she
was given sleep under anaesthetic. Dear sweet Teal who
didn’t have a bad bone in her body and lived to please,
never stopped wagging her tail even as the vet led her
away, she had only won a dog with the waggiest tail
class just four weeks previously. Teal was one I would
never have parted with for all the tea in China, never
any trouble, always such a good girl. I think of her
stamping her front feet up and down and wagging like mad
in her excitement when she was allowed to have a look at
Chase’s new born puppies just six weeks ago, she was the
best mum I have ever had, devoted and gentle, reflecting
her sweet and kind nature, something she has passed on
to her children and grandchildren. Reiver, Rally and
Pepper have her sweet and sensitive nature and remind me
so much of her in so many ways.
Teal never complained and always seemed happy, trying to
be a good girl even at the end. She looked at me as if
to say, ‘is this OK?’, when the vet took her lead and
when I told her it was ‘OK, off you go’, she happily
trotted off with him. I know she was a real favourite
at the vets, when she had been spayed last year they
said they had never come across a dog like her. It was
then one of the vets showed me a badly scarred arm
caused by a Golden attack – Teal had never snarled in
her life. I already miss the thump of her tail and her
doe like eyes. I am absolutely devastated and feel I
have let her down by failing to notice how poorly she
was earlier. Being Teal, she never showed any outward
signs, it was only a feeling I had that something wasn’t
right with her on Thursday morning that prompted me to
take her to the vet that day and he thought he could
feel an enlarged spleen.
If Teal had been a person, she would have been described
as never thinking of herself, always concerned about
others. It was Teal with Rowan who comforted me in my
darkest moments, especially after the death of her mum
Darwin. I miss her so much already.
As Darwin lived to 14 years and Teal’s dad Jamie to 15,
I never for one moment thought I would lose my special
‘pom’ so soon. She had never a days illness in her
life, her only trips to the vet were to have a badly cut
paw stitched as a youngster and to be spayed last year.
I loved her dearly and can’t believe she is no longer
here. There will never be another Teal and those of you
who are lucky enough to have one of her children or
grandchildren should thank your lucky stars that they
had a mum or grandmother as sweet natured, robust and
happy as Teal and cherish them as much as I did her.
Uncle Mike who walked Teal and her sister Bungle almost
every day since he lost his last dog six years ago is as
upset as I am, we both had a cry together last night.
As most of you know, I am running on one of Chase’s
girls and she has now found a name ‘Wigeon’ – another
little duck, like Teal! Now I am so looking forward to
Rally’s puppies next year and Teal’s maternal line
grandchildren. She may be gone, but her legacy lives
on, not least through 141 grandchildren and more on the
way through her sons Reiver and Simba (Tenfield Merryman).
Hopefully her daughter Pepper will continue to do her
proud in the show ring so that one day Teal’s name can
be immortalised in Golden history. She deserves it.
|
|
What the judges had to say about
Teal:
|
|
"small but
yet balanced, dark bitch with ever wagging tail, dark eye, correct earset.
Straight front with good length of upper arm, hocks well let down with
correct rear angulation, moved true, which won her this class."
- Hilary Male (Malenbrook), Tunbridge Wells & DCS Open Show, March
2002
|
|
|