Interview with Mrs. Linda Harvey Major,
kennel Linjor Retrievers, UK

Dear Linda! Thank you very much for your detailed answers to all our questions!
Your interview generated a huge interest.

1. How did you begin your self?

I first started showing in 1972 with Labradors retrievers when living in Cornwall. After moving to Devon in 1977, I then lived in a home with Golden Retrievers and Labradors: Whilst in the west country I served on the committee of The West of England Labrador Retriever Club and ran Labrador Rescue (south west).

Since moving to Wales in 1987 I have served on the LRC of Wales and currently hold the position of Vice Chairman. My involvement with Labrador Rescue has continued with the re-homing of Labradors in Wales. I am also a member of The Golden Retriever Club of Wales, and The South Western Golden Retriever Club.

My first judging appointment was in 1986 and I have consistently judged every year to date all over the country. Also judging in Canada, America, and Europe, and first gained Kennel Club status to give CC`s in 1999.

I show every week at open shows and campaign at Championship shows throughout the year with continued success. Many of my dogs have Junior Warrents, Kennel Club Stud book numbers, Reserve Challenge Certificates, Challenge Certificates, Best Puppy in Breed, and Best of Breed awards.

I am proud to own Sandylands Gameshot at Linjor,one of the last puppies bred by Gwen Broadley and Garner Anthoney and also have Sandylands Guelder Rose for Linjor,one of the first puppies bred by Garner Anthoney and Erica Jayes. It is a privilege to own the last of the first generation and first of the second generation of Sandylands.

My parents had terriers and collies, and as a child I was renowned for collecting up all the stray dogs in our country village, bringing them home, only for my mother to march me down to the police station with them. When I was 7 years old, my mother took me to see a Walt Disney film called Old Yellow, about a Labrador of somewhat dubious pedigree! From that moment I fell in love with the breed, however it was not until I married that the dream of owning one became reality. My first Labrador cost 9 pounds, a whole weeks wages, and was a present for my first wedding anniversary, Major Toby of Linjor mainly did obedience and a little showing.

Those who know me well, know that my life is my dogs, they saved my life, because of them I have made wonderful friends all over the world who will never be forgotten for the friendship they give.

2. How can you characterize the kennel as it is? What do you mean under that notion?

Characteristics of my kennel - Most people would say that I favour males, but this is not so, my first Champion was a bitch, I like a steady Labrador with a good head and square compact body, good bone and well muscled with good angulation and the correct double coat and otter tail.

3. A simple question – your kennel’s name. What is its origin, where does it come from?

I had tried to register several names at the Kennel Club - without success as they were always to close to someone elses - in desperation as I had a litter to register, I took the first three letters of my first name LIN and the last three letters of my last name JOR, hence LINJOR.

4. What kind of Labrador is ideal for you? How do you imagine it? What dogs in your opinion are close to this ideal? What drawbacks can you excuse in a Labrador, and what are absolutely unacceptable for you?

My Ideal Labradors in the past have been, Poolstead Preferential, Balrion King Frost, Rocheby Royal Oak, Rocheby Popcorn, Sandylands Bliss, and Carpenny Elouise, labradors today would be from the Sandylands and Rocheby kennel.

The one thing I will not tolerate in a Labrador would be Bad Temperament

5. How do you choose the male for your mates? It’s obvious, you study pedigrees, choose the method, e.g. inbreeding on some particular forefather, watch how both dogs are related to this one. Then – there may be several males of the same origin. Well, you choose the one, who is tested for his offspring, the most beautiful and glorious. What’s on? How do you make you final decision among several equal?

In chosing a male stud dog I look at Puppies in the ring, who is the sire, what type of bitches has he produced to, what problems might be in the line, I would not necessarily chose a champion or the best looking dog, its what he produces that is important.

6. What medical tests, along with dysplasia and Optigen you consider necessary to have for mating dogs?

Medical tests I have in my kennel are Hip dysplasia, Elbow Displacia, Pra and Cateracts for Eyes. It is the only tests done in the Uk (not all breeders do elbows).

7. Do you think it’s useful to start it with the first mating of a dog or it’s more reasonable to do so, when the dog has already given several litters. If so, how many litters should the dog give (if a kennel is started with one dog) so that the idea of it was useful?

How did I start? - see Q 1! How many Litters for bitches, I usually only have two, and keep a male from one litter and a female from another.

8. What kind of selection do you prefer – inbreeding, linebreeding or outcrossing? What are, in your opinion, pluses and minuses of each method? When do you use this or that one in your selection work?

Line breeding, in breeding or an outcross will depend on the lines you have in your pedigree, will they mix, what are the problems you should not double up on, sometimes you will not know what works and what does not until you have tried it.

9. A question about prepotential males. Let’s take a glorious dog that is tested for offspring, which are really wonderful and take all the best qualities from their father. He is obviously prepotential. Can it happen that some time he will be weaker than a bitch? I.e. the puppies will inherit more from her exterior, than from the male’s (we are interested in that both in case it’s the first bitch’s mating and in case such a thing has already happen in this particular bitch’s biography)? How that could be avoided? Are there any secrets?

Similar answer to question five, sometimes a strong line will inherit more from the mother and sometimes more from the father, this you will only know with years of experience. My Black Tabathas dog Chivalry reproduces his head and personality in all his males.

Tabatha`s Chivalry over to Linjor AM CH Tabatha`s Knight X AM CH Tabatha`s Frazzle

10. In your selection work do you think it’s necessary to keep to colour specifics of the dogs, or are some other exterior phenomena, such as head type, body and others, of main priority to you?

Colour selection is not a priority for me, I chose the best puppy according to breed type.

11. Would you tell us a few words about joint ownership and rent of dogs in kennels. What are the terms of it, is there any sense in building a kennel’s work on the basis of your dogs’ children joint ownership?

I have never done any Joint ownership, My dogs are my own and for me only, the same with rent of kennels.

12. What kinds of dogs do you prefer? Any color preferences? How do you form your breeding activities, just involve your own dogs or engage the ones from other breeding kennels and lines? What are the principles of breeding style? Do you often leave your dogs litters in your breeding kennel? What is the breeding time schedule of yours, or you just avoid planning ahead?

The kind of dogs I prefer has been answered above, I have no colour preference, however do have more Yellow in my kennel, but have always also had black, I only have and have only had one chocolate.
I never keep all the litter, I prefer to keep a small kennel, and select the best puppy from a litter to keep, My breeding schedule will depend on how my bitch is winning in the ring, for me to Show comes first, I am not a "breeder" I love to show and only breed a litter to keep a puppy to carry my line on, I never breed not to keep a puppy or for the money.
Showing is my priority and I do not mind if it is a dog I have bred or bought in. I would show any breed and every day if it were possible!

Linjor Kreme Velvet (“Who me!”)

13. What is the most important thing in upbringing a puppy for you? No secret, that there are special methods among all kennels. What period in a puppy’s development is the most specific and important, what must be kept in mind at first place?

In the upbringing of a puppy I feel it is important to have a lot of social contact with the puppy, interaction is very important and I spend a lot of time each day playing with a puppy I keep, carefull exercise is important, the right balance to keep them well muscled but not to much to cause hip/elbow problems, I firmly believe for feeding - what you feed your bitch whilst she is pregant is what makes your puppy and what you feed your puppy at least in the first 6 months - is what makes the foundation for your adult dog, once over 12 months old you can never get the bone and substance again. When I say "what you put in your puppy - regarding food" I mean the quality and type of the food, not the quantity, saying that I never measure out food, I give just what they need to maintain the correct weight, and if they do not eat it straight away (which they always do!) it is taken away, I never leave food down for them to "grave on" and my dogs do not live in crates.

Llanstinan Shockolatte Linjor
ShCh Rockabee Blue Peter At Sandylands Х Llanstinan Susan Said So

14. A question about bringing up the pups. I understand that puppies should eat as much as they want and fall asleep while eating. They are not hungry and not crying and well tempered and play with each other normally.
I mean the puppies when they are 1.5 - 3 months old. If let the puppies of the age of 4-6 months old eat as much as they want then there might be a problem of overweight for those food lovers and some problems of additional pressure on joints as a result and possible problems with joins in future. How do you measure the amount of exercises the puppies should have at the age of 2-8 months? Do you think that if there are genetic problems of HD and ED  it will occur in any case or it can be provoked by imbalanced feeding (over eating) or lack or too much exercises (playing).

I do think that HD and Ed can be environmentally caused, over exercise, to much jumping around etc, controlled environment and play is best.

15. Is it necessary to make an agreement with a potential client for your puppy? What should be settled in it? How do you understand an idea of “a responsible breeder”?

Agreement - Contract of sale . As above - A responsible breeder will be Kennel Club Registered, not overbreed, do all the hip/elbow and eye tests and provide an healthy puppy for sale, there is never any Guarantee how the puppy will be when it grows up, we can only do our best.

16. Who has a prior right to choose the first puppy, as a rule? Are you ready to grant the privilege of prior choice to Russian customer? How does this right influence the price? Does such potential owner have any preferences? What's your personal attitude to "the prior choice"? At what age do you make your final choice?

I always choose my own puppy first, otherwise why would I have bred the litter? Then Look for potential in the next puppy for show or pet, as I have said above, there is never any Guarantee, I always choose my puppy at 6 weeks old, for me this is the best time to see how they will be when they grow up. I have had puppies that have not been what I require and have to make a decision by 12 months, if they are not good enough, then they go to a pet home, if they stay after 12 months - they stay for life, even if I cannot breed from them.
For example, A bitch does not have puppies or a male becomes sterile.

17. What is your attitude to edentates? If you use edentates for breeding, what is the maximum number of lacking teeth of a dog you used at least once?

I do not know what EDENTATES is?
As for missing teeth, In the Uk it does not matter, it is only the bite that needs to be correct, a scissor bite, I feel to much emphasis is put on missing teeth in other countries, the dog can have no problem with missing teeth and can still do the work it is bred for in picking up game.

18. That do you think about Bolo pads? Is it defect or not? There is nothing entioned about Bolo pads in Standard... So, will you mate dogs  with these pads or you will mate with one without them...

White patches, wherever they may be are a genetic throw back from many generations before, even from the earliest breeding, I have even seen a black patch on a Golden Retriever (not one of mine!) Sandylands Mark had white patches behind his front feet, and a lot of his progeny also. As with all lines when you breed, sometimes something will happen quiet unexpected and you cannot always be sure where it comes from.

Famous dogs of Linjor

SH CH Siskin De La Vigne Nieuil Avec Linjor

Linjor Valentino JW. Sh CM. 1CC. 3RES. CC'S

CH Linjor Cabernet

СH Linjor Merlot

India, INT CH Donhill Minstrel for Linjor

CH Linjor Union Jack

E-MAIL: labradorlumens@mail.ru
Moscow, Russia.