The Ardenbrook affix was granted to us, Kate and Andy Smith, on 28th February 1999. It was later transferred into just Kate's name when competition and club membership made it too complicated to have our dogs in joint names. Kate is a Kennel Club Accredited Breeder.
We decided to apply for a breeder's affix before our first bitch Ella had her first litter. We are not professional breeders, but we do take a keen interest and an active role in the working labrador breed. Kate has been on the committee of the Midland Gundog Society since February 2000. In February 2002 she was elected to the post of Honourary Working Test Secretary, and then took on the position of Honourary Field Trial Secretary in March 2005.
The show and working labrador varieties have diverged considerably for the past 40 years or so, with show dogs getting heavier and more thick set, and working dogs becoming finer boned. There has not been a Dual Champion, a dog that is both a Field Trial Champion and a Show Champion, since the 1940s. Kate's breeding objective is to produce dogs that will be capable of winning in the field and holding their own in the show ring.We are a deliberately small kennel, and although Kate works and competes with our dogs, they are first and foremost family members, and as such live in the home with us. We would not want it any other way. We hope that you will find this site interesting and helpful, especially if you are thinking of getting a labrador. We have tried to list ways to go about finding your pup, to explain as much as possible about the various health checks that you will come to hear about, and why these are important.
If you would like to contact us, please e-mail katie@ardenbrook.force9.co.uk, or telephone 01789 842109.
Our daughter Abigail composed the following video. We like it, and we hope you do too.
Abi also painted this picture of the gang.
