Having lived with dogs all my life - particularly gun dogs - it took me until 1986 to realise a longtime yearning to indulge and enrich my life with flat coated retrievers. My founder sire "Ninja" was born in September, sired by Exclyst Imperial Mint, and proved to be everything I expected. Soon after this I bought in Meg, Tizzy and Mardi - all bitches with different pedigree lines - and from these four I developed the basis of the Ripplethorpe lines.
Since then I have bred solely flatcoats to suit my requirements, which is to maintain the best working team I can achieve. The dogs all form the major part of my life and live with me as did my children when they were younger.
At the moment we are eight in number and we start our working season on the grouse moors in North Yorkshire on August 12th returning to Norfolk for the partridge, duck, pheasant and other in mid September until February 1st. Our work in this period usually consists of 4-6 days a week and requires a high standard of ability, obedience and experience.
If we breed we try to arrange this between February and May which we have found most suitable for us and the dogs. Obedience is a daily routine, ability encouraged as they grow and advanced special training individually and as a team is taught to them as they mature and show responsibility.
Our dogs are now known both nationally and internationally and we strive to breed the best healthy flatcoats both for working and the family. I am extremely proud of my team and confident to recommend Ripplethorpe flatcoats to anyone. Our dogs recommend themselves.
David E Wheeler