SIX SPECIAL PUPS FOR A CHAMPION. Champion golden retriever Gaewynd Tapestry is the proud mum of six healthy puppies – sired by an English dog who died a year ago. The pups (seen above) are the result of an artificial insemination program planned some years ago by the mother’s owners Fred and Beryl Hession of The Goldtreve Kennels at Annangrove. And Gaewynd’s litter of six pups is a new Australian record, beating the previous best of four. The bitch was artificially inseminated by surgery with frozen semen stored at the University of Sydney for three years. The father was English Champion Camrose Cabus Christopher. Gaewynd bounced back well after the puppies were weaned and at 10 weeks took second in her class championship. Veterinarian Dr R Zammit, who operated on the champion, said that the litter of six was not only an Australian record but just missed being a world record by about two days. Australia is a world leader in artificial insemination of dogs. America and England have yet to approve the use of frozen semen. The cost to an owner varies from $800 – $1200. June 1979
