Rearer David Titterton is excited to see what the future holds as his British-bred operation at the Monkspath Kennels enters a new era.
Titterton has been successfully rearing litters for owners and syndicates alongside Arran Dunn, near Wolverhampton in the West Midlands, for the past few years.
Dunn, though, has now stepped back from the breeding to focus on his work as an assistant trainer to Monmore Green’s Richie Taberner.
Titterton is now heading up the breeding with business partner Chris Ball while looking for new staff to work with the pups at the kennels as they look to add to the growing list of successful racing greyhounds to come through the system.
“The passion has been within me for some time, and I’m grateful I was introduced to Arran,” said Titterton.
“We’ve developed this and developed it well for the last three years, had great success so far.
“My passion drives on. Arran’s part of a very successful racing kennel with Richie Taberner, champion trainer at Monmore, so his time has got to be with that.
“We came to a joint decision for him to split away from the puppies and I take responsibility for it 24/7.
“Arran’s handed his 50 per cent share of the business over to me and I have a new business partner, Chris Ball.
“It’s exciting times. There’s not been this big split or anything, the racing is full-time, and the puppies are full-time, so this was the best for both parties and exciting times are ahead.
“I’m just excited to carry on my passion.”
Titterton had a background in horses before exploring rearing with greyhounds, and he is focused on providing an exciting ‘journey’ for owners and syndicates looking to have runners at Monmore or Perry Barr, and beyond.
Success stories from the operation so far include Oxford’s top-grade and Open-class dog Zenga (trained by Chris Hamblin) and 2023 British Bred Oaks finalist Flyhigh Artist.
“We’ve always wanted to differentiate ourselves from others who are doing rearing and breeding,” said Titterton.
“Our whole philosophy is to give the people who have a puppy with us a journey.
“They can come here and see their puppy from 10 weeks old, they can sit in the pens with them and play with them.
“They can devote as much time as they possibly can to see their pup, whether it’s individually or as syndicates.
“We want to give them a complete journey and are open for them to be involved as much as they possibly can.
“My whole idea is to produce as many British-bred litters as we can.
“We try to rear the best British-bred we can have, with the broods we’ve bought or leased, and bring them into this fantastic environment.
“We want to rear the best. We’ve reared some fantastic dogs on behalf of various people.
“We want to give people local to Monmore or Perry Barr, and beyond, an experience they can trust.”
Titterton added: “The main thing we have, whether a greyhound turns out to be an A1 or A10, is that these puppies have had some fantastic love and attention – the best food and conditions to be brought up in.
“People can see that on a daily basis when they come down here.
“We’ve had some fantastic litters that are grading in at A4 or A5 and are puppies that will be winning British-bred competitions this year.”
The operation at Monkspath – the kennels being owned by Dunn’s mother, the much-respected former trainer Pam Burford – covers three 75m paddocks, two 50m paddocks, four 175m paddocks, a let-out paddock and kennel with full let-out paddock.
“I always come down here but with Arran stepping away, we’re looking to take people on,” said Titterton.
“We want people part-time or full-time to get in touch if they have a passion for dogs – they don’t need to have experience.
“We’re probably looking for five or six staff in total.
“We’d like to see them and see what attributes they can bring to the kennel.”
