Christmas Day

Life is good. Luther received a bone (a rarity) and a package of dog biscuits from Karen and Roland. His tolerance level was very good. I had to take his photo and he allowed me to do it without any problem. I put a red metallic ribbon around his neck and I guess with all the collar changes, this isn't too bad. Luther looks so festive!

Lauren emailed me yesterday and said Tess (Luther's mother) is in labor. Can't wait to hear how many newborn Christmas puppies there are!

It's not officially winter yet and we had 2" of snow the other day with 2-5" predicted for tomorrow. If that's not bad enough, it's supposed to snow this weekend, too! We've had record lows and the wind has been blowing. Luther doesn't mind the cold and the snow is a new novelty. He loves it! He loves to bury his nose in the white fluffy snow and smell things below. It must be quite exciting because he will run along using his nose as a snow plow. I told Luther that the dentist doesn't like you to eat ice but he pays no attention. Luther thinks ice is a delicacy. He gets wound up like the horses used to do and takes off like a bullet racing across the yard. It must be a good thing to be a dog playing in the snow.

Luther's First Bath

I knew that some day this event would occur but I don't think Luther had any inkling! Luther had gone hunting with Jimmy and spent some time in the mud successfully scouting for ducks that had been shot down. When Luther came home, he brought the smelly mud with him. That was bothering me. But when he went out in the back yard and dragged a dead fish out of the lake, tossed it and repeatedly rolled on it, that was it! Stinky dog!
Matt Carden had shared that Joy was about the same PH as a dog's skin so this was the soap of choice. Jimmy brought our unwilling candidate into the guest bath because this tub has a shower head with a hose. Jimmy looped a short rope around Luther's neck and after a couple commands, he stood still and let me shampoo and rinse him all over. I had expected more of a water fight but he was very cooperative. After a vigorous toweling, off he ran streaking around the house. Goodbye fish, hello Luther!

The Official Hunt

I haven't posted much lately due to our flying to Montana to pick up Luther at his trainer's, Lauren Hall Koch and the holidays. Lauren is diligent and very competent. The proof is in the wonderful, obedient dog we picked up. Lauren knows how to focus and communicate without heavy use on the peripheral training aids. Luther's gun dog training as well as house manners are fully credited to Lauren. Now if we can keep up her tutelage! The pressure is on us now to maintain his focus.

The Annual Thanksgiving Day Hunt is a big deal for Jimmy and his duck hunting crew and it was important to arrive home in time for this premier event. This year was especially significant since it was Luther's first official hunt. The club had built Luther a special area with ramp access from the river. Jimmy said Luther did everything he was asked with style and finesse retrieving 5 teal ducks and 2 Canada Geese! Jimmy was ecstatic!!!

The photo was taken by Bart Leahey on the Saturday following Thanksgiving. Luther looks like he fits right in.

Good Looks

Today Jimmy and I went to the local college to cast our right to vote. We saw our next door neighbors and they asked about Luther. Jimmy had a recent photo of Luther Lauren sent us in his wallet. Martha and Frank examined the photo and looked back and forth at Jimmy and me. Then Frank said, "Luther looks more like Bonnie!" Hmmmm....I'll consider that a compliment!

Luther's New Throne

Right now as I type this Jimmy is out in his duck marsh "enlarging" the blind creating a special area off one end for Luther. It will have brush around it on 2 sides and a ramp leading off the end. The ramp is wide enough and has cleats so Luther can climb up the ramp from the water without difficulty. Jimmy and Billy Wells, our cabinet maker and Jimmy's long-term hunting expert, have had several "meetings" to design, make materials lists, and construct Luther's special spot. Jimmy was going to keep Luther a secret from his hunt club and show up with Luther fully trained and knock their socks off. But Jimmy can never could keep a secret and he let it slip! He was too excited! With all the preparation, it's probably a good thing so they could design the perfect perch for Luther. Hopefully Jimmy will take some photos for you to see. Luther will be the official Appomattox River Rat of the Johnson's Hunt Club! Let's hope some lucky ducks find there way there this hunting season.

Loving Luther

Lauren confessed that when she takes a dog in for training, she tries to keep that dog separate emotionally since that dog will return to its family when the training is finished. Luther has managed to worm around that barrier. (He's Mr. Sneeky in more than one way.) The two of them have created quite a bond. She says Luther would do anything for her. The fact that he's been a fast and solid learner isn't the issue (but it helps). Lauren and her husband have been invited to our home and hopefuly, they will come and visit in the near future. And she can be assured that Luther will be here to greet her, too.

Willie's Legacy

Unfortunately, Willie is no longer with us. Lauren said she was in LOVE with Willie. Not only was he a proven performer in the field, but he had a winning personality. Originally, I had a different subject in mind for the above layout, but as art will, it took a direction of its own. I like it better this way. The layout suits both father and son--Willie and Luther.

One Smart Cookie

Here are some observations in an email that Lauren shared with us about Luther. Maybe now you can understand why Lauren is the perfect trainer for Luther...she sees EVERYTHING! And Luther knows it! Luther can't get by with any mischief.

Luther is doing well. We are going to work on steadiness drills now. I wish that Tryg could be here once during the daylight to video!! You know how you said that Luther might be too smart for his own good? I thought about that, and I know he is extremely smart, but I thought, maybe because you are his mom that you think he is THAT smart. Well, Bonnie, you were totally right, he is THAT smart. Some of the things he does just blow me away. Like for example, he has done this numerous amounts of times, but tonight it was SO clear what he was doing..... I gave him a press rawhide bone and he is gnawing on it behind me in the hallway, I can't see him, I can hear him. So I call him, and he doesn't know that I am looking at him, so he takes his bone, places it in the bedroom right by the door, so I can't see it, and then casually comes in and greets me. Why did he do this? Because he knows that everytime I call him when he is chewing the bone, I usually take it away from him so that he doesn't eat the entire thing in one sitting! I can't believe that a dog has that much thought put into a dang bone!! I can't cure his sneakiness but he has stopped taking things off the table, he hasn't done that in a long time. I just think that until he is old enough you and Jim are going to have to keep him in check or in a crate because he is a smart boy! He can get into a lot of trouble. He has really matured around the older dogs here though, he isn't doing any of that puppy stuff with the toilet paper etc. He is either sleeping, eating or chewing the rawhide when he is in the house. Have fun down in Florida!! Lauren

The Right Stuff!

When I chose this kit for our Digi Crop Club a couple months ago, I immediately knew who I'd feature using the wordart "Kindness" included in the collection...Lauren! Not only does Lauren breed exceptional labs, but her kindness is second to none. The dogs can sense it. They respond to her voice and direction. Sometimes when you create a layout, you might have to struggle until it all comes together. Not with this. The layout, photos and journaling all went together magically--Lauren--it was meant to be!

Walking Luther

Here's an "Out of Bounds" layout I did for our Digi Crop Club a couple months ago that I just finished up. Luther LOVED having Barton and Reagan here visiting for the week. I'll bet they walked him 6 to 8 times a day!

Happy 6 Month Birthday

I just had to celebrate and create something querky! Lauren sent me a photo to fix (take out Denali's owner) and I carried it a bit further. What's a birthday without a celebration! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DENALI, GRACE & LUTHER!!!

Family Foto

Lauren sent this wonderful family foto of the labs taken about a week ago. From left to right - Denali (full brother), Tess (mother), Grace (full sister), Luther, Shelby (grandmother). I had no problem identifying each dog without reading who was who. Luther looks like he's laid back and ready to climb under a front porch. Denali on the other hand wouldn't sit and stay and had to be tied to the fence. You can sure see Lauren's teaching lessons here in the photo.

Good looking group, isn't it! Oh, tomorrow is Luther, Grace and Denali's 6 month birthday. Happy Birthday, pups!

Luther's Great Adventure

The last month has been a blurrrrr. We were fortunate enough to have Lauren Koch accept Luther as a Gun Dog student. Our initial problem was getting him to Montana in August. The airlines won't ship dogs unless it is less than 85 degrees and this has been a firecracker of a summer! I mentioned to Jimmy that we could drive him there and the rest is history. Jimmy had never driven across this country so this was something on his bucket list! We left Petersburg, VA on Aug. 15th and arrived at Lauren's in Montana late on the 22nd via Omaha, NE (business mtg. with DesignBasics), the Badlands and Mount Rushmore, SD, Buffalo, WY and Yellowstone Natl. Park. Luther was a trooper the whole trip. Never whined, barked or was a problem at any time! We stayed mostly in Best Western motels that were animal friendly. The people we met on this journey were wonderful! Luther is quite an animal magnet and met new friends everywhere we went. I've got a pile of photos but will post just a few about our adventure in days to come. Needless to say, Luther has settled in and Lauren is dutifully training Luther to be the best dog he can be. She'll have a big challenge training Jimmy and me when we go to pick him up. :-) If you're looking for an excellent trainer, you can't do better than Lauren!!!

Okay, I know there are some terrific trainers nearby. It all boils down to a "trust" issue. Judge Cuddihy (Jimmy's dad) had a big black lab named Bo. When he went unannounced to the trainer's to check on his progress, he found Bo being beaten with a chain--at which time he put him in the car and never looked back. Handing over your baby to someone else is purely a trust issue! We know he is in the right place with the perfect person. Boy do we miss our buddy Luther!

Stay tuned for a few highlights of the trip....

Beware of Toilet Paper Thief!!!

For some reason, Luther thinks a roll of toilet paper is a nice, soft chew toy. NOT! Jimmy had a great idea. Keep the bathroom door closed. That's fine if you remember. Otherwise, the toilet paper is at risk. You can tell with Luther is up to something he knows is not permitted. His toenails create a distinct click and he heads for his bed and works hard trying to give you a "Who Me?" innocent look. Funny boy!

One Cool Dude

About a week or so ago, we had a bad thunderstorm that left us without power from about 6:30 PM to 4 PM the following day. The good thing is that we went to bed very early. The bad thing was no air conditioning and limited eating. I finally found my battery operated fan. (It takes 8 D batteries!) Since we've been having 95-105 degree weather, the fan was heaven. Here's a photo where Luther finally "got it".

Farewell Mr. Footlong!

As far as toys goes, Luther has an abundance. I'm not sure if it's the "only dog" syndrome or what but we think if he has a good choice of toys to chewing on, this will help deter his desire to consume the furniture. For the most part, this has been true. I must say that Luther doesn't get much of a chance since I try to always keep an eye on him.

Anyway, Kelly (next door) gave Luther a toy named "Mr. Footlong". Mr. Footlong was a favorite for throwing and retrieving and I think Luther enjoyed how Mr. Footlong felt in his mouth. Mr. Footlong was complete with a squeeker and rope type arms. He was balanced and just the right weight to throw short or long distance with ease with his torpedo-shaped body. We gave Luther Mr. Footlong to keep him company in the crate this weekend while we played in a golf tournament in 105 degree weather. (I wasn't feeling real sorry for Luther in the air conditioning!!!) Come to find out, Mr. Footlong was the most miserable of us all. He lost his stuffing.

So we bid farewell to Mr. Footlong...a good friend. He will indeed be missed!

Monkey Business

When my grandchildren came to visit a couple weeks ago, we took a trip to Target and bought a couple games. Barton wanted the old classic "Barrel of Monkeys". I think he played with it a total of 5 minutes. After they left, I saw something red spread out behind the chair in my bedroom. It was a bunch of monkeys left by Luther who had discovered this fun new game. I scooped up the monkeys and Luther grabbed the barrel and took off. The barrel fits over his muzzle and he looks so comical. He runs around with it at least once a day. I had to take this photo...it's so funny!

Shots--A Necessary Evil

Yesterday Luther had his booster shot, a shot for Lyme disease and one to protect him from Rabies. Dr. Nay gives him a big crunchy treat and Luther doesn't mind the shots at all! Dr. Nay also called for a pedicure, Luther's first, and he didn't like that at all. The two vet assistants had no problem stradling him and keeping his butt glued to the floor while they trimmed his nails. Now he's all pretty!

Dr. Nay complimented Luther on how poised he was. I questioned this and he said you should see other lab puppies the same age in there and most of them are wild! Luther was lying at my feet calm and relaxed. I take this as a compliment. Of course, Dr. Nay didn't see hin get into the garbage for the first time last night and eat corn cobs. I told him about this escapade and Dr. Nay said he'd just operated on a yellow lab that had an entire corn cob stuck in his gut and he had to surgically remove it. I consider myself lucky.

Next week my #1 priority is to see if I can sacrifice one cabinet to house a sliding trash can. My kitchen is limited in space (and I'm a big cook who loves gadgets) but I can see that this is the best and safest solution.

The Guest Room door is always kept closed. Luther didn't even know there was something behind the door until Reagan and Barton came to visit a couple weeks ago. Now he likes to push open the door and walk around in there. Yesterday I caught him in there twice so I pulled the door closed tightly until the lock caught. Last night I was sitting at the computer and heard Luther walk down the hall and then a big thump noise. I peek around the corner real quickly. When the door didn't open with a gentle nudge, Luther threw himself at it and it didn't open. Funny! Wish I could have caught that on video.

Luther is 17 weeks old today!

Can you see Luther's excitement?

Check out Luther's body language....READY! And don't miss Jimmy's right shoe...no tassles! I just had to share these extra photos so you could get a feeling for our excitement. Enjoy!

MORE!

Luther is quite the 'water dog'. On the 4th of July, we went to the cottage on the James River. Jimmy threw the decoys and Luther didn't hesitate--he took off into the water and swam after them. After retrieving, he delivered them into Jimmy's hand. No tug of war! I guess he did this a dozen times.

The next day we took Luther to Neblett's Mill Pond where Jimmy threw the dummy far out in the water. Luther loved every minute of fetching the dummies. The first dummy was thrown far out before they were set up and it drifted away. Jimmy put Luther in the Jon boat (his first boat ride) and Luther was excited at this new adventure. When the boat got up near the dummy, Luther jumped overboard and retrieved the dummy. I called him from the shore and as he was swimming back, Jimmy started talking and Luther did a 180! Oh no! So I asked Jimmy to be quiet and called Luther to the shore and he came. Phew!

Luther was 16 weeks on Tuesday, July 6th!

Jimmy is looking forward to this fall and seeing Luther retrieve ducks. I can honestly say that Luther would be thrilled if he knew what was lying ahead for him. Good dog!

More Photos - Camp Luther

Camp Luther

It's been a big week. Reagan and Barton have been visiting and going to the Sports Camp at the club (Tennis, Golf, Swimming, Lunch). This was the first time they had met Luther. It was exciting for everyone. We had to make sure all the flip flops and toys were out of Luther's reach because he thought they were new treats for him!

Reagan was very good at walking Luther and took him on a walk several times a day. They got to see Luther swim in the lake behind our house. We did a few things without Luther--shopping, pizza, fishing--but it worked out perfectly. Luther took his naps while we went places that dogs weren't allowed. Here is the best photo of the week. I wish I'd taken more photos. All 3 of them are so photogenic. All in all, Camp Luther (as the kids called it) was a success. Luther will miss his buddies when they leave this afternoon.

Big Foot

It finally happened. I was amazed at how proportional Luther has been even though he's growing like a weed. His feet are getting bigger and bigger. His legs are long and his rump is going up--just like a foals. When we took him to the vet on Friday (he had a rash on his belly--insect bites--they're gone now) he was over 22 pounds.

Luther is doing much better on the leash now. I took him for a walk this afternoon and he was perfect. He walked even with my left side and never lunged around. Maybe it was because it was hot as a firecracker outside. Kinda takes the starch out of ya.

Backyard Boy

This afternoon I had the porch sliding door open and Luther took it upon himself to go outside. I watched him roam around in the yard. He made his way over near the pine trees where he found (and ate) the leathery shells left by some baby turtles that hatched since last night. Then he explored the lake bank. A floating pine cone caught his interest. Then he wandered along the shoreline in the water. He's getting braver and his attitude is getting bolder. He's 12--almost 13 weeks old.

Tomorrow is another big adventure to the Veterinarian's office, Dr. Nay. I'm interested in seeing how much he weighs. He doesn't particularly like being picked up...and that's a good thing!

Water Dog!

Jimmy missed the big event this morning. Luther has been intrigued with the edge of the lake behind our house for the past week. At first he suspiciously would smell the grasses. When a frog would jump, he'd freek out and run around. Day by day his courage has grown. Today he saw something and rather than retreat, he jumped in the water big time! I watched him turn himself around and swim back to shore. Then he'd high tail it around running up and down the lake's edge. He repeated this same scene again and then he took a huge spring from the shoreline and stretched straight out making a big splash in the lake. He was delighted!!! He swam back and then rallied around the yard for his victory lap.

I don't think Jimmy will have any problems getting Luther into the swamp during duck hunting season. Luther's retrieving skills are definitely there, too. The big work is in getting the whole package together. Good luck, Jimmy and Luther!

Obedience

I think I'm going to need more training than Luther! Our first obedience class went famously. Jody Mountfort was on top of everything. She got Luther's attention immediately and he was literally eating out of her hand. A bump in the nose with a stiff "Off" stopped all the jumping. :-) Luther had a concept of "Sit" but "Down" was new to him as was "Leave-It!". "Come" was reinforced and although he is pretty good outside, the food reinforcement really had Luther's attention. He recognized immediately who had treats. Of course he has an active nose that won't quit.

Luther's potty breaks have been getting longer and longer and drawn out. Jody recommended we leash him and walk him back and forth in one area and keep him moving. It worked. The crating is going fine. He's pretty good and responding to "Kennel".

"Off" on the sofa is still a challenge but I'm committed to not having an 70 pound animal on my white sofa. This will take some concerted effort but we shall prevail.

Dirty Work

Everyone needs a helper and I'm no exception. Today, as I was trying to plant a few things by the front door, Luther jumped in to assist. All I had to do was start to dig a hole for the zinnias and Luther would hop right in the middle and dig, dig, dig. Then I'd distract him so that I could finish the job. The photo shows Luther enthusiastically loosening up the soil in my herb planter. The second photo caught that look in his eye saying "Well isn't this what you wanted?" Thanks, Luther!

Cleaning Out the Garage

Having a puppy is like having a baby. You can't do anything without their getting involved. This morning Jamie and Jimmy were doing the dreaded job of cleaning out the garage after a winter full of accumulation. Luther loved the activity--the box, the broom and the cup. I didn't know Jamie was shooting video with his phone but I'm sure glad he did. Look how eager Luther was to help. Wish I had some of that puppy energy.

Big Boy

Lauren said Luther weighed in at 9.9 pounds when he vetted for his flight to Virginia. When we took him to Dr. Nay a week later, he weighed in at 12.4. On Monday when he went to Dr. Nay for his shot, he topped the scale at 14.4 pounds. I swear I can see him grow right before my eyes!

Camera Shy

Luther doesn't like the camera. He's not shy in the slightest. I think it is because he always watches your face. When this big black Nikon gets in front of your eyes, he doesn't like it one bit. He barks and won't cooperate to have his picture taken.

Paper Training with Style

About 3 days ago, Luther went up to the stack of used newspapers we keep in our Kitchen. Luther pulled out one large folded section, spread it out flat on the floor and proceeded to pee right smack in the middle of it. How can I complain about that!

Stops Traffic

It's true! Luther stops traffic. He is such a good looking dog with his rich, shiny, dark brown coat. We went to Panera's for breakfast the other day. It was beautiful sunny morning. Panara's is one of the few places we could go with a dog. I sat outside while Jimmy went in to get our coffee and breakfast. The soldier on one side talked with us about his dog and petted Luther. Then he said he couldn't stand it and took his phone out and snapped a photo of Luther. He was going to send it to his wife. The young lady and the other table came and asked if she could take a photo, too. The next thing, I looked up and the Assistant Manager was taking a photo of Luther. We went to PetSmart around the corner to purchase a second crate (one for the car) and a lady put on her brakes and leaned out her window shouting what a cute puppy Luther was. I was a bit concerned she was holding up cars behind her but she didn't care. That was a very friendly and flattering gesture! Bless her heart.

Montana to Virginia

Luther was superdog! Riding in the soft-sided carrier, he was a perfect gentleman. Never did he whine, bark or cry. The first leg to Salt Lake City, he worked the zipper on the top cover loose and poked his head out. :-) From SLC to Cincinnati and home to Richmond I left the whole top section open and he sat and napped and never tried to climb out. It was as if he knew better. Luther was such a fabulous traveler--more so that some people I know!

I had Luther walk on a leash when in the airport so he would have some exercise and maybe nap on the plane. I doubt he's ever had a leash on, but he took to it naturally--never tugging--keeping right at my side. He like to pee on the Women's Room floor. And do #2 in the most public place with an audience! Quite the guy!!!

Last night we put his dog bed in our bedroom and shut the door. The electricity was off due to a major storm so we retired early. Luther cried for a while and then settled down. In the morning Jimmy got up first and said Luther had "organized". He had arranged some clothes over the floor.

He's stayed at my feet all day. We took him to PetSmart to purchase a crate and other than piddling on the floor, he was perfect. That is until I had the man at the store assemble the crate in the back of my Sienna. Even though he can see me, he cried all the way home. He needs to get used to traveling in the crate so we just started him on day one.

Other than that, he likes fallen leaves in the yard, his food, my shoes and his bed. All and all today has been a very good day!!!

The Big Journey

Off to Denver to visit my brother. My laptop had a fatal problem (the electrical plug in broke away from the motherboard) so a new computer was necessary. Maybe not the latest 15" iMac, but how could I resist?

Next I landed in Kalispell on Sunday in a storm--it was sleeting and the highway had about 1-1/2" to 2" of sleet. I spent 3 days with my high school buddy, Chyral, and then met up with Lauren and Luther. When Lauren arrived with Luther, all three of us were crying! Lauren had grown very fond of "black collar" Luther and he was also the last puppy to leave the nest.

We spent about an hour or so going over Luther's papers, schedule and so forth. Lauren is such a fine and caring person. It is a tribute to her how happy and balanced these puppies are. I just feel lucky to have such a fine dog out of Tess' first litter. Luther is gorgeous, smart and has a great disposition. When Lauren handed me Luther, he gave me lots of kisses. It was a welcome I had traveled many miles to receive.

Born Free

Jimmy asked if I thought the puppies had ever been outside. Look at the photo and figure it out for yourself! These puppies are living the most enchanted life. Check out www.ShedHornLabs.com and go to the "Puppies" tab. This photo was from the 5th week series. Also look at the individual photos. What personality they have in their 5th week!

"Hello"

My cell phone rang. I answered it. "Is Luther there?" to which I replied, "Not yet!" It was Jimmy!

Family Photo

The other day we were finishing a business appointment and the discussion turned to personal interests. The sales rep. William, said that about the only thing he did anymore was duck hunt. I affirmed that Jimmy is a big duck and goose hunter and that we were getting a new retriever that would hunt with him in the marsh. Jimmy heard this and then reached for his wallet. He opened up his wallet and front and center was a picture of Willie that Jimmy had printed off the website. Fancy that! To my knowledge, he hasn't carried a family photo with him in 20 years and now he's showing off the dogs!

Airline Data

The airline ticket is now purchased! I called Delta and the lady reviewed the flights where Luther would accompany me and said there were no other animals booked. She said to purchase my ticket and call back to add the animal info to my reservations. When I called back, the next lady asked the breed and age of the dog and approximate weight. She asked me what kind of carrier I was using. I told her I hadn't purchased it yet but it would be a soft sided carrier. She said the maximum size was 18"x12"x12" and that's what I had seen at PetSmart. My next decision is whether I puchase a carry on style or one with wheels and a telescoping handle. (Luther's wild ride!)Hmmm.....time to go shopping.

The Flying Pup

Usually booking flights is no problem for me. I look for a sale and away we go! Jimmy suggested that I fly to Denver and have Luther shipped in there. Then fly directly home with him. The only problem is that United has no cargo service from Kallispell to Denver. Various combos just got to be tooooo much. So I've settled on flying into Denver for 2 or 3 days to visit my brother (can't go west without seeing him!) and then up to Montana and see my old high school buddy, Chyral. I'll pick up the puppy and fly back to Richmond with him in a soft-sided carrier. The best flight connection (3 flights and 2 layovers) is almost 9 hours from takeoff, layovers, to arrival here. By the time we are home, Luther and I should have a pretty tight bond.

I'm looking forward to this great adventure. Now how to pack for this trip! The lady at PetSmart had a great idea. Line the bottom of the carrier with those puppy pads. They'll help cushion the bottom as well as act as a dry liner. I couldn;t help buying one toy for Luther to play with in his carrier. I've got my fingers crossed that Luther will be a good boy all the way home.

Yesterday I talked with Karen. Poor girl has the same crud I had last month and she sounded awful. She said Lauren had called and the puppies were HOWLING in the background. A new skill for the litter! Attached is a photo Lauren had posted. It makes me laugh!

Walking in the Rain

It's amazing how one small change in your ordinary life structure can affect so many of your decisions. We received a new copy of the Land's End catalog. I've been looking for a raincoat/jacket for some time, something that was like GoreTex that would breathe but was waterproof. It needed to have a hood (hey, why get your hair wet!) and I thought black would be serviceable. When you go on a cruise, this is a wardrobe essential. Well, in looking through the spring catalog, there it was in both lengths. Decisions! But now that we are going to have a dog, I'd need to get one in yellow because of walking him in the rain at night.

When I had a German Shepard in High School in Tacoma, Washington, I had to walk him in the morning and at night. I had a pair of boots and a raincoat that were my standard walking apparel. History repeats itself.

Questions and Questions

All of a sudden there were so many questions. Poor Lauren probably cringed to see another email from me but she patiently answered all the questions with authority and professionalism. She's a smart and very capable person. We told her that although this dog would be hunted, the chances are that it would not be shown. That did not bother her. She knew this would be a good home and that was her main concern. (Good home...this dog will probably own US before it's all over with!)

Jimmy found his antique 1965 copy of "Water Dog" and started reading. You'd think someone had told us we were having a baby. It's really funny when you think about it. Here is Jimmy reading and noting what we must do. Meanwhile I'm faxing several pages of Water Dog to Lauren for her review. I asked Lauren to recommend any books she thinks would be of benefit. She recommended 2 (from Amazon) and a DVD about puppy care from a vet. We ordered them immediately so that we could bone up and be informed.

Now I find myself Googling about training puppies on the internet. I'm smart enough to know to take some of this with a grain of salt. Boy the information at hand is incredible. There are a number of videos on YouTube. It just goes to show that any person with a flip camera can bore the rest of the world with their homemade films. Some of these people need to take a Photoshop course!!!

Check It Out

Lauren forwarded us the website links to her dogs and the stud. The accomplishments and pedigrees were staggering. There was even a video of the stud in the field hunting birds. Very impressive. The photos of the puppies is world class and the look on the proud mother's face (check out that head) is priceless. Yes. This is the magic one must feel.

Jimmy started back on the "we'd have to install an electric fence" and so on but if I wanted the dog to just get it. I told him it was "our" dog and I wouldn't get it unless he absolutely wanted it. So I backed off. Jimmy went to the office and talked to Bobby about the dilemma. Bobby's advice was, "If it will make Bonnie happy, then get the dog. You sure can't!" So Jimmy called me and said, "Get the dog." He assured me he wanted the dog, too.

I couldn't wait to get into my email account fast enough. I fired off an email to Lauren asking her if she still had the dog, we wanted it. She wrote me back that yes, the dog was available and she'd love for us to have it. I was soooo excited. Who could I share this news with? We had just found the dog that would become part of the fabric of this home. I reached Jimmy and gave him the good news--the puppy was ours!

The Homework

Jimmy and I started looking for a puppy last summer. As it goes, we'd discuss it for a week or so and by the time we'd make a decision, the puppy was sold. We had a couple lengthy conversations with a friend who is also a veterinarian and he offered his wise counsel about breeds and their characteristics. As we would find a dog we thought we liked, we'd either talk ourselves out of the responsibility of raising a dog or the opportunity would dissolve. But through these exercises several facts were clear. Jimmy wanted a good dog--a dog that would be worth the investment of training to hunt. Of course Jimmy had another requirement...it must be a Labrador Retriever!!! That's the ONLY dog as far as he was concerned. We knew that we both wanted a smaller style lab with a nice head and broad through the shoulders. Black or Chocolate. And my primary requirement was that it have a great disposition. After all, it must be able to tolerate me, Jimmy and our grandchildren and friends without any hassle. We're looking for a "buddy".

In an email to my high school buddy, Karen, I mentioned this quest for a Labrador. She answered back that her daughter's prize dog just had her first litter of puppies--3 Females and 5 Males. All were sold except one or two. Karen and her husband owned her brother and he is laid back and gentle. She forwarded my email to her daughter who had one male puppy left and thus began our deliberation of the ultimate dog.