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.