Java's First Bird

Brad Slaybaugh called today and they were training not too far from home. The only problem was getting there. Packing for a new puppy and dog is like having a new baby and all the stuff you need to have. You know, everything is in the other car, etc. By the time we'd gotten there, they were leaving. Brad was in the driveway and I took out Java to show him. He went and got a pigeon out and proceeded to entice Java into retrieving the bird. Java loved it and proved that she knew her granddaddy was a Master Pointing Retriever. I was impressed at how "Birdie" she was. That was so good to see. Boy am I lucky to have Brad as a friend. He is SOOOO good with the puppies. In fact, he has a gorgeous new yellow lab puppy named Callie that was born on the same day. This should be fun training them together.

Welcome Java! Thank You, Aalders!

It's Christmas again and just like when I was a child, I couldn't sleep hardly at all last night because I was so excited about picking our puppy out of the litter. Today Jimmy and I drove up past Salisbury, MD, to Barren Creek and selected a female puppy out of the litter by Barren Creeks Amazing Maizie and our boy, Shedhorn's Montana Luther. There were 5 males and 3 females in the litter. Jimmy and I wanted a girl. Choosing just one was the problem. This was one tough duty and who knows how we made our choice. Actually, Jimmy did. We had a toy with us and two of the females wanted it. (So we eliminated one female--not that there was anything wrong with her!) I couldn't tell which of the two I liked the best so Jimmy picked one. Some scientific method!!!

David and his gorgeous wife, Deborah, are terrific animal lovers. Deborah has ponies and horses and teaches riding lessons. Her "riding girls" have thoroughly socialized these puppies since they were born. Deborah said we needed a family photo so we took pictures lots of pictures--of the people, people with dogs and Java (that's our new puppy's name) plus a family photo with Luther, Maizie and Java together. It's easier to control people blinking their eyes than dogs blinking their eyes! Try it sometime. Anyway, David has done such an outstanding job with his dog, Maizie, and deserves a blue ribbon for such outstanding care raising these puppies. It truly is a beautiful litter. All the pups are happy and growing like weeds. David will be able to watch most of the puppies being raised and trained by family and friends. David's father, Don, has selected his male puppy and named him Newt. It's the gift that keeps giving. We will all look forward to seeing these puppies mature, hunt and perform in Hunt tests. I'm looking forward to seeing the puppies and meeting their handlers at upcoming events. God Speed and Good Luck to you all.

Last week Jim Elam emailed me and said he needed a brochure for an upcoming show next weekend. I had already designed a logo with a young black lab bursting through the water but he said he'd rather have a chocolate lab. In fact, he likes Luther's head and wanted me to use him. So literally, back to the digital drawing board. Here is the finished logo. Luther in all his finery. I hope Jim likes it. The brochures for Lake Country Retrievers should be ready on Friday. It's been a labor of love!