Tucker w/bumpers (pics)

Hi Don,

A while ago you gave me a couple bumpers, they are white, solid rather than hollow. Can you tell me where you got these?  I would like to get a few more.

It has been a long winter, the fields were iced up a lot so there were long stretches when I could not run Tucker, lately it has been good though.

Here are a few new pictures of him, he is doing well.

I might have to come to the city in a couple weeks hopefully we can arrange a visit.

Evan

pups (pics)

Drake (pic)

Hi Don!

Here are some pictures of Drake. He's doing very well, and is a very smart dog! He's pawing at the door whenever he needs to relieve himself, instead of just going on the floor in the house (which really only took a couple of weeks to train him to do) and he's sitting, laying down, and fetching on command. We went to the vet Monday night to get his second round of shots, and the whole office just fell in love with him. The vet (I've forgotten his name) praised him for his good looks, good temperament, and being very well adjusted for such a young pup. We're taking him to Conrad's beach for his daily walk, where we let him off leash to run around and explore, and follows us at our side as we walk, and doesn't ever let himself get too far from us. He's been an absolute joy, and we're very proud "parents".

Take care,

Shane and Gillian

Bigby Update (pics)

I can't belive that Bigby is one already! He's been such a great pal to have around! We were away on the day of his birthday, but I plan to make up for it!

We're both looking forward to a great summer running the trails!

-Greg

Nikita's Birthday (pic)

Hi Don,

Picture of Nikita taken today. It is her birthday, had her to McDonalds for a hamburger & icecream. She never gets anything like that, but since it is her birthday and all. She sure is my pride & joy.

Marion & Nikita

Don BATES' Adventures (pics)

More Pictures:
Don's Adventures

Zarah's surgery news

Zarah’s still groggy today, and slow and disoriented, but the incision looks great and the best news of course is that it was a benign FATTY-cyst.

My grandmother knitted the red throw on the couch, and she would have been so happy to see this sweet girl in it.

So here’s Z’s recuperating picture.

Awhh....

;-)

Birthday Wishes From Thunder

Hello! Thanks for sending the pictures and Happy 1st Birthday to all the Labs! Here is a picture of Thunder, MVP on our hockey team and two of his favourite teammates!

Regards,

Kath, Louise, Dakota and Thunder

Birthday wishes from Flint

Hello everyone.

Flint would also like to wish you all a Happy 1st Birthday!  He had a great time yesterday on a playdate with Jak from the same litter, they had fun running around and dog friendly birthday cake followed.

I know everyone is really busy but if anyone who lives locally would like to get together with Flint he loves to play....maybe when the weather warms up and they can swim.

Hope you like photo.

Gill & Flint.

Birthday wishes from Gino

Hello everyone,

Hard to believe it is one year ago our precious little four legged puppies were born. Hope everyone is enjoying them as much as we love Gino. My children (5 and 8) seem to think we will have a great big party tomorrow and have all his brothers and sisters at our house for some cake. Since this can't come true we are writing birthday wishes to all.

Happy Birthday !

From Gino

Chelsea Marie

Was entered in both Halifax shows as a Junior Puppy and won her class each day.

Cocoa Mulch (warning)

Please tell every dog or cat owner you know.  Even if you don't have a pet, please pass this to those who do.Over the weekend the doting owner of two young lab mixes purchased Cocoa Mulch from Target to use in their garden.


They loved the way it smelled and it was advertised to keep cats away from their garden.  Their dog Calypso decided that the mulch smelled good enough to eat and devoured a large helping.  She vomited a few times which was typical when she eats something new but wasn't acting lethargic in any way.

The next day, Mom woke up and took Calypso out for her morning walk.  Half way through the walk, she had a seizure and died instantly.Although the mulch had NO warnings printed on the label, upon further investigation on the company's website, this product is HIGHLY toxic to dogs and cats.Cocoa Mulch is manufactured by Hershey's, and they claim that 'It is true that studies have shown that 50% of the dogs that eat Cocoa Mulch can suffer physical harm to a variety of degrees (depending on each individual dog).  However, 98% of all dogs won't eat it.'

This Snopes site gives the following information: http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp

Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman's Garden Supply and other Garden supply stores, contains a lethal ingredient called 'Theobromine.'  It is lethal to dogs and cats.  It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs.

Pat qualified in Novice B

Pat qualified in Novice B and earned High In Class with 190 points. She will only have to qualify once more to earn her CD.



db

Obedience Trial

I entered Pat in the Halifax Kennel Club’s Obedience Trial, her first. She was ready when she was six mos old but nothing to enter. She qualified with a score of 191½. She is entered again for tomorrow but don’t plan any more for her until Dartmouth’s show in May. I have just started to train "It", may enter her in Bible Hill or Trenton.



don

Darby (pics)

HI Don,

Sorry we haven't been in touch sooner! Darby is doing great. She weighs 40 pounds and is growing fast.

We are going to puppy class, but we wish we were close enough to take classes with you. I'm sure you have a much better idea of how these dogs think. It seems that we need more training than her so that we know how to teach her. She learns really quickly.

She is going to doggy day care a couple of times a week just to tire her out. We just started this, and it is with the same people who do the classes. They help reinforce what we are trying to teach her. I talked to them after you sent the email about Parvo just to make sure they were aware. Thanks for the information.

We've attached a few pictures. The ones outside were taken yesterday, and the ones in the house were taken through the week. She is a beautiful girl.

Let us know if you are coming up this way. We'd love for you to see Darby. Hopefully we'll get down in the spring to see family, maybe we can stop in.

Dawn & Greg

Crucial post-hunt dog care?

Dear Don,

I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but apparently it is crucial that labs get a full pedicure after every rabbit hunt!

Ridiculous!

-Dave

Junne (pics)

Hi Don,

Junne is at the Groomers as we speak, having a bath, getting her ears cleaned and having her nails cut. She is a great dog, very spoiled but absolutely no trouble, great companion. wondering if you had any new puppies due in the spring?

leaning towards the chocolate
Ann Marie

Remington

Hi Don!

Hope all is well. Sorry to hear that you did not receive my email. I
had sent along a little note and attached a few pictures of Remington. He is doing extremely well. Marc and I could not ask for a better dog. I passed along your contact information as well as your web site address to a friend who lives in Belleisle. He is on the hunt for a lab and I highly
recommended you! I told him that he would not be disappointed. Pati :)


Patricia

Loki

Hello,

Just wanted to let you know that we are all doing well. Loki (born March 21st 2008 from Roo & Beau) has been a wonderful dog and really receptive to training. I can’t imagine how we survived so long without having a dog. Just wanted to give you a picture of him. I will send you more soon.



Peter & Dorothy

Sable's night out

Last night sable, my service dog, did the most amazing thing;

Bill went out to go bowling & i was watching a show on animal planet. It was about a lioness who had adopted an ibex fawn (in africa) the show was very interesting.

Sable indicated that she wanted to go out...I let her go. After about 1/2 an hour i went to let her in. She was not there! I called her name many times, but no response.

I walked out on the deck...The gate was open!

(She did not have her collar on. We have moved downstairs and bill had taken off her chain collar, because it was too noisy when she shakes her head at night. )

Now i am in a panic...How do you find a black dog at night? I get my keys, and as i open the front door...There sable is. Sitting an wagging her tail! I let her in, praising her. I had some treats with me, in case i had to coax her into the car, i gave them to her...Her ears were cold, so i rubbed them as i praised her.

She sat with her head on my feet for the rest of the night. When bill came home i told him the story. He praised her, and took her out side to play.

Now that is a good dog !!!


Janette

Beautiful site

Good Evening,

My husband and I came across you site while looking for a lab breeder in Nova Scotia, Your dogs are beautiful and what a beautiful site, so much information. We are planning on purchasing our first home in June and we were wanting a lab pup to add to our family, we have a young daughter and son. We were wondering if you were planning on having any litters around then? and if so what would be your procedure & price. Okay well thank you again beautiful site, and hope to hear from you soon.

Brandi

Blu is doing great

Good afternoon Don,

Its Stephanie Spicier (Blu), its been a long time since you were at the house Williamswood) to visit so I thought I would send off a quick email to update you. Blu is doing great, he is 10 months now and I believe almost fully grown. He is still the shiniest black lab I have ever seen and is weighing about 70 pounds. I want to pass on to you the comment made by everyone who has seen Blu and that is "he is the most beautiful Lab they had ever seen". So I thank the genetics behind that and you for putting them together. As soon as I get some
on-line pics I will send some to you. As of now I have not gotten Blu fixed and really dont have any immediate intentions of doing so, which
leads me to some questions about breeding and or even showing him. I would hate not allowing him to pass on his genetics or at least show them off. I really have no idea about the legalities of the breeding aspect and wonder if you had some time you could let me know where this stands. Anyway I have to run back to class, so I hope to hear from you soon.

Thanks

Stephanie

Closing one season and opening the next...

Hi Don,

Got out for a last goose hunt of the season yesterday – we managed 5 between the two of us, and then added a pile of nice smelt to the bag to boot! Poor Kelly – she thought that there would be some kind of a gap between hunting season and fishing season! I don’t think that a 45-minute gap was quite what she had in mind!

Cheers,
-Dave

British Breed Standard Labrador Retriever Amendment

Here is a copy of the amendment made in Britain to the Labrador Retriever Breed Standard. I am very pleased and hope these changes soon move this way. Notice how they have decided against “substance”. The dog show winning Labs on this side of the water have been so bulky they looked like little pigs, a prime example of “substance abuse”!

Don

Retriever (Labrador)

Characteristics Good-tempered, very agile (which precludes excessive body weight or substance). Excellent nose, soft mouth; keen love of water. Adaptable, devoted companion.

Body Chest of good width and depth, with well sprung barrel ribs – this effect not to be produced by carrying excessive weight. Level topline. Loins wide, short-coupled and strong.

Gila

Hi Don,

Just thought I'd send along a few photos taken of Gila this fall. She turns two years old today. Jack and I just couldn't be happier with her; she's very friendly, quiet, obedient, and she's got a great sense of humour, to boot! What a character.

Trusting all is well at Doindogs.

Regards,

Jo Ann

Last few hunts

Hi Don,

Happy New Year! I got out a few times over the holidays. Picked up a few birds on a river hunt in very cold weather. Ruby did well to make the double retrieve in heavy current with limited time to get them before they drifted down along unsafe (ice) shoreline. We then took 5 birds out in Fundy on the 30th. I brought my boat in case the ice was too heavy for her but she was positively fearless! She retrieved them all with gusto! It probably helped that it was a beautiful warm day in the blind, although we did lots of work last winter in very cold water with ice around. The last retrieve was a lightly crippled bird that ran all over the top of the opposite mud flat so that she had to slop around after it for quite a while after having made a 70 yard swim in strong current to get there. It was an easy mark but surely her most athletic retrieve of the year because the duck was able to skim on top while she was up to her belly in mud! As she swam back across with that one it had its head held high with a distinctly “What the HELL?” look on its face! The current brought her way down by the time she crossed back to me so I was so glad that I trained “Hold” so that she brought that lively duck to hand without dropping it and having to chase it again. A great way to finish the season! Here are a few pictures.

Cheers,
-Dave

Lab pups

Hi Don,

Thanks for sending me all the information. The article was great!!A lot of useful information on it.

I am assuming we get the papers with the pup. I just wanted to make sure I was correct. I know in the contract it said "if" we breed the dog ( which we are not interested in) we would have to give papers out. That's what made me assume you give them with the pup.

I'll send the contract back tonight and the cheque tommorow morning.

Also wanted to tell you how useful your website is. There are great pictures and information on it! It's the best one we've seen yet


Thanks,

Jenn

Mud & pups pictures

Hi Don!

I thought I'd send you copies of the pictures I took the other night.

Take care,

Gillian & Shane