My new best friend...

[Agitated88]

Goldang, that Bonnie sure is a bonny little lass! Cute as a button.

And old Hooper, he looks like he is having a ball and is dead serious. He is sure becoming a handsome devil!
I am not sharing this elsewhere, but Captain Len (Big Game Journal) Belcaro, another Lab Lover, can confirm that there is a very good chance that Shadow Girl and our novel that she helped my write, Grim Ripper, is going to become a major motion picture. The showbiz people, and we are talking heavy hitters here, believe that it will be a major blockbuster. We will know very shortly, one way or another.

Thanks Capt Archer! If that movie deal comes through let me know, maybe Hooper can get in as a "extra".

Hooper looks GREAT!!!!

Chopper had a little trouble with the swimming thing at first too. His front paws were coming out of the water... it was pretty damn funny.

That's exactly what I was talking about Ted...his head is straight up in the air and he's beating the chit out of the water with his front paws. He was loving it though, which is all I care about. I almost forgot...Hooper almost took me swimming with him. When we first got there I still had him on the leash and tossed the toy out and he hauled arse after it...still attached to me. I think we have a pic of me still holding the leash and it coming tight, I'll try to post it later on tonight.

The swimming will come along especially if Hooper and Chopper like the water... We took Koa to the mountains this weekend - her first time swimming in moving streams -
Sorry - no pics

Well after seeing that video of Koa at the beach, there is NO DOUBT she loves the water!!

I can't keep him out of the water..... he figured out that no matter how hard he tries he can't get up on top....
It is pretty cool how they use their tail....

This is only the 3rd time he's been in water deep enough to swim...I'm sure he'll get the hang of it pretty soon. I'm working on "shake" command. I taught our black lab Gunner (RIP) how to shake and it made things much better when retrieving mallards in the middle of the winter. Once he'd get close to the duckblind, I'd wag my finger at him and say "shake"...Hooper's picking it up pretty quick.

[Agitated88]

Here's what NOT to do when retriever training your dog...could have been a interesting post had I not finally let go of the leash.

[clt_capt]

You will get wet soon...

For what it is worth, the lead is a good thing... We have been letting Koa off the lead to swim at the lake - last time there, there were a couple of other labs swimming too - one of them got Koa's ball - so Koa kept swimming across the lake to find another ball... I thought I was gonna have to swim after her...

Thankfully she has learned "Come" and turned back.

[Agitated88]

You will get wet soon...
For what it is worth, the lead is a good thing... We have been letting Koa off the lead to swim at the lake - last time there, there were a couple of other labs swimming too - one of them got Koa's ball - so Koa kept swimming across the lake to find another ball... I thought I was gonna have to swim after her...
Thankfully she has learned "Come" and turned back.

It was my fault, I underestimated the length of lead vs distance toy thrown. Finally, I just let it go and crossed my fingers. Obviously he came back, and continued to do so while we were there without the lead...but...I'm just not 100% that he's going to come. With my luck, some lil hottie like Koa will be on the other side of the park and he'll take off I'll never see him again.

[giantfan]

It's hard to believe that Chopper is already a year old.

Here are a couple of pictures of his first birthday.

If I ever ate ice cream cake on the floor my wife would kill me.... Chopper??? She thinks it's cute

[Agitated88]

Happy B-Day Chopper!!! I agree...the pup's are defiantly held to a different standard than we are.

[clt_capt]

Happy Birthday Chopper.

If I ever thought Koa was spoiled, I have just had to revise my standards...

[giantfan]

Happy Birthday Chopper.

If I ever thought Koa was spoiled, I have just had to revise my standards...

Your not kidding.... look at all the damn toys all over the floor. It's not my house anymore, it's his. When I woke up on Sunday morning after my offshore trip, my wife shows me a large shopping bag of new toys she got for him on Sat.

I am going to have to get my wife into a 12 step program

[getreel]

Happy B-day Chopper!

Our new addition will be joining us on Sept 5. One of these male labs is going to be a lucky boy!

[giantfan]

Good looking pups and family. Looks like one of those lucky pups will be well loved.

Enjoy and the best of luck.