Labrador Retriever Training
August 13, 2011
Training is starting up again. Getting ready for fall. Will have beautiful Labrador photos to post.
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Kimber
November 19, 2010
Kimber was to have come into season the first of September. She still hasn’t come in. Now I’m hoping she will wait until the end of December.
For me, I would rather purchase a puppy in the spring for potty training. Also, by fall, the puppy would be ready to pass his/her first hunt test!!
Kimber’s litter mate didn’t come into season the first time until she was 2 years old. The second time she came in at 3 years old.
Maybe Kimber is telling me she wants to nail down her HRCH before she has a litter of pups!! Sounds like a plan to me! At this point, I’ll probably wait to breed her with Tick until she does have her HRCH title.
Kimber Earns Her HR Title
October 24, 2010
“Kimber” The Hunter’s Gunpowder And Lead earned her HR title at Southern IL HRC Hunt Test last weekend at Rend Lake.
"Kimber" The Hunter's Gunpowder And Lead working for her HR Title
I realize Kimber is my Chocolate Labrador Retriever but she truly is a special girl. Kimber is the daughter of FC AFC Cuda’s Blue Ryder MH. Ryder was an exceptional Chocolate Labrador Retriever as well as his father, FC AFC CFC CAFC Barracuda Blue MH.
Kimber’s siblings are all doing rather well. Her brother is with Chris Akin working to earn his CH and already has his MH.
She loves to retrieve and has a lot of drive and desire but let me go back a little bit in time. I first saw Kimber when she was 11 months old. I was told she was almost two. Once I received her AKC papers after purchasing her, I found out she was 11 months old. Her home? A garage. She had a kennel inside of the dark garage. I knew her pedigree but didn’t care how good it was or wasn’t once she bolted out of that dark home of hers and ran to me. She loved on me as if I had owned her since she was a puppy. We bonded immediately. I knew then that I wasn’t leaving her there a day longer.
"Kimber" The Hunter's Gunpowder And Lead working for her HR Title
The “trainer” who had her in MI where I found her said the Cuda pups were rather stubborn and hard to train. I soon found out that his statement was truly off base. Once I bought her, 2 other trainers that watched her work said that she had not had much if any proper training at all and that the collar had been used on her and not in the proper manner. Kimber is very easy to train. She learns quickly and loves to work. She was just in the wrong hands.
When I got her home, I took her out to retrieve bumpers. She was just insane about it. Loved it. Alert and marked well. I sent her to a trainer for a month or so to work on her force training. When she came home, she and I worked on her “back” for blind work. She was catching on very fast. This past spring Kimber and I earned her SHR title with HRC and then she went to a trainer to work towards her HR title.
"Kimber" The Hunter's Gunpowder And Lead working for her HR Title
When Kimber and I worked and I handled her for her SHR title, we worked like a team. We had a very strong bond and still do to this day. People commented on our bond running at hunt tests and they still do. People see us together and comment on how much she loves me and how close we are.
I’m trying to make a very long story short but it’s not very easy to do!
When Kimber went to the trainer to get ready for her HR title, she did well with training. Please keep in mind how she lived the first year of her life, not much outside time, in a garage with a garage door closed so neighbors wouldn’t hear dogs barking. It was a man who was over using the collar on her.
Kimber started running hunt tests with the new trainer since he had been spending more time with her than I had. She was doing the work but wasn’t working to her full potential. Something was missing. She and I earned her SHR title and went 4 for 4 passes. She was happy and had and still has excellent line manners. She’s a dream to run with.
"Kimber" The Hunter's Gunpowder And Lead working for her HR Title
She began to fail at her hunt tests. It was not the trainer. The trainer loves Kimber and she loves him to pieces. What was missing? To this day, I believe it was that she and I were not running together. She had 1 pass towards her HR title and 2 failures. After another failure, I told the trainer I wanted to try. I knew she missed her partner. I felt it in my heart. We ran together at Gateway and she and I got our 2nd pass towards her HR title. We then ran Saturday at Southern IL HRC hunt test and earned her title. Kimber was happy running, her tail was wagging, she was alert and very happy. She was a different Retriever altogether.
"Kimber" The Hunter's Gunpowder And Lead working for her HR Title
I truly believe that the reason she works well with me is because she knows I saved her from her prior living conditions. I know she is thankful. Some may think I’m nuts. Let them. I don’t care. I know my dog. I love her as if I had owner her since she was a pup.
"Kimber" The Hunter's Gunpowder And Lead working for her HR Title
What Kimber and I need to work on now is her confidence. Her lack of confidence was man-made in her first 11 months of life. She was born with drive and desire. She had and still has plenty of that. Judges and handlers enjoy watching her run and think she’s a great Retriever.
"Kimber" The Hunter's Gunpowder And Lead working for her HR Title
From now on, this special girl goes nowhere else to train. No one else will handle her. We are a team. She stays with mom to train. I will ask a million training questions, train with my friends, and she and I will learn all about earning her finished title together. I am looking forward to working with her. There is nothing more rewarding than training and handling your own Retriever. She’s an amazing gal and she has a great future. Together, Kimber and I are 6 for 6 passes. Let’s see if we can go ten for ten and get that finished title next year! Once she does that, it’s on to AKC!
"Kimber" The Hunter's Gunpowder And Lead working for her HR Title
Once Kimber comes into season, I am breeding her with Ten Bears Road Trip QAA “Tick.” I am keeping a puppy from that litter. I love Kimber with everything in me. Her temperament is out of this world, her drive and desire are fantastic and Tick, well everything about that boy is amazing. This will be a special litter of Chocolate Labrador Retrievers. It will be one of the best bred litters of Chocolate Labradors. I want this breeding to take place because I want a Tick/Kimber pup so bad I can taste it. The best thing is that I will be training this pup myself from start to finish. I’m looking very forward to this special event.
Please enjoy Kimber’s title hunt test photos from Southern IL HRC Fall 2010 Hunt Test. Wayne Greenwell took them for me with my camera. He did a fantastic job!! Thank you, Wayne. Josh Ward took some of us at our first HR Test together at Gateway HRC Hunt Test. Hopefully he will edit and send them soon so I can post them here as well.
"Kimber" The Hunter's Gunpowder And Lead working for her HR Title, Going for the Diversion!!
"Kimber" The Hunter's Gunpowder And Lead working for her HR Title
Please feel free to read about Kimber and Tick at my Kennel Website: Shadowhill Retrievers please click on upcoming litters.
Southern IL HRC Fall Hunt Test – Rend Lake
October 20, 2010
As always Southern IL HRC put on one heck of a hunt test. All aspects of their hunt test weekend was very well-managed. Members and non-members all pitched in to help when needed. Southern IL HRC members welcome everyone with open arms, they always have a smile on their faces, they are packed with loads of laughter and are just a darn good time! I want to thank Southern IL HRC board, members and all of the wonderful judges, for doing an awesome job once again. Southern IL is my favorite hunt test to attend.
Blu and Kimber both earned titles spring of 2010 at Southern IL’s hunt test and Kimber just earned her HR with Southern IL this past weekend! Hopefully next year will be no different and Kimber and Blu can both earn their CH titles at Southern IL!
The location was absolutely beautiful. Check in and hunt tests were held at Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park. Rend lake is nearly 19,000 acres big and is known as one of the premier waterfowl hunting places in Illinois. Both ducks and geese make Rend Lake their home during migration so you be assured of a great waterfowl hunting season! The trees were a mixture of red, yellow, green and orange leaves that were just beginning to change. What a sight to see.
Once again, a big thank you to Southern IL HRC, the board, the members and all who attended for holding a premier hunt test at a premier location! I look forward to attending spring and fall 2011.
Wendy Porch
Shadowhill Retrievers
Total Retriever Photography And Supply Store
Kimber at the office!
October 9, 2010
Kimber isn’t running in a hunt test this weekend because Mom had to run the office today. My boss is in MO so I had to open. 
Not to fret, I have 55 minutes and 15 seconds left!
Needless to say, Kimber is bored and would rather be looking for some ducks than lying around the office with mom.
Look at this face…….she’s pleading with me to lock up so she can go play on such a beautiful day!
Shadowhill's The Hunter's Gunpowder And Lead "Kimber"
Gateway HRC Photos
October 9, 2010
These are photos of Kimber and myself that Matt Settlemoir took at the Gateway HRC UKC Hunt Test in St. Louis / St. Charles, MO last weekend at Busch Wildlife.
Kimber and I ran on Sunday for a pass towards her Seasoned HR Title. She passed! Kimber is the daughter of Cuda Blue Ryder. She will be bred with Ten Bears Road Trip QAA “Tick” as soon as she comes into season. You can read about the breeding at Shadowhill Retrievers
Kimber The Hunter's Gunpowder and Lead Chocolate Labrador Retriever
Kimber The Hunter's Gunpowder and Lead Chocolate Labrador Retriever
Kimber The Hunter's Gunpowder and Lead Chocolate Labrador Retriever
Kimber The Hunter's Gunpowder and Lead Chocolate Labrador Retriever
Kimber The Hunter's Gunpowder and Lead Chocolate Labrador Retriever
Kimber The Hunter's Gunpowder and Lead Chocolate Labrador Retriever
Kimber The Hunter's Gunpowder and Lead Chocolate Labrador Retriever
Kimber The Hunter's Gunpowder and Lead Chocolate Labrador Retriever
Whelping Puppies. Part I
September 18, 2010
Are you expecting a litter of puppies? If so, are you prepared for anything to happen?
Please know that I am no expert at all on this subject. I do not pretend to be. However, I have had and will do everything possible to properly prepare for my upcoming litter of puppies.
In 2002 I had a litter of puppies. I read everything I could get my hands on to be prepared. I whelped a litter of giant rare breed Pyrenean Mastiff pups. One of the reasons they are rare is because the mother has trouble delivering the puppies as her uterus does not contract much at all. I’m here to tell you when people say that larger dogs have fewer problems delivering puppies, well it is just not true. It’s a myth so please do yourself and your dam a huge favor and do not believe this myth. My dam wound up having a c-section with the last two puppies. She wasn’t contracting through delivery and had to have a few shots to help her contract. Towards the end, I had to take her in for the C-Section.
Just as you should not compare dog to dog on the line, please never compare dam to dam when expecting a litter. Each dam is different and acts differently. One may have no problem at all. One may. One may want to be alone, the next might want you by her side. My female wanted myself and my Yorkie with her, yes my Yorkie. It was the oddest thing I had ever seen! She and Sporty were great pals. If Sporty would go to the door in the bedroom, my girl would go nuts. One dam maybe nervous, another may not be. One might not be bothered by other dogs or people around, the other may very well be upset and nervous around others. In my opinion, it is best for the dam to provide a sanitary and solitary place to have her whelping box away from all others. I had a 3 story home with 2 bedrooms on the top floor. Once Venus was pregnant, she and I slept upstairs on the top floor away from everyone and everything. I placed her whelping box in the bedroom next to the bed. She got used to her box and loved it. It was her safe quiet place.
Once I knew she was in the beginning stages of delivering the puppies, I called my vet and let them know. I wanted to make sure someone would be on hand if any problems came about.
I made a list of everything I might need for my dam for before, during and after she had the puppies. I first bought a large Rubbermaid container with a lid and each time I bought something, I stored it in that large container until it was time. If you do this, it’s easy to keep everything in the container and add to it as needed each time you have a litter. I’m all about saving time when and where I can!!
Before and after the breeding, it is very important to feed the best diet you can. I myself do not feed anything that contains chemicals and dyes in it. It is most important to know not to over feed a newly expectant mother. This can lead to problems when whelping. The puppies can get to large for the mother and the dam can build up too much fat around her reproductive organs, both can lead to a C-Section.
When your female has approximately 4 weeks left in her pregnancy, I would gradually increase her feed up to forty percent. At this time, the puppies are demanding more nutrition from the dam. The puppies will get what they need and by doing so, they will take from the mother. You want her to be in excellent health at all times. You need to protect her from becoming underweight and sick.
I do not feed extra calcium. This can lead to eclampsia. I am not an expert on this subject at all. I just remember my vet warning me about the dangers and risks. Please read up on it ahead of time because once this process has started, it’s to late. Eclampsia can and will become fatal before you know it.
When my girl came into season, I took her to the vet and she received her vaccination. I will do this with Kimber as well. A dog’s gestation period is approximately 63 days. Three quarters of the way through this period, I then took her to the vet for worming.
I feel that worming is very important. Round worms can be passed from the mother to the puppies. It is important to worm for the health of the mother and the puppies. Worms can be passed to the puppies through their mother’s milk. I worm because I want my puppies to have a healthy start in life. Please note ****You do not want to worm the mother before 35 days into the pregnancy. The babies are still developing and it is not safe for them to worm before half way through the pregnancy. I am careful to wait until she is approximately 40-50 days through her gestation period. It is very important to worm under the advice of your vet. I then worm again the day the puppies are born. My vet gave me a dose to take home to give to my dam once all puppies were whelped.
There is a lot more to add to the article. I am leaving for work and will make a list of items and write it on my blog of what to have on hand for the whelping period and items to have on hand after the whelping is completed. Please feel free to come back and read all about it.
Again, I am not an expert on this topic. All I can tell you is what I learned, what I went through, and it is not always as easy as it looks. These are just my thoughts and what I did and what you can do to make your dam more comfortable, safe and healthy and what you can do to ensure that your puppies are safe and healthy. Please always talk to your vet before taking anyone’s advice.
Wendy Porch
Shadowhill Retrievers
The Next Generation
September 7, 2010
This is a photo of my 8-year-old granddaughter handling Blu on a single mark. The minute she wakes up she says, “Grandma, can I retrieve Blu?” All shes wants to do is handle dogs and go fishing! She is actually very good with my Labradors. She learns quickly and is getting the hang of it.
She watched me work with Blu on blinds Saturday. After she saw that, running him on single marks wasn’t enough. She motioned her arms as I did when handling him on the blind and asked if she could do what I did. So, I sat up a blind on land after explaining to her what I was doing, how to do it and why I was doing it. I explained the difference between a mark and a blind. She understood completely. She handled him on a land and water blind. It was funny because I had to throw a blind into the water. After I did that, she wondered why she wasn’t sending him on his name instead of back.
Mickey handling Blu "Shadowhill's The Hunter's Blu Shadow on a Single Mark
Mickey and Blu, Shadowhill's The Hunter's Blu Shadow
I will be running Kimber at Midway HRC Fall Hunt Test. I’m going to take Mickey with me as well as Blu so she can handle him at either a started test or a Jr. Handler test. If they will allow her to run him in a started test, I’ll sign her up for that. She’s very excited.
Wendy Porch
Shadowhill Retrievers
Total Retriever Photography and Supply Store
Hunt Test Training
September 7, 2010
I was at Busch Wildlife in St. Louis, MO Sunday. We practiced for HRC and AKC fall hunt test season. Kimber, my chocolate Labrador Retriever and I worked on our seasoned test for HRC. She did really well. Below are some photos that Matt Settlemoir took of us. Thanks Matt!!!
Wendy and Kimber, Chocolate Labrador Retriever
Wendy and Kimber, Shadowhill's The Hunter's Gunpowder & Lead at Busch Wildlife in St. Louis, MO
Wendy and Kimber, Shadowhill's The Hunter's Gunpowder & Lead at Busch Wildlife in St. Louis, MO
Kimber on her Walkup
Wendy and Kimber, Shadowhill's The Hunter's Gunpowder & Lead at Busch Wildlife in St. Louis, MO
Kimber’s sire is Cuda’s Blue Ryder.
Shadowhill Retrievers
Total Retriever Photography and Supply Store
