Kimber

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.

 

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Kimber Earns Her HR Title

“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

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!

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

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

 

 

Gateway HRC – Josh Ward

Kimber ran at Gateway’s Hunt Test this past weekend and I took photos Saturday. She earned her second pass towards her HR Title.

We met Josh Ward, my fellow D3 Pit Crew buddy. It was so nice to meet him. He took photos of Kimber and myself running our seasoned hunt test yesterday. It was very kind of him.

The hunt test was a huge success and Gateway did a fine job of putting on a great test.  Congrats to all of the handlers, owners and Retrievers on their passes and titles.  There were some very nice dogs running.

Thanks Josh and Gateway!!!

The Next Generation

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

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

Tolerance For Pressure or Not

Some retrievers do not handle pressure well during training.  Some retrievers can handle a lot of pressure.

If a retriever can’t handle pressure, does this mean that the retriever can’t be trained to hunt or to compete at hunt tests?  Some say yes, some say no.

Mitch Hainsfurther, Webfoot Kennel, training Jake - Yellow Labrador Retriever

My opinion?  I believe a retriever can be trained regardless of its tolerance to pressure.  It may take longer to train to hunt or to earn ribbons and titles.  More time means you may end up spending more  money for your retriever’s training.  Take it from me, if you can find a trainer who will work with and respect your retriever’s boundaries as well as get the job done, it will be well worth every dime you will spend on training.

On the other hand, your retriever may love to learn, train and work.  Maybe the retriever won’t need as much training as one that has a higher threshold for pressure.  What I believe is that there are a lot of variables to consider with each individual retriever.

I’ll see you at the line this fall!

Wendy Porch
Shadowhill Retrievers

Maggie

Her name is Maggie.  A beautiful, spirited black Labrador Retriever. Maggie, ABA Jake was Maggie’s registered name.  Owned by Lowell and Marilyn Summers, Southern Illinois.

Maggie, RU Spring Hunt Test 2010

I first met Maggie this past spring in Southern Illinois at Gun Creek’s HRC Hunt Test. I saw her again at RU and at SIHRC Hunt Test, fully expecting to watch this little gal run this fall for her HR Title.   Maggie is such a dream to watch.  She was fun, spunky and a darn good retriever.  I always looked forward to watching Maggie at the line the next time.  This past spring when I knew Maggie would be at a hunt test that I was attending, I would look for her and Lowell.

We see people and retrievers at hunt tests each spring and fall.  Before we leave, we say our goodbye’s until the next hunt test.  We take for granted that we will see our friends and their retrievers at the line the next time around.

I sent Lowell an email a few weeks ago telling him about a litter that a friend knew about, asking him to pass it on to anyone who was interested in a well-bred puppy this fall.  I was not expecting the reply that I received.

Maggie, Gun Creek Spring Hunt Test 2010

Lowell wrote back to me.  Maggie was 13.5 months old when she was struck by a vehicle last month and killed.  When the door was open, she got out of the house and ran towards the road.  Lowell (Buzz) and Marilyn brought Maggie home when she was 7 weeks old.

Maggie had just finished her SHR in April. This past year she had retrieved 107 ducks and 47 geese. Four times she traveled with a group of hunters and Buzz in a 500 horse power 24 foot air boat across the frozen reaches of Rend Lake to hunt geese.  Buzz wrote to me that Maggie was something to see retrieving geese over ice.  I believe it!

Buzz took her everywhere he went each day. She loved to ride in a golf cart that Buzz used each day to take her to the water.

Buzz had a dog blind set up in the house and each night he would tell her to go to  her blind and she would enter it and lay down.  When Buzz told her to come out, he would give her a treat. After a while she would sit down in front of him and if he said nothing she would go to her blind and lay in it.  Maggie’s favorite toy?  The three rubber rings you see in every pet store was her favorite.

Buzz never had children and his wife Marilyn has one grown daughter from a previous marriage.  I am sure each of you reading this can see how important Maggie became to Buzz and Marilyn.

Maggie and Buzz SIHRC Spring Hunt Test 2010

Buzz has now placed a deposit on a pup from David James, a well-known trainer in Central Illinois.  He is going to name her Casey Fork’s Junkin.  I asked Buzz why that name.  As we all know, almost all dog’s names come with a story or some sort of meaning.

Buzz and Marilyn reside near the  North end of Rend Lake.  Actually a thousand feet from a boat ramp that gains access to the Casey Fork Sub-impoundment area that becomes 2000 acres of flooded crop fields in the fall. Nearly 5000 ducks are killed there each year.

Buzz retired as a Park Ranger at Rend Lake after 30 years and now hunts 60 or so days each year.  Hence the Name Casey Fork.  Junkin is a combination of the pup’s Dam (Jump) and Sire (Duncan).

I wish the best for Buzz and Marilyn and their new Labrador Retriever, Casey.  I am looking forward to watching little Casey at upcoming hunt tests.

Maggie RU Spring Hunt Test 2010

Any of us who knew Maggie and had the pleasure of watching her work will miss her very much.

Buzz, Casey & myself will see you at the line,

Wendy Porch
Shadowhill Retrievers
Total Retriever Photography And Supply Store