Rock Solid Pointing Labs

Snow Days

2012-02-15T17:53:00.000-08:00

Feeding Frenzy

2012-02-06T21:05:00.000-08:00

The pups are growing and eating well. As you can tell from the picture on the top right that Remi isn't so much enjoying the feeding frenzy anymore. They are pretty much on wet food now, but its good to let them suck her down once a day yet. I have to tell her to go in there otherwise she probably wouldn't. My 2.5 year old daughter loves the puppies as you can tell. She is always asking to go out and see them. In fact right now at 11:05 pm she is asking to go say nigh nigh to the pups. She's our little night owl that's for sure. The pups are doing great and will go in for their 4 week checks sometime this week.

Males/Females

2012-01-29T21:54:00.000-08:00

The 5 males above.

The 4 females Above and below.

The five males above and one of the males below.

The puppies are all doing really well. They are growing fast and are already 3 weeks old today. Remi is getting sick of their sharp claws and they are starting to grow teeth. Her bags are pretty sore. In another week I'll start feeding them wet food to help relieve some of that discomfort, but she is doing pretty well other than that. At the end of this week or early next week they will go in for the 4 week check up and first round of shots. Hope all is well with everyone and it won't be long and you'll be down here pick out your pups. It looks like the weekend of the 25th they will be 7 weeks old and some of them will start going to their new homes.

Eyes Open

2012-01-23T21:00:00.000-08:00

The puppies eyes are finally open! It was hard to get a decent picture last night b/c everytime I'd snap the picture theyd look away. We gave them their first round of dewormer last night and all is well.

2012-01-15T19:39:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple more pics of the pups from today. They are already a week old. We clipped the dews yesterday and they are healing up nicely.

5 days old

2012-01-13T20:35:00.000-08:00

The pups are growing like weeds!! They change so much in only 5 days, before long they'll be scooting around. The time seems to fly by!!! Before you know it 7-8 will be past and they will be going to their new homes.

The puppies have arrived!!

2012-01-09T20:40:00.000-08:00

After the long anticipated wait for those of you who have your deposits in for weeks now, the wait is finally over. Remi had 9 pups yesterday afternoon January 8, 2012. 4 females and 5 males. Remi and the pups are doing great, and I look forward to the next few weeks as they grow and develop. I'll try to update the website a couple times a week to keep everyone informed at how they are doing!

Here is a pic of one of the pups newly born as Remi cleans him/her off. She is doing a wonderful job as a first time mother! It always amazes me at the natural instincts they have.

Remi x Punch Litter Expected

2011-11-07T06:49:00.000-08:00

Remi meets Punch Breeding Confirmed 11/6/2011. All yellow litter expected January 8, 2012. This litter is sure to impress combining some of the top bloodlines in the country. The pedigree includes 13 APLA titled dogs, 10 of which are GMPR titled, and 3 of which are APLA Hall of Fame dogs. These pups are bred for a strong natural point, intelligence, drive, and the right look! Punch and Remi match up perfectly and will produce a combination of a bird dog with a ton of drive and also a companion that you and your family can take wherever you go.

Sire Pedigree: http://www.highcaliberlabradors.com/index_files/Page1300.htm
Dam Pedigree

Punch is APLA Certified Pointing Retriever (CPR) that spends a ton of time in the field. He is used as a professional guide for Pheasant Crest Lodge near Kimball, SD where he gets a ton of bird exposure. They hunt hard 5 days a week from the beginning of October thru December. He literally sees thousands of birds every year. Punch is the perfect combination of looks, trainability, and drive. He has a ton of point and can go strong all day long. Punch is a 65 pound powerhouse that is lean, muscular, and has a nice broad chest and boxy head. When all the other dogs are starting to wear out after a long day in the field, Punch is still going strong. His bloodlines include: GMPR MPR Rik's Risky Raider MH, GMPR PDB Angel's Blackjack Kate JH, GMPR High Sierra Kodi MH, GMPR Sir's Mighty Eli SH, GMPR Blackwater Lexus (45 all age pts and 19 derby pts), GMPR Wannamaker's Hot Tubb SH, CPR TDK's Putting for Birdie JH, and CPR High Caliber's Rock Star just to name a few. Punch has a great mix of APLA, AKC, and Field Trial dogs in his background. He comes with all the health clearances EIC/CNM clear, Hips-Excellent, and Elbows/Eyes- Normal.

For more information and pics go to: www.highcaliberlabradors.com

Puppy Pedigree: (Click on pedigree to enlarge)

Remi is my own personal female I kept out of my second litter. After hearing all the success the first Belle and Baker breeding produced, I couldn't resist keeping a female the 2nd time around. Remi is a 55 pound female with all the looks. She is extremely muscular and has that "Raider" front end with a nice boxy head. Every where I go, I always get comments on how nice looking she is. Her lineage includes GMPR Spioncop Christos Magic Baker SH, GMPR Grits of Black Forest MH, and GMPR MHR Rik's Risky Raider MH just to name a few. She comes from some of the top bloodlines in the country and her looks and athleticism show it. She is an extremely birdy and stylish hunter. Remi has a solid natural point and her marking ability is second to none. Her strongest attribute is her intelligence, I am simply amazed at times how quickly she picks up on things, and how little training she needs with certain things before she has it mastered. She is a very stealthy hunter in the field, using her intelligence to weave in and out of the thickest cover to find smartest of birds. Remi has a solid nose and is extremely fun to watch when she gets on a bird. In the right conditions, she's one of those dogs that can wind a bird from 30-40 yards away and find it with pin point accuracy. Remi is primarly used as an upland dog, hunting in Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota. Remi loves the water and his a big entry. Her marking, retrieving, and obedience translate in to a great waterfowl dogs, and she does very well for the amount that we get out hunt waterfowl. By day she is a hunting/retrieving machine, but by night she can come in the house and settle in with the family. She loves attention and is very gentle by nature! Remi is EIC/CNM-Clear, Hips-Excellent, and Elbows/Eyes-Normal.

2011-06-03T02:23:00.000-07:00

Full of Mischief

2011-05-21T19:17:00.000-07:00

The Two Males

2011-05-21T18:58:00.000-07:00

2011-05-19T20:54:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures of the puppies from this afternoon. They are doing very well and are getting anxious to meet their new families!! Its hard to imagine that its only a week away for some of them. They had their 5 week puppy checks on monday and all have a clean bill of health! The vet commented on how well they were all doing. We gave them their shots when we got home, and none of them squealed too much. The boys more so than the girls, but thats always the case. They are really getting active and starting to venture out. I have to watch them a little more closely. I was busy doing yard work tonite and all the sudden I didn't see any of them so I got a little nervous. Fortunately they were all tuckered out after playin outside for over an hour and when I went in the shed, they were all sleeping in Belle and Remi's crate!!

2011-05-17T16:29:00.000-07:00

As you can see they are getting more and more rambunctious by the day!! They are getting to be a lot of fun, but Gracyn doesn't always like them jumping and biting on her clothes. She usually asks to sit in the chair when they start that.

Boden Gerrit Franken

2011-05-14T19:20:00.000-07:00

(The 2 million Dollar Family)

They claim that a boy and a girl make a million dollar family so I guess my theory is that we doubled that when Boden came into our lives!!

On Thursday May 12, 2011 the Lord blessed us with the birth of Boden Gerrit Franken. He was born at 2:40 p.m. in Sioux Falls and weighed 7lbs 1 oz. He was 20 3/4 inches long and the very first thing he did on this earth was pee all over the nurses (twice) haha. I told them you can't hardly blame the kid its a lot colder out here! Needless to say, I don't think that will be the last time it will happen either. He got me today when we got home, my wife once, and another nurse, so if this is any indication of how good he will be at bringing down roosters, I better start practicing. It was a pretty special day and a pretty special birthday gift for me. On thursday I celebrated my 30th birthday and I can't think of any better way to celebrate than this precious gift from God!!! It is a day that I will always be able to share with my son, and even though from here on out the focus on May 12 will most likely be shifted towards him, I am good with that!!! We spent Thursday, Friday, and part of today in the hospital but we had plenty of visitors. I was ready to get home, but the time with Robyn and Boden was good too!! Our other three kids came up first thing after school on Saturday and it is sure going to be good having them around with Gracyn and Boden being so close. Maddy and Austin spent a good part of today just sitting and holding "Bo" which is pretty good considering they are both as busy of bodies as you can get. I know these aren't puppy pictures, as much joy as I get from the pups nothing can quite compare with this moment!!!! I'm not the best at the "who does he look like" game, but I would definately say at first he looked like Gracyn. Some say they see Austin, some see Maddy, but no matter who it is he's pretty dumb cute baby!!! We're just thankful that the good Lord blessed us with a healthy child, and pray that he continues to grow healthy and strong into a fine Christian man some day!! (Boden's Going Home Outfit)

(Handsome young fellow gets his charming good looks from Daddy)

(If you ask Robyn, he probably gets his sleeping habits from me too!!)

2011-05-14T18:46:00.000-07:00

Wow!! The pups changed alot in the two days I was gone! My wife and I were up in Sioux Falls for a couple days having a baby so I had to step away from the pups! I think that's a decent enough excuse??? When we got home today they seemed as though they were twice as big, twice as fast, and twice the mess. I was hoping to get through the weekend without any jumping out, but my oldest son Austin told me that by thursday (which was the day we left for Sioux Falls) a couple were already climbing out. They were in good hands though. Austin had everything under control while we were gone. He changed from carpet to wood chips (easier to clean) since Belle isn't any more. I assume when the two got out they got into Mom and Remi's food and after that happens no more cleaning up messes for Belle. He started them on soft food, as you can see from the last picture they enjoy it too!! I couldn't believe how fast they were Gracyn could out run them last week wednesday when we left, but not any more. They are right on her heals now. They really venture out now as well. No more sitting by the shed and whining, they are having too much fun checking everything out. The third picture even shows one of them showing their first signs of pointing. I counted and it was a good 45 seconds (ok maybe I'm exagerating a little bit) but she was definately "flash pointing" which is one of the first tell tale signs that once again these pups have what their mother and father have. They'll go in on Monday for puppy checks and the first round of shots and I'll probably start marking them this week with nail polish so I can tell which one does what and try match them up to what you're looking for in a couple of weeks!! Its hard to believe that time is almost here!

2011-05-09T19:44:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures of the puppies from today and yesterday. My nieces Maryn (top picture) and Laney (third picture) love to come over and spend time with the puppies. My oldest daughter Maddy( 2nd picture) also spends her fair share of time with them. It seems like they stop by just about everyday to see the puppies and now that it is nicer and the pups are bigger, they enjoy playing with them outside and carrying them around. They are getting durabable enough for Maryn to tote around a little bit, but we have to remind her to be gentle!! She's kind of a gentle giant!! haha. As you can see from the pictures the pups will be plenty accustomed to kids.

2011-05-06T21:20:00.000-07:00

2011-05-06T20:55:00.000-07:00

A few pictures from today. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. I think it topped out at about 80 degrees and this evening the wind died down so it was fun to watch the pups outside. They did a lot more (we still had a few whiners) but for the most part they checked out the surroundings a little more. The top picture is of one little girl that wasn't afraid to go anywhere! She would try follow Remi (big sister) and mom around but can't quite keep up yet. All in all they are growing fast and doing great.

Puppies Playing

2011-05-04T19:01:00.000-07:00

2011-05-03T19:39:00.000-07:00

The puppies got their first taste of life in the great outdoors today. It was absolutely gorgeous out (for once) Sunny and no wind which we haven't had much of this spring in Iowa. They enjoyed it pretty well, and my daughters enjoyed it even more. They didn't venture out too far, but they didn't whine too much either. I think I got one shot of one of the pups howling a little bit, but they did pretty well. The first picture the pup even put its nose to the ground and started sniffing. Unfortunately I don't think it was b/c she was birdy, she just smelled home (aka the whelping box) ahead of her. My youngest daughter kept lifting her shirt and she was saying something we couldn't make out for a little bit. We finally realized that she was saying "puppy eat" she was lifting her shirt so they could eat off her tummy like they do Belle (pictures 2 and 3). It was pretty cute, and she's way too smart for her own good. She kept trying to put the puppies by her tummy and I guess in her little mind she was mothering them. Like I said it was pretty cute, and we laughed pretty good once we figured out what she was doing. Hopefully we get some more nice days so we and the pups can enjoy more time out in the yard.

Puppy in the House!

2011-05-01T19:22:00.000-07:00

Tonite my daughters Maddy and Gracyn took one of the pups in the house for a while. By the time they go home, I'm sure they'll all have hand spent their fare share of time in the house. I don't know if I mentioned earlier, but my older daughter Maddy has snuck a few in already, but it's nice to wait til they're about this age so they don't cry and whine so much! This is one of the males, Maddy picked out names for them Gage and Hunter. Not sure if she'll be able to tell them apart yet, but it's something she loves to do!

More puppy pics

2011-04-30T19:42:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from tonite. They are growing so much from day today and they are starting to get around pretty good on all fours. I changed carpet and cleaned the whelping box tonite, and it took them a while to get used to the new carpet. It was kind of cute listening to them whine and cry. The second picture depicts how one felt pretty well. Pretty soon Belle decided to see what the fuss was about, and they all attacked! As you can see from the top picture she looks pretty excited about it!! haha She is starting to spend less and less time in the whelping box b/c it seems whenever she's in there they are after her! This coming week will pretty exciting!! The pups are just about getting to the point where we will let them outside so the can experience the great outdoors!! Hope you enjoy the photos and hopefully the boring pictures of them in the same setting will be a little different some time this week. The forecast looks pretty nice so we'll try spend lots of time outdoors with them.

2011-04-27T19:18:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures of the pups from this evening. I was trying to get a good one of them sitting up, but they wouldn't cooperate. As you can see their eyes all pretty well open, and they are starting to move around a lot more in the last day. Can't wait until we can start getting them outside!. As you can see from the bottom picture, they get plenty of love from kids, so they'll be used to it when they go to their new homes. Pretty much all of my nieces and nephews constantly ask when they can come over and see the pups. The door is pretty well opened to them anytime. I know my oldest daughter has been sneaking one in the house here and there when I'm not around!! It doesn't take long and they get pretty whiny for their siblings, but in the end its just another step in getting them ready to go to their new homes.

2011-04-25T16:40:00.000-07:00

The puppies eyes are open!!

2011-04-25T16:12:00.000-07:00

The puppies eyes are starting to open as you can see from the first picture. My daughter, Maddy, came in after school and said their eyes are open! I thought she was messing around b/c she likes to do that, and she continually has been asking the past week when their eyes would start opening. Some of the pups eyes are still closed and some are more open then others, but within the next day they should all be open. They are still a little glassy eyed, but its fun to see how much they are progressing and growing! They are really starting to move around on all four legs instead of scooting. They are pretty wobbly, but its just part of the progression. It's kind of crazy b/c within the next week to 10 days they will look and act like completely different pups. By that time we'll probably start getting them used to life in the great outdoors!! I really enjoy watching them in different surroundings. At first they'll whine and want to be back inside, but after a couple of times of letting them out they will love it. I will upload a short video of them moving around just so you can get an idea of their athleticsm!! (haha jk) you'll probably watch and wonder if they will ever be hunting dogs?

Puppy Pics

2011-04-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

Here are a few updated pics of the puppies from today! Still sleeping, eating, and growing, but they are starting to scoot around no all fours! it won't be long and their eyes will be opening!

Gracyn loves her puppies!

2011-04-19T18:11:00.001-07:00

My youngest daughter loves to spend time with the baby puppies. Whenever I come home she wants to go see the puppies. She does pretty well with them, but hasn't mastered the art of being completely gentle!! We have to watch her pretty carefully. She loves to hold them and kiss them as you can see from the photos!! She is also pretty selective about the ones that daddy gives her to hold (with my assistance of course) If I pick up the wrong one she lets me know. I keep grabbing puppies until she says, "yesssss" then I know she's got the one she likes!! She really likes to enunciate her "s" words so its pretty cute when she says "yesss" or "puppiessss" As for the puppies they are doing well. They had their dew claws removed a couple days ago and that is healing up really nice.

Puppy Video

2011-04-17T16:27:00.000-07:00

Here is a short video of the pups scooting around today. They are pretty content laying around and sleeping, but if they are looking for mom or trying to find their brothers and sisters they move pretty good!

Puppies

2011-04-17T15:45:00.000-07:00

It seems like they've already tripled in size since they were born on tuesday. They are all growing great and Belle is doing a great job of taking care of them. My younger female (Remi) also likes to take her turns taking care of the pups. I haven't let her in with them too much yet, but last year when they were a couple weeks old she mothered them like they were her own. I'll wait until they get a little bigger for that, but she would huddle them up just like Belle does, clean them up, and look after them just like a big sister does!! They are starting to scoot around a little bit more now, but they still like laying in a pile and sleeping most of all. I shot a short video of a couple of them moving around a little bit so hopefully you enjoy that.

2 Days Old

2011-04-14T19:51:00.000-07:00

The pups and Belle are doing well. They are off to a great start and Belle does such a great job of taking care of them!!! She sure has made my job pretty easy over the years! Never had a single pup in poor health and her ratio of females to males makes finding new homes pretty easy!! The pups have had plenty of attention these first few days. Between my own children, nieces and nephews, and the rest of my family they are sure to be accustomed to lots of little faces by the time they go home! I am very happy with this litter once again, and I can't wait until they get a little older and start showing their personalities!

The Pups have arrived!!

2011-04-12T16:55:00.001-07:00

After days, weeks, months, and even years of waiting for some of you the pups have finally arrived!! Some of you have been looking at this breeding for the last 2.5 years! No matter what the circumstance all of you are I'm sure are excited to see your newest members of the family! Belle was starting to labor last night before bed so I set my alarm for 3:00 a.m. and much to my suprise their were already four on the ground. Belle gave birth to a healthy litter of 8 pups 6 females and 2 males and its hard to imagine that in only 7-8 weeks they will be all grown up and ready for their new homes!! (Wisconsin, North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, and Texas) The time will go quickly but hopefully I can ease the waiting by posting on here regularly! Thanks to all of you have committed to this litter, and I have once again found the right homes for the pups!!

After days, weeks, months, and even years for some of you, they have finally arrived!!!

Remi

2011-03-29T20:00:00.001-07:00

Here is a picture I took or Remi this past week. She is out of Belle and Baker's first litter and is a gorgeous pup. Belle and Baker have produced wonderful pups, with amazing looks, great temperment, and intelligence, drive, and point that is second to none. Belle is definately starting to show and its hard to believe that in a couple of weeks the pups will be on the ground!

2010 Fall South Dakota Pheasant Hunt

2011-03-21T20:05:00.000-07:00

From Left to Right Belle, Gunner, and Remi boasting over their days work this fall on our South Dakota Pheasant hunt. My brother's inlaws live North of Pierre and have around 1000 acres of private ground in CRP

in one of the best hunting areas in the country. It was the first (won't be the last) time I joined him out there, and I will say that I have never seen so many wild birds in my life! We limited out both days and the dogs had fun! The got their fix of bird scent for the week, and had plenty of birds to retrieve! We definately used more shells than we shot birds, but when they are flying up by the 100's its hard to pick one out of the crowd!

Congratulations Raider and Grits

2011-02-17T16:47:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to GMPR MH Grits of Black" Forest" and GMPR MHR MH Rik's Risky "Raider" on their nominations into the APLA (American Pointing Lab Association) Hall of Fame. Once in a great great while a special dog comes along that offers everything as far as looks, intelligence, point, drive, and companionship. Both Raider and Forest paved the way for many pointing labs, and are two of the more well known pointing lab lines throughout the country. Even though they have passed on, their legacy still continues and the pointing lab pups of today, have them to thank! If you look at the pedigrees of some of the more accomplished pointing lines, chances are you will find either Forest of Raider somewhere in the background. It is becuase of this that they were nominated to the highest honor that APLA has to offer. My female, Belle, has Both Forest and Raider in her pedigree making her lineage some of the more soubt after bloodlines around. Congratulations!!!

Just a few pictures of Belle and Remi from the last year

2010-12-23T08:30:00.000-08:00

Remi and Belle
Belle

Remi

Remi and Belle

Remi

The first puppies meet their new families

2010-06-08T19:43:00.000-07:00

Lexi was the fifth pup to go home this weekend on saturday afternoon. She was greeted by Scott and Kelsey (soon to be) Wichman from Hutchinson, MN. They are planning on getting married next July so they have a lot of exciting things going on in their lives right now. Of the first five groups of people to come they took the shortest amount of time picking out their little girl. She was the first one that ran up to Kelsey, and I think it was love at first sight. They were looking for one of the lighter colored pups and Lexi was one of the two little girls that were lighter in color. I really enjoyed getting to meet Scott and Kelsey and am excited about the home that Lexi is going to.

Derek and Heidi Sorenson of Erskine, Mn picked up Sasha on Sunday afternoon. They had a long weekend and Sioux Center was the last stop before heading home. They had two weddings in (if I remember correctly) Fargo, ND and made the circle south on Sunday to pick up Sasha. They ended up making it home about midnight on sunday but not before having a flat tire in the last 40 miles of the 700 plus mile trip. Derek said Sasha was very good throughout the whole trip and even managed to give them a pretty good nights sleep the first night not whining and barking much at all. I'll be curious if that pattern continues or if their will be a few sleepless nights in the next week. It seems as though most of the pups have had pretty good first nights so hopefully that is a good indicator for the last three getting picked up this weekend. Derek is an avid Waterfowler and Sasha will have plenty of fun tromping through the sloughs carrying around big old Canadians this fall already. Derek and Heidi have about 35 acres for Sasha to run and play with a pond so as they say she is going to be living the "dogs life"

Rolly, Nadeen, Riley, and Kendall Desmarais get the long distance award for not only this litter but every litter I have sold. They drove down from Winnipeg, Manitoba and were here Saturday afternoon to pick up Summit. Summit was the second of the two males and the smaller more laid back one of the males. They stayed the night in Fargo and made the rest of the trip home sunday morning. All in all it sounded like it went pretty well, other than a little bit of whining in the motel. The Desmarais' are one of the friendliest families I have ever met, and I know that Summit is in great hands. Summit spent Monday with Rolly at work, and he said he's figuring things out quickly. It was fun to watch the kids' reaction to the pups and this is both Riley and Kendell's first dog! They had pets when the kids were too young to remember, so it is always fun to see the pups going to homes that have children that are ready to give them lots of affection. Rolly and Riley plan on getting Summit's feet wet this fall on some Canadian Geese and Waterfowl hunting and I really look forward to following how Summit grows with his new family and especially hearing about the new bond that is formed betweened the kids and him.

Doug Jensen drove down from Minot, ND Friday night and picked up Samantha or "Sam" for short. He didn't have his name picked out until he got home when he let his nieces pick it out for him. Doug took his time getting home stopping multiple times to let Samantha run and play and even found her first pheasant alongside the rode. Well techinically it was dead already, but he said she absoluletly loved it! Doug is a carpenter/construction worker and plans on taking Sam to work with him everyday. She spent monday helping around the jobsite and even managed to jump out the car window while Doug was finishing up some concrete work just in time to get her footprints set in so that everyone could remember she was there! Samantha was the second female picked and Doug had his eye on her from the very beginning. He was patiently waiting and watching while Jack was making his rounds checking out each pup multiple times. I could just tell Doug was hoping that Jack wouldn't pick "his" pup, and in the end both of them got the one they wanted. Doug pretty much hunts anything that moves, so Sam will probably be the most versatile hunting dog when its all said and done. From Pheasant, Ducks, and Canadians in the fall to Snows in the Spring, Sam is sure to have a lot of fun chasing whatever it is Doug decides to hunt that day. Doug also spends a lot of time big game hunting; elk, deer, mountain lions, black bear, and pretty much you name it. Hopefully someday I'll get to join Doug on one of these trips to Colorado because that is something I have always wanted to do!

Farah was the first pick of the 7 girls and makes her new home in Rosholt, SD. Jack Christenson came at about 10:30 on saturday morning and had the toughest job of everyone picking out the pups. He was here the week earlier so he knew he had his work cut out for him. It is always tougher and takes longer when you to choose from all of the pups. Especially when there are 7 females to choose from. Farah is going to be one spoiled little girl and already has Jack wrapped around his finger. He said the first night she didn't make a peep and she has already figured out that she is home. She is independent and doesn't mind going off doing her own thing, but also loves to cuddle up next to him and take a nap. Jack called me the very first day I advertised the pups and we have been in constant contact since. His story is a heartfelt one that I won't go into detail with but will say I am extremely happy for him and the love that those two are going to share over the years. When someone says "its just a dog" I think I will have the speak to my new buddy Jack because it is something much more than that!! And until you have the true companionship that Jack has had with his dogs over the years you will never know what that is like. When he first called me he shared with me that he will be having to put his best friend of the last 18 years to rest, I knew that my pup was going to be in the right place! That's right I said 18 years. His Springer Spanial has gone everywhere, and done everything with him for the past 18 years. I can about imagine that the two of them have seen just about everything a pheasant can throw at them, so with Jack's wisdom and knowledge Farah is sure to have a great teacher! Jack had to put his Springer down 2 weeks ago so I am glad that Farah could go home with him saturday to help fill that void! I said I wasn't going to go into detail about "his story" and in all honesty I am not, there is much more to the story but to sum it all up, Farah is one special part of Jack's life right now and as Jack told me," will be until the day he dies!" None of us can really fully grasp how much this pup means to Jack, and it is with great honor and joy that I can say she is all Jack's!!! I just hope I did a fair job bringing her up for the first 7 weeks. The rest is all his to enjoy!

2010-06-02T19:50:00.000-07:00

The pups keep telling me everyday how excited they are to go home!! They were a lot of fun tonite just sitting and watching it amazes me that only 6 weeks ago they were barely moving and were so dependent on their mother to do everything for them, and now the completely opposite. I can hardly keep up with all of them and it takes a watchful eye to make sure none of them sneaks off somewhere they shouldn't. With each day the show more and more personality and as they venture further and further out its fun to watch where their curiousity leads them. A lot of them were doing their little pointing thing tonite. Whether it be my daughter dribbling the basketball on the court in our back yard, a new smell, or leaf blowing on the ground. Their natural instinct kicks in and tells them to stand still until they figure it out even more. I got what I think is a pretty good video of one of them creeping up so you can see what I am talking about. Like I said its just so much fun to sit and watch how they react to every new little thing. I love doing what I do with the pups and its going to be hard not having them around in another week. I will have "Cody" until the middle of July until Tyler gets back from Afghanistan.

2010-05-31T14:39:00.000-07:00

2010-05-31T14:26:00.000-07:00

The pups have changed a ton in the last couple of days. They are way more independent now and roam the yard a lot more freely. They chase anything that moves so your feet are pretty much fair game at this point. It used to be you could take a few steps and they would give up the chase, but now they pretty follow no matter how far you go. They are definately starting to show personalities more and more each day. I am able to pick out the aggressors and the more laid back ones. I have a couple little girls that pretty much climb in and out of their little pen and roam the patio whenever they want. At times I catch them in the act on the other side by Belle and Remi and other times I know they were out because of the messes they left behind. They haven't quite learned to clean up after themselves yet and I think I will leave that part up to you. They are also starting to show some sign of the pointing instinct. When they hear a noise or see another pup coming a couple of them will freeze until they figure out what the noise is or their sibling gets close enough to attack. I got one pretty good picture of that. They are playful, playful, playful right now. They love getting their bellies rubbed and wrestling with their brothers and sisters.

2010-05-29T08:15:00.000-07:00

Well, the pups all checked out on Wednesday and everything is well. The vet said they look great and they varied in weight from 4.5 to 7.1 pounds. We gave them their shots and kennel cough and they will get another round before they go home. I'll try get a vaccination schedule posted on one of my pages to make it an easy reference for you when the pups go home. Wednesday evening I took Belle and Remi swimming so I took a couple of the pups with me. They enjoyed the new scenery and one of them even ended up in the water (but only because he rolled down the bank after Remi knocked him over) It really didn't bother him much though. The pups had their first new owner visit yesterday afternoon as well. Jack Christiansen came down to take a look at the pups and get an idea of which one to choose next week when he takes the first little girl home. It was a pretty tough day, the warm weather made them lazy so they weren't real active, but another week of developing and a trip down in the morning will cure the laziness. This morning I cleaned and let them run for about an hour and a half. They are getting to be more and more work, but I do enjoy it. If I didn't I wouldn't keep doing it every year. Every time you walk out side they attack your shoes strings and you have to be careful not to step on any of them.

2010-05-25T20:09:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update before we head to bed! The weather is great so the pups have been getting a lot of outside time. Yesterday and Sunday they played outside for a few hours throughout the day and even played so much in the hot sun they tried to find a nice cool place to nap. They were panting pretty good by the time they decided it was time to take a nap. Their were a lot of kids over after school to play with the pups since it was so nice. They are definately getting socialized and used to the human touch. They are also getting tougher to clean up after and keep tabs on when they are outside. Tomorrow they go in for their 5 week check up and shots so I will keep you updated with how everything turns out.

2010-05-23T21:08:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more pics for everyone to enjoy. The pups got a lot of playing time outside and were panting pretty good b/c of the heat and humidity. The one little girl found one of Remi's toys and was dragging it around the yard like it was a dummy so it was pretty fun to watch. If any of the other pups would try get it she would run away from them. I went in to get the camera and came back out and found that Remi had reclaimed her toy, but I got it back to the little "light green" girl and she did it all over again so I was able to snap a few pictures today. This afternoon the "baby blue" girl was out of the whelping box I put her back in and out she jumped out again. Whenever they hear the door open most of them perk up and they stick their little paws on the top of the box with their heads poking out to try and see whats going on. They also whine and cry a lot and try their best to get out! Sometime this week I am going to open the box up and give them about 50 more square foot to roam in the box. Its getting a little more cramped in there for all of them and this will give them more of a chance to roam around more and then they will all lay on the steps and wait for someone can come out so they can attack their feet.

2010-05-23T08:15:00.000-07:00

The pups are getting better looking by the day, and changing so much. We had our first escape artist yesterday. One of the females got out of the whelping box twice yesterday, so it wont be long until the rest of them follow in her footsteps. Maddy and I painted their nails this morning so I can start taking mental notes about what types of things they do. I can tell a couple of them apart just by looking, but they are all so close we need a little something more to help keep them apart. Some use collars, but I have found in the past that they never seem to stay on. I let them out this morning before church for about an hour while they were fed and I cleaned the whelping box. In only 2 weeks from today a good majority of them will be going home and then you can have your fun with them. They absolutely love their feeding time as you can tell from the picture. Three pups to a plate and they are pretty intense when the food comes out. Their little tails go straight out and they get down to business. There are a couple hogs that seem to cover the whole plate with their body so the others can't get at the food, but they all get their portions. Belle is feeding them less so I have been pushing the puppy food the last couple days. I gave them a little hard food this morning and they loved that about as much as the wet food.

2010-05-20T19:54:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted for a few days now. My computer had some issues so I was waiting on a friend of mine to come by and take a look at it, so for now he dropped me a loner so I can keep everybody posted. The pups have changed a ton since I lasted posted. They have been out in the yard everyday since I first let them out, and they are getting fast! They are checking things out more and more and they love to play with your feet and/or whatever else they can get ahold of! They respond pretty well to me when I call for them and clap my hands they come running to see what all the excitement is about. They are starting to enjoy doing their own thing more and more and aren't concerned so much with what all their brothers and sisters are doing. They are a starting to growl and bark in a playful tone with each other and me and are so much fun to just sit and watch. I snapped a couple pictures of a them peeking their heads up over the top of the whelping box. A few of them are getting ever so close to pulling themselves over the side and climbing out. They get themselves pulled up with their back legs hanging but don't quite have enough strength to make it all the way over. It will only be a matter of time before one of them gets lucky and uses his/her brothers and sisters as a step ladder to make it the rest of the way over. When that day comes I will open up the front of the box and give them some more room to roam and start marking them with nail polish. They are getting to the point where their personalilies are starting to show so I am going to do that in the next couple days so I can keep track of what pup does what. They also had their first exposure to real food. At 4.5 weeks they are ready to start eating some wet food and give Belle somewhat of a break from nursing. They also were introduced to water earlier this week. They drink some and they play with it a lot. They stick their paws in and occasionally tip it over. Anyway they are all doing great and getting closer and closer to meeting their new families.

2010-05-15T06:37:00.000-07:00

The pups are starting to get in the fun stage now, and they are more and more playful everyday. They are sleeping less and less and whenever you go out there they need to wake up and see whats going on. It is going to be a pretty nice day today, so I am going to try get them outside for a while and see how they like they grass. I'm sure they'll whine and cry a little bit but its good to get them accustomed to something different. Its hard to believe they are just about 4 weeks already and in less than a month will start going home. The first three picks of the females are coming on June 6 which is a Sunday so those of you picking after that can start thinking about when you want to come down. If anyone is wanting to see the pups and spend time before they come and pick them up, the next couple weekends would be a good chance since they are getting more and more active and showing more personality all the time.

2010-05-09T19:38:00.000-07:00

My brother was home this weekend with his wife Nicki and Gunner so we took them out yesterday and worked with some birds. Gunner is a black male out of Belle's very first litter, and is pretty much a stud!!! He has a nose on him that you wouldn't believe and slams his points. There is an APLA event in a couple weeks in SD that I would like to take Gunner to. Gunner is a CP already so he'd be running for his APR so we bought some quail and did some work with the dogs. They weren't the best flying birds in the world, but it was great to get Belle, Remi, and Gunner on the birds again. They loved it, and Jeremy and I had our fair share of fun shooting some birds again. Gunner had some real nice points and if Jeremy thinks he will handle for me I am going to take him to get his APR title. He is going to be gone that weekend. I'd like to take Rems but I don't thinks she's quite ready for the game. The way Belle was pointing she would do well, but I with all the pups It doesn't work so well. Anyway it was fun to get the dogs on some birds again.

2010-05-09T19:21:00.000-07:00

So much has changed and lots of updates since I last posted. As you can see the puppies are definately getting cuter and cuter by the minute and are now in the cute stage. Their eyes are opened and not glassy anymore and they are a lot more active. They still sleep a lot, but they get around really good now. They are all doing great and none are lagging behind thats for sure. I set them outside of the box tonite as I was changing carpets and cleaning and they peed everywhere and didn't just lay around like they did last week. They were checking things out, and hopefully in the next week if we get some nice weather we can take them outside and see how like the grass. There's a whole world outside their whelping box they have never seen before so it will be exciting to get them more and more accustomed to the "real world" as they get older and older. My nieces Laney and Maryn came and saw the puppies on saturday. I'm pretty sure a day doesn't go by that they don't ask to come see the puppies, but I told the Lanester I would put a picture of on the computer so she's pretty excited about it. They love the puppies and give them lots of love when they come. Maryn is the younger one, and she absolutely loves the puppies and Belle and Remi. Whenever she is over she goes straight to the door to the patio b/c thats where the dogs are and looks out the window and does her little moans and groans (she's got her own little language) Like I said she loves the puppies but we gotta keep an eye on her, she's kind of a terror and might try eat one if we're not looking. Haha jk!! It sure is helpful that all my relatives live close and they can see the pups whenever they want, it is also great for the pups to get used to the human interaction and touch. It's one of the things that helps socialize them so well so when they get to their new homes and around children they know how to act. I have a couple videos I'll try upload so you can see for yourself how active and well they move.

2010-05-05T19:29:00.000-07:00

The puppies eyes are looking a lot less glassy today. They are starting to get very cute, and its tough to find a puppy that is cuter than a lab. I think if someone invented a way to keep them little they would be a millionaire! They are making more and more puppy noises when they are laying around. Lots of moaning, whining, squeeling, whimpering. Its fun just to sit and listen and watch them even though they don't do a lot yet. This is one of my favorite stages just because it is so relaxing to just sit and watch them. Belle is spending less time in the whelping box, a lot because they get around so much better now and they pretty much follow her and try feed no matter where she lays in the box. She likes to lay in her kennel now. I think Remi has officially gone off the deep end now though because when Belle is not in there she is! I thought her cleaning up after them was pretty amazing, but last night when I went out there to put her in bed for the night she was laying by the pups and letting them suck on her. Its almost like she is starting to think she is their mother??? She is probably going to have a harder time letting go of the pups than Belle will! She literally was laying there as if she had milk and about half the pups were basically using her as a pacifier. Like I said I'm not sure if she's gone off the deep end? haha. It is reassuring to me that she is going to be a great mother someday. Belle has always been a great teaching tool for Remi when it comes to the training, finding birds, hunting, etc... Remi is always watching her when we're out working and she learns so much from her watchful keen eye. Little did I know Belle would teach her to be a great mother someday too! They really have a special relationship, and there aren't too many dogs that I know of that would let another dog close to her pups let alone help take care of them. It just goes to show how calm a temperement Belle has and also shows the trust she has in Remi. We also got a few pictures of my youngest daughter Gracyn and the puppies. She is an absolute dog lover. Belle, Remi, and the pups make a pretty good babysitter for me!! The other day I set Gracyn in her high chair by the door so she could watch the dogs out the window. She literally sat there for 30-40 minutes just watching and entertaining herself. She is going to have a special relationship with Belle, Remi, and the pups, and its safe to say she is a dog lover like her daddy!

2010-05-05T19:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was kind of a big day for the puppies. First of all they celebrated being 2 weeks old already. Its hard to imagine that in only 5 more weeks they will all start heading home with their new families. They tell me they are pretty excited to meet you in little puppy moans. They also officially opened their eyes. They were pretty glassy looking, but they were definately open yesterday. Last night we also gave them their first round of dewormer. This basically helps to keep them from getting worms, which is pretty common in newborn puppies. I oversaw Maddy and Austin taking care of this job. The Dewormer is given orally so it is pretty painless and easy. At first they would squeel and squirm a little bit but when they got a taste of the Dewormer they loved it. I have a short video of one of the pups licking his/her chops. It reminds me of when you give a dog peanut butter and it gets all over their mouth and no matter how hard the try they can't get it all out of their mouths. Anyway hope you enjoy.

Puppies Crawling

2010-05-04T18:53:00.001-07:00

2010-05-03T20:02:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone here are a few pictures from the last couple days. I've been slacking so I'll try make up for it the next couple days. It was my wife's birthday today so I figured I better give her a little more attention than the puppies because she definately deserves it. Robyn often goes unmentioned and unseen in the blog, but she actually does more work than she gets credit for. She works two days a week and between getting our kids from place to place, taking care of our just about 9 month old, and now watching over the 9 extra babes, as well as Belle and Remi all the time she stays pretty busy. Like I said she does a lot of work with the dogs and pups and I have her to thank that everything goes so smoothly. As for the pups they are wonderful. They were really starting to walk around on all fours today instead of scooting on their bellies. They are pretty shaky yet, and I don't look for any of them to be doing any 100 yard retrieves in the next week, but they are making progress. Before we know they are going to be running too fast for me to catch up to and I'm sure finding their way out of the whelping box. Their eyes still aren't open and I know I keep saying it, they will be open any day. They have little slits where you can see the blacks of their eyes. Tomorrow they will be getting their first round of dewormer. Last night I changed the carpet and the one pictures is of them laying on the carpet while I was cleaning. As you can see Remi has taken pretty nicely to them and she treats them like they are her babies. I'll often go out there and see some of the pups snuggled up under her and the others by Belle for warmth. It just amazes me how the female gender and a mother have those instincts so naturally. She cleans up after them and takes care of them just like Belle would and It has gotten me more excited when the time comes for her to be a mother too b/c I know she is learning and is going to follow in Belle's footsteps. I have a short video that I am going to upload after this post so it should be in there in the morning for everyone.

All of the Puppies have new homes!!

2010-04-27T19:40:00.000-07:00

First of all I want to take a little time to thank everyone that is expecting a pup out of this litter. Today the last 2 females found new homes so that makes 9 great homes in all. I am once again proud to say that I have done well in finding great homes for all of the puppies most of them are going to the Twin Cities and Fargo area, but there is one heading up Winnepeg and a couple other places in between. Anyway thank you all very much I know you won't be disspointed and now that they are all sold I can concentrate more of my time to my blog and keeping you updated on their growth. Tonite my daughter Maddy (the older one laying with them) was doing her daily doggy chores and this is what I see when I check in with her. haha. It is pretty cute just about every night before she goes to bed she puts on her old clothes and just lays next to them in the box. She is a huge help and she gives the puppies lots of time. The other little girl is Gracyn my youngest daughter and of course Robyn holding her. Gracie loves Belle and Remi and now the pups. Whenever she is grumpy I bring her by the window to see the dogs and she immediately cheers up. She likes to sit and watch the puppies feel their soft fur. I really noticed today that they are scooting around a lot. Instead of just dragging themselves along they are starting to get up on all fours and move along. They are starting to get a little louder as well. When one of them scoots too far from the rest of the group he/she lets everyone know that he/she is lonely. All in all they are doing great and tomorrow has been 7 days already. That means only 6 more weeks to go!!!!

They are growing like weeds!

2010-04-25T20:46:00.001-07:00

Wow they are growing! Kinda like the title says, but I think they doubled in size already. I left Friday afternoon and got back around 1:00 this afternoon and I couldn't believe how they have grown. They were all snuggled up together tonite when I took the pictures and they looked pretty cute. I kinda like the little one laying on her back with her mouth hanging open. She kind of reminds me of an old grandpa sitting in a lazy boy snoring away during a sunday afternoon nap. Its a little bit chillier tonite than it has been so I put them on the heating mat, but I'm sure Belle will get them all tucked in close to her before too long. Just about everytime I go in there she is just laying by their sides just watching over them. They get cuter and cuter everyday and before long they are going to be scooting around and playing with eachother. I know its hard to see through pictures but they change so much from day to day!

3 Days Old

2010-04-23T12:38:00.000-07:00

The puppies are eating and growing well. It is amazing to me at how much they change from day to day especially the first few weeks. They had their dew claws clipped this afternoon and everything went well. A few squirmers and a few whiners, but none that really bled too much. As soon as it was over with and they were snuggled up to Belle again they forgot about it and were fine. I actually think Remi whined more than the puppies did. She was in her kennel and started whinig when the pups did. I don't know if she was recalling that horrible experience from her childhood, or just sensed the puppies in distress and didn't like it. It is actually Remi's 1st Birthday today. One year ago today we had the first Belle and Baker pups! So all of you out there don't forget to wish you poochy a happy birthday! I snapped a couple photos of the pups today too. There is one of the 7 little girlies, and one of the 2 handsome young fellas. The boys are very very close in color and size and if they stay that way as they get older they are going to be tough to tell apart. Their is a little variance in color with the females. A couple that are a little lighter and a smidge smaller, but all in all they are pretty close as well.

2 Days Old

2010-04-22T20:27:00.000-07:00

The pups are looking great and I wish I had something exciting to tell you like their eyes are opened or they are starting to jump out of the whelping box, but we will have to wait a few weeks for that!! They pretty much just eat, sleep, and whimper when they can't find their brothers or sisters and mom. One did lock up on point this morning at a bird in the window sill, so I know that natural instinct is there. I was just a second too late with the camera so I don't have any hard evidence of that (haha ok maybe I'm getting ahead of myself) As the next few weeks go along you'll start to pick up on some of my humor. They are all very healthy and it looks like Belle did a great job of cleaning of their cords so there shouldn't be any problems with hernia's. I've never had one with any of the pups b/c Belle is such a great momma! Tomorrow I will be clipping their dew claws so there will be a little crying going on, but usually it is pretty quick and they cry more becuase they don't know where Belle is. Remi (my female out of the last Belle Baker litter) has pretty much gotten used to the pups already. When I let her out the first couple times when the pups were just born her hair would stand on end and she would stand at the edge of the box and sniff and look, but now she doesn't pay much attention to them when she's walking by. She occasionally goes and takes a look at her brothers and sisters and I can't help but think that she's thinking I can't wait til they get a little older so I have someone new to harass and play with! She has been really good with it all. I wasn't sure how it would go b/c she has pretty much had ulimited access to her mommy from the day she was born. I had to get up the first night at 4 am b/c she was barking in her kennel, but other than that she has been really good about it. Anyway I took a few pictures yesterday and today so you can look and enjoy.

Puppy Video

2010-04-21T15:03:00.001-07:00

Here's the final video in the series of them being born. Belle is putting the finishing touches on cleaning up the puppy and taking care of it.

Puppy Video

2010-04-21T14:38:00.000-07:00

I did the videos out of order so now I am going back. They take so long to download that after the first one I thought I better get some pictures on so people can see them. Here is a short video of Belle cleaning off the sac that the puppies are born in once they are out of the womb.

Puppy Pictures 1 Day Old

2010-04-21T14:16:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures of the puppies from yesterday its hard to get a real good look at them because Belle has them all snuggled in so closely to keep them safe and warm. I'll try to get a few of the pups when Belle is out going potty later and then post them. They are all very close in size and color there are a couple that are lighter but not too much. One things about Belle's pups is that they have always been very uniform in size and color she is a great mama! Yesterday was a pretty big day, and unfortunately I couldn't be there. This is the first time of all of Belle's litters I had to be gone. Robyn had to work in the morning so I stayed home just in case anything would happen in the morning knowing that Robyn would be around all afternoon. Anyway, The first pup was born at about 1:30 and the last sometime between 10:30 and 12:00. My son called at 10:30 and let Belle out before bed and there was still only 8 and he thought she was done, so when I got home at 12:00 it was a pleasant suprise to count 9 puppies. Robyn thought I miscounted but I was right!!! (which doesn't happen too often, I like to think I'm right but usually my wife is!) There were plenty of visitors yesterday to see the pups being born. Its kinda funny Belle is a pretty big hit with our family. We had everyone from Moms, Dads, Grandmas, friends, Nieces and nephews come to watch at some point and time. Needless to say they will have plenty exposure to people. I'll get to the point and put some pictures up and stop rambling on!!

If you look closely there's a pup snuggled up under Belle's chin. You might have to click on it and enlarge it to see. Pretty cute!!

It's almost as Belle is smiling and is proud of her accomplishment!

They Have Finally Arrived!!

2010-04-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

I know most of you that have had your deposits in a while have been getting quite anxious about the arrival of your newest family member so I am glad I can finally tell you all they have arrived. They were born yesterday April 21, 2010 and Belle gave birth to 9 healthy puppies (7 Females and 2 Males). Even though this isn't her first time, It still amazes me at how amazing a mother she is and I am continually in awe at the miracle of birth. As a family rooted deeply in our Christian Faith it truly is the hand of God at work and there is nothing more spectacular than the miracle of birth to show how wonderful and powerful He is!!! Anyway, I know I promised you pictures so I'll get to that. My wife also took some short video of one of the pups being born. Some have you have probably already experienced the birth of an animal at some point in your life, but for those of you that haven't I guess this is how it works! I think this is something we can do (my family and I) to make the process of adopting a pup more personal and I hope you appreciate it. I will say that those with younger children might have to do some explaining about you know maybe the "birds and the bees" (haha) and what all takes place, but in the end I think it will be fun for them to see.

Repeat Breeding Baker at Stud new pups expected!

2010-02-11T13:15:00.000-08:00

Baker meets Belle all yellow litter expected April 18, 2010! This is a repeat breeding of Baker and Belle with tremendous success from the last litter. Baker is a GMPR and a SH and comes to us by way of Holzinger Kennels in Minnesota. Holzinger Kennels is a very well renowned kennel throughout the U.S. just south of the Twin Cities. Their reputation speaks for itself producing dogs such as GMPR MHR Rik's Risky Raider MH, MPR Wyvernaze Audley MH (Brock), GMPR Cashingers Cattail Corky, MPR Brocks Golden Nugget, CP Cashzinger Coal Cuts Loose, Cashzingers Special Brew MH, MHR MPR Cashingers Brier Tuck MH (Tucker), and MHR MPR Horse and Hunt Gabe MH. Baker was whelped and trained by Terry Holzinger (professional trainer since 1982), and his father was imported from England as a British stud dog. Baker's mother is a a full sister to Risky Business who was also Raider's father! The accomplishments of dogs from this pedigree are too many too list but there are many GMPR, MH, MHR and National Champions on both sides of this breeding! Baker is a 55-60 pound powerhouse that is built like an animal. Even at age 8, Baker doesn't look a day over 3 with the same build as you see in the picture above. Baker achieved his AKC Senior title in 2006 going 5 for 5, and from there attained his CP and MP from APLA in one weekend. He achieved GMPR and will be running for his AKC master title this coming year. He has hunted extensively on waterfowl and upland, and he lives to hunt and will go strong all day long! For a pedigree and more information on Baker and Holzinger Kennels check out the link. http://www.holzingerkennels.com/ Go to Stud Dogs and Click on Baker.

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Belle
Belle is a 50-55 pound female out of Raider and Grits of Black Forest lines. She is pure muscle and it shows out in the field! She has a never quit mentality and hunts strong all day long! Her marking and retrieving ability is second to none, and also quarters very well and covers a lot of ground in a hurry. She was first introduced to birds at a young age, and since then has hunted 3-4 days per week during the hunting season, mainly pheasant, and has developed into a national qualifier for PHU(Pheasant Hunters Unlimited) and also won the Okoboji Bird Dog challenge at only 2 years of age. Belle can compete with some of the finest dogs in the country when it comes to upland game! She competed in last year's PHU National Championship and placed in the top 20 at nationals and in the top 15 in the final standings. She has gone on to qualify again this year for the PHU nationals. She also qualified for the NBDC Nationals(National Bird Dog Challenge as seen on the outdoor channel) this past March and the World BDC Championship that took place early this fall. I did not run her in the BDC events because she was expecting a litter of pups. Belle has competed with some of the dogs that placed very well at the BDC National and World Championships in PHU competitions and has consistently contended with and/or placed higher than. She gives me the best of both worlds being a solid pointer when the birds hold tight, yet is not afraid to flush a bird on the move. She is extremely intelligent and I pride myself in knowing that she has been trained personally by myself. From the day she came home with me she has lived to please me and retrieve. Whether it be a bird, bumper/dummy, tennis ball, or anything she can get her mouth around, she has never given up on a retrieve even at a very young age. People are amazed at the speed and tenacity she shows in the field, but she is also very calm around my kids and in the house. She knows that when its time to come in the house its time to settle down. She sleeps with my 12 year old son every night, and she even has her own blanky that she drags around the house and to bed every night. She is truly the perfect dog giving me everything I ask for in the field and knowing when to tone it down around children and in the house! Belle lives to hunt, lives to please, and is what I consider a best friend!

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North Dakota Pheasant Hunting Fall 2009

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This past fall my son and I had the privaledge of heading to what my father-in-law calls "God's Country" for a long weekend of pheasant hunting. My wifes parents both originate from North Dakota and her uncle Allen still resides there so we had the oppurtunity to get out to North Dakota to shoot some birds. The pheasant hunting was unbelievable and far exceeded my expectations. Belle and Remi were like kids in a candy store smelling, chasing, and retrieving birds until they were blue in the face. It was a great first hunt for Remi. As the weekend progressed so did she! She continually got better and better the more birds she saw and hunted. By the end of the weekend she was far exceeding my expectations of what her first hunt would be and had even made some great long retrieves on running birds. The pheasant population is so great up there everywhere we went, the dogs were on the scent of birds!! In 3 days we saw upwards of around 1,000 birds and had come close to our limit almost everyday. The weather was a little warm so it was tough to get in close as the birds were flighty, but all in all it was a great experience and we look forward to making this an annual trip as a family!

Remi and Belle

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Remi and Belle are doing great as you can see from the picture it wont be long until she catches her momma in size. Remi has been a great pup and is coming along quite nicely. She is extremely smart!! She watches me work with Belle everyday and she has picked up on a lot of commands just by watching. It was pretty funny b/c last week I was working on whistle training Belle to sit on the whistle and never had Remi in mind. Now it doesnt matter where Remi is in the yard. When she hears that whistle, she sits! She has really started to pick up her desire to retrieve in the last week. Before, she would do it occasionally when she felt like it, but in the last week, she has shown a much greater desire. This is another thing I think she has learned from wathching. She really loves to retrieve out of the water, and her marking ability is even better than I think Belle's is. She is very observant of where the dummy is going, where as Belle is so high-strung she tries to beat the dummy to where it is going and sometimes doesn't see it land. Remi always knows where the dummy is whether its 100 yds across the pond or 50 feet in the weeds! However, just cuz she knows where it is, doesn't mean she goes and gets it. She'll run the bank of the pond and look at the dummy far off in the distance and whine, but she's kinda a chicken when it comes to getting it that far away. Or she'll jump in and swim about 10 feet out and then turn back b/c its too far away!! All in all she is coming along great, and I look forward to getting her on some Geese next month in South Dakota for the early Goose season. So if anyone is interested in tagging along, my brother lives up by Watertown and we'd be more than willing to take you along. I hope all is well with all of your pups, and I will be emailing everyone here in the near future to see how your pups are coming along and then I can update the blog once again!!

A couple more of Remi

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Remi in the tall grass!!

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We went for a walk through some taller grass tonite. It was fun watching Remi romp through and try keep up with Belle. Here she is doing her best to try find where Belle went. She could here her coming and she pointed b/c she didn't exactly what was coming.

Remi thinks she's big stuff!

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Here's Remi looking cute and thinking she's pretty big stuff!

Belle and Remi after some excerise

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Remi thinks she's pretty big stuff when she rides in the pick-up. She usually doesn't get to go on such long rides yet, bc I don't trust that shes going to stay in. She loves taggin along with her mom and is very content sitting and watching her work. Whether its retrieving bumpers on water or land, Remi is sitting contently taking it all in and learning how mom does it. Once in a while she'll wait for Belle to get back and try her best to grab ahold of some part of the dummy and when she does, she usually goes for a ride! She has been a great puppy so far and is growing like a weed. I think she looks more and more like Belle every day. It is fun to watch her grow, and see the tendencies her and Belle share. Sometimes its scary, (but in a very good way) From the way she runs, to the way she starts to whine when we get close to Sandy Hollow (the swimming hole), her never ending energy, etc...

Remi chasin her squeaky toy

2009-06-25T21:29:00.000-07:00

Here's a short video of Remi polishing up on her retrieving skills so she can be just like mom. As you can see we still have a lot of work to do. She enjoys it, but has perfected retrieving every time and bringing it to hand!!

Belle Launch

2009-06-25T20:32:00.000-07:00

Belle is getting back into her old form. She loves to swim and jump in the water. It's hard to tell from my camera and angle b/c I am recording and throwing the dummy at the same time, but it is literally a 10 foot drop into the water, and she's getting out there about 30 feet.

Regal makes a new home in Iowa City

2009-06-25T08:49:00.000-07:00

Greyson and Shelby Dumont of Iowa City drove down last Friday morning from Iowa City to pick up Regal. I met the Dumont's in Sioux City at Scheels Sporting Goods (a convenient excuse for me to buy some more hunting stuff) and they absolutely adored her. I talked to Jason (the father) and he is very pleased with Regal. He said she is extremely intelligent and full of piss and vinegar! The girls have been asking him everyday when their picture would be on the blog, and I apologize for not getting it up sooner. The last week has been busy!! The Dumont's welcome her into their family of six with open arms, and they are already loving her like one of their own. Jason hunts upland primarily and has some ground in the Pheasant program by Iowa City which he plans to hunt Regal hard in. Jason also keeps busy chasing the big bucks around Iowa City in the fall. He's got a 192 non-typical on the wall, and told me if I ever get down in the area that he would put me up in a treestand and take Belle, Remi, and I out to do some pheasant hunting. (I am sure he was just being nice, and he doesn't know that I'll probably take him up on that offer haha!! It would be fun to get out there this fall so see how Regal is doing, and I also enjoy seeing one of Belle's pups so that they can reunite! Regal was big buddies with Remi and Gus that was picked up on saturday, and they were missing her when she left. I am glad that Regal found such a loving home with lots of kids to play with and keep her busy. I will look forward to seeing how they all bond together, and how Regal grows into a great hunter just like her parents.

Gus goes home to Minneapolis, MN

2009-06-25T07:26:00.000-07:00

Eric and Sue Stabnow came last week saturday to pick up Gus and bring him home with their lab Huey. They came out a couple weeks prior to see all the pups and they had their eyes set on Gus the whole time. Gus was the calmest and most laid back of all the males, and probably the most easy to love, and that makes him a great fit with Huey since he is so laid back. Although Gus was the most laid back of all the males, he still has a lot of energy and I am certain he will get the job done when its time to go to work. Eric plans to hunt Gus this fall on primarily upland, and he and Huey should make a great team. Huey already has his Junior leg of the AKC hunt tests, and hopefully Gus will be following in his footsteps. Eric and Sue absolutely love dogs, and Gus's laid back temperament will be a great fit since he will be an inside dog. Gus has found a great family, and a great home, and I look forward to watching him grow into a hunting machine, and wonderful companion.

Ellie May goes home to her Newlywed parents.

2009-06-18T21:08:00.000-07:00

Tyler and Christina Hill of Ankeny, IA took Ellie May home yesterday. Tyler and Christina were married a couple of weeks ago, and literally got home from their honeymoon in St. Thomas the night before. They spent all day Wednesday in and out of airports, delayed flights, and even lost luggage, but that didn't stop them from spending all day Thursday on the rode enroute to get their newest member of the family! Tyler works for the Game & Parks department at the reservoir by Ankeny (can't remember the name) and Christina has the luxury of having the summers off. She's one of those people that only works nine months out of the year (Teachers) and if I had to guess, I bet I know which one of the two will be getting up with Ellie in the middle of the night. They were very excited to take Ellie home with them, and finally get some time to relax at home ( I didn't want to break the news to them, but I doubt Ellie is going to allow too much of that) She is what I considered the bigger twin sister to my "Remi" and she has a lot of spunk and energy. Not one that is going to want to sit around and do nothing all day. It was fun to watch her and Remi the last few weeks b/c they always seemed to be together wherever they went, and were always wrestli ng, playing, and getting into mischief together. Remi seemed kinda sad last night that her bigger twin sister was gone, but all was well today since she got to swim and go for a few rides in the pickup with me. She even got pretty tuckered out by nights end, and on the ride home fell asleep on a towel on top of the console of my pickup. Tyler plans to hunt Ellie hard this fall, and is looking forward to getting in his dad's CRP and on some serious birds. He also does a lot of waterfowl hunting on the reservoir, and if any of you know anything about the game and parks guys, they work hard during the summer so they can take time off when the birds are flying in the fall. They will make a great home for Ellie May, and I want to thank them for giving Ellie May the ideal home where she will get lots of love, and lots of birds!!!!

Rock Solid's Lady Remington

2009-06-15T20:59:00.000-07:00

"Remi" as we call her is pictured here. She will be joining her mother Belle in a quest to find birds, birds, and more birds. My daughter Maddy had her eyes set on this little girl the whole time, and she is one that has always stuck out in the litter. Not because she is better than the other dogs, but because she has always been the smallest and darkest of the group. She is absolutely gorgeous and is the one that most reminds us of Belle. If she only turns out to be half as good as her mother and father, she will still be better than most of the other dogs out there!!!

Bella greets her new family!

2009-06-15T20:45:00.000-07:00

Bella has a pretty nice ring to it!!! I guess maybe I am partial since it is a pretty close resemblence of her mother's name but it seems very fitting. The Derifield's picture left to right (Logan, Spencer, Lucas, and Ashley greeted Bella with open arms. Spencer pictured holding Bella has a birthday at the end of this week and this was his birthday suprise. Spencer will be out of town while mom is at home getting Bella accustomed to her new surroundings wrestling in Indianapolis. (Lucky for him he won't have to worry about those first sleepless nights b/c of puppy cries every 45 min or so). He is one of a select group chosen to participate in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling event that could possibly lead to being part of a Junior USA wrestling team so best of luck to him! His mother assurred me that when he is home it will be his job to to take care of Bella's first sleepless nights! It sounded like Bella was going to spend her first night in Spencer's bedroom, so hopefully tomorrow he's still as excited about his new birthday present as he was today. Bella was the most calm of all the pups having a great temperament, and is the one I talked about that would just hang out on the steps when the other 9 were busy playing. She is full of energy and has a willingness to please! The Derifield's live on acreage outside of Waverly, IA so Bella will have plenty of room to run and will spend her first couple of months trying to keep up with the families chocolate lab. Todd and his boys do a majority of waterfowl hunting, and I am sure Bella will be quick to impress. She is a perfect waterfowl dog being so laid back, but having the drive and energy to make those long retrieves. I would say after meetin the first 6 families that I have done pretty well in finding homes for my pups. All of them are getting the love and attention they deserve and I look forward to seeing how Spencer and Bella's friendship grows!

Sunny makes a new home in North Dakota

2009-06-15T20:36:00.000-07:00

Sunny greeted his new family Saturday afternoon. Howard, Martha, and Tyler Bjorgaard came saturday afternoon to get the last remaining male and headed back to Jamestown, ND. Tyler was pretty excited, they first stopped in Mason City, IA to get a waverunner for their home on the reservoir then got to pick up his new pup! I would say he had a pretty good weekend!!!! Sunny will get plenty of time on the water, and Howard looks forward to getting back into hunting now that his son Tyler is getting old enough and he has Sunny to do the dirty work for him. Sunny was what I called the twin of Ryder (the first male that went home with Carstens) They were very similar in size, temperament, and abilities, the only difference was a little variation in coloring. Sunny will bring a lot of joy to the Bjorgaard home, and I could tell that Tyler was excited about having a pup of his own that he could grow up with. It will be fun to watch how the two of them bond, and how Sunny grows into great family dog, and hunting partner.

Dakota finds her new home in Texas

2009-06-15T20:26:00.000-07:00

Dakota is probably the luckiest of all the pups going where its warm and not having to fight the freezing cold winters that her brothers and sisters in Iowa, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Nebraska will have to face. She went home Saturday morning to Colleen, Texas with Lon and Gail Hibbard. She will be greeted by another Lab (Kansas) who already has some tournaments under her belt. Lon has served in the army for over 20 years and served 8 years in Korea, 3 years in the Middle East, and just recently a year in Iraq. Lon arrived home this past Monday made it home for a homecoming ceremony and then drove straight to Iowa with his wife to pick up Dakota. Lon will spend the next couple of years in the states and plans on getting Dakota ready to hunt tournaments like her big sister Kansas. We are forever grateful for Lon's service in the Army, and he is a man truly dedicated to preserving the freedoms of this great country. Any man that is willing to serve his country as long as Lon has will make a great home for one of my pups. Dakota was one of the most energetic and rambunctuous of the group. Always playing, chasing, and wrestling with her siblings. She has the energy and drive that will make her a great tournament hunting dog, and I look forward to following her progress as she grows into a hunting machine!

Sugar goes to her new home with Alan and Amanda

2009-06-15T20:01:00.001-07:00

Alan and Mandi came Friday afternoon to take "Sugar" home with them to Springfield, NE. Its been a long wait for Mandi, but I think the wait was well worth it. Judging by the name you can all guess who got to pick, but Alan said he doesn't care as long "Sugar" hunts hard! I am sure Sugar won't dissapoint Alan when she's out duck hunting. Sugar has already gotten lots of love and attention in her new home, and is the life of the party. She has gotten to know a lot of her new family, been swimming (which she already loves, and pretty much has what the say is a dogs life. I don't know that any of my past litters pups have been spoiled to the extent that Sugar has already, which says alot about Alan and Mandi b/c all of my pups have all gone to great homes! I thought I was doing pretty decent with updating my blog about the pups, but when Mandi gave me the address to hers and I checked it out she had posted about 20 pictures of Sugar in only 2 days time. Alan hunts waterfowl extensively, and looks forward to getting Sugar out to show his buddies what she can do. Sugar was my little escape artist and is very athletic. She was the pup that when no one was watching would climb the wall, eat all of her mama's food, then climb back over only to leave little pieces of evidence behind! (pee and poop) The other pups could get over, but would always get caught red-handed b/c when I went outside to check on them they would still be on the wrong side of the fence!!! I am grateful that Sugar has found such a loving home and I look forward to seeing how she sizes up in the field next to Alan's buddies dogs!

Congratulations to the Carstens

2009-06-11T20:57:00.000-07:00

John and Claire Carstens came today and took home the first of the three boys this afternoon. Ryder as they call him is going home to Eden Prairie, MN to be with his dad Baker (The sire of this great litter)! Ryder was the darker of the 3 males and Claire fell in love with him 2 weeks ago when they were down making a visit to see the pups. Ryder will start watching how his dad does next week already as John and Baker train 3 days a week at Holzingers and I am sure it won't take him long to figure out how its done. Ryder is going to be Baker's wing man for the next few years, but it will be fun to see John take him to the top of the APLA and AKC hunt tests and follow in Baker's footsteps. I really look forward to watching how Ryder progresses, and I am pretty sure I will be one of the first to brag about when Ryder earns his first titles all the way thru the Grand Masters. John had taken a quail along from training and the boys just loved it. Below is a picture of Ryder and his first quail experience. Ryder was the first to catch on to the quail scent, but when the other two figured it out it was a true game of hide and seek. It ended up in a tug of war (we'll have to work on the honor system and the soft mouth thing a little more) and in the end I'll just say the quail was on the losing side of things. Ryder has truly found a great home, and I could not ask for better people to take him home, and it is a definate added bonus that he gets to spend quality time with his dad everyday! Thanks to the Carstens for choosing my pups out of all the phenomenal litters out there sired by Baker, and I consider it a true honor!

Congratulations to the Brockhouse Family

2009-06-11T20:41:00.001-07:00

Brad Brockhouse and his 3 boys and took the first little girl home with them today! Brad runs Turkey Creek Labradors out of Lake Benton, MN and has chosen the female that went by the name of "Big Mama" or "Sumo" to add to his arsenal of high class dogs. It was great watching the boys as they loved running and playing with the pups. It was fun to see how excited they were about the pup even though a new pup at their household is a regular occurance. The youngest was pretty adament that this pup was "his" but the older two boys didn't necessarily agree. I thought "Eva" as they are going to call her would be a good fit with the youngest's personality b/c he was most definately the most strong willed of the boysjust as Eva was with the rest of the litter. Eva was the biggest female and the alpha of the litter as I posted in my prior blogs. I am honored to see that Eva is going to such a great home where she is going to get hunted hard but loved equally as much. Thanks to the Brockhouses for choosing Rock Solid Pointing Labs and I look forward to seeing where Brad and the boys take Eva in her quest to become the next great bird dog at Turkey Creek Labs!

June 10

2009-06-10T19:41:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pictures from last night. We loaded up all 10 puppies and took them on a little rode trip to my cousins house so their twins could play with them all one last time before they start going to their new homes. They loved the puppies (well except for the time one of them grabbed Noah's shirt and wouldn't let go. You can tell by his facial expression that he wasn't to happy about the whole deal. They have become extremely active and playful the last couple days. I let them out this morning while I was cleaning the kennel, and in a matter of 30 seconds I looked up and noticed two were missing. They had run all the way around to the front of the house! We tried getting a picture of just the boys and just the girls as you can see from the blog below. The 3 boys was pretty easy, but 2 little girls had a tough time keeping all 7 girls straight and still enough to get a good picture. I am sure going to miss the pups, but it is time they start going to their new homes! I have a tough time keeping up with all ten when I'm by myself. This will be the last night they will all be together so I am going to let them play extra long together tonite and tomorrow morning. I look forward to seeing all of those that our coming this weekend, and throughout the next week!

7 Females

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3 Males

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Puppy

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June 5

2009-06-05T21:07:00.001-07:00

I feel like I am slipping a little bit with the blog, this week has been extremely busy and I have had these pictures since Monday and I haven't had a chance to post them yet. Monday the pups had their 5 week puppy checks. They are all doing very well and we gave them their shots, kennel cough, and third round of dewormer. The vet is always amazed at the size of Belle's litters and how well each pup is doing whenever they come for their check-ups. She commented on how beatiful and well put together they are! The littlest puppy weighed 4.8 pounds (female) and the biggest weighed in at 6.2 (also a female) a couple of the males were close weighing around 5.8/5.9 pounds, but they can't quite keep up with "The Big Mama" as my daughter calls her. She is definately the alpha of the litter but is also very loveable and cuddly. She is big, but she is just a horse! She's put together very well, and probably the most athletic of the group. She can pretty much climb anything and will go anywhere when she decides she wants to get at something. They are all starting to show their personalities and are so much fun. As you can see from the pictures they love to sleep on the patio step. I went from letting them roam the patio because their whelping box couldnt contain them anymore to having to put up a wall in about a few days time because they were leaving pretty good messes behind all the time. Some of them occasionally still manage to get on the other side of the wall once in a while, but they enjoy having their own space on the step and in a portion of the patio and an outside kennel during the day. The renters that live in our basement have to use a different entrance to the house b/c the puppies have pretty much claimed the patio as their space for now! On Wednesday night they got their first taste of a pheasant and the scent it leaves behind. It was pretty cool to watch how when I drug it around the yard their noses immediately hit the ground. It was just so natural to them and almost like something they've done before. It's amazing how that instinct is just naturally there! Their little tails would wag, and they'd sniff the ground wherever the pheasant scent was in search of a bird! Some lost interest and others never quit until I finally put the bird away, but the ones that lost interest were in search of Belle. I can't believe that in less than a week some of the little guys will be going to their new homes. Although we're excited for them to meet their new families, they will be missed greatly in our home. I won't miss cleaning up all the poop and pee left behind and the extra large dog food bill (man they can eat) but they are a lot of fun to have around. Last night we put finger nail polish on some of the girls to help tell them apart. I can keep all of the males seperate, and a few of the females, but with 10 yellow dogs running around it gets to be pretty hard telling the 7 females apart. I look forward to meeting all of you in the next week or two, and am honored that they are all going to such great homes.

Congratulations to Gunner and Jeremy

2009-05-31T21:04:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Jeremy and Gunner on passing their APLA Certified Pointer test yesterday in Okoboji. Gunner is out of Belle's 1st litter and is a senstational hunter. Most of my close followers have probably already heard stories about him, but he is fun to watch out in field! This is an old picture of Gunner in his younger years at about 5-6 months of age when he got his first taste of waterfowl hunting. (Hopefully I'll get a picture of Gunner and his 1st of many ribbons to come when he is here for the week) He was already retrieving goose and ducks out of the water at 5 months age and holding a steady point on wild birds. From then on my brother knew he had a special dog! Anyway I'll get back to the subject, Gunner passed his CP on his very first attempt in some very tough conditions. Yesterday was dry, windy, and hot, but he was definately up to the challenge. The waterfowl portion of the test was extremely tough becuase of the windy conditions and a lot of other dogs were fooled by the decoys floating in the pond, but Gunner is used to this type of a set-up and did exactly what he was supposed to do. I went along to watch and once I saw the whole process was wishing I was there with Belle. It was fun to sit back and watch as a bystander and hear all the positive comments from other people in the gallery talking about how great a looking dog Gunner is and how well he worked in his water retrieves! This was the first time my brother and I had seen the APLA set-up and was a great learning experience for us to see how the other levels (Advanced, Senior, and Master Pointing Retriever) are run for future tests. Jeremy strongly considered running Gunner in the Advanced this weekend as well, but decided to wait until next fall. Gunner just turned 2 years old on May 2 and is off to a good start in his young career. Hopefully this weekend I will be running Gunner in his first NAHRA hunt test set-up if everything works out!

Swimming Lessons

2009-05-31T20:40:00.000-07:00

The puppies got their first taste of the water this afternoon and they seemed to enjoy it. It was hot and windy today so we took them all out to a pond near our house to see how they enjoyed the water. They watched from the ledge as Belle chased her dummy in and out of the water and eventually a couple took the leap and landed in the water. It didn't take them long to figure out they could stand. Eventually the girls took some of them out away from shore and let them go so they could swim a little ways. It was pretty fun to watch and something I really enjoy doing and exposing them to at a young age. It seems like they aren't afraid of anything whether its climbing up and down steps, or playing in the water. It does take some longer to make that leap of faith, but eventually they think through the best strategies to attempt a ledge or set of stairs and end up getting where they want to. Its fun to watch them run around the yard and see how they have stretched their boundaries from a week ago. They used to stick pretty close to the house and if Belle ventured out more than 15-20 yards they would sit down and just watch. Now they are pretty much following her wherever she goes and it takes a more watchful eye because they get out pretty far and move pretty quickly now. They were supposed to have the puppy checks on friday but the vet called me and went home sick, so they will go in tomorrow afternoon instead. More and more are starting to "flash point" and show those tendencies as well and it is really fun to see them growing in all aspects and into great dogs.

Puppy Video

2009-05-27T21:15:00.000-07:00

May 27

2009-05-27T15:35:00.001-07:00

The pups will be 5 weeks old tomorrow and the time is just flying by. It has been a fun five weeks, and they are getting to be a handful! Every time I go outside, I find about half of them have escaped the whelping box and are either roaming around the patio leaving little messes everywhere, or are snuggled up napping on the steps. It's not too big of a problem because there isn't too much they can get into in the patio. John Carstens and his wife came down Monday to look at the pups. John is the owner of Baker the male I bred to, and is getting another male out of this litter. He took Baker along, and once again we were amazed at the striking resemblence Belle and Baker have to each other. It was fun getting to know John and his wife Clare and I really look forward to getting to know the rest of you when you come out and see the pups. They were both impressed at how well the pups were doing. The pups are really starting to show their personalities and it is fun to watch them as they grow. I really look forward to the next couple of weeks when they really start to show who they are as pups and their future capabilities.

Feeding Frenzy

2009-05-22T14:13:00.000-07:00

As you can tell from this group of pictures the pups are getting no lack of nourishment. I introduced them to some wet food yesterday and they absolutely loved it!!! I was feeding them again this afternoon, and left the can lay. Once they had their plates cleaned they all decided to attack the can. It was pretty cute to watch! One even went as far as to get her head stuck in the can! They are really getting tall the last few days! They can reach the top of their whelping box now if they stand up and it wont be long before I will be coming home to a couple escapies and probably a mess to go along with it. They all learned how to climb steps and yesterday two days ago I let them run free for a while in the patio. It was pretty warm here and eventually they tuckered themselves out and found a nice cool spot between the wall and the steps on the cold cement. They are getting to be so much fun! I have a video, but I probably won't get around to uploading this weekend and by that time I'll probably have a new one to put on!

May 19

2009-05-19T15:00:00.000-07:00

There's no real big news at this time, the pups will be a month old tomorrow, and its amazing to see how they have grown in only four weeks time. Each day when I let them out the move faster and farther. I really struggled last night to get good pictures because they move so quickly now! Some of my nieces and nephews came over and played with the pups for a while. They love every chance they get to see them and hold them. It was pretty fun to watch the puppies chase around my younger nephew. They are now big enough to feed from Belle when she's standing up, so they follow her around and try get a drink every chance they get.

Loving The Great Outdoors

2009-05-16T17:00:00.000-07:00

As you can all tell I got a few pictures of the pups today! It's amazing to see how much they have grown and progressed in just two days. On Thursday I dewormed them, and then took them outside for just a little while to see how they would react to their new surroundings. On Thursday they just all cuddled up in a ball and lay there. They had just eaten so maybe their bellies were full and were content, but today was a totally different scenario. I let them run outside for a while again and they were all over the place. They put their little noses to the ground and really explored the new environment. They were really investigating things and some of them were more content exploring on their own than others. Others would whine a little when they found themselves alone then would hurry to catch up with their siblings. They are growing up so fast and turning into beautiful pups! I also had to change from carpet to wood chips yesterday because the mess is continually getting larger. I changed carpet on Thursday and by Friday morning it was a complete mess so I decided it was time to put them on wood chips to make my job a little easier. They still have just a little square of carpet on top of the wood bedding that they really love to sleep on. Its pretty cute to watch how they all pile on top of each other when it is nap time. Now that they are really exploring I plan to take them out everyday to see how they react to different challenges outside. I also spent a little time and separated the males from females today to see who does what and get a better feel for the pups. This the first time I've done so and its kind of fun to compare the pups this way. I hope you enjoy all the new pics and they are all doing great! I don't know if you guys realized this or not, but if you click on the pictures in the blog it enlarges them so you can get a better look at the pups.

May 11, 2009

2009-05-11T22:49:00.000-07:00

The pups are doing great and they are getting into their cute and cuddly stage as you can see from the video. They are getting pretty steady on all 4's and they are getting to be a lot of fun. One of these next couple days I hope to get them all outside so they can explore the outdoors for a little while. I don't think its possible to find a cuter puppy than a lab at this stage! They are a joy to have around! A few of you have been emailing me about times to come and either look at the pups and when they can pick them up. I know one of the pups is a birthday present and will need to go home by June 16-18 somewhere in there (Which is right at 8 weeks). That pup is the the 6th female, so all of the others should start thinking about when you would like to come out and take a look and when for sure you want to pick out your pups. You all should know your order, but if you have any questions about that just shoot me an email. I have one guy thinking about coming down Memorial Weekend and if there are others that are interested let me know and we could have a little puppy party! I know there are a few people coming from Eastern Iowa and a few others coming from the Minneapolis area so if some if you are interested riding out together let me know and I can give you each others contact info to arrange that. If another weekend/ weekday works better for you, let me know and we will start setting up times. At around 5 weeks of age, I will be marking the pups so I can keep them apart. I can tell most of them apart now, but they grow so fast and change so quickly that I want to have something to help me keep them separated. The time is just flying by and I am really looking forward to meeting all of you and seeing the new families of Belle's pups. It's really a blessing to know that all of you have a deep interest in the pups and will love them the way we love them and that makes parting with them much easier. Shoot me an email with when you think you want to come and look at the pups and when you want to pick your pup out so that I can start getting everything situated and in order for pick up dates. It seems like its a long ways off, but it is coming too quickly.

2 Weeks old

2009-05-07T23:00:00.000-07:00

It seems like so much has changed in only two weeks time. The pups go from barely scooting around to starting to walk on all fours. They are a bit wobbly, and won't be winning any agility competitions in the next week, but they are starting to stand and get around pretty good. My daughter called me two nights ago all excited because the first pups eyes were starting to open up! By now they are all opened up but still a little hazy but thats probably ok by them then they don't have to stare at my ugly mug!

Here's a picture of a couple of the pups and my daughter Maddy. I'm not sure who is cuter the pups or her??? Here you can see their beatiful eyes and how much she loves them! They got to come in the house for the first time tonite, but only to get their pictures taken. The time is really flying by they're only 2 weeks old, but in less than 6 weeks they will be leaving us! Just wanted you all to see the face of the cute little girl you that you will be breaking the heart of!!

I also introduced the pups their first real bird tonite as you can see from the picture. Well, I guess if you call a mounted bird "real" then they got to see their first pheasant. I was honestly quite shocked they all got really birdy and 3 out of the 10 held a good 5 second point! I guess they are fast learners!!!! Ok then again maybe they weren't birdy and maybe they didn't point the bird yet, but they all kept wanting to fall asleep with their little noses in the direction of the bird so maybe thats a good sign. We had to keep arranging them because otherwise we had all butts and no heads in the picture.

Taking Belle for a Swim

2009-05-05T13:54:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple videos of Belle in action. It was pretty nice out today, so I took her to Sandy Hollow to swim and catch a break from the pups. She's fun to watch, and I can't wait until its warm enough and the pups are big enough to experience their first swim with mom. Forgive my camera work, I was trying to throw the dummy and record at the same time. I thought you would enjoy seeing how Belle enters the water. She's probably a little slower going into the water than usual carrying those extra bags around on her belly, but it doesn't seem to bother her too much.

Day 11

2009-05-04T20:35:00.000-07:00

As you can see from the pictures they pretty much eat and sleep and from what I can tell from the little guy on the right are living the good life! Looks to me like they are pretty relaxed and its always fun to go in and check on them and see what kind of weird position they are sleeping in. They have really grown in the last couple days and they are so close to opening their eyes. They are starting to move on all fours instead of just scooting themselves along. They are pretty unsteady yet, but it wont be long and they will moving along pretty fast and I'll need reinforcements to help me keep up with them.

Day 7- 1 Week Old today

2009-04-30T20:54:00.001-07:00

The pups are growing like weeds as you can tell from the pictures. I am thinking their eyes will be opening any day now, and they are really starting to get around. I can tell because Belle spends less and less time in the whelping box, and more time laying out on the step to the patio. Now she pretty much goes in to feed and clean up, and leaves again or the little ones pretty much will attack her non-stop. Its hard to imagine that a week has gone by already, and I guess that means all of you are now one week closer to taking the newest member of your family home. The time just seems to pass by so quickly for me (probably seems like its standing still for you that are waiting for a pup) Before long we'll be taking them outside and playing with them and then I'll be responsible for cleaning up after them too. Its a pretty big job when there's 10 running around, but its a good thing I love doing it. Anyway just wanted to let you know the pups are still doing great, and I'll continue to keep you updated.

Day 4

2009-04-27T15:28:00.000-07:00

This is my first attempt of trying to attach a video to the blog so I hope it turns out. I went out to check on Belle and the puppies and when Belle jumped out the pups started moving around like crazy. Well most of them except the 3 lazy ones on the rightside sleeping on the heated mat. (I won't name names at this point but if it happens again I'll be sure to tell you who the guilty party is!) It just came to me that getting a video would be a good idea so I grabbed the camera and shot a little footage for you guys! I don't know if it will turn out or not since I'm kind of a rookie when it comes to this blog thing but it was worth a shot. The pups are doing great as you can see, and I hope you enjoy seeing your little guys/gals in action.

2009-04-26T14:33:00.000-07:00

Day 3 is here and the pups are doing well and growing like weeds. It's pretty amazing to watch and see how they have grown in only 3 days, and how much quicker they scoot around! It's so fun for me to watch how each day the pups change and how they grow! My son and I clipped their dew claws this afternoon, so for a little while they weren't very happy with me, but sometime down the rode I know they'll thank me! Belle is also doing as well as I think she has ever done after having 10 pups. Her weight is back to normal and she looks really good! In the past I have had a tough time keeping the weight on her because the pups have sucked her dry. They are eating well, and still sleeping most of their days away, but I can definately tell they are moving around more and progressing very well. We still can't wait until their eyes open up and they are big enough to take outside to explore their new environment. Belle is such a trusting and loving mother, she watched the whole process of the dew claws and even though her little pups were squeeling she knew that she could trust them with us. Once they were back in the whelping box she gave them a quick inspection and they were back to feeding and just as content as they were before we poked and prodded them. My daughter keeps wondering when she can hold them, and I keep reminding her in about a week when their eyes open up. The pups are a pretty big hit in the neighborhood with all of Maddy's friends. They stop by quite frequently and ask if they can see the pups. So it's safe to say they are already getting used to being in the limelight and getting attention. Belle just sits there with a proud look on her face at her wonderful creation. That's one thing that has always amazed me about Belle and how it doesn't matter who is in looking at the pups she is just as calm and loving to new people as she is to our family.

More Pics of Belle

2009-03-02T12:30:00.000-08:00

2009 SD State Pheasant Championship 1st Place Mixed Doubles Division!!! Just recently March 7th and 8th my 12 year old son and I participated in the SD State Pheasant Championship. We placed first in our division capturing the SD State Title with a 5 minute 46 second 4 bird run! Not bad for a 12 year old boy! I was very proud at the fact that he was responsible for 2 of the 4 kills considering a lot of guys running the division will run with a young adult, but don't give them the oppurtunity to shoot. I take much more pride in my son being able to prove he can compete with much more experienced guys and it just goes to show the abilities of Belle are second to none!

Okoboji Bird Dog challenge. Belle's first crack at the competition! Spring 2007! At just 2 years of age, my brother and I decided to try our hand at competition. We had been watching BDC and other events on TV, but we didn't know what to expect. Belle was able to bag 5 birds in 18min and 12 seconds. Although the time wasnt as good as it could have been because of 2 missed shots on our part it was good enough for a first place finish in the flushing division with a score of 343.55. It was also the 3rd highest flushing score in the history of the Bird Dog Challenge! View the results here!http://www.okobojigamefarm.com/Giundog%20results%2007.htm

Belle and My son Austin's 1st Bird! Youth Pheasant season 2007. Belle locked on point and Austin dropped it with his .410 the bird wasn't hit very hard and ran 100 yards weaving its way through the CRP, but Belle tracked it down and gave my son his first official bird! I was very proud of the both of them, and if it wasn't for Belle we would have easily lost this milestone in my son's life!

Winter 2007. With the season nearing the end and snow on the ground my brother and I decided to hit up some local hot spots for one last rendezvous in Early January. Pictured right is Belle and her son "Gunner". We got into a lot of birds this chilly January morning, and the extra work of tromping through the thick snow payed off. We were able to limit out in about 2 hours time!

Belle's first birds! Late October 2005 Opening Pheasant weekend in Iowa! After months of training, we finally got to put the long hours and work to good use. Opening weekend Belle and I hunted some grassy waterways and she got her first sense of what real hunting was. She very quickly learned that wild pheasants weren't as predictable as the training we did in the offseason. She flushed a few hens which were running ahead and then looked at me as in disbelief as if I was crazy for not shooting. Next she pointed a rooster which I put a good bead on and dropped. It was a clean retrieve and her first bagged bird. The next rooster didn't come quite as easy though. I winged the bird, and Belle wouldn't give up! After about 15 minutes of combing the same area, I finally called her off and walked the remainder of the waterway. On the way back through she caught scent and got real birdy at the same location I pulled her off the downed bird. Shortly after, she was down in the water under the bank digging through through the grass. Out came Belle and rooster #2 still alive and kicking. Upon further inspection I realized that what I was seeing was actually true. Belle had found the wounded bird tucked up under the bank in a thick patch of grass! From then on, I knew I had a special dog!

Belle

2009-03-02T10:37:00.001-08:00

Belle is a 50-55 pound female out of Raider and Forest lines. She is pure muscle and it shows out in the field! She has a never quit mentality and hunts strong all day long! Her marking and retrieving ability is second to none, and also quarters very well and covers a lot of ground in a hurry. She was first introduced to birds at a young age, and since then has hunted 3-4 days per week during the hunting season, mainly pheasant, and has developed into a national qualifier for phu(pheasant hunters unlimited) and also won the Okoboji Bird Dog challenge at only 2 years of age. Belle can compete with some of the finest dogs in the country when it comes to upland game! She will be competing March 14-15 at the National Tournament in Tekamah, NE and earned two bids to the National Tournament in only three attempts. She has also qualified for the NBDC Nationals(National Bird Dog Challenge as seen on the outdoor channel) this coming March as well. She is extremely intelligent and I pride myself in knowing that she has been trained personally by myself. From the day she came home with me she has lived to please me and retrieve. Whether it be a bird, bumper/dummy, tennis ball, or anything she can get her mouth around, she has never given up on a retrieve even at a very young age. People are amazed at the speed and tenacity she shows in the field, but she is also very calm around my kids and in the house. She knows that when its time to come in the house its time to settle down. She sleeps with my 12 year old son every night, and she even has her own blanky that she drags around the house and to bed every night. She is truly the perfect dog giving me everything I ask for in the field and knowing when to tone it down around children and in the house! Belle lives to hunt, lives to please, and is what I consider a best friend!