January 2016 Blog | chambraylabsnet

January 2016

Harsh January

Test the limits of all lives

Making them stronger

VS Herzon12

I am

what I appear to be

The love and passion that I have for Labrador Retrievers is what fuels my drive for my total involvement with the breed. The never-ending quest for the Betterment of the Breed is the legacy that I would

like to leave behind after it is all said and done.

This Blogging Off section reflects the "tell it like it is" persona that comprises one of the many hats that I wear in my daily activities with Labrador Retrievers and the people that own them.

"Questions are the keys to understanding,
answers are the open doors that will follow,

choosing the right door to proceed through will
determine if the correct path was taken."
V. Sandy Herzon

The Blogging Off Experience

These blogs will cover every Labrador-related topic under the sun and then sum/some! There will be puns intended, off the cuff remarks will rule, attempts at acerbic, acidic and arsed-like humor will be on the menu. Since I have lived outside of the box for most of my life, parameters need not apply.

January 26th

It's As Different As Night & Day..........You Make The Call

Know The Differences

All Labrador Puppies ARE NOT created equal!

Knowing the difference of where they were created and came from could be the difference between having a well-bred, healthy dog or an ill-bred not very healthy dog!

It is a simple as the preceding sentence, however the outcome between where those puppies originated could be a dog’s lifetime of emotional rollercoaster ride and tremendous health oriented expenses for the ill-informed puppy buyer.

At 8 weeks of age, they are all cute, fluffy and cuddly Teddy Bears, yet where they came from could be as different as night and day is. There’s a spectrum of sources where those cute puppies of all breeds are bred.

There are 5 Main Sources of Labradors in the US

#1. The majority of puppies being offered online through Internet sales come from the absolute worst places for a puppy to be born in. Mass produced, muck like chickens, pigs and other livestock in far off states where farming reigns supreme, however in these cases, this is more dog farming than anything else.

These are the puppies that end up at pet stores and are also peddled through Internet brokers posing as bona fide breeders. Doing a search on Google will result in these brokers coming up in the first pages of searches, they are also the ones that pay the search engines to be posted at the top of the results page!

The unsuspecting buying public doesn’t have a chance, because they don’t know the difference!

In many cases, these are high functioning commercial operators churning out the supply because of the demand. It is all about money, where profits dictate cutting all corners to make the highest return on the investment.

No quality control is status quo……………….getting them to market as quick as possible means less money spent on labor and less money used on food. Fudging on their age by 2 weeks means making a bigger pay check per puppy………………..so, what is claimed to be an 8 week old puppy, is really a 6 week old puppy that should still be part of the litter it was born in. More than 50% of all Labradors come from the mass producers.

#2. This isn’t an expose on the mass pet producers, so moving along we come upon the 2nd most provider of pet dogs……………..the proverbial ‘backyard breeder’!

Yep, could be your neighbor right down the street or even a relative that has a dog and wanted to have puppies so the ‘kids could see nature at work’. I wish I had a buck for every time I have heard that spiel, by now I would have a thousand dollars in my piggy bank!

More than likely, the dogs used in backyard litters probably came from the above mentioned mass produced puppy farms or factories…………………so in essence the quality or lack thereof is the same. From sardines come more sardines and never has as Goldfish come from the dalliance of two sardines!

Guestimates have the numbers of dog produced between the two prior mentioned sources, especially the wash and wear breed of Labradors s at well over 80% (50% from the mass producers and 30% from the backyard breeders) of all Labrador puppies produced in the US.

That is a lot of sardines!

#3. Moving up the dam's ladder of better sources to look into are the hobby breeders……………….those that have much better quality dogs and actually take the time and invest the money to do the minimum health clearances on the dogs they use to breed to produce the litters they will have. They still are into the production of animals as a source of income, so money here is still the major driving force for breeding.

Hobby Breeders produce about 15% of all Labrador in the US.

Hopefully these hobby breeders obtained their breeding stock from the best sources as follows below:

#4. Show Breeders: Show breeders have lots of pride in what they produce because they will take their best puppies and dogs and go compete with them against other top show breeders at sanctioned and licensed dogs shows and trials. So besides there being a financial payoff for their time, energy and financial investments, they are also out to improve their lot by doing what it takes to produce the best of what the individual breeds call for.

These breeders take what they do very personal because most have been into this as their lifelong passion and love. They go the extra mile to make sure that the puppies they produce are the best examples of the breed and have the best chances of being the healthiest since the sires and dams will have gone through all the health hurdle tests available for each breed.

This is by far and wide the best place to look into obtaining any dog from any breed.

Show Breeders account for 4.9999% of all Labradors produced!

So we have covered 4 out of the 5 Labrador sources.

So, what’s the 5th source and since the percentages from above have added up to 99.9999% that only leaves .0001% from somewhere else, but from where and from who?

Look no longer and guess no more, because right here, yes siree Bob, right in front of the chopped up door………… “Here’s Johnny”! Right here penning this blog……………..more like pecking, but we all know the snow drift here………………….that minutia of a percentage, a real iota of a number…………..more, actually way less than a whole number comes from Chambray! All 50 puppies per year out of the 500,000 or so Labrador produced each year in the good old USA come from Chambray, the best source of where Labrador puppies come from.

So, now you have the whole truth and nothing but the truth………………just the facts ma’am as Joe Friday on Dragnet would say although he really never said that phrase on any of the shows…………….but hey, it makes for great copy!

So, what makes this 5th source the pinnacle……………..the ultimate source of obtaining a Labrador puppy………….as the old saying goes…………………..I saved the best for last. I may be a bit prejudice, but reaching this place has taken me a lifetime with the breed…………..that’s 46 years and hopefully counting a few more.

If you haven’t reached the top, if you are not the best after almost half a century of doing what it takes to be the best…………………then maybe somewhere over the rainbow, way, way before spending this inordinate amount of time……………….4 decades and a half plus 1 year………………if after all that time a person doesn’t make it to be the best, then it was an utter waste of time!

But me thinks not and having the best is here and now. So, the absolute best source of a new member of the family is right here, right now at my little Labrador world!

So, for all those out there thinking about obtaining a Labrador puppy, it’s a 5 count source proposition.

Settling for the first 4 sources or striving for that one .00001% source. You make the call!

January 25th
Mums The Word When Nothings Worth Writing About

Writing for nothing better to do is as pointless as a dull cutlass!

Informative, innovative, sensory challenging thought on the other hand serves as a cutting edge tool to further the reader’s awareness and knowledge or at least make aware that other tangible ways of thinking exist!

The above in response to those that have been inquiring as to why some days go by and there isn’t a new blog available.

There are some days that I am so wrapped up with the dozens and dozens of the Chambray owners that I truly do not have a moment to spare to pen sharp, witty prose nor hash up opinionated topics to get the staid and stagnant waters flowing. Somedays nothing worthwhile surfaces, so waiting for a good rainy day makes perfect sense to my way of thinking.

So, what’s stirring in the Labrador world? Seems that a good topic of conversation at the Florida Winter Circuit these last 2 weeks was the dismal numbers of entries in the Labrador ring!

For the first time in 25 years there were absolutely no major pointed shows in the 2 weeks of shows, that’s 10 shows with not one major pointed day in either the male’s or the female’s classes……………….not even going Best Of Breed could have added up to being a major win in the Lab ring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttt”, comes to mind right away!

What in tarnation is going on? Where’s Waldo…………….well, maybe not Waldo, but where are the Labradors that usually number well into the 50’s, 60’s and even 70’s? As in the Cheer’s bar, “where everyone knows your name”!

Well, from the looks of the low entries, something or other has chased off 80% of those that usually make these January shows their natural calling…………………..their haunt if you will.

From the ‘talk of the town’ several big time handlers from the frigid, blizzard-shocked states shared with me that the judging slate was sucky at best………….guess what, la meme chose for me!

Yep, that buffet of personas was not a palatable one that I wanted to stand in a cold line for!

Before the deadline for entries was due way back in December, I advised my show dog owners that I was going to save them their hard-earned money by foregoing these judges and these shows……………………..which meant that I would not be making my hard-earned money from them……………a win situation for them and a not so much of a windfall one for me!

However, it was the right thing to do to send a message to those that conjure up these judging slates that maybe they need to become a little more innovative with whom they choose to come down to judge in the following years for the Florida Winter Circuit of shows.

January 22nd

Why Some Dogs Make It & Others Don't

Much like bees are attracted to bright flowers, so does success become a magnet for those seeking sweet results!

Chambray’s five-plus years of unequaled success on the national Labrador scene with Top Champion Labrador breeder 3 out of the last 4 years………………..overwhelming winning success at the last 3 years of Eukanuba National Championship competition and total domination in Florida the last 10 years in the Labrador ring has drawn lots attention in the form of queries as to how those inquiring can also achieve a higher level of their own success.

Most want to know why some dogs become champion and others fall by the wayside.

The answer is rather simple and extremely complicated!

Let’s cover the ‘simple’ aspect of the above sentence. From the total number of dogs that step foot/paw into a show ring, about 40% were born champions and 60% were not!

That means that 6 out of 10 dogs do not have what it takes to finish their AKC championship when there is above average competition in a given area.

That also means that 4 out of 10 have what it takes, from birth to be a champion of the breed!

That is the simplest form to explain the ‘why and therefore’ of some making it and others not!

So, let’s dispense with the 60% born ‘not show quality’ that actually walks into the show ring! No need to spend an inordinate amount of time explaining why the color red is not black.

Okay, now that we have answered the ‘why’ for many of those asking about their own dogs that didn’t make it………..are not making it and will not make it………………….let’s dive in head first into why those born with all the ‘right stuff’ get stuffed and likewise don’t make it!

Now, let’s add gobs of quandaries, quagmires, impasse, imbroglio, bad decision making, poor handling, financial dilemmas and other roadblocks and bumps in the road that can waylay a really great, born-champion into one of those that doesn’t make it to the promise land!

Yep, some dogs don’t have a chance from birth and others that do, are mangled up by a comedy and profusion of errors, which now leads me to this blog.

So, here is a list of 6 reasons why ‘born champions’ end up chumps instead of champs!

POOR DECISION MAKING! Yep, the #1 reason for a born champion to end up a ‘has been’! Owners not knowing………………like in ‘you don’t know what you don’t know’ and way too many owners DON’T KNOW DIDDLEY when it comes to making decisions for their dogs. I see it all the time in the ring where a really good dog is being totally ruined by the game plan and strategy that the owner is implementing………………actually lack of game plan and strategy is more like it
Poor Handling comes in 2nd. Be it the owner trying their own hand at showing their own dog or the owner handing the dog off to some ‘pretender’.
Lack of Funds. This reason has climbed up towards the top of the list in the last 5 years! More and more great dogs are being left behind because their owners can’t afford the cost of the campaign towards the AKC champion’s title.
Poor Training. Again, some exceptional dogs losing out on their chance to win because they are not in ‘show presentational mode’!
Owner Instability. This covers quite a bit of ground. Marital status discord or abrupt change…………….with relocations adding to instability………………………..health problems and changes and deaths in a family.
Level of Competition. This is very regional in scope. Some areas where competition is average level, the majority of dogs that are born champions will eventually finish. In Florida, the level of competition is at the highest level in the country with new puppies coming into the show scene every 6 months, dogs may take longer to earn their title and some may drop out before achieving the required points and majors.

January 19th

It's Almost Time!

For Labrador breeders, the validation of the breeding program comes at the dog shows where supposedly the best dogs from each of the areas breeders congregate for the chosen judge of the day to peruse through and select what that person deems to be the best. From the classes, the best male and the best female and from the Best Of Breed competition, the best Labrador overall should be the ones that come out victorious for the day, allowing their breeder/breeders to rejoice and take claim for a job well done as perpetuators of the breed.

That validation is the stamp of approval from others, from those judges that come with varying set of eyes and differing opinions as to what the breed standard is calling for. To have a consensus of opinion bodes really well for the game plan that is in effect for producing those dogs. Dogs that finish relatively at a young age shows that consensus and those that take years to finish or not finish shows how far off the consensus of what constitute top show quality is for that breeding program.

This past year in 2015 we witnessed the youngest ever female to finish from our breeding program, at 12 months and then a few months later, the youngest male at 10 months to win his champion’s title. Those events are totally unprecedented in the tough Florida circuit of shows! Talk about an overwhelming consensus of judges agreeing with their anointment of Winners Dog and Winners Bitch awards for a dog and a bitch to earn all the necessary points and major wins to champion out in 4 to 6 months of shows!

For both of those dogs, the validation continues as both young dogs continued showing as champions. The female, BBE Gr Ch Chambrays Eventful N Counter also becomes the youngest Chambray Grand Champion and at 18 months now has 5 Best Of Breeds to her resume, while the male BPIS Ch Chambrays Tank’d On The Boulevard has 4 Best Of Breeds, a Group 1 win a Best Puppy In Show, all by 12 months of age!

The ‘usual way of doing business’ in the Labrador ring was that dogs would average well over 2 years of showing before achieving the requirements of an AKC title. The Chambray way, has significantly changed the standard fare; the modus operandi where now our dogs average 1 year from start to finish.

Nothing invigorates me more than to be working with the newest addition to the betterment of the breed. These will be the next wave of young dogs that will debut soon in front of those that make up the consensus pool, those with the power of validating the next generation of produce from our breeding program.

Of special interest………special occasion, will be that the 2016 debutantes will make their first appearances right in their own backyard, in front of the home crowd with back-to-back South Florida weekends of AKC shows.

First venue will be the West Palm Beach shows on March 12/13 and then the following week at the Davie Rodeo Arena on March 19/20.

With those youngsters puppies will also be their owners, some attending their very 1st shows ever, so newbie puppies and newbie owners! Keep in mind that for the last 16 years, each new generation of puppies and owners were gently brought on board through the International weekend of shows and then gradually introduced to the ‘major leagues’, the NFL, the pros………………….. the AKC shows!

Well, times have changed and the bar has been set so high that we are foregoing the primary learning levels and ascending right to the top with this generation of offerings for the betterment of the breed.

These puppies will be joining our top show dogs, most youngsters themselves from last year’s group the Class of 2015 for the exact same Winners Dog and Winners Bitch points and in some cases, the Best Of Breeds awards!

What a spectacular event this will be for the Chambray Owners! Right here in our own bailiwick, our own stomping grounds the debut of our newest generation of Chambray dogs together with our stellar lineup of the best show Labradors in Florida and beyond!

January 18th

Listen To The Rhythm Of The Falling Rain

Complacency is the archrival of advancement……………….that you heard right here from me!

To sit back and pat one’s own back with self-adulation is a sure-fire recipe for the beginning of the end for any reasonable expectations of raising the bar with better.

The above 2 sentences, my answers to a couple of communications received.

“With all the winning you all do, you would think that you would sit back and let others have their 15 minutes of fame!”

“Is there a point that you are satisfied with your accomplishments and enjoy your achievements?”

“No” and “No”!

Can’t make it any simpler for a simpleton! No and No again. No sitting back when there is much more to do. The betterment of the breed is only served by those that refuse seconds…………….only the best is good enough and any less is not good at all!

There is no compromising, even if it means non-acceptance by the conformist. What do I care if those lagging behind don’t like me personally……………..how is not liking me going to impact the betterment of the breed? It’s not going to in the least bit, so non-acceptance is the least criteria in my betterment of the breed agenda.

Mediocrity is at an all-time high because way too many are more than willing to settle for 2nd best or all the lesser rests that come with accepting the run of the mill instead of reaching for better that may seem to be just beyond what may be attainable. Just ‘seeing’ that better can be had is a step towards that betterment credo.

I tried my best explaining that just today! Had an evaluation appointment come over with a dog that had just been obtained from what they thought was a ‘top show breeder’. This dog was supposedly a ‘keeper’, however the breeder was ‘willing to part with it for the right amount of money’!

Boy have I heard that doozy before! That line must be loaded with oozing bait of some kind because time and time again, folk just trip all over themselves taking a blind bite, only to be snagged over and over again!

First of all, the breeder has zilch credentials as a ‘top show breeder’! The breeder has amassed a cadre of dogs from a couple of ‘car salesmen’ breeders willing to part with some of their ‘best’ dogs for the ‘right kind of money’!

Where have we heard that before?

Just to make sure I was standing on firm ground, I did a little search on the Internet and sure enough, I landed on the ‘chock full of nuts’………………….in this case ‘chock full of dogs’ website with dogs bred by that breeder. I took a few minutes to follow back on the pedigrees for the pictured dogs they have listed as their ‘males’ and their ‘females’ and sure enough they have been dabbling for quite some time producing dogs. There was not one champion dog with their kennel name going back the ‘proud’ amount of years they have been ‘hackers’ with the breed.

So, here I was standing at my front gate about to let in another ‘proud’ owner that was about to be handed some unwelcomed news!

Yep, another case of the messenger getting his head lopped off because the news was not what the doctored ordered!

To cut to the chase, lessening the story to its conclusion without much of a buildup………………….the verdict: NOT SHOW QUALITY! THEREFORE, NO HOPE FOR USE AS A STUD DOG!

“I saw a champion dog that was there on the premise” was the feeble comeback of the now floundering non-show dog owner.

Looking back over the pedigree that this disillusioned owner had just handed me, “There isn’t one single show champion in the 4 generations you have here for your dog!”

So in essence the closest that purported champion that was shown to her ever got to the sire or dam of this dog was maybe standing next to it! That will never, ever pass any DNA matter over to any dog. Close is never close enough in being an ancestor or descendent……………….there must be a genetic connection. Merely having a dog present in a kennel that was ‘made’ into a champion will never ever contribute anything to any of the other dogs that may be present in the same area!

Even breeding that champion, which I am sure has seen it fair share of litters, doesn’t mean that it will produce any like her!

Maybe not understanding anything I was explaining to the non-show dog owner, she stated that she would lower her demands for the stud service fee from the 2 puppies she was going to ask for and instead she would only charge 1 puppy back from any breeding her dog would do.

Of course I explained that she would have to wait over 18 months, as the dog she had with her was only 7 months old! Of course it would need to jump over so many hurdles, way, way before she should offer any dis-service to the breed with the dog.

It seems that neither parent had any DNA testing nor X-rays procedures done to determine the breeding value of the sire or the dam. So, the chances of this dog possessing those clearances were nil to none.

Now, as a provider of my time to educate folk in the ways of better Labradors, I can sympathize with anyone that makes a mistake and learns from it. However, I will not hold near and dear anyone that doesn’t want to hear it, that doesn’t take the time to listen and learn when it’s being offered gratis!

To those, I will lambast here at the blogs and every chance I get person to person.

Do the right thing with the breed or face the music from me.

January 18th

Chambray & Conventional Wisdom

Conventional wisdom suggests that a young dog that achieves its AKC championship be ‘put up’ for a period of time for it to grow, develop, mature and thus be ready for the Best Of Breed competition against the stud-like, virile, ring-wise, hardened and competitive males that have been seasoned with age and multiple trips around the block!

In the past, dogs were campaigned as champions, ‘specialed’ if you will when they were at their maturity peak of 3 to 3 ½ years old.

So, a dog that was finished before then was put on the back burner for a period of time since it would be going up against those other dogs that were perceived to be the frontrunners and thus likeliest to win those coveted Best Of Breed awards.

Conventional wisdom, meet the Chambray way of doing things!

In 2014 we finished one of our boys at 18 months of age and that same day moved him on up to the BOB competition. Before he was 2 years old, he had taken multiple BOBs and two Group 1’s and he was ranked in the Top 5 USA. That dog now turns 3 years old in March and he ends up the 2015 dog shows season with a;

Canine Chronicle USA #2 Gr Ch Pts,
USA #5 All-Breed and
USA #6 Breed and a
Dog News #3 USA Labrador in their combined ranking's system!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

His resume includes;

30 Best Of Breeds,
11 Group Placements,
1 Best In Specialty Show win,
1 Judges Award of Excellence at Eukanuba……………

and all that before conventional wisdom suggested he be campaigned before he was 3 years old, which he isn't yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By the way, that dog is BISS Bronze Gr Ch Chambrays Tucker Everlasting JAE JAMSS.

By the way some more, all that winning is 50% of a dog’s value to the Betterment of the Breed……………….brace yourselves as the other 50% of a dog’s worth is about to hit a theater near you! The debut of his first get at the dog shows!

Well, conventional wisdom is now being challenged with an even more ludicrous proposition! How about a puppy that finishes its title at 10 months of age and is thrown into the lion’s den with those seasoned champions? What are the chances that any success will come from bucking the established way of doing things with an even more ridiculous assumption?

We all know what happens with assumptions, right?

Well, conventional wisdom took a serious whopping this weekend at the Brooksville shows with that puppy taking his 3rd Best Of Breed right on the day of his first birthday! Yep, went Best Of Breed over 3 season veterans…………one of those a Top 10 ranked Labrador, another an LRC Best In Specialty Show winner. Then to seal the deal, he goes Best Of Breed again (his 4th and only 1 year old), taking 2 BOBs and 2 Select Gr Champion over competition in 4 days of showing!

Interesting thing about conventional wisdom…………….after a while of things happening a certain way, it will adjust its way of thinking and whatever becomes the modus operandi that is working, becomes the new conventional wisdom.

At Chambray Labradors we take conventional wisdom to a new level with all our ways of doing things………..the Chambray way!

Chambray Labradors ahead of its time and showing the way for conventional wisdom to follow!

January 16

Ring Around The Rosie

Every time that I post a blog about winning, there inevitably will be those that chirp in with ninny comments such as “It’s not all about winning, it’s how you play the game” or “I show my dogs for the fun of it”.

Yep, the woodwork is full of all types and sure as a belch will come with indigestion, so too will those come out squirming that have a soft or no spine at all.

Hey, nothing wrong with those types as long as they are attending a ‘Do-gooder’s Convention’. There they can revel in all the backslappings, gushing platitudes, handholding and singing Ring Around the Rosie…………………….a bunch of 'posies’ that ultimately all fall down!

Well, homeys and homettes, there’s no hand holding and there are no more Rosy’s to play games at a dog show!

This is where the best dogs from each breed come to for one dog to reign supreme! If a person has fun doing all the things that it takes to be a winner and then joins Peter, Paul and Mary to sing Kumbaya, then whip out the drums, the hula skirts, the bagpipes, the maracas and like the Flintstones, “Let’s have a good old time”!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, we will be cutting the same old, same old rug, dancing the same jig, doing what it takes to have the best dogs of the breed, raised with passion and enthusiasm, trained and conditioned to perform to the best of their given ability and then taken in the ring to stand toe to toe with the best that other breeders, exhibitors and handlers are able to come up with and in the best of the best cliché’s that I can come with up for the moment, let the best dog win!

I know that I am having one of those great old times doing just that. I will let folk know when we don’t win and how much fun that will be.

January 15th

Whistling Dixie

The Chambray Weekend Winning Ways is now extended to 124 consecutive dog shows weekends! That unfathomable streak now spans from January 2012 to January 2016!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This dog show weekend in Brooksville FL, which is part of the Florida January Winter Circuit……………..is traditionally considered to be the toughest 10 to 12 days of shows in the entire country, two weeks of shows attended by handlers from NJ, NY, PA, CT, MA, other NE states, the Carolinas and surrounding states and those just across the state line and to the west of the sunshine state.

Professional handlers loading up truckloads of Labs from as many top northern breeders as would finance the ride down to their usual stomping grounds for those ‘easy wins against those Florida dogs’!

Yep, just like Jed Clampett did back in the day, the northern pros ‘loaded up the truck and headed to Beverly’, well, in this case those loaders headed south away from their frozen tundra grounds and came to the sunnyside up state where it was envisioned as ‘easy pickins against the local yokels'!

I still remember when ‘they’ used to say…………….Chambray can’t win at the Winter Circuit. Of course those ‘theys’ have been mums for over a decade now when the Chambray team and dogs started to prove the old ways wrong!

The ‘business as usual’ days are long gone and so are the majority of those ‘raiders’ that had it easy back then. Most now stop long before they cross the Florida Georgia Line (little play on words there with the band of the same name)!

It wasn’t too long ago that those naysayers and doubtcasters were humming the same tune with the week of shows at the Eukanuba National Championships. Talk about a real tough venue to score one win at……………………for the Eukanuba, the handlers, breeders, exhibitors and owners come from all 50 states…………………………………and whichever country is riding the current crest of financial fortunes.

The last couple of years we have seen syndicates, not just individuals, from China with top dogs they have accumulated and with pocket full of dollars offering insane amounts to dogs they would like to add to their amassed credentials.

Yep, ‘Chambray can’t win against the top national dogs’! Well, three years straight at the Eukanuba week of shows, Chambray dogs have been the winningest dogs there, so let’s name that tune something else!

So, with only 1 class dog showing and 1 champion at the 2016 Florida Winter Circuit, Chambray scores a Winners Dog with one and a Select Grand Champion over competition with the other dog. That’s a 14-month old winning points and an 11-month old taking a Select Gr Ch against top-notch northern champions!

Since I can’t sing, I will just whistle Dixie right about now.

January 13th 2016

27 Years And Counting

Tonight we started our 27th year of night training classes. I was 39 years old when I first gazed out at my first-ever group of wide-eyed dog owners standing in front of me in 1989.

Doing the math, that makes me 66 years old……………………………man, that’s a lot of years to be involved with dogs and their owners.

Those classes started out right here at Chambray acres, at first out in the street and swale area from the edge of what was a rough dirt road to the fence of my property; which at the time was fine and dandy as there was very little traffic way out here at the end of civilization.

The road was eventually paved, which made it much easier for us to navigate with our dogs, but that also brought out more cars for us to dodge while we concentrated on getting those dogs to work.

In 1992, this area out here where I settled on 19 years earlier was hit with what was at the time the worst natural disaster that ever hit the USA. That was Hurricane Andrew causing over 9 billion dollars’ worth of damage to over 200,000 homes, business and farms, not to mention totally flattening Homestead Airforce Base and anything else that was built with less fortification!

That list of destruction also included all of Chambray Acres…………….our home, our fruit farm, our newly built dog training facility………………………everything we had……….gone with the wind!

So, 4 months later, we were given a reprieve…………………….the good folk from FPL Corporation allowed us to hold court with our dog training at their main headquarters in town. Thus began 20 years of two nights a week classes in town, away from Chambray Acres.

We had it made in the shade over at the FPL parking lot. We had a 10-acres parking lot, totally fenced in with lights galore that they kept on for us until we finished up at 9 PM every Tuesday and Thursday night!

As a payback to FPL, we offered all of their employees, free dog training! So over those two decades at the FPL parking lot, we saw hundreds and hundreds of dogs owned by FPL workers. We also saw thousands and thousands of owner and dogs from all of South Florida.

We averaged over 30 dogs per night there, so figure about 60 attendees per week or about 200 dogs a month. That probably added up to about 2000 attendees per year…………………times 20 years………………..well you do the math!

FPL moved out of town and up the coast to Satellite Beach 3 years ago and we then moved back to Chambray Acres, rebuilding some of the old training facility that was swept away by the 200 mile an hour winds back in 1992.

Today, our training area is a 7-day a week operation that employs 5 people and sees well over 100 dogs during those 7 days of training, conditioning, rehab and breeding. Although 75% of our business involves Labrador Retrievers, we also see dozens of other breeds that are also part of our dog handling business.

The class tonight was the first night of a 4-Week CGC Training and Testing Course. Since the AKC instituted the CGC, we have trained and tested over 1000 dogs, with over 97% success in passing the test and earning the CGC title.

The times have changed since that very first class that I assembled out in the middle of the dirt road that is now a paved “take your life in your hands if you even walk out there now” speed way. Those that visit out here with me under the shade trees know what I am talking about.

Things have changed quite a bit since those early days here at Chambray………………….I am much older, slower, pudgier and have no hair……………………..what hasn’t changed is the wide-eyed look on my dog owners standing out in front of me………………………now there is my 26-year daughter doing a lot of the teaching/talking, where before she was just something that newly married people think about having

I like to think that we have made a difference in the Labrador world, at least those around Florida and especially the South Florida area.

Something that hasn’t changed is my love and passion for what I do with Labrador Retrievers, even if I am older, slower and pudgier and bald.

January 12

Full Circle Of Life Under The Old Orchid Trees

Several dozen great folk have visited here with me at Chambray Acres since our last dog shows at the recent 2015 Eukanuba…….actually now a month ago in Orlando Fl.

What a great thrill it is for me to sit out under the trees, the very trees that I planted as little seedlings some 40 years ago……….to sit and revel in our mutual love and passion for our Labrador Retrievers…….many of those dogs, ones that I conjured up before they were even conceived and here they, the dogs and their owners come to visit with me, allowing me to see them once again and also to thank each of those owners for the great lives they have given each of those dogs that I planted with each of them.

There was the 13-year old black male………………now more grizzled with gray throughout his body than the black hair he left here at 8 weeks of age………………… I had not seen him since he was a 6-month old as he and his owners packed up their bags and belongings and moved up the Interstate to NC………………..he now an old-timer Lab coming by to see his now old-timer creator! His owners, then the youthful joggers and hikers they were at the end of their forties; now entering retirement age…………….now less foot pedestrians and more oriented vehicle-driven……………driving south down from the Carolinas to the Keys, wanting to drop by and say “Hey” and let Tobias see me one more time before the sun sets on our lives. Tobias, never set foot or paw in the show ring, but show well he did, all around this great country of ours, everywhere his owners ventured to, he serving as an ambassador of the breed.

Then there was the big yellow boy that I placed with the big fella and the Pretty Lady that flew all the way down from high altitudes of where pilots choose to live in Utah…………….came all the way as far south in the continental and contiguous unionized states where a Labrador Retriever breeder dwells to take back to those Rocky highs………..they by-passing along the way many that big fella says he ‘looked into’ before taking the leap of faith and heading down to my little neck of the woods for what he described as ‘maybe his last Labrador from the many he has had!’……………….……..fortunately for me several years later they all ended up migrating to where winters are balmy and shorts and short-sleeve shirts prevail all year and here they too were to come and sit under the trees with me. Of course, now that yellow big boy, an AKC Grand champion is a contributor to the betterment of the breed and occasionally visits the ladies in waiting both her in South Florida and also by FedEx proxy beyond to places where this “Famous” boy once frolicked in snow covered fields and ice-hardened streams.

There was also the big black boy from a catty-corner Pacific coast state across from Florida, his breeders longtime top breeders from there; that boy now living with his owners in upstate Big Apple state, part time dweller of the Sunny state too, coming to spread his seed to our specially chosen girl…………..not just any girl that also came to visit me here at Chambray Acres……………this being the one and only……….only Best In Show winning girl ever from Florida……………….only USA #1 ranked female Labrador from Florida………….most decorated female Labrador from Florida……………….this now highly anticipated union…………………..highly anticipated by those that appreciate the all out and out betterment of the breed credo, goal, mission of Chambray and all those that have joined our efforts for the correct perpetuation of the breed. Yes, both owners of said dogs sat comfy with me under my decades-long nurtured trees to share our vision for puppies that will make us all very proud a wee bit down the road……………………….those puppies will be spread out to those that value our love and passion for doing what’s right for the breed and they too will be welcomed down the road with their dogs in tow to visit with me and sit under the old shade trees.

There was the long-time loyal Chambray owner that also came along to reminisce under those same flowering Hong Kong Orchid trees, botanically Bauhinia blakeana. She an owner of the first-ever Best In Show winning Labrador from the great sunshine state, he now gone from our present company, but his get, grand get and great grand get and beyond get remind us daily of his unforgettable contributions that what we all know has been one of the greatest collective efforts by all those owners that allied themselves with Chambray way before his own grandsire was conceived on the shores across the Big Pond where the breed originated. This sunny side owner awaiting her 3rd Chambray dog, one from the promised vision of the union of the prior mentioned visitors and their dogs, the puppies from that mating to be 10th generation Chambray produce and the great thing is that this new puppy-to-be will be a great granddaughter of her very own Best In Show winning Chambray Labrador.

There was the visit from a Chambray owner from 1989………….that family on their 4th Chambray dog……………now their kids…….well kids when they were first here, now they are in their mid-20’s and some in their early 30’s………………………those kids played with my kids on the famous sand mound where hundreds of puppies have played for over 40 years in the front yard that is surrounded by those great orchid trees! That well-known family, he a team doctor to the Dolphins, Panthers and Marlins now start the adventure all over again with a brand new Chambray puppy.

Nowhere is the full circle of life more evident than under the shade trees at Chambray Acres, so many wonderful stories that can be told about so many wonderful people and families that have joined us in the celebration of our love for Labrador Retrievers………….so many memories……………….my do I cherish those memories and each and every day I thank God for the wonderful owners that have graced my life and have given my dogs the greatest homes that a dog could ever want and deserve!

January 11th

Forget Me Not

Several blogs ago, I laid out our show prospectus for most of our class dogs for the next couple of months, especially the chronicling of some of our more impressive puppies that will debut at the AKC shows soon.

Inadvertently and on purpose, I left out a few dogs that are also in the mix of things for showing and those owners let me know a thing or two. Of course, it did provide me with the opportunity to let those owners know that unless we get to work with those dogs, that they will each be way behind the proverbial eight ball by those who are diligently staying on top of things with their dogs.

I also did not cover much about the Chambray specials, our champion dogs that have led the way and have been winning the top awards of the breed, Best Of Breeds in Florida and accumulating the necessary points to make the Top 10 USA Labradors 5 years in a row! I did cover our 2 youngster champions in that blog, Gr Ch BBE Ch Chambrays Eventful N Counter and newly crowned 11-month old BISP Ch Chambrays Tank’d On The Boulevard, going for his Grand Champions title………………………an unheard of feat for a puppy to even be considered for!

So, let's cover our top dogs, Florida's winningest Champions for 2015 and watch for them now in the New Year!

Florida’s #1 Labrador in all categories…………..Grand Champion pts, Breed pts and All-Breed pts, the Dog News USA #3 Labrador, BISS Bronze Gr Ch Chambrays Tucker Everlasting CGC JAE JAMSS will more than likely take off where we left off in 2015. He is now being superbly handled by Eliades Betancourt who took him to a Judge Award of Excellence at the 2015 Eukanuba. Tucker now just lacks 17 points for his Silver Grand Champion’s title, which he assuredly will garner in the coming weeks of the New Year

Finishing in the USA Top 25 for the 2nd year in a row (2014 #10 and 2015 #23) is our Eukanuba rockstar, BBE Bronze Gr Ch Chambrays Ruff Jewel Walter. Make that 2 years in a row Eukanuba superstar, because in 2014 Walter won a JAMSS at the Eukanuba LRC Specialty and then a JAE at the 2014 Eukanuba the next day and then this year in 2015, he tops that all off with winning the most breeder-intensive award at the Eukanuba National Championships, the BEST OF BREED Bred By Exhibitor Award and then on top of that is also awarded the 2015 Select Grand Champion award! For 2016 Walter will be showing at selected shows to capture the Silver Grand Champion’s title, a truly befitting crown for a truly befitting champion of champions!

Grand Ch WinQuest Chambray Famous Amos will also be working the Best Of Breed ring at selected shows as well as we works towards his Bronze Grand Champions title. At the 2015 Eukanuba, with more than 50 of the top champions in the country and from abroad, Amos made the first cut, a truly prestigious moment as all 5 of the Chambray champions were among the 12 champions that the judge narrowed it down to before making his final selections where Walter ended up with up with the Select Grand Champion awards and the BOB Bred By Exhibitor award and Tucker received the JAE. We feel that Amos is now truly at the top of his game as a bona fide special’s contender and will capture the Bronze in short order.

Several of our finished champions have been put on the back burner because of the great numbers of awesome champions we have been blessed with. Gr Ch Chambrays Razor’s Edge Thunderstruck “Bob”, BBE Ch Chambrays Stellar Thunder “Rico” and AKC Ch/Col FCI Ch Chambrays Maxed N Counter……………………..all 3 world class champions have been sitting on the sidelines while Tucker, Walter and Amos dominated the Best Of Breeds from Florida in 2015, any of them can be added to the mix at any time in 2016.

Now as sure as the sun will set, I probably forgot someone's dog, so stay tuned for more to come.

January 10th

Watching The Tide Roll

Labrador Breeders come and go like the tide’s ebb and flow.

Some, like the flight of a butterfly, last but a scant moment in time, others endure or persist, depending on their value or lack thereof to the betterment of the breed for about a decade…………………very few can be counted on to traverse through a decade and a half and those with 2 full decades to 3 decades can be counted on the fingers of one hand sans the thumb!

In my now 46 years of involvement with the breed right here in the exact same place as when I first started with the very first black male Labrador, I like Otis Redding have sat on the dock of the bay watching the tide roll away…………………………watching the tide roll back in and out again 4 decades and 6 years’ worth!

I have seen hundreds of well-intended and maybe not so well-intended folk get in and get out of breeding Labradors. There’s not many left from the 1970’s, 80’s or even the 90’s and the newer types that have been into the breed since the turn of the century have yet to really make a name for themselves.

Oh, some are producing their fair bevy of litters and puppies; so production-wise that's happening for sure, it’s the perpetuation of the betterment of the breed that still is in question for these upstarts!

The assessment of whether someone is moving on up the ladder of success for the betterment of the breed or dabbling in mediocrity or worse yet, going backwards with each succeeding generation of puppies produced becomes either delightfully evident by the 3rd generation of bred-by dogs by that person producing better or painfully obvious for those that just don’t have what it takes to become stalwarts of the breed.

Yes, by the upstart’s 3rd generation production of their very own bred-by dogs, the litmus paper is laid out as bare as a baby is born for all to see…………………..the big question being……………..whether they are going in the right direction or their vision and ability to get all the different processes in order and operational have gone south along the way.

Of course for the breed’s sake, I always hope that there are those that do come on board and that have all of the valuable tools that it takes to make it to be contributors for the succeeding generations of Labradors produced……………more so now that I can see down the road a bit, that my own contributions to the breed will by the aging process, nature’s way of bringing in the new……………my efforts will begin to decrease as more time passes over me.

Let’s see what 2016 brings to our wondrous breed, the Labrador Retriever.

January 6th

A Three Month Prospectus

In the dog show world, very few moments compare to the winning of a Best In Show!

Having savored that extreme ‘thrill of victory’ twice with Best In Shows and recently a third award that for me is even latitude, winning Best Of Breed Bred By Exhibitor at the 2015 Eukanuba National Championship………………….with a world-renown Labrador Breeder Judge making the final nod my way………..I know without a doubt that I have been blessed beyond dreaming.

There is another great moment of validation that a true blue breeder of champions feels, well at least this homey feels…………………………that’s the debut of the newest offerings for the betterment of the breed………………………the unveiling of the next generation of produce from those great dogs that were proclaimed as being worthy of those BISs and BOB BBE or whatever other lofty awards, achievements and accolades our dogs have received.

I am now giddy with excitement to show off those new puppies that are the product of 11 generations of Chambray! That’s decades of consistent ‘breeding the best to the best’……………………..then having the ability to select out the ‘best from the best’………………………….then place those best puppies with the newest generation of Chambray owners……………………those that were specially chosen to have placed with them those best puppies………………………..then doing all the great things along the way with those newly chosen owners and their newest offering for the betterment of the breed puppies………………………then taking them for the very first time into the ring and proclaiming to the world “these are the newest Chambray generation of the best that there is”.

Well, it’s almost that time! By the 3rd week in February, those highly anticipated puppies will make their way into the ring wearing the union label……………….actually the Chambray name in the catalog letting all those around ringside that they are serving notice as the puppies to watch in the show ring winner’s circle.

Each of those puppies will be representing Chambray and the stud dogs and the dams that were chosen to be the perpetuators of the next generation of superb Labrador Retrievers. The tale of the tape will be there in full view of all those that will either be in the audience watching or in the ring competing.

How well this new generation of Chambray puppies does in the show ring, determines if we keep ascending as the custodians of the breed as we have been for a couple of decades now or fall back into the pack of the also-ran! From the looks of this new group, they will be the ones that all the others in the ring of competition will be following.................so onward we march leading the way for others to follow.

So, now the 2016 Dog Show Season is upon us here in balmy, sunny, humid Florida!

Sorry to all those in several feet of snow in the north latitudes!

I decided for various reason to bypass the first 10 Florida dog shows for 2016…………..all of the 2 weeks of shows in Brooksville Fl………….that’s the Florida Winter Circuit, the one we have made a tradition of winning and finishing 5 new champions at since 2010……………….but this year, we will sit out all these shows and maybe make some of the Ocala Fl shows the last weekend in January.

This all means that the Chambray dogs will start way behind the 8 ball for the year. Missing 10 Brooksville shows is not advantageous to our campaign and there is another 4 days of shows in Ocala that are also on the bubble as to whether we will load up the truck and head to Beverly…………oppppsss, Ocala at the end of the month.

This year’s Chambray class dog roster has really been pared down because we have finished so many dogs in the last 5 years. Those dogs that should be in the Open Classes are non-existent as most have finished their championship as puppies or young dogs.

So, for the 2nd year in a row, we will have way more puppies and youngsters on our handling show roster lineup than we will have mature dogs…………………..that includes 2 of our champion specials that are also very young…………………18 month old BBE Gr Ch Chambrays Eventful N Counter and 12 month old BISP Ch Chambrays Tank’d On The Boulevard. Watch for the very exciting young boy showing from the Best Of Breed competition at the Brooksville shows with Jessie as his handler. He’s is so promising that I expect him to take a few BOB’s even though he won’t be a year old until January 16th!!!!!!!!!!

From the mature dog’s list, our Open Yellow top dog will be Chambrays Triple Play “Sonic” with 12 points and 1 major to his credit. Sonic is owned by Javier Lopez of Miami. Sonic was sired by one of Chambray’s Top Producers, BBE Ch Chambrays Bailey On The Rocks.

The Open Black class features 2-year old Chambrays Black Diamond Out Of the Ruff, “Bandit”, owned by JC Rodriguez of Miami Lakes. Bandit was sired by another of Chambrays Top Producers, Bronze Grand CH Summithills Joshua’s Battle Of Jericho. Bandit garnered his first AKC points at his last show in Miami at the beginning of December. Watch for Bandit in the South Florida shows in March.

Splitting time from the Bred By Exhibitor Class will be 3 stellar dogs, almost 3-year old Chambrays Where Eagles Dare “Big Tank ” owned by Marie Knapp of Homestead FL. Tank is also from Jericho. He now has both majors and 12 points, just lacking 3 single points to cash out on his AKC title. More than likely, Tank will come out for the February shows in Lakeland FL.

Alternating time from the BBE Class will be Chambrays Shinning Diamond Dazzle, another Jericho sired 1 year old, owned by Pat and Russ Blosse who split time between NJ and Flagler Beach FL. Dazzle has 5 points and 1 major to his credit. Dazzle will make the 2 weekends of Brooksville shows with his owners and with Jessie at the helm from the Bred By Exhibitor Class. I expect Dazzle to win his fair share of the Winners Dog awards from both weekends of the Brooksville shows.

Also in the mix for showing from the BBE Class will be Chambrays Thor God Of Thunder. He too is an offspring of Jericho. Thor is owned by Maria and David Solis of Miami. Thor will return to show action by the March shows in WPB and in Ft Lauderdale FL.

Showing from the Am Bred Class will be Chambrays Recurrent Dream N Counter owned by Jenna Gardner. Dreamer has 5 points and 1 major.

Our younger males will be 1 year old Chambrays A Hankerin For Trouble owned by the Trainer Family from Citrus Spring Fl. Hank and Dazzle from above are from Jericho and the breeding to 2012 Eukanuba Sel Gr Ch BBE Gr Ch Chambrays First N Counter “Gavi”. Hank will be showing at the 2nd week of shows in Brooksville.

Chambrays Ruff Walter Jackson, owned by the Blount Family from South Miami, sired by Eukanuba Sel Gr Ch Eukanuba BBE/BOB Bronze Gr Ch Chambrays Ruff Jewel Walter JAE JAMSS will be showing from the 9 to 12 class come the February shows.

Debuting in the 6 to 9 class will be several superb male puppies at the Lakeland shows in February.

Chambrays Duke from the breeding of Ch Chambrays Mean Green Josephine bred to Devonshires Huckleberry Finn, owned by Alyona Nitkitsina.
Chambrays Miles from the same breeding as above, owned by the Oviedo Family
Chambrays Yetti from the Tucker to Tatiana litter owned by Scott Armstrong.
Chambrays Maximus from the Tucker to Tatiana litter owned by long time Chambray owner, Mila Schwab
Chambrays Lord from the Tucker to Tatiana litter owned by Victoria and Arrelano

The girl’s side of the show roster is not as deep, as our female puppy production for 2015 was running way behind the numbers of males produced.

In the adult classes we have 2 year old Chambray Grace Of The Field with 12 points and both majors to her resume. Gracie is a Jericho daughter from the breeding to Chambrays Kelly from Kentucky. Gracie is owned by Judith and Mickey Maker of WPB FL. Gracie shows from the Open Yellow Class.

Another of our young girls showing from the BBE Class is Chambrays Galactic N Counter, a Kika X Nicholas daughter, owned by Liz Jackson of Hollywood FL. Gayla is now pointed out with 10 points and now needs her majors to finish her champion’s title.

We hope to have Chambrays Bella From Ipanema out in the Open Black Class. She is from the same litter as Gracie comes from, a Jericho X Kelley daughter. Bella has 2 points and she is owned by the Faria Family of Weston Fl.

Our young girls will be led by 3 of Kika daughters from the Jericho litter.

Chambrays Rose On Center Stage owned by Juan Marrero will be showing from the BBE Class.
Chambrays Secret owned by Jenna Gardner will come out of the 12 to 18 class.
Chambrays Celestial Star Girl Lilly will also show from the 12 to 18 class.
Chambrays Pepper from the Gavi X Jericho litter may also return to see action from the 12 to 18 class in the spring. Pepper is owned by Fernando Gonzalez
Chambrays Vivacious N Counter comes off a great win at the Eukanuba with a Best Labrador Puppy at the LRC specialty, will show from the 9 to 12 class. Viva is from Ch Chambrays Maxed N Counter and Chambrays Summer litter.
Chambrays Jewels owned by Scott Armstrong comes from the Walter X Gracie litter and will also show from the 9 to 12 class.

Although the majority of our show roster will be youngsters, in 2015 we managed to stay on top for the year with the same amount of young dogs showing and winning for Chambray, so we expect this awesome and stellar group to keep the good times coming for 2016.

January 5th 2016

What's In Your Dog House?

“What’s the difference between an ‘English and an American Labrador Retriever”?

Is a question that I receive close to 500 times a year! Yep, you read right……………….there are that many that actually email me for me to reply, more than likely for them to decide which of the two I breed!

Well, I breed neither…….not one puppy of one nor one puppy of the other!

That’s because neither exist as a breed of dog!

“Whoa Nelly”, you are thinking to yourself right about at this giddy up! “What do you mean there ain’t no English nor no American Labrador Retrievers?” you are more or less stating with a question!

So, sit a spell I will illuminate this super-duper burning question that so many out there want to know…….like in inquiring minds want to know!

You know that old worn out saying, if it looks like duck, walks and talks like a duck…………then it must be a duck, holds pretty tight water when it comes to identifying a true blue Labrador Retriever.

First of all, notice how I finished that last sentence……………………….Labrador Retriever. That’s it, that's the answer………………….LABRADOR RETRIEVER!

Now we are cooking with some of that new-fangled, non-fattening, non-polluting, non-tasting cooking oil. Look back at that ending………………it reads Labrador Retriever and it doesn’t read ENGLISH nor AMERICAN!

That’s because the breed of dog is a Labrador Retriever and since a breed of dog can only look like one type of dog and not look like all the other types of dogs………………………anything that doesn’t look like the real deal…………………the one and only Labrador Retriever as described and sanctioned by the high almighty sanctified authority on what a breed should look like…………………..actually 2 of these more than self-important organizations (AKC and FCI) have decreed upon the masses what each breed should look like……………………THUS………………………anything that deviates from that one specific look will be considered a reasonable facsimile and not the real McCoy!

There is no English Labrador Retriever………………NOT EVEN IN ENGLAND! No siree Bob, over there they either look like what they are supposed to look like or they are classified as being “ILL BRED “. Those that adhere to the true look of the breed are termed “WELL BRED”

Man…………or woman, you can’t be simpler than England, the good old father land of the free and the brave (going back like egads of eons ago)……………..so why in tarnation is it so different once you set foot on this soil over here in the good old USA? The forefathers are simplistic to a fault in the old country of England and upstarts over here have to have a made up name for every word that comes out as a burp!

The English don’t see a skinny, long-legged dog as being “American” or “Taiwanese” nor a stockier type dog as being the “English”, to them the dog is a Labrador Retriever if it is a well-bred looking dog and all those others that resemble something else is ill-bred!

Whereas here in the land of plenty, we like to assign nifty sounding, monikers to everything and anything that needs marketing! Yep, it sells so much better and probably for extra bucks if it has a real neat sounding name other than the original.

There are even some blokes that are breeding mutts and selling them for twice as much as purebreds. Those new hybrid breeds…………………….mix a Lab with a French Poodle and now you have Labradoodles and they are fetching $4000 for a crossbred mutt! Mix a Labrador with a Weimaraner and you get Silver Labradors……..yep, more mutts for way extra mula.

Hey, folks, if it doesn’t look like one of my champions, walk and bark like one of my champion-bred dogs, then you have been had, because what you see at my website, at my training classes, at my farm, at the shows we travel and win at, is the legitimate Labrador Retriever…………………………through and through the one and only Labrador Retriever.

None of this namby pamby , let’s call it something patriotic and it will sell much faster…………….in the words of the near-great Jon Lovitz, “Yeah, that’s the ticket!”……………………….. ‘AMURICAN Labrador Retriever’ with long slender, Flamingo legs, whip it real good tail, nose so long that an Aardvark would relish, able to leap tall (sheds) building in a single bound, faster than a speedy taxi cab………………….well, hey you get the drift here………………a real homey if there ever was one…………………only thing wrong with this Grandma Moses, rural Amurica Painting is that it isn’t the real thing…………………….Key Lime Pie has to be made with KEY LIMES……………….otherwise it’s a LEMON!

So, a Labrador Retriever by any other name is a LEMON if there ever was one.

Let’s work to clear the air about our precious breed…………………the REAL KEY LIME PIE…………………the one and only Labrador Retriever is just that…………..it looks like a Labrador Retriever, it walks like one and it barks like one…………………check out the gallery of our Labrador Retrievers at our websites.

Now that’s real homemade, genuine, authentic, just what the breed standard calls for Labrador Retrievers and anything else………………well you know!

Happy New Year
Back To Work With Our Dogs

Ok, now that all the festivities are behind us and we have welcomed in a New Year, it’s time to get back to business with the continuing education of our dogs!

Starting next week on Wednesday night, January 13th at 7 PM, we will have our first meeting of 4 Wednesday nights for the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen Training and then on the 5th Wednesday there will be the ‘Test’.

Yep, we will have 4 Wednesday nights of training and then the test to determine which dogs will achieve their first official AKC title……………………..the CGC that gets added to your dog’s official AKC name!

Of course making them well behaved and acceptable by society’s norms is a major step in the right direction for having an obedient companion that you can be proud to take anywhere with you and what’s even better, that it will be welcomed anywhere you go with it!

From here, we can go on to Basic Obedience Training and some of you that wish to go into Therapy work with your dogs, can proceed to work with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, Therapy Dogs International or the Pet Partners to work towards the Therapy Dog title which the AKC will further bestow your dog upon successfully completing their requirements.

So, now I need a count of hands (emails) to let me know who is in with their dogs for the 4 Wednesday Nights of Training starting on January 13th at 7 PM right here at Chambray Acres.

Email me to reserve your place as we will only take on 12 dogs this time around.

Oh, by the way………………..it’s free! I make the time, the space, the effort and it doesn’t cost you anything to take the class and work with your dog, so that both of you will be great ambassadors for the breed and for Chambray.

For those of you that are not capable of working an hour with your dog or wish to have someone trained teach your dog at an accelerated pace, I can arrange to have our trainers available to take your dog for a half hour session which you will compensate that trainer $10.

Now the ball is on your side of the net, bounce it back and let me know if to count you in!

We will also get back to work with the show training on Thursday night at 7 PM.