Our Labrador retrievers

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When I was 20 years old, I decided it was about time to get a dog. I fell in love with the beautiful breed the labrador retriever. My first labrador Tess I got in 1991 and I got Jill half a year later. Unfortunately Tess became ill last March; she had bone cancer and her frontleg broke in March. She had quite a personality and she could live well with her three good legs, but on December 3rd 2004 we had to make a very difficult decision; she could not use her back legs anymore, so now she's in dog heaven..... I miss her so much, she was so special and such a great companion. My yellow lab Jill died in November 2005. I miss these two great dogs, who taught me a lot and were two fantastic companions every single day....

Tess at her favorite spot: the beach

 
  Tess
Tess (17 June 1991- 3 December 2004):

Tess was my first dog. When she was a puppy, she was feeling lonely and she did some things to my house which I did not like. She made a mess!!! She did everything a dog should not do and as I did not have any knowledge at that time of how dogs learn, how dogs behave, etc. I made it even a bigger mess. But, when Tess was 6 months old good old Jill came live with us. And Tess behaved since then. Kind of. She was a very dominant black labrador, she was our pack leader until a few years ago (Jones took the lead after that) and she was so arrogant! But she was also my favorite…. Tess & Jill lived with me for a year and a half in the States and we did the best things together over there. Those two have seen more of the world than most people and they are so precious to me....... In March 2004 we found out that Tess had bone cancer in her front leg. She broke her leg and we thought we had to make a very tough decision. However, this difficult decision we had to take almost 9 months later than expected..... We miss her a lot..... but I have so many good memories with her and when I think of her, she still makes me smile. She is in dog heaven playing with her favorite ball and swimming in the sea.....

 
We also went to the Natte Neuzen show together, we did flyball training, obedience, agility, hunting, Child & Dog project (we visited schools together), anyway, Tess, Jill and I did lots of nice things together and these two ladies taught me a lot about dog training.
Tess flyball
Jill (1991-November 2005):

Jill is Tess' half sister and the most quiet, sweet, lazy labrador there was. She won’t run too fast, because she gets tired. She liked to swim (but not too fast) and play with the ball and she also played with Daffy a lot. I used Jill with the puppy socialisation at my dog training school almost every day. She was the best dog you can have at a training school.

Jill: she visited many schools with me

Every once in a while we visited schools together for the Child & Dog project, for which she and Tess were tested years ago. Jill used to be a good hunting dog, loved flyball, eating, cookies, bones, little stuffed animals that make weird noises, etc. Jill also joined me to the Natte Neuzen show 5 times and we won the second place with our team!

Daffy (1998):

Our youngest female labrador retriever Daffy is special….. She does not like obedience. She likes agility, flyball, searching, hunting, she likes to be a police dog and is trained a little for that kind of work, she does not like small sticks but she loves to take complete trees in the woods. She is our terrier, a very good mouse catcher! She’s nice, friendly, very social towards other dogs and she is STUBBORN!!! But also very sweet and always wagging her tail way too hard. Daffy had many health problems, like entropion and elbow dysplasia. Therefore we had her spayed years ago. I use her a lot with the dog behavioural therapy.

My sweet little lab Daffy, turning a little grey!

Spirit, our male lab

Spirit playing dog frisbee (UFO major 2006)

Spirit (2001):


Our only male labrador retriever Sarahpiens Save The Day (Spirit) lives with us since he was 8 weeks old. However, he should be trained by me for a woman in a wheelchair and leave us as soon as he was trained. His training went really well and he was very suitable for doing this job. But circumstances with his future boss made that he stayed with us. And I don't want to miss him anymore. With my work as a dog trainer I see a lot of labradors. I find that the lab changed a lot the past few years; they are way too popular. Spirit is a lovely, good looking, good moving and very healthy lab!

He took a second place in the open class at the show in Leeuwarden in 2003 and a few excellents.

It’s obvious that once a dog lives with us it’s very hard for me to say goodbye…. Especially with this young fellow. If you speak of a labrador: this is a real lab like a lab should be. Quiet, lots of will to please, gentle, obedient, good hunting skills, loves to swim and social towards all people, other dogs and animals.

Spirit passed the Child & Dog project test at the age of 1,5. The tester, Drs. J. Bruinsma, loved this young fellow. We visited a few schools together and he just loves it!

His health checks: eyes clear until 15 September 2005, hips A, elbows A. He is a very good mover, and he has good proportions. He loves playing dog frisbee with Myrthe and even joined her to the European Championships Dog Frisbee in Belgium! And the UFO major in 2006 they were rocking!

Our rottweiler, Chico, passed away at the age of 12,5 on the 14th of February 2005..... We got Chico when he was 8 years old, he was a gorgeous rottweiler who was very social towards people, but not to other dogs, especially the males. We will miss him....