You have gorgeous Labs and truly know what you are doing as a breeder. Our dog, Rommel’s boy, is 10 months now – got him from you in April 10′ – he’s a true lover. Very special, kind, loyal, smart, and devilish boy. Keep up the good work. Peace to you, your family, and your girl in heaven…

Joanna in MKE

Picket and S Acres Mille Belle.

Bob Norman

Bob Norman. Had JayJay at the eye vet – the cat on the right eye did not get bigger (maybe denser but he could not tell even after dialtion). And NOTHING went to the left eye.

SO if everything is the same next April – he might give an all clear for breeding in the summer of July 2011. Let me know if that’s interesting – Patton daughter, Lean Mac Grandaughter. Carolina Smoke on the Water and Lots of Candlewood and pointing labs in her background too.

Alex (at Beloit) is home on break and is at his hunt class today, Josh is an Apprentice Hunter and we are joining the St Charles sporting club in a couple of weeks. JAYJAY is fired up to hunt and is looking sleek – about 66 pounds yesterday at the Eye Vet.

I’ll check out your pups too. They sound awesome.

bob

Man this a great story?

Haven’t seen much about pups for a while, and we are hoping you’re well. Is there a “Lily” somewhere in an upcoming litter?

Bob, Alex and Josh Norman
bob@normanfirm.com

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Hey Jeff, it’s the Norman boys. She was a Candlewood Dog right and what a wonderful memory of her!

My best hunter to date was named Cocoa – a half-breed, actually. She was actually 1/2 pure Brittney and 1/2 pure Lab (”so only sorta pure”). They were giving her away for free, when I was in High School. I had my first job, a mason’s assistant, my first car – so why not. Cocoa looked like a Brittney but that Lab love in her – well, it chilled out those Brittney “Spaniel” nerves and I was hooked on pointers.

I trained Cocoa. At seven months, she used to hunt circles around one of my best friends two German Short hairs. He spent 2000 bucks in the 1970’s (a new car cost $4000 then) to send those half-wit GSP’s to Missouri to be trained. In return, he got a lot of work out of his whistle because they ran after every bird they pointed – if you could keep them in one county that is. Cocoa was solid as a rock on point, and was doing triple returns with quail at 7 months (while my friends German Short hairs chased the ones that kept flying for some reason). It drove him completely nuts – “how can your mutt be that good he would taunt.” I personally saw him break three whistles, before he gave those German Shorthairs away.

Now, MY Candlewood Dog got me fully into Labs: Drachs Black Pearl (Pearl). She was a Super Tanker grandkid, and per the Candlewood “story,” the kind of girl you knew would be a great mom. She passed away almost two Halloween’s ago at 14 years (the same day my own mom died curiously – when I was 16). Hmm, the same year I bought that car too. Strange.

Cocoa ran away during her first heat, got pregnant (that little …), had 12 puppies and then tragically got killed by a car. I bottle fed those 12 pups for 5 weeks – and was literraly a mom about one year after my own mom passed. But it was good I had that car, since I had to drive home from High School until they were weaned. You guessed it “as a first time mom” I weaned them to Purina as quickly as I could.

My new lab, Jay Jay (the Patton daugter, Lean Mac grandchild -you met her) is doig well and we are waiting for the hunting season. I’m still hopefull we will be able to breed her to Picket. HMMMMMM – who has more of a Candlewood Handle, Rommel or Picket? AHHH, what the heck, I do like those pointers and since Choclate sounds like Cocoa, I say we should just opt “for a choclate.”

I will say a little prayer tonight, for great dogs like ours, great stories about them and just how much adventure means to all of us. Also, since I want to start a kennel when I retire, I will start using “real dog titles” instead of daughter and grandchild – NOT. None of us want just a dog, we want family members.

The next time you are under that tree with her – say hi to Lily from Alex, Josh and I. Oh, and tell her we gave you a piping thermos of hot chocolate to keep you warm.

Josh