Pinch me! It's raining again---

Al Hansen

Al Hansen

Well-known member
The hummers are back and only two days late this year which meant I first saw them on April 3rd.

Last week we had a wonderful rain and like I had mentioned it was the first precip in 105 days. One of ABQ's meteorologists said that March was the driest one in 122 years.

Here it is Tuesday, April 12th and it has been raining since about 6:00AM. Another gift. With warmer weather in a couple of days the ranchers should be plenty happy with all the food growing for their cows.

Normally we don't get rains in April, May, and June. Weird weather once again but we will take this kind of weird!

This rain has also taken care of our recent red alert days for fires that we have had. Of course this comes with the territory we live in.
Al

If you like pups.

We have one pup left that will be going to her new home on Friday so in the meantime we brought her in to our home to begin training her to stay in a crate at night and also to see if we can begin potty training her. Molly seems like a quick learner. Yesterday I took over 300 pictures of her and whittled that number down to around 50. I sent them off to the customer.

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I told Bev I caught the culprit who was playing havoc on her pansies. I showed her the proof.


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A real pretty pup Al. I've been a lab owner for at least 35 years; four black ones and now a yellow. A Golden retriever and a Chesapeake before that. I'll post some pictures when I figure how to do so! It's great to for you to start the crate/potty training for the new owners; a lot of new owners don't do it or do it wrong. This is only my second post, but I read them all. I've seen a lot of labs as I've been a small animal vet since 1969 and still work a little, preferably between the end of duck season and the beginning of fishing season! I always enjoy your posts. Sandy Allen



in f
 
Cute Al, thanks for posting those. I've got a craving for puppy breath now :)

Glad you got some rain. Will know in a couple of weeks if we were successful with the elk draw again this year - it's always a long shot but someone has to win, might as well be me.
 
Great pics! I bet you & the Mrs. get a lump in your throats everytime you say goodbye to a pup. I know I would.

Glad you are getting rain.
We are also, too much, in fact. If this keeps up, we will be above normal again this year (which is like 67"!)
 
great pictures as always I really love the practice jumps off the patio, getting ready for jumping of the boat into the water. Looks like a real handful
 
Al,
Great pics as always! Seems like yesterday Piper was this size. I certainly envy your weather! Winters seem longer each year.
Sure hope your afib issues are behind you!
Take care,
Tom
 
Thanks so much, Sandy. Glad to have you aboard with this great group of people who all love duck boats and ducks. As for me, living in the desert is not conducive to duck boats, so I want you to know it is just ducks for me.

Took these shots last evening when we settled in to watch some TV.
Al

Molly had a great night in the crate and didn't get out until I got up at 3:30AM. I took her crate from the bedroom and brought it into the office. I like teaching them that it is all right to go into their new domain anytime they want to. Molly went in and promptly fell asleep.

Another thing that I was really pleased with was when I was emailing someone she walked up to the closed office door and whined. I picked her up and took her outside to the courtyard. She found a spot to go to the bathroom. Molly got lots of praise. So far so good with her training. I like what I am seeing.


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Hi Pete,
You are on such a roll here in the state of NM that I see no reason why you shouldn't be coming back to fill out on beautiful bull elk like you did this past season. Let me know how you did in the draw.

Glad you enjoyed the pictures.
Al
 
Hey, Carl. You nailed it when talking about a lump in the throat. That happens with these pups. Just recently when we donated two chocolate pups to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation's annual banquet/fund raiser in ABQ, we had the pups for one extra month. Every night before bed I walked into the Puppy House, grabbed up Brownie and Cody into my arms and gave them hugs and kisses.
Every day I was outside with them training them with some type of retrieving practice. It was so much fun.
Al

The best news of all is that a duck hunter ended up buying Brownie and a family wanted Cody. It was a perfect match just because the female was the best retriever and the male was a perfect match for a house dog. We still correspond with one of those families.

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Thanks so much, Shawn. Those pictures of her jumping were my favorites, also. She has been great to train and doing well.
Al
 
Thanks so much, Doug. Good luck with those future litters in May. I know there will be some very happy hunters who can hardly wait.
Al
 
Hey Tom,
I guess I probably shouldn't tell you what the temps will be today since it is still snowing where Ole and Lena live.
Al
 
Don't forget to send some more pictures of Piper, Tom. We would appreciate that. Hang in there because one of these days it will get so darn nice that you will forget about the first half of April.

Thanks for the thoughts, Tom. Tomorrow at 10AM I will be getting ready for that next heart jump start. Hopefully this one will be the magic one and last for years. I'm just hoping to be able to have it beat with a correct rhythm once again.
Al
 
Al, maybe you addressed it at some point and I missed it... why no blacks in your kennel? Too hot for them? I have had all 3 over the years... the yellows are always the most photogenic it seems, but I will always have the soft spot in my heart for a black lab with dark brown eyes. Daughter got a lab rescue a month ago, and it is killing me not to have one now too.
 
Dave, it took us a while but after having Serrano, we are hooked.

Here she is with her litter of 11 blacks and yellows that were born on Dec. 23rd. 12.23.15 Chip is the sire of this litter.

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Bev and I have a female black pup on order and will look forward to her in the late summer, that is if we get our pick. She comes from outstanding parents with pedigrees to make you drool over. However, saying that, made me think of Chili, my first duck dog. I don't think I have ever had a dog that was so complete. She knew the tricks that any crippled duck could try to slip by her but it didn't work. She knew them all. My best buddy cost us $150 and the owner had no idea if his pups coudl retrieve or not. So Bev and I took a gamble. The rest was history. The retrieving bloodlines were running deep in Chili's veins and she had no pedigree! Someone once said that she was "just a dog" and I corrected him and said, "She is a complete Labrador that came equipped with brains, the desire to retrieve and already knowing how to hand out love 24/7."

Two pictures from the past! My gosh I miss her so much---When we got Pepper,(the light yellow female) involved with hunting, I made sure that Chili taught her what to do and expect when we sat in the blind.


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Here is my sweetheart, Chili. Geez, Dave, sorry about running on and on. To think you asked only about the blacks. My fault for sure.
Al


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Al, When I showed Deb the pansy bandit she exclaimed "Jack!!". Our first lab, Yukon Jack would sit next to a pot of pansies on the deck steps and turn to take a sniff every now and then. "Stop and smell the flowers". Then she said the fatal words " I want that one". Not quite yet but some day maybe. Our guys are 8 & 9 so hopefully they have some more good time left. Of course I do know that is never a given. "If you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans" Oh yeah, it is going to be almost 70 today
 
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