Re: John's idea! 5 weeks to go... There are quite a few Field Line breeders on the internet. I looked, read their blurb, fired off a few more emails (getting overconfident now "fired off" ???) and had a few leads. ALL OVER the country. Still I had already travelled quite a bit and it's worth it. One of the breeders I had been in touch with suggested a bitch that had just mated with her dog (I have seen that stud dog's name mentioned on another thread - small world). I also made contact with another breeder who had recently mated his bitch with a stud dog whose owner wasn't breeding this year. A few hundred miles away. Alas, she did not 'take'. But I had spoken to this first breeder and he was waiting to see if his girl was in whelp too. Remembering to put a few irons in the fire and not all of my eggs in one basket, I pushed on, AND travelled a couple of hundred miles again to see mum and dad of a potential pup; was she pregnant? Only time would tell. Now I had two potential Field Line litters on the way. Both breeders were very caring about their dogs and if I was right and I was! In the mean time, I got a phone call from out of the blue
Re: John's idea! Mm yes; v interesting Jane. I'm pondering now though because travelling seems to be an important part of the journey for you but I was hoping to avoid that until I pick up my pup as I'm relying on family to ferry me as I've said elsewhere :-[ I suppose I could take a train or bus cross country to check out prospective parent(s). Is it essential though? What do you think?
Re: John's idea! Well John, I didn't work NEARLY as hard to find my pup (although maybe with hindsight and the knowledge of this forum I should have!) We found an add in the paper of someone local who had a pup available at the time we wanted one. OH visited pups, saw "breeder" as well as mum and dad. We knew absolutely nothing at that point - just that we wanted a black lab, as a pet, and WHEN we wanted her. I hindsight bad, but this is the way that most people I knew, before the forum, did things.
Re: John's idea! Well, John, it was important to me. But if you found a breeder that seemed ok, maybe you could talk on the phone or trust someone closer to pop and have a look for you. Put irons in the fire!
Re: John's idea! Jacqui, yes, it's in my nature to enjoy the journey - a euphemism for making hard work of it :. However, I am also a great believer in fate and things just coming along at the right time. John, I think you just need to feel happy that it's right.
Re: John's idea! John, the wait is painful, it's been about 9 months and by the time I pick up my pup, about 10 months since I started looking. Only you know when it's right. There's one out there for you, maybe not even a twinkle in an eye yet, or maybe there's one just around the corner. I have felt that having to search so hard has been right for me because I have learned so much along the way, some of it has been developing as a person too. We are all different. But in the end "We are all fruit" My Big Fat Greek Wedding! (film) We all want a Labrador but may go about it differently.
Re: John's idea! Anyway, John, I got a phone call out of the blue..... There was a 9 week old black lab puppy who had suddenly become available - the new owners had her for a week and returned her. This was a bit too soon for me because I wanted a puppy as close to summer as I could and it was only February. Still, I drove some distance to see her, fell in love with her and drove home again, expecting that she was the one. It was not to be. :'( The breeder had also invited someone who lived locally to her (a friend) to see the pup and the pup went to her. I was very disappointed and surprised at how quickly I had bonded with the pup. It took me a few weeks to feel ok about it and I hope the pup and her new family are getting on well. I did have a few irons in the fire which meant that I had two choices in the end. I weighed up what I liked about the breeders and what I liked about their dogs. I had been researching breeding lines, sort of accidentally at first, as most breeders publish their dogs' pedigrees. I got to recognise familiar lines and ancestries. I enjoyed reading about parents, grandparents etc; seeing photographs of other family members (dogs!) and reading about the breeders of grandparents and so on. I even think I may have started to see family likenesses. So, my pup was born on the night of 26th/27th April and she is now 3 1/2 weeks old. I am going to meet her next week. One journey is nearly over and a new one about to start (sounds a bit mushy!). :-\
Re: John's idea! Aaaah, I love a happy ending and so looking forward to hearing about your new adventures which are just about to begin.
Re: John's idea! Thanks for sharing that wonderfully, Jane. I hope my hunt ends up so well. So what are you going to name this well sought after pup?
Re: John's idea! Aww Schuks everybody, that's nice of you Had the latest 3 week old photos today and they have really grown. I will take some (lots) of photos next week when I meet her - very excited now. I have waited so long that I have to stop and think that it's next week, it is actually next week. John, she might be called Chepi if I think it suits or I have a few more names up my sleeve. We did - or rather, it was probably just me - a whole discussion on another thread about what I am going to call her. Chepi means Fairy (Native North American) - there's a little story to that. ;D ;D If she's a little terror then Chepi would be rather ironic.
Re: John's idea! Chepi..what a beautiful name...only next week before you can cuddle her and say hello for the first time..
