Great shots of the dogs. Really makes me miss my female Lab.
Actually, now I know TWO breeders -- one if you want the conformation type, one if you want a field trial/hunt test dog. The conformation type are more restful . . . but you'll never have a dull moment with a field dog.
I will say that breeding really tells. Miss Ruby is all on fire to retrieve and has been from the time she was about 6 months old. Before that she didn't really care that much (I have heard that Lean Mac dogs are 'late bloomers' - if "late" is 6 months!) I was kinda wondering when she would catch on -- but Mary Howley is an extremely knowledgeable field breeder and I figured she knew her business. And Ruby certainly bears that out, she has excellent vision, is very birdy, and would retrieve until she dropped in her tracks from exhaustion.
I can't help wondering how the pups from the other 2 litters she had turned out . . . .