RSS Feed
|
And what is up with the Names? Named after the enchanting Colorado territory, our story is woven with threads of love and a promise of connection that runs deep. It’s a bit of a long tale, rich with memories and heartfelt moments that have shaped who we are today. Our very first chocolates, which we fondly refer to as the heart of our operation, were named Thor, Gypsy, and Holly. From the very beginning, these three captured my heart and soul, embodying the spirit of joy and affection that we aim to share through our dogs. As time moved on and they gracefully retired, a lovely family in Denver, the Coles, stepped in to embrace them. They now enjoy a wonderful life nestled in the serene mountains of Colorado, where nature and love intertwine effortlessly. Mr. and Mrs. Cole are truly unbelievably kind, and their warmth enriches the lives of those around them. Kathryn, a talented artist and loving member of our Fairfax Pines Family, has immortalized our dogs in several of her breathtaking paintings. Through her artistry, we have a little piece of the "OG" Fairfax Pines forever captured in Colorado—an everlasting reminder of the love we have for our legacy. If you are fortunate enough to become part of our family, you will discover that we have fostered many connections, with several families gathering together in Colorado over the years. These reunions are nothing short of exhilarating and joyous celebrations—an embodiment of the love we share that binds us. Imagine the vibrant atmosphere in the Colorado Rocky Mountain high, where love and laughter and the ole' rollie pollie Thor fills the air. But certainly, we always make it a point to cue "Country Roads" by John Denver, a song that resonates deeply with our journey. It encapsulates the spirit of adventure, the warmth of homecoming, and the love that is at the core of our FFP family. So, as you dive deeper into our story, remember that every name, every celebration, and every moment is a testament to the love and promise that we cherish at Fairfax Pines.
0 Comments
Dune: "Darn it, 😢 You made it there before me.... my human Grandma... wait for me... wait for me... Wait for me at the edge of the woods, at the foot of the grassy knoll with your fishin' pole' I'll meet you there.. , on the other side of the rainbow bridge... it's not just for us pets... we will be together.. we will play.. you will once again give me a loving pat and tummy tickles... and I can't wait to see you again ❤ there is no more sadness or suffering, our bodies will never grow old .. please save me a spot by your side.. ❤ I will Love you forever - in this life you were my biggest fan, and now I am yours... Your friend forever, Dune Buggy ❤ ** Claudia Diane Pauley, 72, of Morgantown, is at peace in Heaven after a brave fight with cancer. Claudia passed away Saturday, March 4, 2023, at Stonerise of Morgantown. Claudia was born on March 9, 1950, in Morgantown, a daughter of the late Orville Lafayette Pauley and Josephine Davis Pauley. Claudia is survived by her daughter, Tammy Jo Boudreau (Grant), of Bruceton Mills; three grandchildren, Joshua, Sarah and Zachary; four great-grandchildren, Isabella, Roman, Sanora and Cyrus; her twin sister, Orvella Jo Deavers, of Morgantown; nephews, Brad Henry (Cammy), Dennis Henry (Tammy) and Mark Vannoy; and nieces, Sheila Powell (B.K.), Susan Fusco (Randy), Kelly Dennis (Robert) and Patricia Johns (Michael). In addition to her parents, Claudia was preceded in death by a sister, Kathryn Pauley Vannoy and her husband Forrest; brother, Kenneth R. Pauley and his wife Sheila; and sister, Cora Lou Pauley Henry and her husband Elroy. Claudia retired from West Virginia University after 22 years of service. She enjoyed camping and fishing and had an unparalleled love for animals and adored her cat, Tennessee. Claudia had an amazing sense of humor and an adventurous spirit that made her extra special in the eyes of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Whew it has been a whirlwind end of the summer season… and it has taken me a bit to make this long (probably overly wordy) post. It is both with great sadness and excitement that I announce the retirement of Primo – CH Rainriver Supreme. Hold back the tears, nothing is wrong, and no tragedy has occurred. Due to the fact that we have several daughters, and we aren’t using Primo much as a stud on our own girls (he still gets action from other kennels) we decided to retire him to one of our very dear families in New Hampshire. It was a very tough decision, heck Primo is still a youngster at just turning 7 and could very well be shown and sire litters for years to come… however our vision is never to keep a dog .. just “because” some have said “you all are silly” he can help with the expenses, pay the feed bill, etc.. but to us, it is just not fair… and that is not being derogatory to those that do that.. it is a better business model for sure.... so there is no shame in that.. Primo came to us, when we were feeling pretty low, our boy Thor had spontaneously went sterile.. and Brent Hadley had a slew of good-looking boys and was generous enough to sell Primo to us. I will tell you … Primo has NEVER EVER had a bad day, he is literally the happiest boy on the planet, and at that point we had went through our fair share of failed show prospects and Grant one day said, I think I can show Primo and win! I sort of snickered.. lol We didnt know anything about showing dogs... that is what handlers are for! lol However sure enough they were the dynamic duo (that is really an understatement). Grant and Primo hit the road and Primo had his Championship in 10 months - with 5 Best of Breed wins and twice he won group 1 placements out of Owner Handler, this doesn’t include all the Awards of Merits, Best Opposite… etc.. at one point he was the number 3 Top Labrador Owner Handler... Primo gave us his all, he made what seemed impossible, possible… at Westminster in 2023, our puppy families all bought T-shirts and watched the live feed and cheered him on… he never stopped wagging not even for a second… he rode back to the show van with me on a city bus with a bullmastiff on the seat in front of us… I was so nervous.. I am a country girl! Hell, I have never been on a New York City Shuttle lol but Primo sat right beside me.. he was like we got this mom! There are not enough accolades I could ever give to describe his beautiful, happy spirit… It was unbelievably sad to see him leave, our house isn’t quite big enough for two stud dog couch potatoes (Dune: you got that right!!!) So it is now time for Primo to be a family dog, the dog who can lay at the bottom of your sons bed to keep him safe from closet monsters from gremlins under the bed, the guest at your daughters tea party wearing a tiara and getting some blush on his cheeks, or simply lay by grandmas feet as she drinks her tea in hopes of a nibble of a shortbread cookie… to be riding shotgun to town, where everyone will certainly know and remember his name, before they will remember yours.. He will now be everything he was always meant to be.. a kind and gentle best friend which is more valuable than any ribbon, trophy or award. We will miss and love you always Primo, enjoy New Hampshire the leaves are beautiful this time of year… till we meet again.. xoxoxoxoxo 🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🌲 Ok lets talk food, as I glazed over our feeding regimen for puppies during Gotcha Day- I thought I would post in detail my recommendations again to get your puppies growing to their full potential!
The first 6 months is CRITICAL! Please feed your puppies!!! During this time they get their bone growth... if you are months behind feeding them the necessary nutrients needed, their growth will be stunted... We recommend feeding your Labrador Retriever Puppy – Purina Pro Plan 30/20 All Life Stage Salmon (this is 30% protein!!) Protein is a critical nutrient for puppies because it’s essential for muscle and bone growth one more time, ESSENTIAL FOR MUSCLE AND BONE GROWTH and repair. Puppy food "usually" contains at least 27 percent protein, compared to about 21 percent for standard adult dog food. Puppies also need lots of energy pound for pound, they burn more calories than adult dogs. I suggest "offering" 2 cups 3 times a day from the time you pick up your puppy from us. Your puppy many not eat this entire portion, please remove the uneaten portion and withhold food till next meal. Puppies also need the correct amounts of calcium and phosphorus to ensure proper skeletal development and growth, again I suggest the ProPlan 30/20 due to it having correct ratios for growing puppies and active adults. Because puppies have small stomachs and high metabolic rates, they need to eat several times a day if they don’t, they’ll not only run out of energy, but they also won’t take in adequate amounts of protein and other nutrients. A puppy less that 3 months of age should be fed at least three to four times a day. The number of meals can be reduced to three per day when the puppy is 3 to 5 months old. A 6-month-old puppy will usually be ready for an adult feeding schedule of two meals per day. I cannot stress enough… puppies are growing very fast and need calories, do not allow your puppies to get lean, they are growing! Just because I recommend a certain amount at 8 weeks, does not mean you will not have to increase this amount for your puppies, your puppy is growing and extremely active and burns so many calories. Once your puppy is mature… again look at their body condition... and that will dictate the amount of food they should get. Our brothers Rocky and Rumor get different amounts, Rumor has a higher metabolism and gets 1 cup more a day than his brother (6 cups split in two feedings) . Also we suggest adding goodies to their diet, broccoli, carrots, blueberries, sardines in water 😊 etc.. Again, let your dogs body condition and metabolism be your guide and if you have questions at all feel free to contact us anytime! Also, these are "english" type labradors they are supposed to have more bone, and a denser overall frame than the american hunting line counter parts. Often vets say dogs are too heavy, however if you modify their nutrition while they are growing puppies and adolescents, you will end up with a very slim labrador that does not get the bone growth or frame necessary for their proper growth. I have had families that reduced food and they call me and say my dog looks like a hunting lab and not like Primo, or Dune or Tovi or well.. any of our dogs... Our boys are in the upper 90's and girls here are in the upper 70's to mid 80's they have lots of bone, thick coats and a beautiful otter tail - and none of them are fat... (well pebbles might be a little fat... lol ) Bottom line... feed your puppies... and increase their ration in their most critical growing stages! If you have any questions along your journey please, please call or text me! **Also, no spaying or neutering until your puppy is at least 18-24 months old!!! All That and a Bag of Chips! Dunes recap of our AKC Inspection: It was a rainy dark morning, I knew something had Mom extra fidgety, she has been a little sniffly these days, I thought mostly cause Dad was away for 2 weeks doing Army stuff... but she was extra sniffly this morning... then lighting candles to cover up squawking puppy farts ... ! I knew something was up when she gathered files and her laptop from her fancy "no dog zone" office and came down to the kitchen... Then a big white car pulled up.. it looked official! A lady stepped out wearing plastic coverings on her feet like a doctor ...oh gosh... is this an at home neuter job for me??? OMG NO!!!... She seemed pleasant and then flashed her badge ... She's an inspector!!! "its about damn time... "In a minute I'ma need a sentimental Man or woman to pump me up Feeling fussy .." sorry I had that song stuck in my head...back to it the story... Its about damn time!! this joint gets inspected!!! maybe she will take these squawking puppies with her from the house, they've been ruining my restful snoozin' for weeks now... or Princess Mopface!!! YES!!! She then asked about chips, and they used a chip detector on GiGi and Cleo... Mom hasnt bought snacks in a while except for popcorn.. I havn't seen chips in weeks! But sure enough Gigi and Cleo beeped when the chip scanner hit em' ... what the heck? where are these chips? So then the Inspector Gadget Lady wanted to go to the Fancy Dog Kennel... of course she loved my new nemesis Skylar the big floofy chocolate boy that has slobbers that rivals Princess Mopface! Inspector gadget lady called him a beast... what am I chopped liver???? Of course Skylar scanned positive for chips.. so what does this all mean... these dogs in trouble for table scraps??? ok lets get with it... next Princess Mopface!! See ya later sister !!!! but nope... Inspector lady wanted to scan Hazel and Gert... oh gosh... these two fatty Mcfatty sisters are toast, if anyone has been eating chips here its this double stuffed duo! And sure enough Beep, Beep.... been nice knowin' ya girls... that's what y'all get for sneaking snacks!!! Mom and the Inspector Gadget lady came back to the house... then shuffled some papers and talked about lawyers and my dog doctors Dr. Aaron, Dr. Jean and Dr. Havhav... then it got confusing and they talked about what happens if something happens to Mom and Dad... it got a little confusing with all the big words but Im pretty sure Mom said all their worldly possessions go to Dune Buggy... (finally something that made total sense today!) yes... one day The Great Dune of Pyla will take the throne, and be the King of the PInes!!! (then shit will be changin' around this joint!!!). After all that the Inspector lady, said stuff like "Almost Heaven", "Lucky Dogs" and "Keep up the Great Work"...and just like that she drove off... the rainy clouds seemed to disappear and the sun once again shown down on the Pines... Mom seemed happy, and I was certainly happy.... knowing one day I was going to be King On March 27, 2022 - Primo earned his American Kennel Club Championship Primos journey to his Championship. Grant began showing Primo in Owner Handler May 1, 2021 and over the past 10 months was able to succeed in getting Primo finished with his Champion title by attending 15 shows. Primo was awarded 3 separate Major wins, and never disappointed in his class. His recent win of a 4 point major at the Hoosier Labrador Retriever Club Spring Specialty sealed the deal Thank you to Judge Pauline Mortier for noticing this special boy! Also, thanks to Brent Hadley for entrusting Primo with us, and breeder Katrin Ilyina (Rainriver Kennel). We couldn't be more happy and a triumphant accomplishment for "us" West Virginia hillbillies without experience on the show scene... but it goes to show you, with passion, drive and determination... the sky is the limit Thank you Primo! and a big applause for Grant! ** Side note - I had a disappointing encounter a few months back, and around the same time we had Chinese take out lol... and I had the best fortune ever.. and whenever I felt discouraged I always read it.. For the list of shows and wins visit our webpage to see Primo's Show Record. Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong - Corinthians 16:13 http://www.fairfaxpinesenglishlabradors.com/royal-gents.html On November 29, 2022, Vannah pregnant with her final litter had a beautiful litter of puppies, all went smooth and normal... however there was the tiniest little yellow puppy, I endearingly called him "little peanut". He was by far the smallest puppy I have ever had born at the Pines and I thought for certain that he would not live out his first week. I ordered a prenatal paste for peanut and gave electrolytes.. and also supplemented with formula.. he never had a strong suction, and never made a peep. Often at night when I fell asleep I thought I would wake up and he would peacefully pass over the rainbow bridge. The first week went by.. he didn't gain any weight, but he also did not lose any weight either, at this point I thought he would starve - from having his body trying to develop without having enough resources to keep up. I reached out to several colleagues and 2 breeders said it seems to be a classic sign of "liver shunt". Typically puppies just never thrive, they could live 4 to 8 weeks and then the toxins in their body start to shut organs down and eventually they pass. There is a surgery that can be done however there is only a 50/50 survival rate, and little peanut at 2 lbs? how could he ever withstand a surgery? At week 3 I made an appointment to our very knowledgeable guru vet Aaron Pollock :) He did an exam and bloodwork, shockingly peanuts liver count was down which was good... and all other tests didn't show anything real significant, after an additional 30 minutes of vet techs loving on little Peanut, the Doc told me to keep doing what I am doing, it would be a 4 month wait to see a specialist in Pittsburgh but he was happy to make a referral... Sigh... so this was good and bad - as we just didn't have any defined diagnosis still and we weren't sure what to expect.. I continued bottle feeding every few hours, I also gave a milk thistle supplement for liver support. by week 4 I added a plant based puppy mush to his diet and by this time he would be awaiting me each feeding with his little tail wagging... I wasn't sure how his little body would handle the more food .. so that was another test... it was the 4th week and 3rd morning I heard a cry.. a cry I have never heard before, and I thought oh my Peanut may have just passed :'( - but nope! to my surprise he was just wanting breakfast! As peanut progressed, a wonderful lady reached out and offered to give supportive care to Peanut (she then wanted to name him Tank!) I spoke with her on the phone and at 6 weeks old Peanut got a new momma <3 all the way in North Carolina! Sue P. his new mom continued caring for him just as I did, and wow after multiple vet visits and check ups and transition to a meat protein diet - he is now a thriving bouncing loving puppy! Tank is only a few pounds less than his siblings and living his best life - chasing balls, helping Sue with the gardening and playing with the cat ... oh and flipping and playing in any water bowl he finds. His story is a blessing and a miracle and makes me view life with a new lens. “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Mark 9:23 If you want to follow Tank on Instagram he is @tankofthepines Life is a series of thousands of tiny miracles. Notice them... <3 Hank the dog behind the flowers- As Facebook removed the notes section... not too many people know his story... Hank was a Thor x Gypsy boy... and was returned at nearly a year old with aggressive tendencies. He was adopted by a first time puppy/dog family and had been in an abusive situation, we believe by the children of the home...when the family phoned to see if they could bring him back I of course said sure... every FFP puppy has a forever home here, always... When the family arrived they met me at the end of the driveway... as to not disturb the dogs as we had puppies in the house... and a nervous new momma "Daisy" ... When Hank saw me... I immediately thought he would need to be put down... he lunged at me from just seeing me from a distance... he literally looked like he would kill me... I had the husband tie Hank in the barn... I mean at that point ... I had no idea what to do... the family sobbed as they drove away... I mean Hank had been with this family for almost a year, had his own room, 3 trash bags full of toys, treats ... perscriptions... and here he was tied next to the wheel borrow in a dusty barn.... when the family left... I got my best girl and Hanks momma "Gypsy" his attitude switched completely... it took about 2 seconds for his mom to put him in his place... and he was actually playful with me and knew several tricks... he had after all been professionally trained as well! I thought all was great until he saw my mom... (ok Grant cue the Mother In Law Jokes! Lol ) Hank snapped and she did nothing except enter his field of vision.... Grant obviously with his militant background had zero issues with Hank.. and with all the time Grant spent with him taking him everywhere... we thought he had certainly been rehabilitated... aside from children... he still was very fearful of children and would avoid them at all costs... ;'( However... there is one thing we didnt take into consideration... which is my own "sensitive" and nervous personality... we did seek a professional trainers advice... a trainer that works with training search and rescue and police dogs in Charleston WV ... he clearly stated we did not have an aggressive dog... we had a dog that is highly sensitive... and plays off emotions and even subtle changes in heart rate... Hank doesn't necessarily seek out things to attack he is in a constant mode of self protection and then whoever he attaches to also feels the need to protect them at all costs as well... which is fine and dandy with Grant because... the Army dude he is... he never gets his feathers ruffled... me on the other hand... I get anxiety just envisioning in my head of "what can or is about to happen" all the time with every situation. When you visit he will be in the kennel with many warning signs, he will appear to be friendly and welcoming... but he is not... he has a heart that is only big enough to love me and Grant... with everything he has... He is the most loyal, loving boy... if I fell in the woods he would never leave my side... and I mean that in the most literal sense... he would die there... over the years many have said... he should be put down... we have even contemplated that ourselves... but we are all he has... sure Labradors are the number1 most friendly loyal dogs of all time, and they have lots of friends... but Hank doesn't..... he just has us <3  Links for many articles regarding issues encountered with early altering:
Links : https://dogsfirst.ie/health-issues/dog-neutering/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8175472/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10225598/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6070019/ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/vms3.34 https://www.ucdavis.edu/.../early-neutering-poses-health.../ https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0102241 This link (below) is simply a dog magazine but they have a download pdf which sites 40 different references: https://earthrated.com/.../the-spay-and-neuter-controversy/ First off I am no vet, and do not claim to be! but well its springtime here in the West Virginia mountains, and everyone is looking at flea and tick preventatives... even as puppies went to their new homes in January during one of the harshest winters in history the vets were pushing Nexgard at the puppy visits of 8 week old puppies! (mad face)
Ok... are ticks a problem, yes... are fleas a problem... yes.... I live, well kind of live... in the deep woods and so know about ticks all so well! We have herds of deer behind our home... turkeys... bears... (oh my!) My protocol is K9 Advantix II every month or every other month.... I also like Frontline Plus - but in recent years there was speculation that Frontline wasn't as effective .. so I upped my game a bit to Advantix II. Topicals in my opinion are the best defense, I also like Seresto collars.. I know... I know... they recently got a bunch of bad press... as pet owners we know our dogs... we want to protect them... and if you try the Seresto collar and if you notice your dog being a bit "off" maybe acting sick or scratching or well, I mean no one knows our dogs like we do... just take it off and chalk it up to its not going to work.... ! Topicals have a repellent so in my opinion they repel biting bugs before your dog can get bit... this includes, fleas, ticks and mosquitos! I do not like ingestible flea/tick preventatives... I mean I am just a country gal living in the woods mostly... lol... but if I eat a pill and then a bug bites me and dies... okay well first off ... I got bit :'( and so the silver lining is that little critter shriveled up and died after biting me... lol :D but can you imagine the type of chemical that is saturating all of your cells to kill a tiny insect that nibbles on you? 5 years ago, I only put Frontline on my dogs in April... and that actually suited them fine throughout the summer... now as ticks are worse... and lymes is so prevelant... I use Advantix in April, June and August... I will use every month if the dogs are swimming a lot... for my rascal of a barn cat that travels many miles under many moons I use Frontline Plus (after all he is just a cat... lol.. ok sorry... I love you Penelope!!!! ) I use one treatment in April and I have never seen a tick on him throughout the summer.... Penelope doesn't swim much so... I reckon it lasts longer on mouse catchers...? :D ** I wrote this in a jovial manner... but I am serious.. I love my animals and I have the "less is more" approach to most everything in life... I guess except for Labradors.. we obviously can not have too many of them!!! lol.. <3 May you and your pet be pest free this Summer season!!! <3 |
Tammy Jo BoudreauSharing the love of Labradors <3 Archives
January 2025
Categories |
