Welcome to Grassroots Labradors! I hope that you will enjoy your visit and fall in love with our beautiful dogs.
Today my lines are competing successfully across the country and in other countries, as working retrievers, obedience, search and rescue and in confirmation.
I would love to say that 20 years ago I did everything right, researched breeders and pedigrees and then carefully selecting the perfect pup. That is not at all what happened, I was very active in the horse showing world and I had always adopted dogs of questionable lineage? I wanted a Labrador so badly that I looked in the newspaper and found a litter, I went to purchase my puppy and there was only one left, a six week old female with a belly full of roundworm. I bought her on the spot for $130.00 her papers had not yet arrived but I didn’t care. She was the perfect puppy, always obedient and ready to please. When she was about six months old I had to go to Canada and I left Chance with a friend and professional handler, Helen George (Ripsnorter Wirehaired Pointers).
Upon returning home Helen said she thought I should show Chance. That was the day that changed my life. Chance became "Champion A Golden Chance" and produced 3 Champions out of her first litter!!! Chance lived to be 16 and I will never be able to replace her in my home or my heart. I was incredibly lucky, it turned out Chance had an excellent Pedigree, and excellent health in back of her. It could have been quite the opposite, that is why you should research carefully prior to making a 10-16 year commitment! It is not the price of the pup, it is the cost over the dogs life and a health problem can quickly cost thousands!
Most of us will reference ourselves as big breeders or hobby breeders, I breed very selectively, for the simple love of the breed! I breed every few years after my breeding stock is cleared for health problems and have proven themselves to be exceptional examples of the breed. Words just can’t express my love for my dogs and this breed!
The good friends that my dogs have brought my way, the memories of winning and losing, so many lessons learned, many the hardest way possible. The laughter and tears have all made up my past 20 years with Labradors! I can't thank Jennifer Stotts (Shannon Valley Labradors) enough for allowing me the privilege of owning Champion Shannon's Noel At Grassroots and Champion Shannon's Grassroots Hurricane!!
BEAUTIFUL KIDS!
