HAPPY HOWLADAYS FROM GODIVA LABRADORS
Click on the present to open our Christmas gift to you
Stories to touch the heart |
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Page 1 | Page 2 |
Straight from San Diego, California Pictures to make you smile |
 MORE PUPPY BREATH EVEN MORE PUPPY BREATH |
I want to stand my dog at stud (Reprinting of the article encouraged) | I want my dog to be a mother (Reprinting of this article encouraged) |
Stories to tickle the funny bone | Dog Club Speeches |
BIRTH DEFECTS |
Godiva Labradors is located in the Western US and is lovingly owned by Doris and Mary. We
were founded in 1984 when Lothlorien’s Galadriel, CDX came into our
lives. Although Drea was not show quality and turned out to have Hip Dysplasia and was spayed, she started us on what looks to be a lifelong obsession with Labradors and Chocolates in particular. Drea ended her obedience career at the Labrador Retriever Club of Southern California
Specialty in 1991 at the age of seven when she finished her CDX in the
morning with a first place in Open A and was retired from competition
during a lunch time parade of winners. We lost Drea to bone cancer in
1993 but the legacy that she started continues on in the love for the
dogs that currently fill our lives as well as in the friends that she
brought to us. Doris was the Membership and Technology Chair for
HIGH DESERT
LABRADOR RETRIEVER CLUB, INC until demands at work took precedent and was on the Board of Directors of the LRCSC for several years. She was also on the board for the Companion Dog Training Club, Inc. , for many years and served as the official puppy trainer for the club. 
In order to afford our passion she works in the local Los Angeles Advertising Community. The other half of the team is Mary, a retired OB/GYN nurse whose loving hands and expert medical knowledge is an important part of our success, especially when it comes to our litters. Without her there would be no Godiva. There have been others that have been instrumental in our development and we would publicly like to acknowledge Wingmaster's Winnie Limbourne who has been with us every step of the way.
Her knowledge and encouragement has gotten us through the rough spots
2007 brought a big change to GODIVA. We added our first boy and an non-lab
(not including the rescues we have had throughout the years). We added a charming Sussex Spaniel to the family and we are having a great time getting to
know this goofy and delightful breed. At just 6 months Charlie took 2 second places in his first two shows, losing to one brother but beating another one. We are going to let him grow up a for a few months and will bring him out again.
We are also going to give obedience a try. With this boy it should be good for a laugh!
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Click on Charlie's name for more Charlie pictures and information on the Sussex Spaniel.
February 8, 2007
(CH. Reata Concho x CH. She's Simply the Cat's Meow)
Charlie earns his AKC Championship at Riverside KC - October 25, 2008
and a Sporting Group 4 at Channel Cities KC - October 4, 2008
Owner handled all the way.
CHARLIE JUST CHUGGING ALONG
Yep you are right , this is NOT a Labrador. This is my charming little Sussex Spaniel, Charlie. It is a big responsibility living with one of the rarer breeds but what a hoot he is to have around. He never fails to bring a smile to the face of anyone he meets. I am convinced that he thinks he is one of the labs and he and MOUSE are constant playmates. If he isn't playing with Mouse he is in the water, whether it is the sprinklers, his wading pool, or the water dish.
Kansas was our obedience star taking her CD and CDX in 6 consecutive trials. She was a "Dog World Award" winner in Novice and missed out on Open by 1 point. Unfortunately, she could not continue on to her UD after tearing her cruciate ligament and was retired. Kansas was also the foundation bitch for our kennels having produced 3 great litters (two by Wingmaster’s L-Ten-Eleven and one by CH. Appollo’s Gallactic Hunter) and then retired to spend her days playing with her great-grand-daughter and sleeping on the couch.
This picture of Kansas was taken on June 15, 1998. Not only was this her 12th birthday but it was her 1 1/2 month rebirthday following her surgery for laryngeal paralysis.
Kui (ku-ee) was from Kansas’ first litter and got the Cressida in her
name when she was born in the back seat of one on the way to the Vet’s
office. Kui was shown in conformation and went as far as to make
the cut over tough competition at the Nationals. Her heart was never
really in the show ring as she would rather be out where there was
water and birds. Kui gave us two terrific litters both by CH.
Appollo’s Gallactic Hunter.
Wanna was a wonderful bitch with great movement and the dark brown eyes that
are so desired and so rarely found. She did very will in matches but broke
a leg as a youngster and was unable to continue her show career. Wanna’s
first litter was by "Donalbain Bertram" and was a resounding success. Her
second litter in December 1996 was by "CH. Chucklebrook Rocky Road" and was
one of our best so far. Wanna’s wonderful temperament is stamped on all of
her pups producing the sweetest chocolate drops anywhere. We lost our beloved Wanna due to aspiration pneumonia just before her 14th birthday.
Our puppies are born in our extra bedroom and they are handled and loved from the very first minute they come into this world, hey, its a tough job but somebody has to do it,right? A breeder's job is to produce top quality puppies from genetically cleared parents and to make sure that they are loved,
socialized and spoiled prior to placing them in carefully screened new homes,
therefore, all breeding stock should always be OFA’d
and CERF’d. Since reputable breeders do not have many litters (some only breed every 18 months or so), puppies are often promised to new homes
before they are even born so reservations are a must. If you aren’t sure where and how to start looking, we will be glad to answer your questions and point you in the right direction.
At Godiva we believe that the Labrador Retriever is the perfect dog for us. But this is not true for everyone, The Lab is a large, powerful dog that needs your time and love. A Lab can easily knock over a small child or a small or older adult. You must be able to train and discipline the dog or you will end up with far more trouble than you bargained for. You must remember that the Lab is a RETRIEVER and than means he is mouth oriented. In other words, anything that is at Lab level (anything below the floor to about 6 feel high) is fair game and will probably not survive long unless you spend the necessary time in training. Like most dogs the Lab can also be a digger and a barker if left to his own devices. All of these things can be controlled, but YOU have to do it, the dog will not do it by himself. Labs have a tremendous amount of love to give and they deserve that chance, but you must work with them in order for the relationship to be a happy one. Just because a puppy is cute (and boy are they ) or someone else has one, it doesn’t mean that they are the dog for you. Maybe you saw someone with a great, well trained dog and you want one, it doesn’t mean it will be the same for you.
That dog got that way because someone put a ton of work into making it happen.
A dog is only as good as its breeding and the time and effort you put into it.
Most if not all reputable breeders are concerned with the large amount of dogs that are in our shelters and rescues so they don’t do a lot of breeding. When they do have a litter they sell the puppies on an AKC Limited
Registration and may even include a spay/neuter agreement. Labs are the number one AKC registered dog and there are many
people who are breeding them who shouldn’t be. The only reason to breed a
litter is to IMPROVE THE BREED, there is NO OTHER REASON!!
So--- THINK before you look
---LOOK before you buy
---BUY only from a breeder
who is in it for the love
of the breed.
If you would be interested in receiving a copy of the High Desert
Labrador Retriever Club's FINDING A PUPPY, information
guide please EMAIL ME at lablover@relaypoint.net
June 15, 1986 - March 13, 2000
(Charger St. John Chism x Koko Carob)
OFA/Good CERF
KANSAS TOOK 1ST PLACE IN VETERANS OBEDIENCE
LRCSC SPECIALTY AT AGE 11
We lost our beloved Kansas on March 13, 2000 due to Severe Chronic Bronchitis
She will be forever loved and forever missed
December 19, 1988 - January 22, 1999
(Wingmaster’s L-Ten-Eleven x Godiva’s Kansas Cameo. CDX, CGC)
OFA /Hips/Elbows Eyes Clear Wind Morgan
Late in 1998 Kui had been diagnosed with Cushings Disease. Before we could get her on medications she went into crisis from an unknown cause and in 2 short days she was gone. 
July 27, 1991 - July 13, 2005
A LADY FROM FIRST TO LAST.
(CH. Appollo’s Gallactic Hunter x Godiva’s Cressida Kukui, CGC)
OFA/Good CERF/Clear 
(CH. Appollo’s Gallactic Hunter x Godiva’s Kansas Cameo, CDX, CGC)
THE GODIVA PHILOSOPHY
GOOD BYE OUR SWEETEST OF DREAMERS, OUR LOVELY DREA
YOU GAVE US YOUR HEART AND TOOK OURS IN RETURN
YOU WERE OUR BEGINNING AND YOUR LEGACY WILL BE OUR FUTURE
YOU WERE OUR WINDWATCHER AND OUR GUARDIAN
YOU PROTECTED US FROM SADNESS BY BRINGING US JOY
DREA, WE MAY BE PARTED FOR AWHILE, BUT YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A PART OF OUR LIVES
WE WILL MEET ONCE AGAIN ON RAINBOW BRIDGE, NEVER TO PART AGAIN
Most people say that Saucy doesn’t look much like a Chocolate Lab. This could be because she is an ASCOB (buff) American Cocker Spaniel that came into our lives in 1984. The first 6 months of this lady’s life were filled with neglect and abuse. We had never planned on having a small, long haired dog in the house but there are times when the choice is not left up to you but to the fates and so we have our Saucy. Of all the dogs, she is the best hunter, often catching the squirrels that run in the back yard and bringing them to us as presents. She is sweet and engaging and as big as a food hound as her larger brown sisters. Even though we had never intended on a Cocker, Saucy is a delight and she has added much enjoyment to our lives over the years.
After lighting up our lives for many years, Saucy has left us to join Drea at Rainbow Bridge. We miss her terribly but we know that we will be united once again, never to part.
We had been extremely careful with Kansas during her pregnancy. She had received the best food, vitamins, etc., and had not been given one drop of medication during her gestation. I found an important clue to the situation in CANINE REPRODUCTION, A BREEDER’S GUIDE by Phillis A. Holst. She notes in her book that from the 19th to the 33rd day, the fetus is subject to various insults, such as chemicals, which can result in a number of birth defects including cleft palate. The MERCK MANUAL also suggests that cleft palates can be caused by various outside influences.
Now that we knew a possible what and a possible when, it was up to us to narrow the field. I knew that we had NOT given any medications, used any flea sprays or dips, or used anything on our lawn that could have been a hazard to the developing pups. So we had to start looking elsewhere. Finally we found what we were looking for….our next door neighbor had one of the professional exterminating companies out and had their yard sprayed for fleas on what would have been the 34th day from Kansas’ first breeding. We were not at home at the time of the spraying but can be pretty certain that the chemicals sprayed on the neighbor’s lawn blew through the chain link between the houses, to our dogs in the backyard.. The pups conceived on the first breeding were past the insult period, while the pups from the second and third breedings were prime targets for possible damage.
Since that time, studies relating to human pregnancy have drawn possible links to the use of certain flea products and birth defects. One article states that since it is believed that these products can cause birth defects in animals, that women should take suitable precautions during pregnancy.
After writing an article for my local club’s newsletter, I received phone calls from many people who had gone through similar experiences and in each case they were able to track back to an application of pesticide at the critical point in the gestation.
We learned a very hard lesson. We had taken all the precautions that we were able to, but it wasn’t enough. In a world where the use of all types of chemicals is an every day fact of life, we must be even more careful and keep an eye out for not just what we ourselves do but also for what those around us do as well.
A happy note to all this is that the two pups that underwent the cleft palate repairs recovered quickly and are doing very well. One was placed in a pet home on a limited registration with a spay agreement and the other is my own Millagro de Vida.
| MY MAIN VET | KANSAS' SURGEON | EMERGENCY VET |
|---|---|---|
|
Dr. Dan Reimer Dr. Ted Adler Dr. Craig Adler 16901 Roscoe Blvd. Sepulveda, CA 818 893-6366 |
OF WOODLAND HILLS Dr. Jack D. Henry, Jr. 20051-D Ventura Blvd Woodland Hills, CA 91364 818 887-2263 - Office 818 513 4583 - Voice Mail |
OF WOODLAND HILLS 20051-D Ventura Blvd Woodland Hills, CA 91364 818 887-2262 MON-FRI: 6P-8A SAT-SUN: 24 Hours |
The Ladies of Godiva are very honored to be the recipients of the May 1998 "Celebrate Life Award" given by Blue Knight Labradors in memory of Sugar. This award means as much to us in the receiving as it does in the giving and we thank Blue
Knight for this wonderful tribute. Please click on the award and visit Blue Knight to see other award winners or to nominate a special page. You will be very happy you did.
Godiva Labradors is proud to announce that we have been chosen to receive the Kelly Knows Excellence Homepage Award. We have worked hard to make our internet home a place where people like to drop by for a visit and we thank Kelly for the paws up in recognition. Please click on Kelly's picture and check out the other winners. While you are there check out this website - It is one of the best you can find.
This page updated on August 23, 2007
DISCLAIMER: None of the dogs on these pages are offered for sale, nor are any services or products being offered.
This site is for the purpose of showing the time, concern and devotion it takes to properly represent the breed, as well as the pride and love that we have for the Ladies of Godiva.
We do not represent, nor do we receive any compensation for any of the services we may link to within these pages with the exception of Amazon.com, which is in accordance with the rules and guidelines for free websites on Geocities.
Thank you
The Ladies of Godiva
LP Journal updated 8:30AM (PDT)on June 15, 1999
Please come back for another visit soon
1997-2001 Doris Engbertson
Please contact page owner for permission to reprint 
© 2001
lablover@relaypoint.net
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