Trish,

I just wanted to take a few minutes to check in with you and let you know how Bella is doing....

First off, let me extend a sincere thanks to you and your staff for the training and oversight that you provided Bella in her first critical months of development. Additionally, I would like to thank you for the training and support that you gave me, including the patience in answering all of the rookie questions that my inexperience brought with the deal. LaNay and I are completely satisfied with Bella in obedience, companionship, and hunting performance.

Her first season in the field was amazing. Every time we went out, it was like being in the classroom for her, and she learned alot. Some of her developments were subtle, but ever present. Let me share one short story with you..One day walking back to the truck from a morning in the blind I paused to unload my shotgun. As I worked the pump action to eject the shells, Bella instinctively came to the heel and was looking for a mark. She had learned pretty fast that when I worked the action on the gun, birds usually started falling from the sky. Needless to say, I was very pleased. She got a well rounded season of both duck and upland bird hunting and has done very well with both. I have included a photo of her emerging from the  James River with a bufflehead in her mouth, a photo of her posing with a merganser from the same hunt, and a photo of her and I in the field over pheasants. 

Her performance as a family pet is equally as impressive. Her behavior around young children is remarkable. Her temperment is outstanding, and instituting obedience early in the program was exactly the right thing to do.

I will be back for another Silverbrook pup in two to three years. I am transferring to Hawaii in May, so I will be away from the immediate area for awhile. However, you will hear from me again when I am ready for a second lab. Trish, your dogs are first rate and I am a believer in your breeding and training program. I would not go anywhere else for a great gun dog.

Thanks again for what you have helped bring me in Bella. 

Sincerely, 

John Gearhart

Just thought I'd send you some pictures of Katie. She's growing very fast! She was just 8 lbs when we picked her up at 7 weeks. Now she's 31 lbs at just 16 weeks! She's quite literally taken over the house! (Even though she won't ever be on the bed!!) She already waits by the door for the boys to come home from school. She was very easy to potty train. After only 4 weeks, she was having very few accidents. At this point, she hasn't had one in about 2 weeks! She's been a great addition to our family. Thanks again for all of your work. Hope to train with you soon.

Jon Henschel

Hi Trish,

We can't tell you how pleased we are with our puppy Molly (of Jack and
PJ - October 13, 2001). With 2 wonderful black labs already (12 years and 5 years), our process of finding a puppy was long and involved. We've
always been proud of our dogs - they're obedient, kind, gentle, and have
classic hunting dog looks. We really wanted a puppy who could fit in as a member
of our family. From day one, Molly has been the perfect addition. Each day we are impressed with her intellect and touched by her sweetness. She begins her training in just 2 weeks and we're eager to watch her rise to the challenge. I've
attached a photo of a sleepy Molly at about 12 weeks. She's huge now, and has made a sport of going up and down the stairs to find her bigger sisters.

Thanks for your diligence in breeding. We couldn't have chosen a better breeder or dog.

Christine and Fritz Seving
Gable Hill Farm
Malvern, PA

Hey Trish,

Roux is doing great. She changes so much from day to day. Right now she is a beautiful, light khaki, 31 pound monster. She has so much
energy, and we love it. Every weekend she gets to go out to my parents farm
and run with the big dogs. They run her so hard that she sleeps for two
days straight afterwards. We especially love that part. We are having so
much fun with her. Some of her favorite things are... ice, the marble slab
in front of the fireplace, treats, eating in general, the edge of my pillow
at bed time, walks and Tiger, our next door neighbor's dog. All and all I
think Roux feels pretty great where she is. We take her everywhere. We
have become one of those couples who turn down social engagements
because we can't bring our dog. Here is a picture we took last night.

Enjoy,
Angela

I just got back from goose hunting, and I am sending you this pic of Pace
retrieving a Canadian goose for me- for real! She did it 5 times in a row-
I would "whoop" it up and toss bird about 10 yards, and she would drag it by
its wing until she got it back to me. You will love the pic- it shows her
(at 9 weeks old!) dragging the bird back to me! Chip (my 10 month old BLM)
was scared of the goose until he saw Pace retrieving it, and then he had
no problem bringing it in- he didn't want to be outdone! I guess she will
help teach Chip some bravery! She did numerous retrieves for me on these geese-
she's had loved birds from day 1! In the pic I am looking out the corner
of my eye at my wife saying 'are you getting this on film! Trish has got to
see this!' - I kid you not....thanks again for sending me Pace- she's a real jewel."

Ken Ford
Heath, Texas

P.S. by the way congrats on all you GMHR's announced in recent NAHRA
newsletter- way to go! There was 5?!? silverbrook's titles there!!! Wow!!! You go girl!!!

Hi Trish,

Thought you might enjoy seeing a picture of Lucy at almost 6 months old. Leo and I think she looks a lot like her mama, Tana. She is full of energy and very smart, too. She outwits our other Lab (Mookie, a 3 year old male) all the time. My vet accused me of being sexist when I said that I thought Lucy is smarter than Mookie! We recently moved to a house with a big yard so they are both really enjoying the opportunity to run. There's a pond nearby so we're hoping to get some swimming in soon too. I see you have another litter coming from Tana and Rebel; I'm sure they will be great! Take care,
Laurie Mombay

Dear Trish

We Arrived home with "Little" Jed, soon to be "Big Jed", He warmed up
nicely and survived his first car trip, we took him out in the back yard and
just as you trained him, he found his territory.

He's a great addition to our family, Danielle is thrilled, Paul elated.
Thanks for all your attention.

Best Regards,

Paul T Wielebinski, M.D.

Trish:

I just wanted to take a moment and say how much I appreciate you working with me and breeding such a fine line of Labs. I am sure it is not easy, in fact, I am sure it is a 24 hour job. You do it because you like it. Obviously there has to be some monetary gain but it doesn't come close to the amount of time you put into it I am sure!

Raven has really been a once in a lifetime dog for me. She is my 4th lab and all of them were hunters. This past year she has learned to point ruffed grouse. When Colleen and I went to MI hunting this fall, she had the opportunity to work dozens of birds. It is very hard not to push grouse too fast and have them flush way up ahead of the dog. Raven figured this out and has since pointed several grouse for me and has always been right. What a neat thing to have happen, a dog who points grouse!


I hunt with several guys around and she is always invited (I would not go without her) to come on the hunt. They even leave their dogs at home because they are not steady in the goose spread or they whine, etc. Raven just sits there minding her business and going into action when it is necessary. You almost forget she is there until she moves her head letting me know she has seen ducks that I would have missed otherwise.

I can guarantee you she is well taken care of. She had shrimp, oysters and clams for our Christmas dinner. I usually do not feed her anything else other than dog food as she has a sensitive stomach. She always goes to the office with me everyday and I even have patients who ask for her to be in the room when I am treating them. Some even want her on the table while I am working with them so they can hold and snuggle with her. Of course I oblige them! She sleeps by my bed every night and it is a comfort knowing she is there. I am sure one of the reasons I have low blood pressure is because of the love this dog has for me and vice versa.

One incident recently while hunting, I shot a double in geese and one was a huge goose, maybe even the largest I have ever shot. He was winged and running hard. I sent Raven and she ignored the closest bird and picked this one on her own. She immediately bulldozed this bird and he was not going to give up without a fight. They circled several times with her going after him and he was pecking her head and beating her with his good wing. After circling for about 30 seconds another flock of geese came in and I had Raven sit and down so we could get a shot at the next group. She laid down beside that goose WHILE he had her ear in his beak pinching it. I felt sorry for her but thought if it was hurting her she would move. The flock we had coming in circled as she was out in the field and finally decided to come in. We limited out with these geese and she was released to bring in the one she was beside. She picked up this goose by the neck, looked at me and jerked her head a couple of times and spit him out. She turned and looked at me with her head down, ears and tail tucked like I know I should not have done that but I was tired of taking that crap! I almost started crying as this little dog was more concerned what I thought about the situation then taking care of herself. I hollared good dog and encouraged her and immediately her ears and tail came up and she reached down and brought that limp bird to me. I will never forget that as long as I live.

Trish, I could go on and on with the stories about this little dog with a big heart. The fact of the matter is I love her very much and you need not worry ever about her. She is family and will always be family. Thanks again for the neatest dog I have ever owned!

I wish you a great Christmas and prosperous new year!

Bill Whiteford

Mcgahneyville, VA

Hey Trish,

Sorry we did not respond sooner . . .Filson is great. We had the best holiday with him. He made a lot of new friends, both human and canine. He endured 28 inches of snow, his first hunt, and, unfortunately, a lot of time traveling in a vehicle . . Check out the pictures.

He is now up to 31 pounds. We can tell that he is going to be tall like mom. He has an excellent and curious nose and is a little too ambitious about eating grouse, pre-cooked. We had him out with two different labs over the holidays. He has already learned a lot about working the field, even though the grouse hunting was tough with all the snow. We are debating over whether to send him to school.

The only problem that we have had is in getting him to urinate outside. He is still having problems with that. It is strange because he will sometimes be outside, come in and go on the floor. He is still doing this once or twice a day. What is most strange is that he is in his cage all night and never goes. Any suggestions?

Kristie & Peter Ressler
Philadelphia, PA