The Wheeler's World: Wildrose Golden Zeke

Monday was a day that we have waited for for a long time. We traveled to Oxford, Mississippi to pick up our new lab puppy. When I say a long time, I mean a LONG time! Jay put a deposit down on a puppy from Wildrose six, yes SIX, years ago. He was still in college when the mating didn't take and he got an internship at Nucor and had to live in an apartment, he decided that it just wasn't good timing. Now that we are settled in our house and have been married for over two years, we felt like now was as good of a time as any. We went to Oxford this past spring to check out the kennel and before we left, we had activated the deposit for a yellow, male lab. We picked out a dad and a few different moms and were told that we would probably be able to get a puppy in the spring of 2012.

Fast forward to about a month ago......

We called Wildrose because we had noticed that the puppies that were being shown on the website weren't matching the mating schedule. Jay sent an email and within hours we were contacted to receive a puppy that someone had decided not to take. Since I am going to be out of school for a few more weeks, we were so excited to take him because we would have time to housetrain him and get him used to 204 Barbara Drive.

Even though we have two dogs already, we have bought so much puppy 'stuff.' From collars to leashes to tie offs to puppy bumpers-we've got it all. This puppy does have some pretty big shoes to fill: he has multiple field trial champions in his blood lines and one international field trial champion on his dad's side of the family.

When we went to pick up the puppy, we talked with one of the vet techs about how to care for the puppy and then we got to meet him. His belly is SO BIG! I am not exagerating when I say that this little puppy had a belly almost the size of a small canteloupe. When he lays on his stomach, it bulges out on the sides-so funny! They told us that they like chubby puppies and lean dogs. If that's the case then he's as fit as a fiddle. We went out and took the picture below with his mom and dad and then we got to put a pin in the map for Kennett, MO.

I am so upset that I forgot to take a picture of that map because it was really neat to look at all of the places where Wildrose pups have gone. They have gone to all 50 states and even outside of the country! There were only two other pins in the bootheel, so now Kennett is officially on the Wildrose map.

Funny story and then I'm finished. The owner of the kennel, Mike Stewart, has become quite the expert in dog training. He was featured on the cover of Forbes magazine, has regular articles in numerous hunting and outdoor magazines on behalf of the kennel, and has trained both of the Ducks Unlimited Mascots, Drake and Deke. Part of the reason that I forgot to take pictures of the map was because he was talking to us about our 'future plans for our puppy.' To be quite honest, my immediate plans didn't go past getting him to peepee and poop outside. Considering my impromptu puppy interview, I was a little nervous. I was holding Zeke and trying to be the model of a good pet owner not even realizing that he was biting my finger. Mike took one look at me and said, "Oh, dont' do that or you'll have a biter in no time." I was so embarrassed! I could just see them giving me a big F and taking the puppy away-unfit parents-haha!

When we finally got Zeke in the kennel and I closed the door, I looked at Jay and said, "Mike Stuart just got on to me!" I think he laughed for five minutes straight. Now I am bound and determined to teach this dog to be obedient and to be a great retreiver. Puppy training clinic is in the fall and you can bet that when Zeke and I get to Oxford there will be NO biting!