River - posing in water

[lovelife65]

Took pups to Lone Lake on Whidbey Island today they had a ball. We have moved to Whidbey temporarily from Anacortes, while we sell our home and get ready to build and move to Orcas Island

#1 River - our female field lab - just over 1 year old by sharonkay finley, on Flickr

I took quite a few photos of them today in the water. River was very animated, wanting to pull that big log up that you can see the tip of. She managed to do so and had quite a bit of fun bossing it around.
Too bad I clipped her tai in #1l. She's a beautiful girl.

#2
Pretty girl River by sharonkay finley, on Flickr

#3 I got this (not enough space at top but..)
I got this by sharonkay finley, on Flickr

[mugge]

Great shots. They are way too lively for me though
Cheers Ole

[Shadowman]

Nice series.

[Antonio Correia]

Young and energetic !
Like John said, nice series !

[rpcrowe]

River is an absolutely gorgeous dog! However the cutoff tail in image #1 is distacting to me. My eye tends to follow that tail However, I love her intense expression.

What do you think of a vertical head and shoulders crop?

[lovelife65]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, it's a shame her tail didn't make it in that first image, and it is distracting. They are very boisterous field labs so really hard to photograph. She was moving all the time
My editing skills are certainly lacking.

Here she is focused on that branch under water...

River wants her log by sharonkay finley, on Flickr

They will even go under to grab what they want, very strong field instincts.
Can't hide from me! by sharonkay finley, on Flickr

[rpcrowe]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, it's a shame her tail didn't make it in that first image, and it is distracting. They are very boisterous field labs so really hard to photograph. She was moving all the time
My editing skills are certainly lacking.

Here she is focused on that branch under water...

River wants her log by sharonkay finley, on Flickr

They will even go under to grab what they want, very strong field instincts.
Can't hide from me! by sharonkay finley, on Flickr

A fast moving active young dog is a challenge. The Sony Eye-AF is a great help. Like a new generation of auto-focus

Love that last shot - so typical of a Labrador with dedication...

My buddy had a massive Lab when I lived in New Mexico. The dog jumped into a fast moving irrigation channel to get a stick and was swept into a culvert that ran under a road. We were heartsick; sure that the Lab would be drowned. However, the Lab came swimming out the other side of the culvert - stick in his mouth

Many New Mexico duck hunters preferred yellow Labs over black ones. They thought that the yellow color against white snow alarmed the ducks less than a black dog. I don't hunt anymore but, a well trained dog on the retrieve is a beautiful sight to behold...

[lovelife65]

A fast moving active young dog is a challenge. The Sony Eye-AF is a great help. Like a new generation of auto-focus

Love that last shot - so typical of a Labrador with dedication...

My buddy had a massive Lab when I lived in New Mexico. The dog jumped into a fast moving irrigation channel to get a stick and was swept into a culvert that ran under a road. We were heartsick; sure that the Lab would be drowned. However, the Lab came swimming out the other side of the culvert - stick in his mouth

Many New Mexico duck hunters preferred yellow Labs over black ones. They thought that the yellow color against white snow alarmed the ducks less than a black dog. I don't hunt anymore but, a well trained dog on the retrieve is a beautiful sight to behold...

That story is so wonderful, thank you for sharing... I can just picture the big smile on the dogs face
River's brother was content overall with just swimming around the lake, although he participated a bit in the retrieve of the stick.
These two are probably the best labs we've had yet. Very loving and yet intense. We are an active family, so it's a good fit.

[rpcrowe]

My wife and I just spent an hour or so in our pool with My Doodle and my Daughters Lab along with their little guy, Duke



We think that Duke is a Poodle + Bischon Friese mix and he is just learning to swim. My Doodle would spend the entire day in the pool if we let her and our daughter's Lab is really getting a bit old for swimming. She will step into the pool to get cool but, will only spend a few moments in the water...

[lovelife65]

My wife and I just spent an hour or so in our pool with My Doodle and my Daughters Lab along with their little guy, Duke



We think that Duke is a Poodle + Bischon Friese mix and he is just learning to swim. My Doodle would spend the entire day in the pool if we let her and our daughter's Lab is really getting a bit old for swimming. She will step into the pool to get cool but, will only spend a few moments in the water...

Very nice portrait Richard thanks for sharing. Do you have problems with swimmers ear in your pups? Our two yellows really need intensive monitoring of that or their ears get inflamed. I use some witch hazel mix and try to keep them clean and dry, but just ordered api-optic to help.
Our 12.5 year old black lab still wants to try to keep up with the pups. They are actually quite respectful of her. She can't do it, but for her age she does better than expected. I feel for your daughters labrador, it's tough.

[lovelife65]

River is an absolutely gorgeous dog! However the cutoff tail in image #1 is distacting to me. My eye tends to follow that tail However, I love her intense expression.

What do you think of a vertical head and shoulders crop?

I like the crop. She's a little undersaturated in the original, the light was strong.
I would have like to have not cut her tail in half, but was moving so fast, and also trying to keep the lens dry from both clowns splashing and shaking.

[rpcrowe]

"Do you have problems with swimmers ear in your pups? Our two yellows really need intensive monitoring of that or their ears get inflamed. I use some witch hazel mix and try to keep them clean and dry, but just ordered api-optic to help. "

Holly would contract swimmer's ear regularly. In fact we restricted her from the pool for one season because of it and it broke her heart. She just loves swimming...

Our groomer recommended NaturVet Ear Wash Plus Tea Tree Oil
https://smile.amazon.com/NaturVet-Fo...s%2C197&sr=8-1

We keep her ears trimmed shorter during swimming season and we give her a shot in each ear after her pool session and that seems to have done the trick. No more infections and Holly is a happy girl...


Holly due to her poodle genes doesn't have an undercoat and dries a lot faster than Shadow, the Labrador. Little Duke, also has poodle genes and has no undercoat either...

[lovelife65]

"Do you have problems with swimmers ear in your pups? Our two yellows really need intensive monitoring of that or their ears get inflamed. I use some witch hazel mix and try to keep them clean and dry, but just ordered api-optic to help. "

Holly would contract swimmer's ear regularly. In fact we restricted her from the pool for one season because of it and it broke her heart. She just loves swimming...

Our groomer recommended NaturVet Ear Wash Plus Tea Tree Oil
https://smile.amazon.com/NaturVet-Fo...s%2C197&sr=8-1

We keep her ears trimmed shorter during swimming season and we give her a shot in each ear after her pool session and that seems to have done the trick. No more infections and Holly is a happy girl...


Holly due to her poodle genes doesn't have an undercoat and dries a lot faster than Shadow, the Labrador. Little Duke, also has poodle genes and has no undercoat either...

Thanks for the ear wash recommendation, I will check that out!!
Very cute photo of your doodle and wife. Yes, our pups are very very unhappy about not being able to go swimming at the moment (we use lakes and ponds (if no toxic algae outbreaks) and the ocean)). In fact, we have to over secure one of our fences in our current rental home as they found a way to squeeze through the gate and go take themselves to the pond on the property for swimming. Our male was very unhappy, he was even trying to jump the fence.


As you can see here, they are very at home in the water. Our male (black nose) actually will growl at the water, maybe because he sees something in it.
water dogs by sharonkay finley, on Flickr

[rpcrowe]

Holly's Dad was a chocolate poodle and he would spend much of the day in the Texas farm where he lived right in the pond...

Nice capture of the two labs...

[Tom Barry]

Great stuff. River is clearly a water dweller.

[lovelife65]

thank you both. They are wonderful pups.

A chocolate poodle.... I had never heard that before Our pups would live in the pond too, if we let them. Those big floppy ears though, present challenges.

[rpcrowe]

This is Holly's Dad... Not my image



Holly and her half sister (both from the same daddy). Obviously, his chocolate genes were not very strong...