Hi Mary Anne,

It has been forever since I last wrote. I hope you and family are all well. Both boys, Duke (Hadley x Nick) and Jett (Lacy x Newman) are flourishing. Duke was our first pup from you. As he is nearing two next month, he is a beautiful boy. Duke is quiet and unassuming. He waits for his ear scratch as he comes in from outside and the occasional love in the evening but he is truly comfortable in his own skin and his place in our pack. I make a point to take him on special errands, just he and I , because he asks so little and loves his solo trips. He is always a model canine when we go out. Jett is now eighteen months and he is a Lab’s lab. He is so smart. Has learned all his commands from an early age observing Duke’s training. He is so willing and I often call him my shadow. Just a sweetheart who loves everyone and wants to have fun. We had an unusual incident this Sunday. I try to take them all to our local dog park at least three times a week. We are currently renovating a home in Auburn on twenty two acres and they all have a pond and the acreage during the week but since we currently have six Labs ( I am fostering three female pups) I like to get them out of their pack mentality and let them socialize. This Sunday a mentally unstable woman brought her pet bunny into the dog park. Mind you this dog park is over three acres and at the time had approximately thirty large dogs in it. Of course she lets the bunny down on the ground and he takes off. There I am with six hunting dogs, recalling them to me, horrified for the bunny. My three pups ( five months old) are clueless and ignore the action but Duke and Jett are on point and by the time the bunny reaches our end of the Park Jett has it in his mouth without barely moving. Another dog owner, who frequently visits with us, tells Jett to drop it , which he does. Poor thing is bloody, it hit his mouth on the fence, Jett grabbed it by its back end. Now for the interesting part, the woman goes ballistic on Jett. Starts going towards him threatening harm. I recalled him and told him down which he did and this woman physically attacks me and puts her hands on my throat Out of nowhere Jett rockets his 23.5 inch 85 pound body through the air and takes this woman to the ground. He never snarled nor showed any teeth. At this point others in the Park had called Animal Control and the Local Sheriffs which arrived and saw the entire event. I was so scared Animal Control was going to Taser Jett or some other awful scenario. It took three Sheriffs to get the woman in handcuffs. I was worried for nothing. Jett practically licked the Animal Control Officers and Sheriffs to death. Luckily they saw the entire altercation and Jett was deemed my hero. I am SO proud of his actions. If the Sheriffs had not arrived when they did I don’t know what the outcome would have been. I think I was most proud that he just knocked her down but never bit her. Thank goodness we did not have to find out if he would have bit her or not. In true Lab subservience I had to reassure Jett the entire night. He thought he was in trouble for his actions. Duke, Jett and I walk a little over two miles every night and Duke has the real prey instinct. We have worked for months on walking nicely when he sees birds, cats and other small dogs or animals. Jett doesn’t usually blink an eye while Duke is hunt mode. As horrifying as the incident was, my motherly pride sneaks through that it was my low riding, muscle bound happy-go-lucky Lab that not only got the bunny but came to my rescue. He may have lost his goofy puppy reputation at the dog park this weekend but has gained the respect of its residents he deserves. As usual I have written a short story. I thought you would like to hear how one of your pups has become my true hero. I’ll try to send a picture of the boys soon.

Best wishes for you and Family,

Danna Mosley