Fourth Coast Grand Slam, Mick, joins our family
During the Fall of 2020 I picked up a really spunky golden male in Pennsylvania from Sue Weider’s breeding. We named him Mick, after NY Yankee’s Mickey Mantle. This little fireball looks promising.
May 30, 2019: False Pregnancy
I just had Ice x-rayed and to my surprise and utter disappointment, Ice is not pregnant. In short, I will breed her again her next heat cycle. So sad.
Ice - Heads Up Winter Storm Warning Am***/Can** bred March 22, 2019
On March 22 and 23, 2019 I bred Ice to Wyatt while training down in South Carolina. This is a repeat breeding and will be a very popular litter. Wyatt and Ice’s first litter produced a number of outstanding pups with one male making the Derby list and other boys and girls doing very well in Hunt Tests and beyond.
Tucker, owned by Lee Herskowitz - one of Ice's pups - wins the Lassen, CA Derby
The pup, was our yellow collar boy I nicknamed “Tank”. But Tank turned into a Hunk and was named Tucker.
FTCH Adirondac Tea for Two passes away July 30, 2018
Due to complications of Lyme Nephritis, my beloved Tea had to be put down at Cornell University on July 30, 2018. She was ill for three days. This dreaded tick-borne illness is 100 percent fatal in retrievers and Tea drew the short straw. Tea was my first field trial Golden and she excelled far beyond my dreams. She was the 2009 National Specialty Derby winner and then at age five earned her Canadian Field Champion title. I miss her dearly…..
Ice due March 28/29
With less than a week to go Ice is beginning to fill out and become restless. We anticipate her whelp date at March 28 or 29. Keep you posted!
Ice bred January 25, 2017 to Wyatt
On January 25, 2017 Ice was bred to Wyatt in Radford, Virginia. Two days later she was bred again. Litter due on March 29, 2017. This should produce a litter of Goldens with tons of go and style. This is a field trial breeding. You can view Wyatt's website at: thesundayswimmer.com
Ice enters her heat cycle on January 14, 2017
Finally, Ice began her heat cycle and within two weeks she will hopefully be bred by AFC The Sunday Swimmer, aka Wyatt located in Radford, Virginia. It'll be a long journey there but the trip will be well worth it. I'll keep you posted.
Upcoming Litter: Ice x Wyatt
On her next heat cycle in 2017 I am planning on breeding Ice to Wyatt (Heads Up Winter Storm Warning ***/Can ** to AFC The Sunday Swimmer.
For more information please email me at tzappia@twcny.rr.com or phone 315-250-4055.
Almost Time for Ice to Head South
Well, it has been almost 6 months since Kati Becker delivered Ice back home and since that time we have accomplished much training and as of late, much hunting. She has really settled in and has found a huge soft spot in my wife's heart. Ice has turned into a very nice girl: still quite spunky, but extremely affectionate. Soon, she will be heading to Georgia to train with elite young dog trainer, Jason Baker. Until that time, the Zappia household will enjoy each waking minute we have with her.
Pat Burns Elite Retriever Training Workshop bound!
Exciting news for me. I'll be attending, with both Tea and Ice, a five-day Pat Burns training workshop in southern NY from July 5-10. Folks in the know say that attending Pat's workshop is like winning the lottery or putting a FC title on your retriever.
Ice is Home
Finally. Ice has returned home safe and sound from Mid-Texas via Kati Becker, Move the Dog. Now, I'll be really concentrating on her casting skills and blinds. Marking is secondary at this time. In anticipation, I had ordered Dennis Voigt's 25 Essential Retriever Training Drills for Handling. Great, great instructional DVD with a handy training booklet outlining drills. As for Ice: she came back in great shape, very spunky, loves to do the work and has found her place in bed between me and my wife...
Cold, but puppy training
Today, Charlie Durant brought his 6 month old Adirondac golden boy over. Did a few minutes of basic drills then threw a series of marks topped off with one mark with a mark with a dead bird. The little boy did very well on marks. Returned to heel and held both bumpers and birds. What a good boy!
Baby it's cold out there!
When you awake to -9 below zero and add on a windchill factor the last thing on your mind is retriever training. So, the day before Superbowl Sunday will be spent pouring over 2014 images, editing and updating this website as well as follow ups on previous submissions.
First Post 1/29/15
While winter has settled it's ugly head onto the north country I fantasize about traveling down south to spend time training my retrievers. I regularly get phone calls from my good friends who migrate down south to train and they keep me well apprised on how nice the weather is and how refreshing it is to train retrievers during the winter months. One of these days, I hope to join them. But for now, I can only dream...