Testimonials

From WHL Forever Families

Welcome Home Labs~ Reviews and Testimonials

Here are a few of the responses that we receive from our “extended family”. We enjoy staying in touch with all of you. We are continually getting updates from families- we LOVE that- thank you! I am REALLY HOPING to add testimonials regularly. I am just trying to find a way that would work easily. We get several everyday and it certainly makes our days even brighter. Let me know if you have an idea for me to post these easily. My focus is dogs and people so the website is not my expertise.

We welcome you to continue to send in photos and an update of your Lab or share about your experience with us then I will do my best to post it right away. If you want to be sure that it is posted then just say in your email…please, post this in testimonials. That will motivate me to get it up because I don’t want to disappoint you and I am so happy to share these Labs with others.

Families also leave testimonies and updates on Facebook where they can post directly to Welcome Home Labs Facebook. Be sure to look under ‘comments’ of the FB posts. Enjoy!

Thank you, thank you for allowing us to be a part of you welcoming home your new family member.
We truly consider it a privilege!

Hello, hello!

I’ve been meaning to send an update on our girl! I’m sure you can tell from social media, but we absolutely adore her. Brie has been the best addition to our little family.

Couple of things we wanted to share:

– Easiest puppy to house train I’ve ever had. She had hardly any accidents, and learned so quickly. Within a week of bringing her home it just clicked.

– She loves to train and learn new commands. Michael is always teaching her new tricks. She knows sit, down, crate, stay, come, shake, roll, recalls to her name, walks next to us without pulling on or off leash (without distractions 😉 ), waits for the “okay” to eat food or her treats when right in front of her, etc etc etc. Such a smart girl!

– LOVES water. The first time we took her to a lake – she raced in and started galloping through the water and swimming before either of us had time to wade in.

– LOVES people so much. Her biggest hurdle is staying calm when greeting/excited peeing, but she’s the happiest lab puppy so most people we meet/greet don’t mind 🙂

– We get compliments on her look/color and her happy/excited demeanor all the time!!! So many people recognize her in our apartment complex. It’s so sweet.

I just wanted to take a minute to share and thank you again! She was the cutest puppy in the world, but this stage she’s in now is our favorite yet. No more puppy biting (haha) and just very loyal and excited to hang out with us all the time.

Some recent photos attached. Thank you again!!

Happy Holidays Bryce and Gina,

Lilly Lou Juniper JujuBelle Swintak Waite (DOB 12/22/16: the pink one from her litter) just turned one and we wanted to share some of the highlights of her first year with you. She is a wonderful, sweet, loving, energetic, adventurous, fearless, loving, loving, loving dog! Her big sister Strudel is her best friend and biggest hero, and she’s never met a day- or a person- that she didn’t greet with a full body tail wag! She’s not tall, but she’s a very solid, muscular 56 pounds (outweighing her sister …). She’s a good traveler and has been on many road trips. We can’t imagine/don’t want to imagine life without her!

Please thank Gloria and Lightning for sharing their daughter with us- let them know that we think Lilly is PERFECT!
We wish you and your family all the best for 2018!
Cosima, Charlie, Strudel and Lilly Swintak-Waite

Swintak- Waite Family

Hello and Merry Christmas!!!

I just wanted to write to you and tell you that Blue is six months old now and is the best thing to happen to us. He brings us so much joy! God really blessed us with him. He is such a lover, has the sweetness of sugar that makes your heart melt. He loves snuggles and kisses every morning and has to give Mama one before bed every night. We get compliments all the time on how well mannered and good he is. We just adore him! He never devours his food- he’s a grazer which we heard is unheard of for labs! He has never chewed on any of our things and he has started to stay out of the kennel when we aren’t home now. We never kept him in a kennel at night after the first week and he sleeps on the floor at the bottom of our bed. And yes he was potty trained within a week! We sure got lucky!! He has many friends and playmates around the neighborhood! It seems like everyone has labs. He best friend is my in laws dog so yay for that! 😉

I just thought I’d share about him with you and send you updated photos of Blue.

Jason and Carissa Bronson

Bronson Family

Dearest Bryce and Gina,

We are having soooo much fun with Sadie. I loved the name Sadie, but my family wants to have a “say” in her name. We have finally come up with a name (after 3 days) that all 4 of us have agreed on. Indie! This has not been an easy task considering 4 strong willed family members Should have named her Bullet, bc she surely knows where the front door and kitchen are. And, boy can she bolt! Must take after her dad ….. Lightning.

She is also not a fan of her paws getting cold. Ha ha. Hopefully this will help with getting her job done quickly.

She has been a joy and we are making great progress. She sits and comes to us with some positive reinforcement. Trying to mix up some very tiny pieces of treats with positive verbal reinforcement. Very smart little girl. We are so in love and attached to her already.

Took her to her first vet check today. She weighed 15.7lbs. Our vet was very impressed with all the testing you guys do and we are truly grateful.

Crate training as been going great, too. Slept the last 2 nights from 11pm – 6;30AM. It’s obvious that you did some pre-adoption work.

Just want you to know how appreciative we are for you allowing us to adopt her. If you ever need a reference, I would be happy to share our wonderful experience.

Lastly, I hope that both Gloria and Nora are recovering well and puppies growing stronger. You do a fabulous job caring for your dogs, and it shows.

Kindest regards,

Beth, Brian, Ava and Sean Hamilton

Hamilton Family

Good Morning! Loved seeing your new puppies on Facebook. I just thought I’d send a note letting you know that Bruno and I passed the Therapy Dog International Test this week. We are now a certified therapy team and will soon begin going to sites to provide comfort to those in need. The picture is Bruno practicing for his test with my Dad. The teachers of my classes and the evaluator thought that Bruno had the perfect temperament for this work. They always chuckled at his slow, laid back attitude! Hope all is well with you.

Mary Rutherford

Rutherford Family

You have to feel sorry for Duke. He is so excited when we say “lake”. Picks up his leash and carries it around. He runs to the door and whines while he is looking at the water. He loves to retrieve, and then loves a boat ride….. Tough life for the Duke!

Thanks again for giving him a good start.

Dave and Denise and The Duke

**********Another update at a later time***********

Duke loves the water. Is retrieving as long as we throw things and brings it back expecting the next throw. He is so loved.

Thank you.

Dave and Denis

Steffen Family

Cami is a great dog- fun and loving and very smart! And she loves to swim!

Hope all is well with you and yours.

Rachel and Jim Bzoskie

Bzoskie Family

Hi Bryce and Gina and everybody,

I just thought you might like to see a picture of Mysa, who turned five months old yesterday.

I took this picture this morning at the dog park, which is 7 acres of woods and beach front along the Mississippi River and is one big dog party, especially on a nice, hot day for swimming.

Mysa actually decided to go after a stick I threw her, even though she had to swim a few feet to get it. This was the first time she decided to swim, even though just a few feet. She’s really growing up.

Mysa has received compliments from her Puppy Prodigy and Puppy Agility teachers for different things, like her trick of getting in a box and lying down, for running effortlessly and easily around a cone (away from me), for learning to get up on a perch and move her back legs to walk all the way around it, for running on the agility bridge with speed and balance, and for her trick of walking on my feet, one of our fun homework assignments.

Hunter and I took Mysa to an outdoor cajun band concert at Minnehaha Park a week or so ago and she got up on my feet and danced to the music with me! That was a lot of fun.

As always, feel free to use anything you’d like for your testimonial page.

Hope all is very well with you,

Jan and Hunter Olsen

The photos below are from other updates that Jan and Hunter sent to us. Music certainly is a wonderful connector and the fresh air got the best of her on her first camping trip.

Olsen Family

Happy New Year Bryce, Gina, and Family!

I’ve been meaning to write and give you an update on Whiskey (Reese). I’ve attached a photo of our handsome boy! He’s about 4.5 months old in that pic. He’s about 5.5 months old now and weighs about 50 lbs.

He’s perfect and we couldn’t love him more!!! He LOVES to retrieve…we have a rubber chicken that he will track and retrieve all day long. Squeeky balls are fun too! Brady is hoping to get him trained for bird hunting. He’s got very good instincts. We have a wildlife management area nearby and he loves to run and sniff around in the long grass—he knows he’s suppose to be tracking something—he’s just not sure what it is yet! We take him over to the neighborhood ice rink, chuck a puck, and watch him race (and slide) across the ice to get it. He thinks it’s a blast…secretly we laugh at him but don’t tell him that =).

He is learning his basic commands, loves walks, flying, car rides, and playing with the Lake Elmo Airport golden retriever, Gus. He follows us everywhere (he’s rarely on a leash unless we are taking a walk in the neighborhood or at the vet). He sleeps at our feet and keeps them warm. He watches and listens intently…waiting to see what we are going to do next. He gives big sloppy kisses. He loves his people…

Hope you are well and surviving this COLD winter! If you come through Bayport…be sure to stop by!

Our best,
Michele, Brady, Logan, Liv, Jack, and Whiskey

Konigson Family

Bryce & Gina:

As promised, pictures of the little fur ball! Gracie/Una is adjusting so well. She is a very happy puppy. Each day she is exploring new things and becoming more adventurous. We can’t believe that she practically knows the command “sit” already! What a smarty pants. She is fairly potty trained and does a little whine to let us know when she has to go out. We are doing the bell ring for potty training and she did the first ring today! She amazes us all the time on how fast she learns–it’s only been 3 days! We love the innocence she brings and the curiosity she that is part of the puppyhood. Today she has been very busy with naps: finding her bed for tired times or taking herself into the crate for a good long nap. She has been eating very good and her poops are normal. We’ve been very lucky at night time as she only has to get up every 3-4 hours—and actually going potty each time we get up with her. She loves her crate and never really fusses when it’s time to go inside. We could not ask for a better pup.

Aaron got home on Sunday and they are loving each other up. He actually has rearranged his schedule so he can come home for ½ days every day this week to spend with her. I think he’s jealous I get so much time.

We are blessed to have this little miracle and bundle of pure joy. Thank you for making our lives so much richer.

Talk to you soon,

Tiff, Aaron & Una Bear

Theis Family

Hi,

Thought I’d give you a brief update on Lucy’s progress. She is doing great! She sits, shakes, lays down and rolls over. At 14 weeks, we think she might be gifted! Lucy brings much fun and excitement to our house. She now Weighs 26 pounds and is growing quickly. She goes up the stairs in our 2 story house but will not come down them. She barks at us until we go fetch her and carry her down the stairs. She is training us real well!

I own a dance studio so thought it only appropriate to dress Lucy up in a tutu for Halloween. She is so much fun and we are spoiling her rotten. I attached a couple pictures that I thought you might enjoy.

She has been to a few social outings. Michael, our son, plays rugby for St. Johns in Collegeville, MN. It’s common to bring your dog to the games. Lucy has been to a few games to watch Michael play all over the state. Michaels nick name on the rugby team is “Soda Pop” . Lucy’s nickname is “Soda Pup”. The big burly boys on the rugby team play with her and she gets a lot of attention, which she loves.

Lucy brightens every single day and we can’t imagine not having her. You can’t be in a bad mood with a puppy around.

Thank you so much. We are so grateful to have Lucy in our lives.

Vicki Nilisu

Nilius Family

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