Back in April I got a call from one of my puppy buyers that there had been an unplanned litter between one of my Obi x Ruth females and a male from Frank Puccio of Hun Hill Kennels. It had been a goal of ours to somehow bring in Hun Hill blood at some point, but the distance between Nebraska and now South Carolina and Frank having been in Idaho and now Arizona just was always an obstacle.

So on a Saturday in mid-April, I jumped on a plane out of Charlotte-Douglas International Airport really early in the morning and flew out to San Antonio to stuff an eight week-old puppy in a carry-on bag, then I turned around and flew back to Charlotte. We just registered her with NAVHDA as 19 Griffs Texas Bluebell “Belle”. I guess Rocky’s cattle brand is 19.

The dam’s pedigree Bluestem Two Mules for Sister Sara “Sister”
The sire’s pedigree Hun Hill Pardon My Dust “Gus”

From a pedigree perspective, I get several key items in this match. The biggest being VC CH Griffe D’Automne Mr. Brown “Jacque” bred by Martin Gagnon of Quebec, originally owned by Phil Parseneau of Montana, then later transferred to Frank at Hun Hill as Phil’s health declined. Here is a photo of “Jacque” in the field that I snagged from Frank’s Facebook page.

Jacque in the field

Jacque crossed the rainbow bridge a few years back, but he will always be a legend and I am excited to carry the bloodline into the future.

I also get some newish, but close enough to be bringing together similar traits genes from Kevin Crisp of Kanzakaw Sporting Dogs out of Kansas who has since retired. I get a line on Tim Nemeth in Idaho who is still going at Owyhee Sporting Dogs. There’s also some Greg Curtis who is also still breeding infrequently out in Arizona under Ear Mountain Griffons. Gus’s sire is George DeCosta’s The Hunting Griff beloved dog “CK”.

So here’s my little sixteen week-old 19 Griffs Texas Bluebell “Belle” also known informally as “Bad Baby” and “Jelly Belly”. If you click on the thumbnails in the gallery, it will enlarge the individual photo.

Belle looking back
Another over the shoulder of Belle
The flying ears run of Belle
A little mock point movement from Belle
Belle’s free stack listening to a motorcycle go by

Belle has been welcomed into the pack by the older dogs and already on her way to a NAVHDA Natural Ability test in the fall. We’ll be back on the blog in July with a training update, so talk at you then.