Lobuff Labrador Retrievers - Long Island, New York

We established Lobuff in 1968 after attending Suffolk County KC and winning a Long Island KC match and getting hooked, as they say. We're a small hobby kennel on Long Island, and we're proud to own and breed English type Labradors. It's always been important to us to strive to have dogs that are triple or multi purpose dogs. We feel that a well bred healthy and sound Labrador should be able to go out and do any job asked of him or her. While titles and wins are great, in the end it’s the quality and temperament of the dogs that matter. We believe that breeding dogs is an art, not a science. The terms “sound and healthy”, are all too often confused with “titles and clearances” – they’re not the same thing! You can have a list of titles and clearances a mile long but if the dogs don’t look and act like “Labradors” then you haven’t succeeded. Throwing pedigrees and clearances together, to have puppies in the whelping box that will impress puppy buyers is not our idea of “breeding”. Deciding which dogs to breed together has to come from your heart, mind and love of the breed, “guided” by some of the info that science has to offer – clearances should be used as tools, not the be all and end all.

Through the 70’s and on into the 80's we had finished many champions and had several dogs that had done specialty winning like Ch's Lobuff Seafaring Banner and sister Ch Lobuff Tequila Sunrise and her daughters Ch Lobuff’s Missouri Breaks and Ch Lobuff Sundown at Kerrymark. By that time we had an idea of the look, shape and attitude we wanted for our dogs. Co-owning "Baloo"- Ch Lobuff's Bare Necessities CD JH, (sired by Kendall Herr’s Ch Dickendall Ruffy SH) with Emily Biegel - "Tollhouse" Labradors, was a turning point in our breeding program. He sired more than 50 working Guide Dogs as well as champions, Junior Hunters, obedience dogs, explosive detector dogs and family companions. He was a 5 time specialty BISS winner including Potomac as well as the National Sweepstakes in '91.Shown by the incredibly talented Beth Sweigart of the “Green Team”, he was Best of Breed at Westminster KC twice and was the #1 Labrador in the US for '94 and '95. Combining the Banner and Tequila Sunrise get with Baloo – through his daughter Ch Curlee Hill Lobuff Seeone we were able to cement in a type and soundness that define the Lobuff dogs today.

Showing dogs was a family affair, in the early years of the 60's and 70's. Col Jerry and Lee Weiss and all 5 daughter enjoyed the sport as a hobby. Although today, it is Col Weiss as a popular AKC judge and Lisa as a breeder and breeder/judge who carry on with the Lobuff dogs. As is the case with so many things we believe "it takes a village" and the sport of dogs is a prime example, we have so many friends who have helped with the dogs along the way.

Dove is co-owned with Hollyridge – Julie Quigley-Smith and we enjoyed great success with her and several of her get, twice winning BOB at Potomac. First with Dove herself handled by Lisa and then with daughter Puffin and in 2008 handled by all around great guy Norman Grenier, who also won 14 BISS with Puffin as well. Her sister Piper was also a 7 time BISS winner and has several Champion get. Handled by Lisa – Dove also won the LRC National and another Dove daughter Ch Lobuff Hollyridge Kisskadee was BOB at Westminster KC in 2009. Puffin, Kisskadee and Ozzy as well as Ozzy son Wizard and Puffin son Taylor live in RI with Julie and her family.

The two boys from the 2002 - Ch. Borador's By George x Turtle Dove litter, live with “Lady” Diane Pilbin and her donkeys!!! Ch Lobuff Bobwhite at Chucklebrook and Ch Lobuff The Eagle Has Landed @ Chucklebrook – “Beau” and “Eddie”. She also has Lobuff Chucklebrook Gypsy Rose and Lobuff Chucklebrook Sirius Blk - Bc. Diane has been a friend since the 60’s when we had littermates from a Ch Spenrock Banner litter – Chammy and Cognac our foundation bitches. Puffin and Piper have proven to be valuable producers and the boys have proven to be wonderful sires. All have specialty winning get.

Our friend Linda Berkeley – “Shoreline” Labs brought another dynamic to the table in her quest for the triple purpose dog!!! Her tireless pursuit of that illusive "Champion OTCH Master Hunter" is unwavering as well as infectious. Gr Ch Lobuff's Working Girl at Shoreline JH, RN is on her way to a CD and a SH. Ch Lobuff Aquarius Semper Fi At Shoreline JH is working on his Gr Ch and then will compete for his SH. Gr Ch Belquest Sugar Magnolia RN, JH will be working on her CD as well.

We have always been aware of how important trainability and work ethics are for Labs, because of our involvement with the ultimate working dog - the Guide Dog. These dogs don’t compete for ribbons or trophies – but their blind companions put their lives in the “paws” of these dogs every day! Watching these dogs work is truly amazing. The GDF program and our own became very intertwined from Banner on down through Baloo. Our dogs have always had the drive and desire to work but were hampered by a breeder/owner with 3 small kids (who became very active, athletic big kids) who didn't always have the training time. Now the kids are grown and soaring to heights of their own and we can spend more time pursuing those performance activities that we love so much.

It was Emily Biegel who started "Baloo" and Anna Clark who finished his titles - a shattered femur left him with some arthritic changes the physical demands were too much to ask of him so we had to stop at the CD and JH. He was an exceptionally smart dog who passed on wonderful traits to his offspring – working in the field and in harness. We’re excited to have some young Baloo offspring out in the ring again thanks to technology. Yellow Baloo son out of Treasure - Lobuff’s Heir Apparent will be out in the ring with Rusty Howard in 2012.

Another “Dual Labrador” driven Co-owner, Nancy Wolston has the 1st Lobuff MH, with Ch. Lobuff Major Yeager At Asquam MH. This year Nancy went full tilt, logging countless hours and miles. She and “Yeager” completed a Master Hunter title and qualified for the Master Nationals!!!! Yeager is also a specialty class and BOB winner. Nancy is also chasing a SH title for GCH Hollyridge Fine Troy Ounce JH, Troy, and a MH title for his sister Lira –her Dove grandchildren. We’re so proud of Nancy and her gang!!!

We hope that more Lobuff and Shoreline dogs will carry CD, JH and SH titles and maybe someday that CH MH OTCH. Most of all because the dogs love to do it!!! Of course it goes without saying that first and foremost the dogs will have the type and style that says LABRADOR before they go jumping over jumps or chasing down ducks!!!

We have so many friends to thank for helping us carry on this breeding program that we love so much. Tina Barks at Bellwhether has Dove daughter “Sure’ll Crow” and her son Bellwhether Thunderbird Via Lobuff – Thunder has both majors and is a wonderful producer. Lee Holstien at Darlinghill Labradors has put a WC on Ch Lobuff She’s All That to Tollhouse -”Marley” and is showing 3 of her “Beau” offspring. Lee also has “Em”- Wizard’s sister on the road to success. Janet Huntley of Dockside Labs has Piper’s daughter “Orangina” and her daughter “Winnie” doing all kinds of activities. Winnie was Best in Sweeps and Best Puppy at the Mid Jersey LRC Fall of 2010 – handled by Janet!!! Sue Ketcham at Brookstone co-owns Ch Lobff Sirius Stuff at Brookstone and finished her herself with specialty wins!! Sue also has CH Lobuff Hollyridge Miss Independent almost to her Grand Championship. Thanks and congratulations to all our friends who have done so well with dogs from our breeding mixed with theirs Dr Kathy Sneider at Aquarius with Ch Aquarius Center Court Delight “Buzz”!!! Leslie Plank at Forestwood , Eileen Kelly at Ol Bailey, Audrey Bloom at Sageriver, Jessica Gore at Water Oak and Abby Kagen and Greg Goebel at Liddle to name a few!!! Check out their websites.

We plan to continue on down the road in the future with Dove grandchildren and great grandchildren. So far the journey has been fantastic, what makes it all worth while are the great friends we've made along the way. Thanks to all who have worked hard!!