"ZIP"
PACH CH. WINTERWYND'S DAILY GRIND
CD,RA, AX, AXJ, MXP3, MXPB, MJP2, MJPB, OFP, PAX
March 24, 2009-December 1, 2022
AWARDED TOP 25 in the nation PREFERRED AGILITY LABRADOR 2017 BY THE LABRADOR CLUB OF America
2017 AKC National Agility Competitor (the only champion labrador to do so)
Once upon a time, I did not like chocolate Labradors. This is crazy I know, but I had not met one yet that had a personality that I wanted to live with. Zip's breeder sent two puppies to Alaska, one to be kept by my breeder and one for us to socialize and train while the breeder waited to see how she turned out. My husband was so relieved that the chocolate and not the black came to live with us as there was no way we were ever going to keep her. To begin with we just called her "Chocolate" which later turned into "Chocolate Chunk," then "Chunky Monkey" and lastly just "Monkey," all of which you will still hear me call her. I do not think the breeder cared for our names and named her Zip; what an apt name we were later to find out. At about six months of age my husband asked if we could keep her. I went to the breeder and asked if we would be able to co-own her and she took pity on us and allowed Zip to stay.
Zip was a very mellow puppy, preferring to lounge and just be petted. I was not sure how she would handle training as she seemed very laid back. I should never have doubted another Snicker's puppy as she loved to work from the very first day. Zip was the first dog that I trained that would get in my face and bark if I asked her to wait. For her it was teaching her that she had to finish the job she was on before she could move onto the next. As with Rizzo, Zip did not do equipment or jumps at height until after the age of 2-years. Zip learned to do a full set of closed weaves without aides in three training sessions; an incredibly bright dog. Zip could handle the most complex moves on a course, but frequently would drop a single bar on the course. She loves to work and does not care about anything else. Zip got bit heading into a ring one time and all she did was check in with me, received a cookie and proceeded to run without issue; she simply did not care as long as she could play.
Zip has had multiple breaks in her trialing over the years due to heat cycles, a couple of breedings and then also while I was out for surgery and again when I had my daughter. Needless to say Zip has not had as much time out on the courses as my older dogs, but it does not decrease how well she works with me and how happy she is to do so. I made the decision to drop Zip down to preferred while she competed in Conformation as they do need to carry a few more pounds than I prefer while doing repetitive jumping. Zip finished her championship and has dropped the weight, but because of her age and future plans for her, I have chosen to leave her at the preferred jump height. I am looking forward to seeing what this crazy chocolate girl still has to show me.
Zip was a very mellow puppy, preferring to lounge and just be petted. I was not sure how she would handle training as she seemed very laid back. I should never have doubted another Snicker's puppy as she loved to work from the very first day. Zip was the first dog that I trained that would get in my face and bark if I asked her to wait. For her it was teaching her that she had to finish the job she was on before she could move onto the next. As with Rizzo, Zip did not do equipment or jumps at height until after the age of 2-years. Zip learned to do a full set of closed weaves without aides in three training sessions; an incredibly bright dog. Zip could handle the most complex moves on a course, but frequently would drop a single bar on the course. She loves to work and does not care about anything else. Zip got bit heading into a ring one time and all she did was check in with me, received a cookie and proceeded to run without issue; she simply did not care as long as she could play.
Zip has had multiple breaks in her trialing over the years due to heat cycles, a couple of breedings and then also while I was out for surgery and again when I had my daughter. Needless to say Zip has not had as much time out on the courses as my older dogs, but it does not decrease how well she works with me and how happy she is to do so. I made the decision to drop Zip down to preferred while she competed in Conformation as they do need to carry a few more pounds than I prefer while doing repetitive jumping. Zip finished her championship and has dropped the weight, but because of her age and future plans for her, I have chosen to leave her at the preferred jump height. I am looking forward to seeing what this crazy chocolate girl still has to show me.
