Home » Posts tagged 'Windy Spot’s Homemade Hooch'
We want to wish Hooch a very Happy 7th birthday (how can he be 7 ALREADY!?) Hooch is proof that age is just a number – he still acts like a goofy puppy!!
Breakfast: sweet potato omelet, blueberries, raspberries
Dinner: Mini-meatloaf, mashed sweet potatoes, string beans
Dessert: Bacon Cheddar biscuits
🎂🎈Happy 6️⃣th birthday to the most adorable, craziest, and unique little boy who never ceases to amaze us while keeping us laughing daily.
Happy Birthday, Windy Spot’s Homemade HOOCH … we love you so much!
💚Hooch’s birthday meals:
Breakfast:
Dinner:
Dessert:
Happy 4th Birthday to Hooch!
May 24, 2018
During his birthday week celebration, Hooch enjoyed:
An agility session, and getting some solo time on the dock for some dock diving fun with his mom!
Hooch also had 2 special birthday meals this week:
His birthday breakfast was an egg, sausage, blueberries and pineapple.
His birthday dinner was Shepherds Pie with sweet potato topping and kiwi.
Hooch also had fun exploring what was in his gift bag and playing with his birthday presents.
Lager’s first official dock diving competition!
In less than 2 weeks after Lager joined our pack, we were entering him in his very first official DockDogs competition! Three Rivers DockDogs hosted an event at Cabela’s in Triadelphia, West Virginia.
LIMONCELLO:
Big Air:
21’5″ 21’2″
21’3″ 22’2″
20’4″ 20’7″
19’10” 20’9″
Extreme Vertical:
5’0″
Speed Retrieve:
8.489 Second Place Express
HOOCH:
Hooch was up on the dock when a gust of wind blew a banner off of the side of the pool, freaking him out completely . It was a tough weekend, as Hooch had a difficult time gaining enough confidence on the dock to run and jump at his full speed.
Big Air:
22’7″ 15’9″
21’2″ 22’11”
13’0″ 14’11”
23’0″ 22’3″ Third Place Elite
22’5″ 23’6″ First Place Elite
Extreme Vertical:
5’10’ Second Place Cadet
LAGER:
Big Air:
13′ 4″ and 13′ 11″ First Place Junior (with Brian)
15’7″ and 16’2″ (with Jenny)
16’9″ and 18’2″ Second Place Senior (with Jenny)
17’0″ and 17’5″ (with Jenny)
Extreme Vertical:
This was Lager’s first attempt at EV. Lager missed both times, but was very determined – we had no doubt that he will excel at this in the future!
None of the pups made the finals at this event – first time all season!! There were some HUGE jumping dogs here! We had a great weekend camping with friends, and enjoyed watching Lager have a blast on the dock at his first official event!
The Liver Killers first time on the news!
Nora Muchanic visited us at our home to do a story on the Liver Killers!
See the full story, plus a video of the news segment – click HERE!
Most people just walk their dogs. But Jenny and Brian Beadling’s dogs go for a flying leap.
The German Short Haired Pointers (GSPs for short) are two of the top dock diving dogs in the country and also rated internationally.
Brian says, “They are fun, happy, energetic dogs who really love competing and playing. And they think of all of this as play, which is really exciting for us.”
And Jenny tells us, “They need extreme exercise and what you would think of as your exhaustion point is just their starting point.”
The dock at the Beadling’s Medford Lakes cabin has become a launching pad as these two pooches practice each day. In competition they are judged on how high, long and fast they can jump.
A room inside the Beadling’s house is filled with ribbons and medals.
Hooch is the number one ranked GSP in the country for “big air”; Cello is ranked number one for “iron dogs”, the canine equivalent of a triathlon.
Jenny says, “They can run for hours and hours and hours on end. And they will keep going, they’re working dogs. They will keep going until you shut them down.”
The newest member of the family is Lager, a former bomb sniffing dog for the U.S. government who served in Iraq.
Now Lager regular leaps into the lake with his new companions.
He is clearly adjusting to his new digs.
They are highly trained and these dogs may be world class dock divers, but if you ask me they look like they’re just having fun.
Brian explains, “The humans involved take the competition seriously. The dogs just enjoy being out with the owners, jumping in the water. To see them just have fun and love life it’s really fun for us as well.”
Jenny a special education teacher and Brian a mortgage banker, travel with the dogs to competitions several times a month. The cash prizes Hooch and Limoncello win are turned over to a GSP rescue group.
Jenny says, “The amount of work that goes into it and the enjoyment you see in the dog is the best.”
Limoncello and Hooch made the top story on the front page of South Jersey’s newspaper!
The Courier Post sent a reporter and photographer to our home to do a story on The Liver Killers. We had such a great time, and the story and video came out great!
Here’s the video:
And here’s the story:
MEDFORD LAKES – Limoncello — Cello for short — greeted this reporter with a kiss and then turned her laser focus to the turf runway her owners, Brian and Jenny Beadling, built for her and her canine sibling, Hooch.
Cello had a job to do, and she was serious about it.
She had to get that ball.
And she was just waiting for Brian to toss it from the Beadlings’ dock and into Aetna Lake.
The 4-year-old German shorthaired pointer watched, waited, and then, while the bright orange ball with the blue stripe was in the air, ran and flung herself to retrieve it, landing with a splash and a big doggie smile, the ball in her mouth as she paddled ashore.
Cello and Hooch are among the top dock diving dogs not only in the nation, but in the world, as ranked by Dock Dogs, the national group overseeing the sport. The Beadlings’ dogs compete all over the East Coast, traveling year-round to competitions measuring lengths of their jumps and how high they go.
The pointers, bred to be hunting dogs, are a high-energy breed, Brian Beadling said. “They’re in the same line as vizslas and weimeraners.”
That means their owners have to be high-energy, too. “Their vet told us, ‘They have no “off” button,’ ” he said.
Indeed, the Beadlings’ lakefront log cabin they dubbed “Windy Spot” looks as much like a retreat for the dogs as for the couple. There’s the runway which extends a few feet further into the lake, as well as a metal arm that swings out over the water for the dogs to jump and grab toys on their way down.
After buying the 1920s cabin in 2009, the couple worked to restore it and Brian Beadling, who works in the mortgage business, researched the home’s history. He found the home’s original owner had a German shorthaired pointer named Windy Spot, and that was the first the couple had heard about the breed.
Windy Spot — the dog — had won several field awards with a local dog club and so the couple, after more research, decided on the breed. They got Limoncello in 2011 from a Chatsworth farm and named her for Jenny’s grandfather’s special homemade Italian liquor.
Hooch — Beadling calls him the “goofy little brother” — is a year old and was initially reluctant to go into the water. But at 15 weeks, he decided Cello shouldn’t have all the fun and, as Jenny Beadling says, “We haven’t been able to keep him out of the water since.”
Kathy Parkin helps the dogs keep fit by working with them at Pinelands Dog Training Center in Medford. She’s been working with Cello and Hooch for about 10 months, she said.
“The dogs love it,” said Parkin, who’s been a trainer for 12 years. “We work with them to build their core and leg muscles, work on agility exercises, stretching, stability.”
The Beadlings travel two to four times each month with the dogs, loading them into their brand-new GMC Denali (which already has logged 20,000 miles since November). They choose campgrounds and dog-friendly restaurants when they travel, treating Cello and Hooch as full members of the family.
“If they can’t go, we don’t go,” Jenny Beadling said. “But they’re great dogs, very well-behaved.”
The competitions pay $100 for first-place finishes; $50 for second, but Cello is sponsored by Turbo Pup, a meal supplement for dogs.
All cash prizes, she said, go to the dogs: GSP Rescue of New Jersey, a nonprofit dedicated to the breed. Contents of their prize bags, like food, treats and toys, are all donated to the Animal Orphanage in Voorhees.
“They’re great people, too,” Parkin said of the Beadlings.
Phaedra Trethan: (856) 486-2417; ptrethan@gannettnj.com
Here’s the link to the online story and video:
Cello and Hooch’s feature in The Bark Magazine!
About The Bark:
“The Bark is the magazine of modern dog culture—it speaks to the serious dog enthusiast. The Bark is the indispensable guide to life with dogs, showing readers how to live smartly and rewardingly with their canine companions. Founded in 1997, as a newsletter to advocate for off-leash dog parks in Berkeley, California, the magazine quickly grew into a glossy, award-winning publication acclaimed for its timely commentary and rich literary offerings. Today, The Bark has a nationwide readership of over 250,000. It is published four times a year, available by subscription and sold at Barnes & Noble, Whole Foods and PetsMart stores.
Claudia Kawczynska and Cameron Woo founded The Bark in their garage, shortly after adopting their first dog, Nellie, and discovering it was illegal to allow their dog to romp untethered at their local park. The couple tapped into Kawczynska’s experience in public policy and Woo’s skills as a graphic designer to craft a publication that addressed the burgeoning issues faced by a new generation of dog owners.
Taking the magazine’s slogan to heart—Dog Is My Co-Pilot—The Bark became the first magazine to tap into the exploding phenomena of dog culture and lifestyle, focusing on the growing bond between individuals and their pet companions. Over the past twenty years, The Bark has chronicled the America’s love affair with dogs, the evolving status of canine pets and their role in society, as well as the incredible rise in services and products. The Bark has become the recognized expert on the social/cultural world of dogs in America, and what they mean to us.
The Bark’s impeccable pedigree includes publishing many of today’s most acclaimed authors including Ann Patchett, Augusten Burroughs, Rick Bass, Amy Hempel, and Pulitzer Prize winning poet Mary Oliver. The magazine features the writing of noted experts in science, animal behavior and health—Dr. Nicholas Dodman, Donald McCaig, Mark Derr, and includes animal behaviorist Patricia McConnell and nutritionist Marion Nestle as regular columnists.
The Bark has been twice honored with an Alternative Press Award for Best Magazine (lifestyle category) recognized for outstanding achievement in independent publishing. The Bark has also been honored with an Award of Merit from The Society of Publication Designers and a Folio Silver Award for Best Enthusiast Magazine. In September, 2003, Crown (Random House) published Dog Is My Co-Pilot: Great Writers on the World’s Oldest Friendship, an anthology from the editors of The Bark. The Bark’s second collection, entitled Howl: A Collection of the Best Contemporary Dog Wit was published in October 2007. DogJoy, a photo book featuring the magazine’s popular “Smiling Dogs” submissions was published in November 2009 by Rodale.”
~from The Bark’s Website
It’s official! Hooch’s Extreme Vertical Invitation came via email today!
He earned this by coming in first place in the Cadet Division Extreme Vertical discipline at the Bark in the Park Wild Card event!
As of now, Hooch is ranked THE #1 German Shorthaired Pointer in the United States with a DockDogs Big Air average of 23′ 7.4″
His current average also ranks him the #2 German Shorthaired Pointer in the World!!
Words cannot describe how proud I am of this boy!
When we were in Cape Charles Virginia for the Wild Card Event, Hooch was a big hit in Bay Creek!
Hooch made the Bay Creek Golf Newsletter:
View the whole newsletter HERE.
Hooch also made the Bay Creek Real Estate Newsletter!
So proud of this little pup!
From no jump, to the Hoochie Hop… to sailing through the air! … The Evolution of Hooch!
Cello and Hooch competed in a Wild Card event, called “Bark in the Park,” held at Bay Creek, in Cape Charles, VA. What a gorgeous and dog friendly community!!
We bought a new canopy – LOVE it!
CELLO:
Cello had an awesome weekend. What started out as an event to continue practicing, ended up with Cello taking first place in the Semi-Pro finals, and also setting a new Personal Best in Speed Retrieve!
BIG AIR:
17′ 11″ 21′ 00″
20′ 08″ 20′ 03″
21′ 06″ 21″ 06″
21′ 05″ 22′ 05″ FIRST PLACE SEMI-PRO FINALS!
SPEED RETRIEVE:
8.325 7.650 NEW PERSONAL BEST!
HOOCH
We entered Hooch in this competition specifically to see if we could get him an additional invitation to the World Championships in Extreme Vertical. Not only did he win First Place in Cadet EV and achieve an added invitation in Extreme Vertical, he jumped a new Personal Best (and on camera!!) of 24′ 2″ and made the PRO Finals (first time ever!)!!
BIG AIR:
24′ 2″ 22′ 5″
23′ 3″ 23′ 4″
23′ 0″ 22′ 11″
22′ 10″ 22’2″
23′ 6″ 23′ 9″ Fourth Place in Pro Finals – not bad considering it’s his first time!
EXTREME VERTICAL:
Starting Height: 5′ 4″
Ending Height: 5′ 10″ First Place Cadet (and an invitation to compete in the World Championships in Extreme Vertical!)
Limoncello is featured on the American Kennel Club’s online publication, WOOFipedia!
Taken from: http://www.woofipedia.com/articles/meet-the-dog-who-can-fly
Posted By: Liz
Jenny and Brian Beadling had no idea they were raising a prodigy.
Their German Shorthaired Pointer, Limoncello, never took to the sport her breed is known for—hunting—because she had a fear of guns. But she still had that GSP high drive, which she’d exert by jumping off the dock of the family’s lake house to retrieve toys they’d thrown in the water. “We began to notice at a very young age, she would jump off the dock just for fun—even with no toy being thrown for her,” Jenny Beadling says. So when the family saw a “dock diving” event for dogs at a local festival, they thought, “why not?”
And so, a star was born.
Limoncello (or Cello for short) came in second place in that first event and in the year and a half that followed, she’s become one of the highest-ranked dock-diving GSPs in the world.
Cello competes as an “Iron Dog,” meaning that she participates in all three dock-diving events, including Big Air (long jump), Extreme Vertical (high jump), and Speed Retrieve (timed retrieving). And this November, she’ll be one of the dogs representing the USA at the DockDogs World Championship in Dubuque, Iowa. She’s also inspired her little brother, Hooch, to try out the sport.
And like any pro athlete, Cello has earned endorsement deals. TurboPup selected Cello to be the ambassador for their human-grade meal-replacement bars for active dogs on the go. Her social media accounts have attracted tens of thousands of followers, and she’s been featured in multiple publications.
“With her vibrant personality, extreme speed, and stunning build, she is a crowd favorite,” says Beadling.
But she’s not in it for the fame and fortune. The Beadlings donate all the cash awards won by Cello and Hooch to the German Shorthaired Pointer Rescue of NJ, and all of their food and toy prizes go to a local animal-welfare organization.
BringFido.com has a list of their top 10 dog friendly beaches in New Jersey. I decided to take Hooch for a ride and try one out – so off we went to the Longport Dog Beach!
Hooch was ready to go on his first-ever solo adventure!
We found it! This beach is located at the base of the Ocean Drive Bridge, on the Longport side, across from the fishing pier.
Walking on the path leading to the beach:
Along this path we saw the sweetest thing: A tribute to a dog who once loved to play on this same beach. A basket of toys were left in memory of Scruffy, so that other dogs could enjoy the beach as much as Scruffy did.
The beach was a pretty good size, with many families enjoying time with their dogs off-lead both on the beach, and in the water.
Hooch is not ready to be off-lead, so he enjoyed running in the water on his leash. Even though he was on-lead, he still somehow managed to steal a tennis ball from a Jack Russell Terrier!
Hooch LOVED playing in the waves:
We were both soaked, exhausted, and full of sand after this trip!
My sandy co-pilot on the way home:
Looking forward to the next summer adventure!
Hope everyone enjoyed their 4th of July celebrations! Cello and Hooch had on their Independence BLING!
Cello:
Hooch:
At the DockDogs Mid Atlantic Regional event held at Shipps Corner, in Virginia Beach, Hooch won first place in his division finals to earn an invitation to compete at the World Championships this November! Read the details about this event HERE!
Cello and Hooch added a new state to their States Visited Maps, and competed in the Dog Fest of Zoar dock diving competition in the Historic Zoar Village, in Ohio. We camped at the Canton/East Sparta KOA for this event.
CELLO:
BIG AIR:
21’10” 21’0″
17’1″ 19’2″ 4th Place Elite Finals
HOOCH:
We specifically came to this event so that Hooch could get another wave of EV toward his title. However, when we let him jump in Big Air, he earned a new Personal Best of 19’11” – which also earned him a spot in the Senior Finals! This would be Hooch’s first Senior Finals!
Big Air:
19’11” 14’2″ (New Personal Best!!)
19’3″ 19’11” First Place Senior Finals!
EXTREME VERTICAL:
Start Height: 5’2″
End Height: 5’10” New Personal Best, and 2nd Place Cadet Finals!
Overall, this was a fun event in a really neat historic town. We hope to visit Zoar again some day!
On the weekend of Hooch’s first birthday, The Liver Killers competed in a dock diving competition in Triadelphia, WV. This competition was held at Cabela’s. This was a very special event that we will never forget, because Limoncello won First Place in Warrior Iron Dog, and earned her invitation to the DockDogs World Championship!
We camped out in Cabela’s parking lot for this event, which was very convenient for our times in between jumps.
Limoncello competed as an Iron Dog. Here are her results:
BIG AIR
21’3″ 22’3″
22’3″ 21’10’
21’10” 21’3″
EXTREME VERTICAL
5’0
SPEED RETRIEVE
8.206 8.728
IRON DOG
Total Points: 2739.11
HOOCH
Hooch did very well this weekend, but wound up with a limp after his last jump. We noticed this as we were lining up for Speed Retrieve. Thank goodness Dr. Yurko of K.E.Y. Animal Hospital was there to evaluate Hooch.
It seemed Hooch had a strained muscle, so we scratched him from the rest of the competition. Here are his results from his Big Air waves:
BIG AIR
14’7″ 15’9″
15’0 13’0
9’6″ 15’9″
14’6″ 15’3″
Overall, this was a SUPER fun (and apparently an exhausting) event!
Happy Birthday to our little man, Hooch! Hooch turned 1 year old on May 24, 2015.
Where did the time go?! It seems like just yesterday this little guy stole my heart and joined our family! We cannot be happier with this pooch, as he has the sweetest temperament, and a heart of gold. Not a day has gone by since we brought him home that we haven’t laughed out loud – Hooch is truly one-of-a-kind !
Hooch’s first birthday fell on a weekend when we were in West Virginia at a dock diving event, but we didn’t let that stop us from celebrating! I baked a cake and cupcakes to bring along to share with Hooch’s dock diving buddies. Hooch and Cello watched carefully over the oven as the birthday treats baked.
Hooch had himself a mock-choc bone-shaped birthday cake, and peanut buttter/banana PUPcakes. Both treats had a cream cheese icing also!
(I noticed after the picture was taken I had placed the “1” backwards!!…oops!)
Hooch had an abundance of birthday toys waiting for him in our camper when he woke up:
The announcer at the dock diving event even wished Hooch a happy birthday!
Happy First Birthday, Hooch…we love you!
Our little (or NOT so little!) Hooch turned 11 months old on April 24!
He weighs 57 pounds now!
Hooch has been absolutely loving the water this Spring! He has been diving off of our dock at home!
Hooch has also been doing very well at his dock diving competitions!
In fact, on his 11 month birthday, Hooch competed in the Family Fun Day dock diving event, and earned 2 First Place medals, and 2 Second Place medals! Way to go, Hooch!
Happy 11 months, Hooch!
On March 24, Hooch turned 10 months old… how did he get so big so fast?!?!
Hooch is now taller than his sister, Cello, and weighs 50 pounds. He continues to love the water and dock diving, although he still will not jump off our dock at home, and still hesitates to jump at competitions. Hooch has picked up a stronger toy-drive, and enjoys chasing a tennis or soccer ball, and chewing on sticks. He is the happiest, puppy we know, and he makes us laugh every day, as he is such a goof-ball! Happy 10 months, buddy – we love you!
Hooch turned 9 months old on February 24th. He’s getting so big! He is now officially taller than his sister, Cello!
Over the past month, Hooch has earned his first 1st Place ribbon in dock diving, qualified for Finals for the first time – AND came in 2nd Place in the Novice Finals! Way to go, Hooch!
Hooch LOVES playing in the snow! And thank goodness, because we’ve had LOTS of it over the past month! 
One of Hooch’s favorite things is playing ball in the snow!
Happy 9 Months, Hoochie!
World of Pets Expo, hosted by Chesapeake DockDogs, was Hooch’s dock diving debut!
As you know from previous posts, Hooch has practiced his dock diving at both Canine Spa and Mountain Trail Training Center. However, both facilities have docks that are only a few inches off of the water. Hooch had never jumped in from a height of an official DockDogs dock (2 feet). To make sure he was comfortable with this, as soon as we arrived to the Maryland State Fairgrounds, we took Hooch up on the dock for a practice run. As soon as I unleashed Hooch, he ran down the dock stairs into the crowd, and all around the pool (TWICE!!) The third time, he ran and dove in with no problem – so I thought I had this down pat, no problem. I was highly mistaken!
Hooch’s first official recorded dive was amazing! Although we had practiced nothing but the “chase method” (where the dog is placed in a stay or wait position at the starting point on the dock. The handler proceeds to the end of the dock, then releases the dog. The chase object is thrown at just the right moment to keep the toy in front of the dog’s nose all the way into the water. Thus, the dog is chasing the object! The advantage of this method is that the handler can control and optimize the launch angle to increase distance – it avoids the flat jump that is likely with the place and send method). After Hooch had run off the dock during practice, I let it get the best of me, and decided to last-minute change to the “Place and Send” method (the dog walks with the handler to the end of the dock and is held back while the handler tosses the toy. The dog is then returned to the start point and released or sent to retrieve the toy. Dogs that use the place and send method are generally just not trained to wait or stay on the dock themselves). Even with this last-minute change, Hooch jumped big!
Hooch’s first official jump was a whopping 16 feet! I was SO excited! Luckily we had some friends at the event that took a video to capture Hooch’s Debut!
Here’s another video of the same jump, in slow motion that another friend shot for us:
For Hooch’s second jump, I also used the Place and Send method, and he jumped 13 feet, 1 inch – again – a distance I was thrilled with! Hooch wound up earning 2nd Place in the Senior Division!!
After Hooch’s first wave, he decided he was not going to run and jump – but rather run, stop at the edge of the dock, then “POP” into the water. Although this frustrated ME, the crowd LOVED him!
Hooch (AKA “Big POP-pa”) continued to be a crowd pleaser, but jumped in the Junior and Novice Divisions.
Overall, Team Homemade Hooch placed in every wave we were registered in, and won FOUR ribbons in their dock diving debut! WOOT WOOT!
Getting ribbons was fun!
Cello also did very well in her first 2015 event – she won 2nd Place Iron Dog in the Warrior Division!
This was also Cello’s first time trying Speed Retrieve – having never practiced this competition before this event! Her time was 9.85 seconds…not too bad for her first time!
Here’s Cello doing Extreme Vertical:
And here is Cello doing Big Air – although she was still a crowd favorite, she was leaving the dock SUPER early, and did not perform to her usual standards.
Brian also volunteered to announce at this event:
It was an awesome weekend filled with great friends, good conversation, and lots and LOTS of laughs! We want to thank EVERYone for their advice and support during this event. I also want to personally thank everyone who took video and photographs of both Team Cello and Team Homemade Hooch. I was so preoccupied with being a nervous wreck, that I took not ONE picture or video with my own camera or phone!
Team Homemade Hooch also wants to thank Team Cello for celebrating Team Homemade Hooch’s dock diving debut by buying us a Chesapeake DockDogs shirt in our team color!
Our 2015 shirts were a big hit as well!
We had a super-fun weekend, and are very proud of our two dock divers. We are excited to compete in part two of the World of Pets Expo in Virginia in a couple of weeks!
On January 24, Hooch turned 8 months old! I can’t believe how much he’s changed in just 6 months! He’s 49 pounds now, and slightly taller than his sister, Cello. To see just how much he’s changed, click HERE and scroll through the pictures!
Over the past month, Hooch has traveled to Pennsylvania several times to practice his diving, went on a hike, won a contest where his painted picture will be on a greeting card, and has participated in his first official DockDogs dock diving event! Click HERE to see him in action and read the details of his first dock diving adventure!
Our little man is sure getting big!
Happy 8 month birthday, Hooch!
Hooch was the winner of Wagging Tail Portraits’ Facebook That’s Your Pet contest!
His cutie-patootie face will be inspiration for one of Wagging Tail Portraits’ future Wet Nose Greetings Cards! Hooch will also be featured on Wagging Tail Portraits blog, Wagging Tales.” We will also receive 50 complimentary cards and an 11×14 print of the painted illustration.
We are so proud of you, Hooch!
Hooch spent the 2014 season too young to participate in DockDogs competitions. However, as he tagged along to all the events, and cheered his big sis on, he won over the hearts of many!
Everyone wanted a turn to hold Hooch at events!
Being a cheerleader is tiresome work:
Hooch even volunteered his time as a donation dog for the GSP Rescue of NJ while intently watching his big sis dive off the dock:
People would get a kick out of how intensely Hooch studied the moves of Limoncello while she was on the dock:
In October, one month shy of being old enough to participate in an official DockDogs event, we introduced Hooch to the dock diving pool by letting him go down the ramp.
At the 2014 End-of-Season Keystone DockDogs Banquet, Hooch received a trophy for being the dog everyone wanted to dognap!
Hooch had never been to a dog park yet, so we took Cello and Hooch to John Connolly Memorial Park, in Voorhees, NJ.
Hooch was having a blast chasing Cello and the Chuck-It ball – UNTIL a huge male Great Dane puppy decided Hooch looked like a cool dude to play with. The Great Dane wanted nothing but to run with and chase Hooch – but the size of this immense pup scared poor Hooch to death! He ran away barking like mad, and ended up running to his mommy for safety! The poor Great Dane had no idea why Hooch did not want to play with him! Hooch was pretty spooked at that point, so we left the dog park.
Hopefully visit #2 will go a bit smoother for the Hoochie Coochie Man!
Hooch and Cello in action:
Of course Cello wanted nothing but to chase her ball, so nothing or no one phased our ball-crazy gal!
Hooch celebrated his first-ever Christmas!
He was a good sport as we dressed him up with Christmas props!
Cello wasn’t left out of the Christmas madness:
“Christmas, Christmas time is near
Time for toys, and time for cheer
We’ve been good, but we can’t last
Hurry Christmas, Hurry Fast…
…We can hardly stand the wait
Please Christmas don’t be late!”
~Alvin and the Chipmunks
Christmas morning proved that Santa Paws had Cello and Hooch on his “Nice List!”
This year we ordered German Shorthaired Pointer stockings from Pawsome Donations – each purchase helps out dogs in need, as 25% of all profits will go to rescue organizations, including the GSP Rescue of NJ. Check out the Pawsome Donations Facebook page HERE.
Merry Christmas, cabin style, from Cello and Hooch!
On December 24th, Hooch turned 7 months!
Weight: 47 pounds
Back lenngth: 21 inches
Chest width: 8 inches
Chest girth: 26 inches
Neck girth: 14.5 inches
Today Hooch turned 6-months old, which means he is officially old enough to compete in a DockDogs event! We are hopeful that he will want to jump in the 2015 season!
Currently, Hooch continues to visit new places, travel to new states, and camp, (he’s been spent more weekends camping or staying in a hotel room, than he has spent at his house since we brought him home at 7 weeks of age!) Hooch is enrolled in WonderDogs obedience class to learn his basic commands and manners. He continues to be a good-hearted gentle soul, and especially loves squeaky tennis balls, and Frisbees.
Hooch was not a big fan of the water as a young pup, but gradually has ventured into the water in his own way, and in his own time! Here are some photos and videos of Team Homemade Hooch in the making:
As a wee little pup, Hooch thought being a DockDog meant just hanging out on our dock!
We tried coaxing Hooch into Cello’s baby pool…but he was NOT interested.
Then one day, his love of tennis balls tempted him enough to go in the baby pool.
Hooch watched Cello dive off of our dock into the lake every day – but he would not venture in.
One day, he fell in to our lake by accident – and we found out Hooch was not the most graceful of swimmers.
Hooch also started to go into the baby pool on his own for some summertime fun in the water!
One day, Hooch decided it was “his time” to dive into the lake like his big sis… and in he went after his ball!
While we were at Cello’s Dock Diving event in Berlin, MD, we let Hooch check out the DockDogs dock (just at the exit ramp since he was not of age to attempt to jump off the dock), and test out the pool water.
Hooch went in with no hesitation from the exit ramp:
He was very proud of himself for retrieving the bumper!
We hope Hooch will not be fearful of the dock, and love the sport as much as his Dock Diving Diva sister, Cello.
The 2015 Dock Diving season should be an interesting one!
Stay tuned to see if Hooch jumps!
Go Team Homemade Hooch!!!!
Happy Halloween! Hooch’s first Halloween began with a visit from the Great Pumpkin!
Cello and Hooch enjoyed their Halloween toys!
Hooch is loving that new toys arrive on his kitchen bed on all holidays 🙂
Jenny’s nephew James was dressing up as the Lion from the Wizard of Oz, so we stuck with the theme. The Lion, Dorothy and the Tin Man were off we were to see the Wizard!
Cello as Dorothy:
“There’s no place like home”
Hooch as the Tin Man:
Has anyone see my oil can?
James as the Cowardly Lion:
Cello wound up having some “wardrobe malfunctions,” so we had to fall back on Wonder Woman and Superman for the rest of trick-or-treating:
Happy Halloween!
We hope everyone had as much fun as we did on Halloween!
Hooch at 5 Months
Here is Hooch at 4 months of age!
Hooch and Cello volunteered for the GSP Rescue of NJ at Valenzano Winery‘s Wine Festival.
Fellow GSP Rescue volunteers Jen and Grace made Hooch his very own personalized donation vest!
EVERYone wanted to know if Hooch was available for adoption!
Hooch was exhausted from all the attention!
The wine was delicious , and Cello and Hooch were a big hit, recruiting several people to fill out applications for volunteering, and even adopting!
Good work, All!
Today Hooch turns 15 weeks old! This has been a VERY exciting week for us because Hooch decided that he FINALLY likes the lake – and dove in all by himself! It started with Hooch jumping in to follow Cello. Then Brian started throwing a ball – and Hooch dove in off the steps to retrieve it! We are VERY excited! This week we continue to work on name recognition, “come,” “down” with duration, and will be adding “leave-it” to our practice schedule.
Here is Hooch diving in after his ball! The ball is still a bit big for him – so it took some effort to grab it!
We call Cello our little Dock Diving Diva… will Hooch be our little Dock Diving Dude?! We are anxious to see if in the following weeks Hooch will attempt to dive off the dock!
We are so proud of this little nugget!
Hooch is now 14 weeks old! I can’t believe 7 weeks have passed since we brought this little nugget home!
He has grown and changed so much in those 7 weeks!
Here is a side-by-side picture of Hooch the first day we met him and today, at 14 weeks!
This week Hooch mastered “Down!!” Check out the video below:
On August 24th, Hooch turned 3 months old! He is making great progress with “sit,” “down,” and “come!” He has even ventured into the baby pool, and has gotten over his fear of the hose! (Hoping by 4 months he jumps in the lake all by himself!)
Not the greatest picture, but you can see the water droplets on him from going in the baby pool:
Hooch playing in the baby pool and the hose:
Hooch turned 13 weeks old on August 23rd!
Hooch was the featured pup on puppy.photos Instagram account!
Hooch turned 12 weeks on August 16th! He is making lots of progress in all areas, and growing bigger by the second!
Today Hooch turns 11 weeks old! I can’t believe how much he has changed since the day we met him!
This week Hooch has perfected his “sit,” and has begun to understand “down.” He has had less potty accidents in the house, and has grown SO much!! He was watching his sister, Cello, this week jumping off the dock, and decided to jump in himself!! Of course I missed recording the jump – but I was able to catch his not-so-graceful swim back to shore on video! (video below!)
Out on the dock at dusk…Hooch watching Cello swim:
Hooch swimming back to land after he dove in off the dock:
Hooch turned 10 weeks old on August 2, 2014. This week he traveled to a new state (Massachusetts) to watch this sister, Cello compete in a dock diving contest. Hooch also visited his first dog friendly restaurant and bar during his stay in Massachusetts.
This week Hooch regressed in the crate a bit. He’s only making it about 1.5 hours during the day in the crate with no accident, and about 2-3 hours at night. However, he is also very inconsistent with this.
Hooch discovered he had a “voice” this week and has barked a few times! Hear his “voice” here:
This week Hooch has also discovered his love of tennis balls!
Hooch with is new “love,” the the Kong squeaky tennis ball:
...and the the “joy” of digging in the yard 🙁 (Something we will continue to work on correcting).
Hooch proudly laying in his newly dug hole in our yard:
Hooch learned “sit!” this week. He will respond to the verbal command, and will sit any time he sees Cello sit. I will continue working with him the next week to learn the hand signal for sit as well.
Hooch learning “sit:”
Hooch is still not fond of the lake. (AAAHHH!) He will watch Cello jump in after her training bumper, but Hooch will not get in the lake yet!
Here is Hooch watching Cello swim:
Hooch thinks the step is much safer than that scary dark water:
Cello’s Training bumper, however, DID spark an interest in Hooch!
He had a ball trying to “sneak” away with it before he was discovered by Cello:
Although the Lake didn’t go over well again this week, Hooch did finally get in Cello’s baby pool after some serious coaxing with the squeaky tennis ball!
At first, Hooch thought Cello’s pool was just a big water bowl (Cello was disgusted by this!):
Then his love of the tennis ball took over and he got into the pool:
Happy 9 Week Birthday, Hooch!
Hooch was today’s featured gun dog on Gundogs_huntingforever’s Instagram account:
Today Hooch turns 2 months old! We brought Hooch home 11 days ago, and already he has grown and changed so much!
Hooch now has his first winery visit under his belt! Cello’s dock diving practice was held at Detour Vineyard and Winery in Keymar, MD. Cello had already been to this winery when she participated in the PuppyPalooza dock diving event earlier this season.
Hooch enjoyed his first winery visit!
Detour Winery has some really unique-tasting wines! They also stock many local stores with their wines.
Hooch’s first “Been There/Done That” post! 🙂
On the first of many-to-come traveling adventures for this little GSP, Hooch crossed back and forth over the Mason-Dixon line while traveling to and from Round Top Campground (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) and Cello’s dock diving practice at Detour Winery (Keymar, MD). Cello already had this “Been There/Done That” post under her belt when she participated in the PuppyPalooza dock diving event earlier this season.
This was the sign in the median to show travelers where the actual Mason-Dixon Line is:
Don’t know what the Mason-Dixon Line is? Encylcopedia Britannica gives a great description:
“Mason and Dixon Line, also called Mason-Dixon Line, originally the boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania in the United Sates. In the pre-Civil War period it was regarded, together with the Ohio River, as the dividing line between slave states south of it and free-soil states north of it. Between 1763 and 1767 the 233-mile (375-kilometer) line was surveyed along the parallel 39°43′ by two Englishmen, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, to define the long-disputed boundaries of the overlapping land grants of the Penns, proprietors of Pennsylvania, and the Calverts, proprietors of Maryland. Mason and Dixon also surveyed much of the disputed boundary between Maryland and the territory of Delaware, which had been acquired by William Penn. The term “Mason and Dixon Line” was first used in congressional debates leading to the Missouri Compromise (1820). Today the Mason and Dixon Line still serves figuratively as the political and social dividing line between the North and the South.”
Map of the Mason-Dixon Line
This week I made it 2 hours in my crate with no accidents, and I am starting to look at my mommy and daddy when I go potty, since I know a treat and “party” is held after every time I “go!”
