In Loving memory of dapper

Dapper is the driving reason behind the start of the ColdSprings Healing Paws Foundation. Because of his impact and ultimately the loss of him we were led to start the foundation in his honor.

It’s important for me to keep Dapper's memory alive, he was the inspiration behind the start of the ColdSprings Healing Paws Foundation. He led me to donate pups to service and therapy organizations, he produced over a hundred working dogs. His heart deeper than any canyon, his love for work stronger than any river, our bond deeper than the ocean....these reasons are why my core crew are named after beautiful places. At his passing it was suggested that a nonprofit be started in his honor and that's what we did. Purpose bred dogs living his legacy, providing care, compassion to children, veterans, mobility assistance, seizure alert, diabetes alert and the list goes on. He taught me to train outside the box to guide for confidence and drive with a well rounded off switch. I am the trainer, breeder and dog person I am because of him. I learned a lifetime of info in his decade with me. The foundation has been a steady success pairing therapy and service dogs where they are needed most and I am forever grateful. His legacy lives on in each dog we train, each person who needs a tailored companion and each school we visit.

Years ago, I had one litter and decided right then that I needed to build my program with my own crew and not send my girls out to studs where I didn’t know what was going on. So, I began the search for my main man. I found him down South. I bought him based off his pictures and the description that he hated being a kennel dog. Saw his eyes and said "that’s him!" I drove a million hours to pick up a male a little over a year old that I had never even seen- crazy but when he walked up to me, I knew that we would never be the same. We taught him house dog life, no more kennel. He excelled in obedience although in his first class he lifted his leg on me and the instructor as if marking me as his forever, lol its a funny memory I will cherish. Together we started a journey to produce brains, health and damn near perfect Labradors. He sired too many to count working therapy and service dogs, agility and obedience champions, conformation show dogs and world champion dock dogs just to name a few. His legacy will live on with me but my house has a huge gap without my main man. I will be thankful for all my days with my dark handsome boy and will always wish I could have more. He carried my passion and made my dream of a better Labrador become a reality. 

Rest easy my love, I will miss you now and forever.

~Melissa