Our Stars
The following stories and pictures define the very essence of the Labrador Retriever. These are some of our special dogs and their amazing accomplishments!
Kokomo's Once in a Blue Moon (Luna)
And
Kokomo's Nothing but an Angel
Mother and Daughter Stars!
We were contacted by a production company when our last litter was about six weeks old. They needed a puppy and an older dog to be in their Auto Owners Insurance Co. commercial. I had decided to keep Angel, and I knew her mom Luna would be cooperative with strangers. We spent about 4 hours with a crew of about 15 to get the short clips of Angel and Luna in their 1st commercial!!
We also are very excited to introduce to you one of our proudest moments. We were approached by the Assistance Dogs of America a couple of years ago with interest in purchasing a puppy for their program. They have strict standards and look for quality breeders who keep up on the many health problems that plague the breed.
They have a prison raising puppy program for the first year, and it is truly amazing the dedication that these carefully chosen inmates put into loving and training these pups. They are raised their second year by a foster family hand picked by the knowledgeable staff. Then they have an in-depth training period by the assistance dog trainers for their specific tasks as a service dog! It is a wonderful program. Not every puppy that is chosen makes it through the entire program. The " fabulous flunkies" are adopted out to caring families who receive a very special puppy. The graduates have specific tasks they are taught to assist the many different disabilities they handle.
The yellow male that was purchased from Kokomo Labs was named "Bronson" He was bred from Kokomo's Sweet as Honey, and CH. Easthill Fergus. Last August was Bronson's graduation and transfer to his new owner, Maria. Below is the article of her story, and we proudly share it with you all.
Meet Maria and Bronson
Maria Sutter has another special reason to celebrate on June 22 this year. Not only is it her birthday; it’s also the birthday of Bronson, her new ADAI service dog. It may seem like a coincidence to others, but to Maria, Bronson was meant to be a part of her life.
“It’s very clear that he and I are a team now.”
Maria and Bronson graduated from ADAI’s training program this summer. Their first few months as a team have been undeniably smooth. In fact, when ADAI staff members visited Maria at her family’s home a month following graduation, even they were amazed at the connection.
“They watched as I gave Bronson commands and he did everything as if he and I had always been together,” says Maria.
Maria, who lives with her parents in Medina, is an architect who suffered a spinal cord injury five years ago while living and working in New York City. A car hit her from behind as she was riding her bike in the city. As a result, Maria is now a quadriplegic.
“My accident taught me that there is so much about our day to day life that is out of our control,” she says. “I learned to refocus.”
Maria returned to Medina and plans to eventually attend John Carroll University where she’ll work towards a master’s degree in architectural theory. Bronson will be there with her, helping to retrieve items, open doors, and perform other tasks to assist Maria with daily life. Her partnership with Bronson has made Maria feel more like her old self.
“A service dog brings lots of attention, which I enjoy because I’ve always been outgoing, but I felt more reserved since my accident,” she says. “Bronson’s personality is just so happy.”
In addition to retrieving items for Maria, like her shoes and her favorite shawl which he has been trained to place around her, Bronson’s been a great influence on the family’s two Westies. Cooper and Scout, the Westies, are learning to sit and wait through Bronson’s example.
“Bronson has just kind of streamlined things in our lives,” says Maria. “Deciding to get a service dog was definitely the right thing for me.”
If you are interested in finding out more about the Assistance Dog program, go to their website: www.adai.org
A recent update from Maria with picture. Bronson is 9 years young, and still an active service dog. He has enabled Maria to be able to travel and do things that just weren't possible before. She shared that she runs Bronson in Agility competitions, and thinks that's what is keeping him young! I just want to say, I think they are both pretty amazing.
This is another one of KOKOMO LABS pups who has made some fantastic accomplishments with his owner. He was purchased by a very brilliant student from Michigan State with intentions of some specialty training. Never did I imagine the amazing titles that have been put on "Darwin". He is a son from Kokomo's She'll be Impressive. (Shelby)
Super Dog #24
UACHX UCD UWP SHR CH Piccadilly's Beloved Friend
JH AX AXJ WC CC TDI CGC
Labrador Retriever
Owned by Nicole McCarthy
Bred by Lori Kaznecki