Breeders-Retired
The OccuPaws Guide Dog Association has a small breeding program to help provide high quality candidates for guide dogs to supplement the wonderful pups we receive from our select breeders. These are our retired breeders.
Hayshaker Princess “Zaga”-Retired
Hayshaker Princess “Zaga”-RetiredFemale Chocolate Labrador Retriever
Bred by: Hayshaker Labradors of SW Minnesota
Raised by: Mark & Barb of Cross Plains, WI
PawsForward of Oxford, WI
Kassel of Mazomanie, WI
Mark & Barb of Cross Plains, WI
Jason & Family of Platteville, WI
DOB: July 28, 2017
Zaga is a very soft, sweet girl, but not afraid to voice her displeasure about not being the center of attention. She is brave and tackles stairs and obstacles like a pro She should be a fine working dog in a couple years. After living with experienced raisers and lots of other dogs for playmates (including a new litter) she moved on to her next phase with the inmates at Oxford. After an all to brief return to her original puppy raisers, she moved a bit further west to her new raiser followed by a return to her original raisers again.
She has been evaluated and she is so special, that while she continues training, she is destined to become a mama and produce many guide dogs in the future.
Zaga gave birth to the “B” litter on 11/18/2020 by natural delivery, however she gave us a scare, deciding to take a 5 hour nap between puppies 3 and 4!. She had 3 chocolates – 2 girls and a boy and 4 blacks – 3 boys and a girl.
Zaga had a second litter, the F litter, 4 girls and 2 boys, all black, born on 7/17/21 by natural delivery. Never being one to not put a scare into us again, the firstborn was huge, not in a sac and no placenta and not breathing. After several minutes of work and suctioning, little miss red (Frankee) took her first breath and her tongue went from blue to pink! Whew.
The Captain’s “Nala” Retired
The Captain’s “Nala” RetiredFemale Black Labrador Retriever
Bred by: The Captain’s Labradors, Lake Shore, MN (Taffy x Parker ’16)
Raised by: Mark & Barb of Cross Plains, WI
Mindy & Dan of Lodi, WI
DOB: April 4, 2016
Nala aka Miss hump a luff is sister to another breeding girl, Nelly. She is a full figured girl, quite a bit bigger than her sister. Nala joined our program at 3 years old and when she learned Nelly was being raised by an active family with two small children, she insisted on joining the family, which she did. She had her first litter of 2 huge healthy girls in March of 2020!
Nala had her second litter, the “A” litter on 10/18/20. Took her about 3 hours – good, started at 2:00 AM, less good. She had 4 girls and 2 boys and they all enrolled immediately in guide dog pre-school. Before you know it, they’ll be off to guide dog University.
OccuPaws Always Faithful “Ivy” RETIRED
Female Yellow Labrador Retriever
OccuPaws Always Faithful “Ivy” RETIREDBorn: September 14, 2015
Breeder: OccuPaws and Neverest – co breeders
Raised by: Mark & Barb of Cross Plains, WI
Mary & Gerry of Mazomanie, WI
Kathy & Jim of DePere, WI
Due Date: January 9, 2018 Ivy is a littermate of Ivan, Isaac, Ike, and Indy and the daughter of Callie & Sailor. Callie is the mother of guide dogs Aurora and Chance, so we have great hopes for Ivy’s babies.
She was bred in November 2017 to Chester from The Captains Labs and had 4 puppies (Carmel, Champ, Coach and Courage) on January 8, 2018. All of the pups will stay in the program until they decide a guide dog career is not for them.
Ivy is pregnant again and due to have about a half dozen puppies in Mid March, 2019!
Ivy had 7 puppies in her second litter, 6 females and 1 male. This is the most precocious litter we have ever seen – they are fast at everything. 7 puppies in 2 hr 37 min, Miss Orange was walking at 8 days and almost all were walking at 12 days. Fortunately this time, Ivy is a super Mom, paying close attention to her babies.
The Captains Brilliant “Bling”
RETIRED
The Captains Brilliant “Bling”Female Black Labrador Retriever
Bred by: The Captain’s Labradors of Lake Shore, Minnesota
Raised by: Mark & Barb of Cross Plains, WI
Walt & Karen of Poynette, WI
DOB: June 9, 2014
Bling and her sister Opal joined us a little later in life than normal. Both breeder girls were generously donated by The Captain’s Labradors to expand our internal breeding program. Neither have been bred, but both have passed their initial eye and hip/elbow exams and we are just waiting on final genetic clearances before breeding them at their next heat cycle. She is a little bolder than her sister Opal, but nearly identical in personality. She has found a permanent breeder home!
Bling had her first litter by C-Section on 10/11/2019 consisting of 4 females and 3 males. And surprise – one of the girls was a golden girl and was named Rose on the spot.
Bling had her second and final litter by C-Section on May 9, 2021 – the “D” litter. Three girls and a boy.
The Captains Precious “Opal”
RETIRED
The Captains Precious “Opal”Female Black Labrador Retriever
Bred by: The Captain’s Labradors of Lake Shore, Minnesota
Raised by: Mark & Barb of Cross Plains, WI
Rebekah & Lydia of Belmont, WI
DOB: June 9, 2014
Opal and her sister Bling joined us a little later in life than normal. Both breeder girls were generously donated by The Captain’s Labradors to expand our internal breeding program. Neither have been bred, but both have passed their initial eye and hip/elbow exams and we are just waiting on final genetic clearances before breeding them at their next heat cycle. She is a little more cautious than her sister Bling, but nearly identical in personality. She has found a permanent breeder home.
Opal gave birth to two giant babies by C-Section on June 1, 2019, the “O” litter, both girls. One of her daughters, Olive was selected to become a Mama and is due to be bred later in 2021.
Opal’s second and last litter, also by C-Section was the “Z” litter. 2 girls and a boy.
Kinderwood Charmed Two “Paige”
RETIRED
Kinderwood Charmed Two “Paige”Female Black Labrador Retriever
Bred by: The Captain’s Labradors of Lake Shore, Minnesota
Raised by: Mark & Barb of Cross Plains, WI
DOB: December 12, 2011
Paige is an older breeding girl generously donated by The Captain’s Labradors to expand our internal breeding program. She has had a couple litters prior to joining OccuPaws, most notably, she is the mother of two of our guide dogs in training, Java and Jean. She will be retired after having one litter with OccuPaws. We may be looking for a permanent breeder home for her however she may have already become part of the family with Mark & Barb.
She gave birth to Odin and Ohana on June 21, 2019!
