Marvel.Retrievers

11/02/2025

You were never mine but I was always yours.
You were never mine because you were meant for everyone.

We all loved you and you loved all of us.
10 years of being your mom, I have never "owned you" but I have loved you every moment of every day for 10 years and I will love you every moment of every day for the rest of my life.

Without you, this family will look a little different, act a little different and we'll search for you for the rest of forever.
I will talk about you until I run out of breath. I will scream your name because I know you're listening.

My Thor Odin, how lucky was I? How lucky am I to have known your love, I promise my son, I will find you again.
I will always look for you, I will always listen for you.
I am right here and I promise, I will always be right here with you.

You have never been mine but my son I will always be yours.

Today and forever, I love you. Rest now my son.

11/02/2025

🧬 Genetics: It’s 50/50 on paper
From a genetic standpoint, each puppy inherits half its DNA from the sire and half from the dam. So technically, both parents contribute equally to traits like temperament, drive, structure, and health.

Maternal influence goes beyond genetics
This is where a lot of people say “puppies pull more from the mom” — and it’s true in a behavioral and developmental sense.

• Prenatal environment: The mom’s stress levels, nutrition, and hormones during pregnancy can affect how puppies’ brains and temperaments develop.
• Early learning: Puppies learn their first social cues and behaviors directly from their dam. A calm, confident, nurturing mother tends to raise calmer, more confident puppies.
• Handling & interaction: The mom teaches bite inhibition, submission, and how to interact with other dogs — lessons that shape temperament permanently.

So even if the genes are split 50/50, the environment the dam creates can heavily influence how those traits show up.

The sire’s influence
The sire’s genetics still play a massive role — especially in:
• Structure/conformation
• Drive (retrieving, herding, etc.)
• Trainability and focus
• Certain temperament traits (confidence, steadiness, etc.)

But because the sire usually isn’t present to raise the litter, his influence is genetic only, while the dam’s influence is both genetic and behavioral.

Good breeders, like us here at Marvel.Retrievers choose sires and dams that complement each other — not just in looks, but in temperament.
If you have a dam with an exceptional temperament, that’s a huge asset, because she’s shaping both the genetic base and the puppies’ first experiences.

11/02/2025

Phoenix Jean😍 our second Fox Red female and a stunning example of the English Labrador type.
Coming from Champion Hunting Lines, she represents the eager, athletic spirit we aim to produce in our program.

10/31/2025

Phoenix Jean is in her sweater weather era! 🍂

Every chance there is to bring one of the dogs out, we take it! Your pup deserves to see and experience the world as much as possible.
🎃

10/31/2025

Echo pupdate!
Aren't her and her "brother" just the cutest?
Gosh, I'm SO proud of these puppies.
😍
Raven and Gambit really produce such nice puppies, temperament and looks!

This program will always be my greatest accomplishment, these puppies I produce will always make me so prideful.

I hope everyone is enjoying their pup, we think of them often!

10/27/2025

I'm not necessarily loving this cold, rainy weather... Phoenix sure is! 🌧️
This girl loves any and all water and with the rainy weather, just been sitting observing nature!
💛

10/27/2025

*Preventing unwanted litters is a goal we all share—but it's time to rethink the surgical approach. Hysterectomies and vasectomies, which preserve hormonal balance, can safely be performed as early as 8 weeks of age, making dogs sterile without disrupting their natural hormones.

New peer-reviewed study published in Nature:

How a dog’s lifetime exposure to his own hormones (before being neutered) affects how well he handles aging and frailty later in life.

Study Background

• Frailty = when older dogs (and people) become weaker, less resilient, and more prone to illness and death.
• Most research looks at how to prevent frailty — this study looked at what makes some dogs bounce back better after frailty sets in.
• The focus was on the HPG axis — the hormonal system that produces testosterone and controls reproduction.

Key Findings

• Dogs neutered very young (before 2 years old) had:

o A much higher risk of death once they became frail.
o About 16% higher mortality for every small increase in frailty.

• Dogs kept intact longer (more than ~10 years) showed:
o No increase in mortality linked to frailty.
o Their hormones seemed to “buffer” the negative effects of aging.

• Each extra year of natural hormone exposure reduced frailty-related death risk by ~1%.

What It Means

• Hormones from the te**es may protect against the worst effects of aging later in life.
• Removing them too early could make dogs less resilient to age-related decline.
• Frailty isn’t just about getting old — it’s also shaped by early-life events like the timing of neutering.
• This supports a “life course” view: what happens early in life affects health decades later.

Why It Matters

• The study suggests timing of neutering might influence how well dogs age.

10/27/2025

Gambit’s modeling skills are top-tier 😂 but what’s on his head is even better!

We’ve been using Wholistic Pet Organics Joint Mobility GLM + Multivitamin, and I’ve already noticed a difference.
This supplement supports healthy hips and joints, skin & coat, digestion, and immune health — everything an active Lab needs to stay in top form.

I’m really impressed with how quickly I started seeing benefits! 🙌
This is NOT an Ad, genuinely just sharing what I believe is a good product!

10/26/2025

10/26/2025

Raven would be so proud of her daughter Echo! 💕

Echo here is learning to play Disc Golf with her Dad, what a great team they are! Absolutely love to see teamwork, absolutely love to see these puppies putting their brain to the test.

As a breeder, I am beyond proud. Every single puppy from this litter is absolutely phenomenal and they have the absolute best families to back them and catch them if they were to ever fall.

How lucky was I to love and care for all these puppies for 8 weeks? How lucky am I knowing these puppies are absolutely THRIVING.
What a wonderful feeling.

No matter where they go, I willl always be cheering on every individual puppy. 

10/25/2025

✨ Keeping Your Dog Lean = Keeping Them Healthy ✨

Keeping your dog lean isn’t about restricting food — it’s about supporting long-term health.
✔️ Reduces joint stress — especially important for large breeds and breeding dogs.
✔️ Improves mobility & stamina — lean dogs can run, play, and recover better.
✔️ Supports heart health — extra weight can make their organs work harder.
✔️ Helps prevent arthritis & hip dysplasia symptoms from showing early.

🔹 You should be able to feel your dog’s ribs easily without pressing hard.
🔹 They should have a defined waistline when viewed from above.
🔹 From the side, you’ll notice a nice tuck behind the ribs, like Scarlet’s here!

Every pound matters when it comes to your dog’s comfort, performance, and longevity. ❤️

10/24/2025

Saw some Horses today, went for a swim, walked some trails, I'd say that's a good day! 🤩

Growing into a gorgeous girl Phoenix Jean💛