05/05/2026
Momma Rossi has officially reached that final stage of pregnancy where rest comes firstāand naturally, sheās found her way to her old friend, Rutt, for comfort. š¤
We donāt talk about Rutt nearly enough. Some might call him ājust a petā in our program, but the truth isāheās so much more. Rutt is our emotional anchor for the entire pack, and that role is incredibly valuable to what we do.
Heās a 10 year old purebred Labrador we picked up from Dustin's cousin at his Grandpas funeral two weeks after our wedding. We originally intended to be a shed antler dog⦠while the drive was there for deer shed, and his scent training was on point. He quickly made it clear that elk sheds and camo were not his calling (still one of our favorite ironic moments). Now, if we were duck huntersāthat wouldāve been his stage. Nothing slips past his attention. The second a boom comes from a barrel while we sight in for hunting season he locks in, sits at attention, waits for release, then runs out and looks back like, āWhat did you get?ā š
But his real gift isnāt in the fieldāitās in the home.
Rutt is always the first ābig dogā our puppies meet aside from their mother. Heās gentle, steady, and patient in a way that builds confidence in them from the very beginning. He steps into a nurturing role alongside mom, helps introduce new pack members, and even demonstrates commands for the younger dogs as they learn. He sets the tone, and the others follow.
Dogs like Rutt are rare. He is a cornerstone of our program, not just in functionābut in heart.
We know the day will come when we have to say goodbye, and itās something we donāt take lightly. But for now, heās healthy, happy, and continuing to do what he does bestāsupporting every life that comes through our home. š