As many of you might be aware we’ve been without dogs for a while and it just so happened that recently we made contact with a breeder who was only weeks away from having some puppies available – and we couldn’t resist!
Day 1
After a short drive home we introduced our new puppies to the property. They were tiny! The black Labrador retriever we named Ele’ele Ninja and the golden we named Cleopatra Hermione. Both are certified pedigree Labrador Retrievers from American Kennel Club breeders. They are sisters, sharing the same father but different mothers (two different litters). And there’s only two days difference in age! Ele was born August 8 and Cleo August 6, 2021.
Eleʻele is Hawaiian for black and her name is pronounced Ally.
Cleopatra is Cleo for short (and Cleopatra when she’s misbehaving!)
When they first arrived at the end of September they were only 7 weeks old. Ele was barely 8 pounds and Cleo was 12.
Cleo and Ele already have their own Instagram account where we post their adventures (and misadventures). Follow along @cleo_and_ele
Fun Facts about Labrador retrievers
They love water. Their thick tails acts as a rudder, and their large feet are perfect for propelling them through the water.
They were originally bred as hunting dogs and they are great at retrieving things! (Surprise!)
They are intelligent and they work hard. They can be service dogs, therapy dogs, search and rescue dogs, or even work on bomb detection teams!
They have endless energy and need to be walked every day in order to get the exercise they need.
They come in three colors: yellow, black and chocolate.
Any place is a good place to nap! We are crate training Cleo and Ele, so they have their own large crate which they share together. It’s a space for sleeping and generally relaxing, the idea being it replicates the safety and security of a natural den. In the photo above, Cleo decided that sleeping under an office chair on wheels was a good idea!
Best Friends
They might playfight during the day but they’re the best of friends already and often fall asleep curled up next to each other, or even on each other! What ever is most comfortable!
Cleo and Ele are already getting used to the property, although we’re not allowing them free range just yet. They recently met the donkeys, Poncho and Lefty, and immediately ran in the opposite direction before observing these strange creatures from a safe distance.
Fun fact: Ele and Cleo already love water. Whether it’s drinking from the end of the hose, splashing about in their water bowl or playing with ice cubes in a tub of water on a hot day – they’re definitely water babies. Next up, supervised swim lessons in the pool!
Both of them have unique barks. And Ele has a large vocabulary of very cute whines and groans that seem to indicate anything from “I need a cuddle” to “I’m hungry/tired” or “I’m just stretching – but look how cute I am!”. Cleo is quieter, so when you she gets your attention you know it’s serious – or she just really wants a snack.
They’re both currently in quarantine due to their vaccination schedule. They’ll be able to greet guests up close and personal in early December, once all their shots are completed.
We can’t wait for you to meet them!
