Meet my pal Drifter, a four-year-old yellow Labrador retriever. His pedigree name is Classic Hill Country Drifter but we call him the “Drift Man” or “Luigi” if you are my Brazilian friend, Pati Medici. He is the official ambassador and ranch dog for Longneck Manor.
Drifter was born on April 25, 2017 at Classic Labs kennels in Chappell Hill, TX. Most Lab connoisseurs around Houston know Linda Weld and her first class breeding compound near Brenham, TX (the home of another favorite of mine, Blue Bell ice cream).
I was fortunate to have my pick from five adorable male puppies. It is not easy picking a puppy but after three visits over several weeks I decided on personality over size and picked the pup that seemed most alert, even at 6 weeks. He had a certain head tilt, like he was listening very closely to my voice. I had help from my friend from Houston, Diane Kendall (also known as The Other Diane or TOD) who came with me for all three visits and helped me choose his peripatetic sounding name.
True to his name Drifter traveled quite a bit during his first year, mostly between Houston and Fredericksburg but also a few long road trips to Sarasota (where my significant other Diane Ledder resides). One time I flew him from Houston to Tampa, which is the closest airport that flies pets nonstop. He handled the flight just fine but it was quite expensive and labor intensive. We now travel by land where he has the entire back seat of my Honda Ridgeline pickup.
Like most Labs he’s very friendly but not the rambunctious puppy that’s constantly jumping on people and sniffing (often in places not politically correct). He is always by my side unless I have guests, which he treats as new life-long friends. He makes a habit of lying across your feet when you are standing or sitting so you always have to careful when taking that first step.
He enjoys his 140-acre ranch, going on long walks and swimming almost every day. He doesn’t chase cows or deer, preferring just to watch them. Not sure if he’s smart or just a bit cautious when it comes to critters bigger than him. He has had some adventures with armadillos and a run-in with a skunk but heck it is the Texas Hill Country. Boys will be boys.
Drifter obviously is special because he’s my dog. Still others admit that he does have a very charismatic personality and is quite the handsome guy. He still tilts his head and is a good listener and watchdog. He loves meeting other dogs but also is quick to determine which one’s are friendly and which one’s are not. His favorite store is the Dogologie pet supply store on Main Street, Fredericksburg where he gets a free treat every time he visits.
While Longneck Manor will feature giraffes and rhinos I am sure that Drifter and his future Lab family will also make a lasting impression on our guests. I love working with large African animals, but they can’t live in your house or sleep at the foot of (or more often on) your bed. In my opinion you can never have enough Labs, as long as you have a big enough ranch and bed!
