Hi my name is Mattie,

I was adopted by my new parents in 2006 at the age of 7.  They kept my name as they thought I had it long enough and it suited me well.  My new parents originally wanted a yellow lab as they had a black lab named Shadow who died at the ripe age of 14 and they felt they should mix it up a bit.  But then my Mom stumbled on my picture and said “that looks like a really sweet dog” so she decided to come see me at my wonderful foster mom’s house in Mezzomanie.  She brought my to-be step-sister along, Carrie, who is studying to be a vet in Minnesota .  When they arrived, I immediately grabbed my bone, as I have been taught to do so (not to jump up) by my former family.  They fell in love with me, and the rest is history.  My parents live in Shorewood but have a farm on Washington Island .  Even though it’s their vacation home, I think it’s my “REAL” home as I am happiest there and just “tolerate” their other home (with two cats) in Shorewood. I absolutely LOVE it up on the island, and my foster Mom remarked that it was “meant to be” when my Mom and Dad picked me up as I was wearing a collar with Lighthouses on it!  My Dad is thrilled with the fact that I have learned to hunt ducks, geese and woodcock with him.  I LIVE TO HUNT!  He calls me his seasonal worker—I don’t quite understand why I can’t hunt all year round, but I take what I can get.  I love little kids (I think my former family had them)—my parents kids are grown, but I get plenty of attention from the little girls next door, and all the little kids on the ferry to the island who love to pet me every weekend!  My parents can’t say enough good things about LEARN and how lucky they were to have found me (and I feel the same).