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Team Eukanuba, consisting of several top owners and trainers, represents Eukanuba in various competitive sporting trials around the country. Select a team member to learn more about them.
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I grew up hunting all types of game and birds. I began training my own upland pointing dogs 30 years ago as a hobby. Then in 1995, my wife and I bought the first of our quality Labrador Retrievers - "Taz" and I made the switch to water dogs. I read all the materials I could find, watched all the known retriever training videos, took all the classes available, and worked with several professional retriever trainers around the country to learn as many techniques, styles and tips as possible. Little did we know that Taz would change our lives forever!.
We fell in love with the breed and intended to begin a breeding program. Realizing this would take many years of preparation and planning and plenty of land, we made an investment of a small 25 acre "farmette" in western Maryland. At the time, I was still working with my brother in our very large rebar construction company.
After building our breeding pack and campaigning our own dogs earning national qualifications, many of our puppy buyers asked me to train their dogs. Clearly my passion, I decided to leave our construction business and become professional in 2001. Focusing early in the Hunt Test arena, I am proud to have qualified several Master National dogs, even earning a 3X "Hall of Fame" in 2008.
Visit my website at: www.walkerbranchretrievers.com
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In December of 2001, George Shaw opened Stony Point Kennels for business, offering general pet boarding and Retriever training. They are located in Shenandoah, Iowa, which is in the very southwest portion of the state. One achievement that he is very proud of is not losing focus of the fact that "every dog counts." Many trainers push for winning trials or qualifying for a national, and in the process "wash out" dogs that don't live up to those high standards. There are probably less than 2,000 Retrievers that qualify each year for national events offered by the different organizations. But the way George sees it, AKC alone registers around 200,000 Labradors each year. He wants to give the same effort to the weekend hunter who just wants a hunting dog. Years after the fact, he gets emails, cards and photos from owners who are bragging on their successful season. George feels Eukanuba is the best food he can feed, period. He strongly encourages his clients to keep with Eukanuba when they are feeding at home.
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While growing up in N/W PA Ken Blackman’s dad bred, raised, trained, hunted and competed with Labrador Retrievers. After college, a career in Technology Consulting took him worldwide. With an early retirement in the late 90’s, Ken and his wife Sue moved to rural Fayette County, near Grand Junction, Tennessee, home of the Ames Plantation which, annually since 1878 has hosted the National Bird Dog Championship. In addition to operating a small boarding kennel he also breeds, raises, trains, hunts and competes with Brittanys, Pointers and Labrador Retrievers. As an amateur, he’s titled his “Wolf River” dogs in AKC, UKC, American Field and AFTCA. He belongs to and has been an officer in a number of Field Trial Clubs in SW Tennessee and does volunteer work at the Bird Dog Hall of Fame. He judges both pointing dog Field Trials and Retriever Hunt Tests. But a large part of his time is spent helping Sue find homes for Brittanys found abandoned and surrendered in shelters Sue’s work with several rescue organizations since 2001, contributes annually placing over 600 Brittanys in new homes through a network of volunteer coordinators, nationwide.
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I was born in California in 1966 into a dog family. My mother got her first field trial dog when I was four years old. Throwing birds was always a part of my life, however I didn't start running dogs until after college. (B.S. University of Northern Colorado).
My first trial dog was a hand-me-down from my Mom. Hawk and Mom didn't see eye to eye on things so I was lucky enough to run him. The first trial I ran was the Open at Idaho Retriever Club, dropped on the water blind. By the end of that year Hawk was a Field Champion and we ran seven series in the 1989 National Open. All this before I ever ran a Derby, Qualifying or a hunt test. This dog opened my eyes to my future.
In 1990 I moved to Oregon to begin working for Jerry Patopea. While there, I did anything to learn more about training Retrievers. Jerry had a great crew of dogs then (FC AFC Aces High II, FC AFC Circuit Madam, FC AFC Midnight Code Breaker, FC AFC Westwinds Mighty Mo among others). During my time with Jerry, he won the high point open award twice and had 15 National finalists. This got me fired up to do the same thing.
In 1994 I started my own business in Colorado. I arrived with one paying dog. Within the first year my truck was full. In 1996 I was lucky enough to finish my first National as a pro with FC AFC St. Croix Pelican. Since then I have had 50+ Open wins, successfully trained 18 Field Champions, made numerous Qualified All Age dogs and have had many dogs on the Derby list. My clients have also been very successful with 50+ Amateur wins. We have qualified for many Nationals, with six finalists. (FC AFC St. Croix Pelican, FC AFC Teal McKenzie II MH, FC AFC Tartan Prime Time, FC AFC Mizpah Miss-both National Open and two-time National Amateur)
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Mike Berube, Owner/Operator of Long Pond Kennel & Guide Service, has been training full time professionally since 2001. Prior to 2001, was a full-time guide/trainer at a shooting/hunting preserve. Berube runs a string of 16 dogs with an emphasis on gun dog training and AKC hunt tests. He resides in Northern New England (Cornish, Maine), but also conducts winter training in southern Georgia (January-April).
Berube performs limited breeding of Chesapeake Bay Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers. His Long Pond dogs have been featured in advertisements for Eukanuba, Bayer Advantix and AKC.
His biggest achievements/accomplishments have been qualifying dogs to run at the Master National every year since 2002. He has entered and qualified dogs at every Master National event entered in 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008 and achieved MNHOF title on God's Speed Thunder Struck.
On training he believes, "Personally, the best feeling as a trainer comes when I return a dog to a client knowing they have a well-trained dog suitable to hunt in any area of the country."
After trying a number of different major brands, he has fed Eukanuba exclusively since 1995.
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Mark Fulmer of Sarahsetter Kennels offers training for the discriminating sportsman or dog owner. For 16 years, Sarahsetter has consistently provided high-quality gentle training for pointing dogs, upland Retrievers and flushing dogs. Mark specializes in the early development of the Setters that he sells as puppies.
Visit Sarahsetter Kennels.
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Mark’s passion for retrievers started when he was seven years old. Duck hunting and competitive duck calling had always been a passion with his family. Mark thought the ultimate fulfillment of the hunt, would be to have a great dog to retrieve ducks that they just couldn't get to.
One of Mark’s notable accomplishments was early in his career (early 1980’s) when he was named the Louisiana State Duck Calling Champion for three straight years. He also competed in the World Championships of Duck Calling that final year, and placed 6th. Soon after that, Mark took up dog training in his spare time.
Mark trained his first dog at the age of 19 while working as a machinist. The only thing he could think about while working was training dogs. When business became slow, he became dispensable and decided to move out West to California.
This is where he met the Late Great REX CARR. Mark found Rex’s knowledge to be a bit overwhelming, but the experience was second to none. Mark still feels today that Rex’s spirit is behind him while training and running dogs. This is why he believes he has become a solid dog trainer.
Mark then decided to move back to Louisiana in 1985, where he found work in a machine shop, to make ends meet, while training dogs part time. Shortly thereafter, he quit machining altogether and started training dogs full time in May of 1986.
Since 1986, Mark has produced 35 Field / Amateur Field Champions and has had a High point Derby dog. Mark has achieved Three National Open Finalists, and helped produce two Amateur National Finalists, not to mention thousands of quality hunting dogs to his credit. Mark does all of his own training and lives by the slogan, “From Fetch to FC”.
South Lake Kennels is located in Laplace, La. and trains in South Dakota in the summer. Please visit his website at www.southlakekennel.com.
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Rody began his life with retrievers as he was growing up on a small farm in Central Texas where he enjoyed dove hunting with his Dad and favorite black lab, “Bear”. His passion for waterfowl hunting began while attending college at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. After completing his Bachelor’s Degree in Wildlife and Fisheries and a Master’s Degree in Agricultural Education in 2002, Rody went to work for Triple Crown Dog Academy near Austin. Rody worked at Triple Crown Retrievers for four years as the Director of Sporting Dogs, and became a certified professional trainer and behavioral specialist. In the summer of 2006, Rody left Triple Crown and relocated to a beautiful 21 acre property in Paige, Texas and “Best Retrievers” was born. Rody actively competes in AKC hunt tests and field trials, HRC hunt tests and the Grand, and the Super Retriever Series. Rody has trained numerous Grand Hunting Retriever Champions, Master Hunters, and has qualified for the SRS Crown Championship three different years. He feeds Eukanuba and believes it is a major contribution to his success.
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At 16, R.J. became a professional bird dog trainer, and by 18, he had earned his first field championship. At 19, he became the youngest person ever to win the National Canadian Chukkar Championship. Nearly 20 years later, R.J. is still training and field trailing pointing dogs at his Quicksilver Kennels in Moses Lake, Washington. R.J. has won more than 60 AKC, CKC and AF Championships. One of his most amazing feats is R.J.'s record of winning with eight different breeds of pointing dogs – Gordon Setters, English Setters, Irish Setters, English Pointers, German Wirehaired Pointers, German Shorthaired Pointers, Vizsla and Brittanys. He received the English Setter of the Year title for three straight years.
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Tom Oblinsky started his dog career training search and rescue dogs for the USAF. Along with search and rescue he worked with drug enforcement. While on active he started a small business training Labrador Retrievers for hunting. Toward the end of his career with the USAF, Tom found his way into AKC field trials and Hunt Tests. He has run dogs in hunt tests and field trials from coast to coast. His biggest accomplishment was reaching 401 overall master passes last year, while his most memorable accomplishment is reaching 67 out of 69 master passes with one dog named Pearl. Tom has a great passion for his dogs and has since he started in 1992. Tom's number one core value is respecting your dog.
See Tom's dogs powered by Eukanuba at www.triplethreatretrievers.com.
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