"Retriever training, ya gotta love it! "

 Cody's "Grand Hunting Retriever Champion" Title  

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Family comes first. I am a husband and a father both rolls I consider a privilege. I am also a Lieutenant for the Fire Department, a career that I've always enjoyed and take pride in.

As for dog training I started as a bird boy for my father when I was five years old helping train the family retriever. Hunting started at the age of ten even before I followed my dad pheasant hunting with my "sling shot" at the ready. Since a young age I have always felt a closeness to the retrievers I've owned and trained.

I was first introduced to hunt tests in 2000, taking my young "hunting" dog to Great Lakes HRC"s started hunt test while I checked out HRC. It wasn't my first ribbon that got me hooked, but the performance of the finished dogs and the expectations of their handlers. That day I knew I wanted to be a part of this.

I trained that meat dog "Red" until he got his first finished pass then sold him to make room for my new up-and-comer Cody. Since then I have trained many dogs and sold them but Cody will always have a special place in my heart as does his son Torch.

One thing I know, had I been introduced to the retriever world of competition I never would have made it to be a Fire Fighter. I enjoy dog training too much. Enough that when I retire I plan to make it a second career.