I wanted to share a picture of Scout, our yellow lab that was born from Sam and Jake last January '08.
It has been a decent year of pheasants for Scout to learn on. We had a lot of flushes and shot about 42-43 birds on a small family owned CRP when we could get out. Scout had about 30 of the retrieves and finished the year strong too.
He has been a fun dog for the family at home and in the field. We can't wait for next season too. Just a little more training and the years will keep providing memories like in the pics below. You are welcome to use this picture if you chose too.
Thanks again!
-Andy Sommers
Tom & Lori: I went out to S.D. for the weekend, taking Tova with me. We went alone. The goal; just to expose her to a lot of pheasant scent and let her 'figure it out'. At first she just tagged along behind me, making short excursion on her own. We saw hundreds of birds but 98% of them flushed wild (100-200 yds. out). I kept walking and did put up 3 birds within range and got them. I took the birds and threw them into the grass and weeds and Tova retrieved them eagerly. The second day she made two full retrieves and by the afternoon of the second day she began "hunting". I was thrilled to say the least. She is exactly 5 months old! She hunted with great energy yet is mellow around the house. -Glenn
Tom & Lori,
Natalie and I got Daisy from you about a year ago and I just wanted to say thank you again. She is THE BEST dog we’ve ever had. She is AMAZING in the field (she probably has close to 200 pheasant retrieves since I got her one year ago) and a sweetheart in the house. We couldn’t ask for a better dog. We are sold on your british labs.
I included a picture from last Saturday with Daisy (black) and Raleigh (yellow – by buddy John got her from you about 9 months ago). Daisy has convinced every guy in the picture to get a british lab the next time they get a dog (which John has already done. -Luke
Tom and Lori-
It is hard to imagine that a month has passed since we first received Sconnie! She is a very good dog and we could not have been happier with her. She is very smart and is very easy to train! It is very obvious how much work you put into getting the dogs ready to leave your house in preparation for coming to ours. She adapted very quickly and we continually receive compliments on how social she is as well as how easy going she is. We absolutely love her! If you should ever need us as a reference, Katie and I would be happy to give one. We couldn't be happier! -Patrick & Katie
We are so absolutely enjoying our new family member. She has regular journeys to hike, retrieve, and just have family fun. She has been on picnics, was the official mascot for our family on Halloween, and loves everyone. Plus, she is a great indoor and outdoor companion. I still am able to hold her on my lap (at 24 lbs.). Everyone says how beautiful she is, and how sleek her coat is. She retrieves like a pro, and did so at 3 months. We are so happy with Gracie. I am so glad I found you and Tom. -Bev DeGeorge
Hi Lori! I just had to send this to show you how grown up one of your babies is now! Jaxon is a little over 5 months old and we adore him. Tracey took him out hunting for his first time last week. Unfortunately they didn't see too many birds and when they did, Jaxon didn't quite know what to think! He'll improve with time and age!
Everyone says how great a puppy he is. That he's sooooooooo mellow! (They just don't see him behind closed doors!) On our walks people always stop and say how beautiful he is! I've told several people about your kennel that I've met a long the way. I hope all is well with you and your family. Wishing you a great Holiday Season! Take care!
-Linda Dorman
The experience with Raya has been nothing short of extraordinary! With a busy schedule, I never imagined having such a well-trained hunting and tournament dog.
Hunting... Since picking her up from RVBK two-years ago, this dog has impressed everyone she meets. I hunt with a couple of groups in North Dakota and South Dakota. In both cases, she is a very well-respected hunting dog who listens well, quarters perfectly and always seems to have that one flush and retrieve you remember for the rest of the year.
Tournaments... This past month, we ran Raya in the US Open Pheasant Championship at Horse and Hunt. Most tournament dogs are trained to be strong tournament hunters. Never having run in the TOP GUN FLUSHER category, I decided to give it a run. Raya found all four birds in 7 minutes, even grabbing a few out of the air as they flushed. Really something to watch!
At home... We have another small dog and a 7-year-old girl who loves to play. Raya is gentle and has a very mild personality seldom needing correction. As a started dog, she quickly trusted us and became an important part of the family.
I would encourage anyone looking for a well-balanced hunting and family dog to consider a started dog or puppy from Tom and Lori.
Thanks!
-Brian Strojny (and Raya)
Tom, Lori, Happy New Year. We hope things are going well. We have been meaning to send you a picture of our "Little Lucy". She is a great dog and we are having a ball with her. She is about a year and a half now and her real personalitiy is starting to emerge. We are very pleased with her and she is spoiled rotten. We will take a drive out someday so you can see her. Tom and Sheila McShea Faribault
River Valley British Kennel Breeders of Fine British Labradors - Serving MN, SD, ND, IA, WI, & more. 26412 St Thomas Rd, Le Sueur MN 56058
