Logan Fugate with Odin

Logan Fugate took his time finding the right hunting dog – one that could retrieve everything from ducks to Sandhill cranes, but would also stand out from the pack. All things considered, a Chesapeake Bay retriever was the ideal choice.

Though they share some traits with Labrador retrievers, the Chesapeake Bay retriever is a rare, specialized breed that can be harder to find. “I have always been intrigued by them,” Fugate says. “I’d always seen them in magazines and on social media, but never in person.” In a stroke of luck, however, Fugate found a reputable breeder in Tennessee who happened to have a litter of puppies available. The timing worked out just right, and he brought Odin home just two weeks later.

At 8 weeks old, Odin needed to learn the basics before he would be ready to unlock his full potential. Fugate started working on puppy obedience training immediately, then moved on to more advanced concepts when Odin was a bit more mature. “I started out by reading retriever training books and watching videos,” he says. “We started working with professional retriever trainers multiple times a week from the time he was about 8 months old.” Given his breed, Odin was certainly born with retrieval instincts, but Fugate’s dedicated training is what made him a high-performance hunting dog. “My favorite memory has to be when he got his finished title and became a Hunting Retriever Champion,” he recalls.

In the field, Odin’s high drive and steady focus make him an excellent hunting companion. “He is always jacked up and ready to go. His eyes are always to the sky looking for the next bird to pick up, but he is steady and waits until I give him the command,” Fugate shares. “I enjoy watching him run out to pick up the birds more than anything else. He is great at marking birds when they go down, so he doesn’t need a lot of direction from me to find them.”

Though Odin is a determined hunter in the field, he is a cherished member of the family for Fugate and his wife, Lindsay. At home, he answers to a number of nicknames like “Odo” and “Mister Boy,” and you’re likely to find him chewing on an antler when he’s not playing or cuddling up with his family. “He is extremely loyal to me,” Fugate says. “He weighs 80 pounds, but he thinks he is a lap dog. He is still a puppy at heart, even at almost 4 years old.”

Tommy Hamn with Dan

As a well-rounded huntsman, Tommy Hamn wanted a true “gentleman’s gundog” to accompany him on the hunt and retrieve both on land and in water. Dan, a black Labrador retriever, is exactly that.

Hamn’s hunting repertoire includes doves, ducks, and various upland game birds, so he needed a well-trained dog that could handle that variety in addition to being a loving family dog at home. He got his first dog, Sue, from Wildrose Kennels, an organization known for raising and training puppies of the highest caliber. Sue was a great hunting companion, so he returned to Wildrose years later to get his newest dog, Dan. “We had them train him up until he was a little over a year old, with short visits back to us during this time,” Hamn says. “He is now 6 years old with five hunting seasons under his belt, and we have been really pleased with him as well.”

In order to keep up Dan’s training, Hamn has continued to work closely with professional trainers, attending Wildrose Handlers’ retreats twice a year for the past decade. “This helps tune the dog up, but mainly helps train me as the handler,” he explains. “I have really enjoyed the classes and the friendships I have made over the years.” This training makes for an excellent hunting dog, but the experience of working with Dan on his commands also brings the pair closer together. “I enjoy working with the dogs. I have enjoyed that part from when I was a boy,” he shares. “I work with them in the yard as often as I can.”

In the field, Dan is steady, calm, and ready at a moment’s notice to make a great retrieve. “He would do that all day if he could. That’s the reward,” Hamn says. Additionally, Dan’s nose is a force to be reckoned with on the hunt. “He can pick up a scent from over 30 yards away and follow it, not even seeing the bird, and go right to it. It’s amazing to watch,” Hamn shares.

Dan is certainly a “gentleman’s gundog,” as promised. “What that means to me is that they are not just working dogs, and they’re not just companion dogs. It’s a great blend of both,” Hamn says. “They go with me wherever I’m going or whatever I’m doing. They will sit on their dog bed while I’m working in the barn, but they also know when it’s ‘go time’ in the field. They know when it’s time for them go to work, and they love doing it.”

Chris Schreiner with Hank

As an avid upland bird hunter, Chris Schreiner needed a gundog that could track, point, and retrieve in any sort of terrain. Hank, his German Wirehaired Pointer, turned out to be just the right dog for the job.

The German Wirehaired Pointer (GWP) is a European utility breed known for their physical and mental agility. They have the energy to run and retrieve all day with the mental stamina to remain focused on the task at hand – exactly what Schreiner needed in a birddog. “I chose this breed because I had a friend who had a GWP, and I heard they were good all-around hunting dogs,” he says. Hank came to him as a 6-week-old puppy, and after two and a half years of hunting and bonding in the outdoors together, Schreiner has certainly not been disappointed.

When Hank was a puppy, his intelligent, eager-to-please personality coupled with Schreiner’s dedication to consistent training quickly turned him into a highly effective birddog. “He’s like a well-trained machine,” Schreiner explains. “He just loves to hunt. The second he sees the shotgun, he starts jumping!” Hank is always just as eager to get out in the field as Schreiner is, and he takes his job very seriously, tirelessly tracking down birds until the day is done.

Over the past two years, the pair has hunted a variety of upland game birds. From quail hiding in the brush to chukar partridges residing on steep hillsides, Hank loves nothing more than pointing the birds out and waiting to make a retrieve. “He has a great sniffer and finds the birds very easily,” Schreiner says, adding that Hank’s hunting instincts don’t stop there – he’s also a big fan of chasing rabbits in his spare time.

When he’s not out in the field, you’ll probably find Hank chewing on one of his favorite toys, deer antlers, or using his smarts to his advantage with the Schreiner family’s other dog, Bo. “He is very clever,” Schreiner explains. “If our other dog has a toy that Hank wants, he will bring another toy around to make Bo jealous, then when Bo comes for that toy, he’ll drop it and go get the one Bo had.” Altogether, Hank is everything Schreiner was looking for in a dog. In summary he says, “I think he’s the best ever, but I’m a little biased!”

Britton Keyes with Remi

Growing up with Labrador retrievers, Britton Keyes has always been partial to the breed. It’s no surprise that he chose a loyal lab to be his hunting companion, and Remi was the perfect match.

After bringing Remi home as a puppy, the pair began building the fundamentals, including a solid foundation of obedience followed by increasing Remi’s drive and skills like locating, tracking, and retrieving birds. “The largest part of training was teaching him to work with me, not for me. All of our drills and concepts pointed directly to teamwork and trust,” Keyes explains. “Training builds the bond of teamwork, and hunting creates the bond of trust. This could only be accomplished through many hours spent together working in the field.”

This dedication has certainly paid off, and Remi is a force to be reckoned with in the field. “Being a lab, Remi has physical and mental toughness along with versatility. Whether in cold and harsh winter conditions or hot and humid summer temperatures, he is capable and driven to follow through as an excellent hunting companion,”

Keyes says. Together, they confidently hunt in all terrain for any and all waterfowl, including ducks, geese, and Sandhill cranes. “Remi loves listening to the calls and looking to the sky as they get closer and closer, waiting for us to shoot so he can retrieve the fallen birds,” he says. “He simply loves retrieving; it’s in his blood.”

Though he’s driven in the field, Remi also enjoys time spent at home with Keyes and his wife, who give him plenty of love, play time, and treats. “He has a toy rope that he’s obsessed with and loves for us to throw in or outside of the house,” Keyes shares. “And in the summer, Remi loves laying on air vents – so much so that at night, he will go into the closet of our bedroom, get behind the clothes, and sleep on the vent all night long.”

After three years together and countless hours spent in the field, the pair has developed an unshakable bond. Keyes says this has changed his perspective on hunting and how he enjoys the outdoors. “Now that I have Remi, I not only hunt for me, but also for him. Hunting drives and fuels his life, and it brings great joy to watch and take part as his owner,” he shares. “The bond created between man and dog goes back hundreds of years, allowing one to experience the outdoors with their true best friend.”