Big River Kennels

Big River Kennels Welcome to Big River Kennels. We currently have 3 Labrador retrievers, Bo, Blair, and Kate. Shoot us an email/message if you have any questions!
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Our business here is to breed and raise labs for waterfowl hunting (and loving pets).

Hey everyone! We’ve been a little MIA the last couple months, and I’d like to introduce everyone to the reason why… we w...
03/22/2022

Hey everyone! We’ve been a little MIA the last couple months, and I’d like to introduce everyone to the reason why… we welcomed a wonderful, healthy baby boy, Baker, into the world on March 10th and we are so overjoyed.

Baker is so, so loved already and even the dogs (although jealous) love their new little brother. 🤍

Happy National Dog Day to our 3 favorites in the world! 🙌🏼 •••
08/27/2021

Happy National Dog Day to our 3 favorites in the world! 🙌🏼



Respect them. Honor them. Remember them. 🇺🇸Hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend and, most importantly, didn’t forget ...
06/01/2021

Respect them. Honor them. Remember them. 🇺🇸
Hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend and, most importantly, didn’t forget why we are able to live freely & happily.

Amen!
02/21/2021

Amen!

Don't Spoil You Bird Dog????

If I heard it once, I heard it a hundred times..."Don’t spoil your bird dog, or it won’t hunt for you."

A good, well-bred hunting dog can sit on the couch and watch T.V. with you, then go out and wholeheartedly hunt grouse, woodcock, pheasant, quail, etc. the next morning without missing a beat. The switch that is flipped from couch potato to bird hunter is a fast-acting one! While there can be disagreements on these points, I’ve certainly seen my share of bird dogs that live in a house and hunt just as hard as any kennel dog. That’s not to say that there aren’t some bird dogs that make better kennel dogs than house dogs. But I think it’s largely a matter of the individual dog’s personality.
Ruining your hunting companion is simply by doing nothing!!!
When dogs are young, they learn quickly and soak up lots of information about the world in which they live. The only way you can spoil a dog is to not be consistant in your commands and training. It is important that your hunting partner listens and is obedient both in the home and outside the home.
Traditional hunting breeds can also make great family dogs, because they tend to be intelligent, sociable, and loyal. The payoff is a bond that makes the dogs want to perform even better for us than if we didn’t spend that time together. They live to please. They can have fun with someone, take treats from someone, but the person that trains the dog and commands his respect, will also command most of his love, affection, and loyalty. Canines thrive on structure and consistency. Let's not forget that 90% of that dogs life isn't hunting and should be spent as a companion and live as part of the family. So whether you have a bird dog, a pedigreed dog, or a mutt, remember.... they all WANT and NEED your LOVE.

Share your thoughts?


First round of shots✅Ready to go to our new homes this weekend! ✅•••
02/17/2021

First round of shots✅
Ready to go to our new homes this weekend! ✅



01/27/2021
01/27/2021

Just 2 days shy of being 4 weeks old. These sweet babies are getting so rambunctious & fun!
*3 BLACK MALES still available! 🥳*




I can hardly get these sweet puppers to stay awake long enough to get a good picture of them with their eyes open! But t...
01/15/2021

I can hardly get these sweet puppers to stay awake long enough to get a good picture of them with their eyes open! But they’re growing so fast and so sweet. Officially 2 weeks old today!!
3 black males up for grabs still! 🥰




sunday, milk drunk, sleepies.🍼😴3 black males still available! ••••
01/04/2021

sunday, milk drunk, sleepies.🍼😴
3 black males still available!




01/01/2021

Momma ended up with 8 beautiful puppies! And there are still 4 left to find wonderful homes! 3 black males and 1 black female! Let us know if you’re interested! 😍




12/31/2020

Blair is in labor! Happy New Year everyone! 🤩



MERRY CHRISTMAS! I hope everyone had a wonderful, safe, holiday & may you all have happy and healthy New Year! •P.S. we ...
12/26/2020

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I hope everyone had a wonderful, safe, holiday & may you all have happy and healthy New Year!

P.S. we will hopefully have news soon on our litter of puppies that should be arriving any day now! 🤩🤩



SURPRISE! 🐶🐶🐶Blair & Bo are soon to be parents! Due anytime after Christmas, & will be ready for loving homes around Val...
12/16/2020

SURPRISE! 🐶🐶🐶
Blair & Bo are soon to be parents!
Due anytime after Christmas, & will be ready for loving homes around Valentine’s Day😉

Both mom & dad are AKC registered; Unfortunately due to Bo’s breeding restrictions this litter will NOT be registered, but will be just as amazing! Message us if you’re interested in these pups OR any future litters!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY PUPS!One year ago today, our precious Mama Kate gave birth to her litter of 9 beautiful black lab puppies...
10/21/2020

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PUPS!
One year ago today, our precious Mama Kate gave birth to her litter of 9 beautiful black lab puppies! 🙌🏼
She was the perfect, most patient mom during delivery and care of these sweet little babies, & we can’t wait for her to mother a few future litters.
So, again, happy birthday puppies!! 🥳




HAPPY MONDAY.Hope y’all dive right into this week and make it great! 🤙🏼
09/21/2020

HAPPY MONDAY.
Hope y’all dive right into this week and make it great! 🤙🏼

Ooooh... Labor Day? We thought you said Labrador. 🤔Either way: perfect weekend to hangout with your dogs— and family/fri...
09/06/2020

Ooooh... Labor Day? We thought you said Labrador. 🤔
Either way: perfect weekend to hangout with your dogs— and family/friends, I guess 😉

Have a great holiday weekend everybody! Stay safe!

happy   to our 3 sweet dogs— peep mama Kate in the back, alert, watching something on the pond👀 •••••                   ...
08/26/2020

happy to our 3 sweet dogs— peep mama Kate in the back, alert, watching something on the pond👀





happy hump day! 🐪Bo & Kate are just like the rest of us right now— tired but relieved this week is almost over! 🙌🏼••••  ...
08/20/2020

happy hump day! 🐪
Bo & Kate are just like the rest of us right now— tired but relieved this week is almost over! 🙌🏼




Moe 🔥🔥•This handsome pup is one out of our litter from last year- Big River’s Mama Kate x D Highway’s Jett Jackson! He l...
08/15/2020

Moe 🔥🔥

This handsome pup is one out of our litter from last year- Big River’s Mama Kate x D Highway’s Jett Jackson! He looks fantastic and we thank you for always updating us on his progress !




Just like that, we’re so much closer to the best time of year 🙌🏼🙌🏼📸 : Wildhaber Outdoor Media•We apologize for being MIA...
08/11/2020

Just like that, we’re so much closer to the best time of year 🙌🏼🙌🏼
📸 : Wildhaber Outdoor Media

We apologize for being MIA for a little bit. The last couple weeks have been crazy. We’re back and hopefully going to be bringing you guys some really cool stuff here soon.
As always, we appreciate everyone who follows along, supports us, likes, shares, etc! Thank you so much for letting us share our lives, dogs, and hunts with you.





Very good points! Take a minute to read!
07/20/2020

Very good points! Take a minute to read!

”One of the First questions I ask clients who come to me for advice on behavior or training for obedience is, “Why did you Choose this breed?”
So many times the answer is, “Because they are really cool dogs!”
This, of course, is not a valid reason for choosing one breed over another.
When you see a dog doing what he was bred to do, harkening back to his ancestors whispering into their ears, telling them exactly how they should perform the task....well, it can make you weep.
EVERY dog needs a job, a purpose to validate them. A job that makes them stand proud and causes his tail to wag and his heart to smile.
Dogs were bred to work alongside humans, and they consider that a high calling.....along with educating us.....
And if one does not have sheep for a Collie or rabbits for a Beagle, or rats for a Terrier, there are still other functions for them to perform within their households. Our job is to find that activity, introduce it to the dog, and enjoy the companionship.

There's a woman that jogs with her GSD every day by the Indiana K9 Learning Center. She puts a prong collar on her huge working dog and off they go. We had a nice visit over the fence the other day. I complimented her on her dog's manners. I stood about six feet from her when we initially met and he was relaxed and unconcerned. (And no, I didn't ask if I could pet him). That's when I find out what a mean owner she is.

Her large GSD carries a doggy style backpack with water in it and she's been told that's mean.

She stopped at a yard sale, bought some books, put them in the backpack and she was told that's mean.

She's been chastised for running her dog with her because running a dog is mean.

I'm not sure why someone would feel that a 100 pound working breed isn't capable of carrying 10 pounds of books but someone did. I'd say that person has never looked up what a GSD was bred for. It's bred for work!

I know a Canadian that has huge herds of sheep free ranging on hundreds of acres. He has two border collies that he sends out as a team to round them up and bring them in to be counted. They'd go out before the sun was up and by mid afternoon they'd have them gathered in a large pen for him. He'd do a head count, open the gate and off they'd go. Imagine the intelligence and duration those dogs have to do that seven days a week! Now take those dogs and put them in an apartment. Yowza!

How about the frustrated woman who brought her German Short Haired Pointer in for classes...AKC's website said the breed is "easy to train" so she got one. She's a white collar wife with a young son who lives in a suburban neighborhood. That breed may be easy to train for a hunter or someone that is experienced with independent, strong willed breeds but she was really struggling with him. His energy level, strong personality and tenacity is a requirement for the job he was bred to do but a typical owner will really struggle with this breed.

Can we all agree on something right here, right now? Every dog that is in a home, in a shelter, in the show ring, or anywhere else comes from someone that was breeding dogs for a purpose. It may be way back in the dog's pedigree but it's there. Hunting, fighting, chasing, pulling, retrieving, protecting, patrolling, killing...your dog laying at your feet right now has ancestors that did at least one of those tasks very, very well. Those instincts don't disappear when they walk through your front door and become your family pet.

There's a reason terriers are tough! Because you have to be a tenacious little s**t to go down a hole after a rodent bigger than you knowing you're likely to get bitten.

There's a reason you can't get your beagle's nose off the ground during agility classes. Watch a youtube video of beagles in the field!

There's a reason your whippet wants to chase every squirrel in the yard. Watch a youtube video of sighthounds lure coursing!

There's a reason that cattle dogs go in low and nip anything moving. Watch a youtube video of them working cattle!

Here's the kicker...a cattle dog that goes in low and nips is probably the result of someone's responsible breeding. Same with the beagle, the whippet and the border collie. Those are desirable behaviors in each breed.

Understanding the propensity of certain behaviors in breeds and mixes will help owners understand where the behavior is coming from. It doesn't mean the dog gets a free pass for the behavior, but someone looking for an agility dog may not want to go with a bloodhound "because I just love their ears" or a herding breed "because I want a dog to lay around all weekend with."

All of us in the dog industry, including shelters and rescues, have a responsibility to the dogs we're in charge of and the people that want to add them to their family. We're responsible to educate the uneducated.”

- Michelle Steigmeyer, Indiana K9 Learning Center

Book reference: Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds by Caroline Coile, PHD.


Mallard Monday🦆--📸:  ••••
07/20/2020

Mallard Monday🦆
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SHAKE IT OFF🙌🏼➪Shake off those weekday worries and enjoy the weekend everybody! ••••
07/17/2020

SHAKE IT OFF🙌🏼
➪Shake off those weekday worries and enjoy the weekend everybody!




07/17/2020

It's Friday! Wag your tail!

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Purina
Purina Pro Plan
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Cole talking a little about how we came to the idea of creating Big River Kennels! 🙌🏼
07/17/2020

Cole talking a little about how we came to the idea of creating Big River Kennels! 🙌🏼

This week we have Cole Rutledge talking about his passion for the outdoors and sporting dogs. Cole's passion runs deep and the bond he shares with his dogs is unique. Here's his story. The Why.

"My passion for the outdoors came when I was a young lad. I’d say around the age of 5 or 6. My dad is an avid outdoorsman and taught me most everything I know. It all started with hunting squirrels and fishing. Eventually moving on to deer and turkey. There wasn’t many times if any, I wasn’t running around with a pellet gun and a fishing rod strapped to my four-wheeler when I was younger. As I got older and started to drive, I met some new friends that were into waterfowl hunting. Waterfowl hit me a little different, watching those green tops and big Canada’s drop from the heavens gets me every time. Now don’t get me wrong, my all time favorite is chasing thunder chickens across the steep ridges and deep bottoms of the Missouri Ozarks. With that being said waterfowl is just a nasty fulfilling grind. After my first duck season I knew I wanted a duck dog. So me and my girlfriend discussed it and went to pick one out. We ended up with a chocolate lab named Bo that we absolutely fell in love with. We went on to get two more female black labs and decided to start a kennel. Bo is my main man, my first lab and he is one of a kind to say the least. He has amazing drive for hunting and the reward I get from watching him work, just knowing all my hard work and training has paid off, is incredible. Training and breeding great dogs is rapidly becoming my greatest passion."

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Big River Kennels

Bo & ’s Jax got some work done on the pond this evening! 🔥•📸:  ••••
07/08/2020

Bo & ’s Jax got some work done on the pond this evening! 🔥

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aanddd Mama Kate- BLAST OFF.We hope you all had a safe and happy Independence day weekend! 🇺🇸🇺🇸•📸: Wildhaber Outdoor Med...
07/06/2020

aanddd Mama Kate- BLAST OFF.
We hope you all had a safe and happy Independence day weekend! 🇺🇸🇺🇸

📸: Wildhaber Outdoor Media

Stay tuned for some fun stuff coming this week!




Love this shot of our Mama Kate! Thanks Wildhaber Outdoor Media! 🔥🔥
07/03/2020

Love this shot of our Mama Kate! Thanks Wildhaber Outdoor Media! 🔥🔥

Happy Fourth of July Weekend! Be safe and hope you enjoy some water time!

Little training session last night with Big River Kennels "Mama Kate"

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Throwback to Bo’s first big hunt last year in ND.•The boys are ready to crush ‘em again later this year. 👀🇨🇦📸:  ••••    ...
07/02/2020

Throwback to Bo’s first big hunt last year in ND.

The boys are ready to crush ‘em again later this year. 👀🇨🇦
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Farmington, MO

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