Grande Ronde Retrievers

01/12/2025

The dogs had a big day today. First Dusty and Quill retrieved ducks, then Mama (Okuma) and Son (Quill) chased Hungarian Partridge. Each dog got a retrieve, with the 8 year old Okuma making a long retrieve on a winged hun. The ducks were both banded. Even found an elk shed to boot. Gotta love Eastern Oregon's bounty and the versatility of pointing labs!

12/01/2024

A big part of hunting with dogs is just the experience. They inspire you to visit beautiful places!

11/24/2024

This why I love pointing labs. We had a combo pheasant/duck jump hunt yesterday and a conventional duck decoy hunt today. Dusty found two ducks that others had wounded. Quill found the shot pheasant in a sea of cattails. Both dogs retrieved ducks in both cattails and in the water. I would have never found 5 of the birds we brought home without them. The versatility of these dogs and their genetics kicking in ceases to amaze me.

10/06/2024

Hunting Season is almost here. Dogs are getting ready. Hope yours are too!

07/04/2024

Happy 4th of July!

02/09/2024

Had a fun time closing out the bird hunting season chasing Hungarian Partridge!

02/01/2024

Quill got a chance to retrieve a couple of ducks before the season ended last weekend. He is coming along nicely!

01/22/2024

Dusty got another chance to retrieve a couple of birds today. Not the banner day I was hoping for but it was still good to be out enjoying NE Oregon.

01/07/2024

Took Quill out today so we could work on a little training one on one. He flushed over a dozen pheasant, a similar number of quail, and got a nice duck retrieve. What a good boy!

01/01/2024

We wanted to pass on some disappointing news we got a few months ago. Quill, our 2.5 year old black stud prospect, was diagnosed with elbow displasia with the potential for degenerative joint disease. This did not show up in any of his lineage previously. As a result, we will soon be neutering him to avoid passing on any potential hereditary traits related to the elbow displasia. This is a good reminder to all that if you are considering breeding your dog, please get your dog's hips, elbows, and eyes checked and certified to avoid passing on any potential hereditary traits that are not beneficial to the breed.

On a positive note, Dusty, our 3.5 year old chocolate male, was given an excellent hip rating and his elbows were normal.

12/28/2023

Had a great hunt in Umatilla County today. Dusty had so many great retrieves, they are playing through my memory like a movie. Good boy!

12/05/2023

Dusty got a chance to retrieve a snow goose this weekend. Good boy!

11/23/2023

A mysterious respiratory illness is affecting dogs nationwide, spreading across various states with reports of pneumonia-like symptoms. The Department of Agriculture and veterinary agencies are actively investigating, but much remains unknown about the illness and its transmission.

From August to mid-November, Oregon alone reported over 200 cases. Similar cases have been anecdotally observed in New Hampshire, surrounding northeastern states, Colorado, Indiana, Illinois, Washington, Idaho, and California. The gravity of the situation has prompted authorities to issue warnings and urge pet owners to stay vigilant.

Symptoms include a chronic cough or pneumonia that doesn't respond to antibiotics.
Experts, like Kurt Williams from the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, stress the importance of keeping your furry friends up to date on vaccines, especially those guarding against respiratory illnesses.

As a precautionary measure, authorities recommend staying away from dog parks and boarding facilities until more is known about the illness.

11/23/2023

This holiday season, we're thankful for beloved bird dogs and precious upland landscapes, but more than anything, we're thankful for our incredible supporters, members, volunteers, and employees who answer the call each and every day.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at The Habitat Organization.

05/11/2023

Spring is in the air for our retrievers. They love their frisbee time. A nice shower of cherry blossoms to celebrate Quill's catch. What do your dogs love to do in the spring?

02/05/2023

Had a good hunt yesterday with a Veteran who had never been waterfowl hunting before. We saw thousands of birds and managed to bag a couple. Dusty got to enjoy one more day of retrieving birds and even flushed up a couple of pheasant. It was a great experience for all.

01/29/2023

The State of Oregon honors veterans with an extended waterfowl season reserved for veterans only on February 4th. If anybody is interested in taking advantage of this opportunity and would like any assistance with some help calling in birds, setting decoys, a dog to retrieve for you, or other hunt coordination, please let us know. More information is posted in the link below.

At Fern Ridge WA (East, West, and South Coyote units) and Sauvie Island WA (Eastside, Westside and Oak Island) public hunt permits will be issued through a random drawing conducted at the check stations. Hunters wishing to participate in the drawings at Sauvie Island must be in the vehicle line at.....

01/27/2023

Dave and Dane had a nice end to the waterfowl season with Dusty in Umatilla County. They got a mixed back of ring necks, green winged teal, gadwall, widgeon, and a couple of northern shovelers.