Creekbend Kennels

12/10/2024

It’s been busy around here this winter.

10/30/2024

One field trial I try not to miss is the Central States Field Trial held in Elizabeth, IL. It's held in the Northwest Corner in the Driftless Area. The scenery is always gorgeous and usually the weather is like it was this weekend, late Autumn sun, cloudless skies, and not too warm.
With my recent move my dog training has taken a step back but I have been making due. The National Amateur Championship is in Illinois and within two hours from me so I've been focused on qualifying. This weekend we got the job done.

Hawk had good series work, found the birds where they were supposed to be, in the second the plant was moving, he tracked it and produced it quickly. Made some difficult cross-course retrieves not being bothered by the other bird plants, transitions to cover, or thick cover. We made the third series, which would be held the next day.
The third series is where I have had some issues with him, he knows why he is there, gets worked up, and starts to get loose. His third series was the last bird on the outbound and then had to make the switch to the next course. That is not ideal because it takes the dog out of his rhythm. For the first bird he ran well, good find and solid retrieve. Then we waited, the bird cart goes by, people, dogs, buggies. Hawk was vibrating waiting to go. Had a crosswind from right to left. I sent him left, brought him back, but he was looking for the birds instead of working with me. I stopped whistling knowing what he was doing, he took off up course, made the find it flew to the right third shot brought it down, he crossed the other course, the border, a road and picked it up at the base of a small ditch. Nice retrieve and good enough work for 4th place and Q'ed for the NAC.

If he would have held it together a little more in the third I think we would have been higher, but I was happy with him and he showed me what I need to work on.

10/13/2024

Training a puppy has its ups and downs. During the downs, doubt creeps in if the pup can even do what’s being trained. Then you see progress and it changes everything. Dove has been a challenge on the table. Spent more than a week trying to get her to hold the dummy. She would take it then drop it, take and drop. I saw baby steps, holding it longer and looking at me. Then this morning she held ir without being corrected looked at me and presented. I asked a bit more of her. She took it, held it, I walked to the other end of the table, she walked to me sat and presented. Was wonderful to see.

09/09/2024

6 months old and all business. Bold but biddable. Loves the water and retrieving. He is available… for now

07/07/2024

Dove and Haze are out with big dogs today. Running, mudding, and learning.

06/28/2024

Zoe on her way to her new Michigan home.

06/28/2024

Zoe off to her new home in Michigan

06/28/2024

06/28/2024

06/28/2024

This is Haze and Dove. Haze is a liver and white male, Dove is a black and white female.
They are learning all kinds of new things. They think finding treats in the crate is really fun, the leash is annoying, they get petted when they Hup, and they LOVE to bring back stuff that gets thrown.

06/23/2024

Up for consideration is my 26-month-old dog Ref. He is AKC Registered and up to do date on vaccinations and vet checked. The plan was for Ref to be my next trial dog because he has a similar breeding to my dog Hawk. However, I can't train to the level needed to make a consistent trial dog due to my job.

I say well started because he knows to hup after he flushes, but has not had enough birds shot over him to be consistent. When bracemates birds fall near him, he takes them.

He is collar conditioned because I hunt with e collars due to safety fear of busy roads at the end of ditches. Training is not done with an ecollar.

He has hunted wild pheasants his first two seasons and gets better with each contact, but is sometimes outsmarted by a cagey rooster.

He lives in the house and is a good house dog. He is crate-trained and housebroken.

Training:
He has obedience training, leash, heel, hup, and recall. He is crate-trained and housebroken. He is gunproofed, and can be steady to wing, sometimes.

He has a soft mouth. He is a good marker, his pick-up is quick, his delivery is sloppy, will bring it to you but he lays down at your feet, he is still a bit of a puppy.

He has been socialized but needs to warm up to people and other dogs. He is Not aggressive he simply needs time to know they aren't going to hurt him, as a pup he was chased by a stranger's dog and he did not like that. It was totally the other person's fault, he just let his dog out of the truck and he was chased.

You will need to be vetted. He is a turn-key hunting dog.

06/16/2024

These two puppies are available. Both are females, OFA eyes Normal, shots, socialized. Currently being crate trained and housebroken. Parents have health certs hips and eyes.

05/27/2024

She is so much fun !

Don’t own copy rights to music -

05/23/2024

4 Females available and ready to spend the summer with their new family.

04/27/2024

P

04/24/2024

This traditional Irish dish of Dublin can be adapted to upland game bird meat for a delicious American twist.