Slater Kennels

21/10/2024

That's my girl! We'll get 'em next time!

22/09/2024

I took Tank and his owner on their first duck hunt today after completing his Junior training this past spring - as well as his pre-season tune-up last month. Tank was rock solid steady on each shot (we dropped the leash after he didn't move a muscle on the first bird) and he returned everything nicely to hand.

In figuring out how to mark the rice rockets, it took him a few tries to realize that not every bird we shot was going to be lying in the decoys (perhaps we should do Senior training Rick Rivas? 😉), but he made up for it with some long, powerful retrieves, and he also had his first experience retrieving a crippled bird! In ankle-deep water, there was nowhere for it to go, and he punched in to snag the struggling teal. Took us lousy shooters a few hours to scratch out five birds, but Tank did very well for his first time in the blind with no birds lost, and I look forward to seeing what adventures these two cook up.

Oh, and for those wondering, the spirit of Texas Teal is alive and well as we actively donated blood (mosquitoes) while getting nicely broiled (¿September? in Texas). Bring on the cold please!

14/09/2024

Texas Teal is open! It was a grand opening day indeed!

13/08/2024

Introducing Annie as “HRCH Whitewaters Sheyenne”!
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It’s been a crazy ride with Annie, starting with flying to Oregon in the summer of 2023 to meet this sweet girl. Since then, we worked on building momentum within her softer disposition, bringing out a girl who is now running like a champion (specifically a hunting retriever champion). Thanks to my friend Ryan of for building a top class relationship with Annie -much better than mine- and earning her title this past weekend in Louisiana. Annie has now passed finished tests in three states to earn her HRCH, and puppies are next! ♥️
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15/07/2024

Anyone looking for a Springer from very accomplished lines?

Proud to announce our upcoming breeding and Stella’s last litter!
FC AFC Cattails Lovesick Blues to FC AFC Cattails Stella Artois MH
We are over the top please with how this last pairing turned out, we are repeating the breeding. We have ONE spot available for this list. If you are interested, please send us a message.

26/06/2024

Dear friends of the kennel,

Everything has a price.

The price of ambition is unwavering dedication.

The price of a good marriage is unshakable loyalty.

The price of discipline is the loss of short-term pleasure.

So what is the price of a good gundog?

Eternal vigilance.

It makes no difference how much training a dog has, it can all be ruined by complacency.

Remain vigilant friends.

14/04/2024

Apa pulled off a double header this weekend, completing her 4th Senior Upland on Saturday before running in Senior and Master back to back on Sunday. She had all three awarded to her, earning her SHU title and putting one on the board towards Master! She is rolling hard and fast now, and when some pheasants didn’t fly, she just caught them as they tried to run (lol nice try).

Hank also pulled off his first Senior pass on Saturday and is well on his way!

Introducing “Tmh Apate’s Perseverance JH SHU” 🐶

11/04/2024

I don't remember where I read this, but it came back to me today:

"The price of a good gundog is eternal vigilance."

There are no shortcuts. The degree to which we must be vigilant will differ by dog (this is handled by breeding), but nonetheless, the level must be maintained into perpetuity. In a world of "lose fat quick" and "make an extra $1,000/mo from home" nonsense, a gundog teaches us the simplest but most powerful lesson of all: there are no shortcuts.

01/04/2024

In a way, earning a title -any title- is bittersweet. Yes, it means the work paid off, but it also closes a chapter; a chapter of work.

There were months or years of work leading up to that moment, but as you receive the ribbon, you always remember the dog never cared about some organization's accolades, and never will. The dog just wanted to work with you and for you, day in and day out. The goal was never really the title, the goal was the work itself.

06/03/2024

Sweet Lucy

03/03/2024

Two Senior Upland passes for Apa this weekend. Keep rolling like you are and we’ll be in Master soon little girl!

17/02/2024

Hunt Test Szn has begun. First Junior Upland for Apa!

05/02/2024

If you were buying a car, you'd want the title, right? You might even say that's obvious...

It's important to make the analogy so we understand what it means when folks offer puppies with the sole redeeming quality being AKC/UKC registration. This may sound harsh, when those folks say they have registered puppies, that's like saying "the car I'm selling EVEN has the title!"

We all know that a clear title says nothing about the performance of a car. A Porsche 911 and a Toyota Corolla both have the same title. Certainly, a salvage title or no title is worse, but would you ever just stop your search for a car when you found one that had a title? Of course not.

So what does this mean? Well, we must understand that AKC/UKC registration is not even close to enough (and really should just be a given), so we must look beyond to many underlying characteristics.

Is that a lot of work? A lot of research? A lot of reading? Yes, it is.

But what is more work than that? Ignoring the research and ending up with a 10+ year bad decision who cannot play the game you want.

But this isn't a negatively intentioned post. We have tried to do something about it, condensing this information as best we can. And it takes the form of a free eBook on our website to help you get started on the right foot.

Yes, we are a breeder, but know that we want folks to get the RIGHT dog, not just a dog from us. There are so many breeders out there who follow this framework, so don't settle for less!

The link below has no opt-in; you don't have to give us a single piece of your information (except maybe cookies but not sure what those even are).

Best of luck with your search! We hope this provides you value.

Welcome to Slater Kennels! Below you will find a link to get your free guide to purchasing a Labrador puppy. There is no opt-in, no phone number, and no name required. Take this and run if you so desire, we won't be offended. This eBook is our gift to you, and we hope the framework helps you with yo...

27/01/2024

Apa had to sit in a flooded blind this morning as the river rose at least 6” just while we were out there. She was cold and wet but didn’t balk at the work before her, retrieving a hen woodie that began floating down river pretty quickly. She made it look easy and sure did earn her breakfast!

23/12/2023

First retrieves on the OWNED property of Slater Kennels, 40 acres in Damon, TX to be developed into a premier retriever training and boarding facility. Time to start digging, cutting, trenching, and more!

18/12/2023

Eyes to the sky little one… Apa picked up a limit yesterday and one bird (the only one to fly by) today. She is developing nicely into a wonderful companion in the blind, and I can’t wait to get back out there.

14/12/2023

Little dogs, big dreams! Full size mallard on the table, these two are killing it!

30/11/2023

A new story is out of Apa's most recent hunt. In this beautiful cool weather, we hope you enjoy this read and then get out there with your retriever! Link below!

Waterfowl hunting is the greatest activity of camaraderie our race has yet discovered. Whether it's full limits or just a few birds, the scents and sounds are electric, and time shared in the blind with friends and family is never wasted. However, for all the spectacular hunts with others, occasiona...

26/11/2023

When you go duck hunting, make sure you bring a friend for your dog every once in awhile. Sometimes they get fed up hunting with just us humans.

20/11/2023

Finished perma-brushing Apa's blind with synthetic jute. Looks like it paid off!

14/11/2023

If a dog demands nothing, I will give him everything.

If he demands everything, I will give him nothing.

So many don't recognize demanding behavior and they just give the dog whatever he's pushing for because it's easier.

But then, are you training the dog or is he training you?

If the dog understands that demanding will never get the desired result, he becomes a biddable, eager companion, and I will give him the world. Oh the places we'll go, the people we'll meet, and -for me- the birds we'll hunt.

But while that sounds lovely, that relationship is not set by the dog. The tone of that kind of relationship must be set by the trainer, and early on.

13/11/2023

Our Sunday morning limit was a blast today.

I actually shot well for once, missing only one bird and hitting a triple on a group of blue-wings.

Apa was quiet and composed, marking each of the birds well and moving right to the spot.

Every bird landed in open water making for long swims, but she didn’t back down.

When the final green-wing hit the spread, I was looking down at my phone (shame, I know), but Apa shifted in her blind, locked on, and I looked up to see it rise up.

I let fly and began packing up as Apa hit the water.

It was a good day. ♥️

08/11/2023

Time for that training to pay off. Starting strong!

05/11/2023

serious face | silly face
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04/11/2023

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!