In thick cover on the barrens of northwest Wisconsin, Platinum (CH Elhew G Force x Northwoods Prancer, 2014) finds a covey of sharptails.
A lot (and I mean A LOT) of hours are spent training dogs on wild birds during August. Locally, woodcock and sharp-tailed grouse are plentiful while travel to the prairies of the Dakotas give dogs opportunities on both sharptails and pheasants from horseback.
On a misty morning in North Dakota, three pretty females find and point pheasants. On left, Frank LaNasa’s Claire (CH True Confidence x CH Lil Miss Sunshine, 2014), Paul Hauge’s Mocha (CH Shadow Oak Bo x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2014) and Tony Follen’s Lucy (CH Westfall’s Black Ice x Northwoods Prancer, 2011).
Training on wild birds takes tremendous effort but there is just no substitute. As friend and training pal Jeff Hintz says, “The difference between planted birds and wild birds is like playing checkers versus chess.”
The woodcock have been plentiful in the pasture edges and Smooch (CH Elhew G Force x Northwoods Vixen, 2013) accurately locates a single.
Since it is so much work, we accept a limited number of clients’ dogs to train on wild birds. Setters Grits, Royce and Mocha have made every trip to North Dakota. On local sharptails, I’m fine-tuning the abilities of two-year-old pointer littermates Nutmeg, Smooch and Jaguar.
The beautiful fields of North Dakota are vast and can be a challenge for young dogs. But one-year-old Carbon (Blue Riptide x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2014), on right, shares point with the veteran Grits (Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis, 2011) on a covey of sharptails.
For our own veterans, I sharpen up their staunchness and let them have fun in the woods while conditioning, too. And it’s one of the key ways Betsy and I evaluate young dogs for potential future breeding. Prospects from our 2014 litters—Carbon, Bismuth, Mercury, Nickel and Platinum—are gaining invaluable experience on wild birds.
From a long distance out, littermates Nutmeg, on left, and Jaguar (CH Elhew G Force x Northwoods Vixen, 2013) point a covey of sharp-tailed grouse.
In this case, Northwoods Aerosmith (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2011) receives only praise–not correction–from his owner Ken Taylor.
Even though Gary Larson retired from The Far Side daily cartoon 20 years ago, I still remember many. With clever drawings and simple prose, he succinctly satirized dogs, cats, cows, bears, doctors, scientists and Neanderthals.
Among my favorites was a two-panel cartoon depicting a man admonishing his dog. The panels had the exact same drawing but different headings and different cartoon bubbles.
What we say to dogs Okay, Ginger! I’ve had it! You say out of the garbage! Understand, Ginger? Stay out of the garbage, or else!
What they hear blah blah GINGER blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah GINGER blah blah blah blah blah…
Larson nailed it. Applying strictly human means and psychology when reprimanding a dog doesn’t work. We need to correct in ways that a dog understands.
A well-behaved dog is a partner that’s a pleasure to hunt over and a wonderful family companion. But for safety reasons too it’s essential that a dog responds to corrections. It behooves an owner to master this skill.
Basics
• Be consistent.
• Say the command once and then enforce. You are the leader and must make your dog respond.
Rules
• Timing is crucial. The dog needs to know why it’s being corrected. The best time to correct your dog is to anticipate when it’s going to do something wrong or when just starting to do something wrong. Don’t administer correction afterwards—rather wait until the next time.
• Administer the correction with the right attitude. Use a calm, confident, assertive manner. Don’t get angry.
• Use only enough correction to stop the behavior. Don’t over react or lose your temper.
Options
• Voice: We use QUIT. It’s an easy, one-syllable word and when combined with a low, guttural tone of voice, it gets a dog’s attention. NO isn’t recommended for a pointing dog because it’s similar to WHOA.
• Tools: When the dog is close, try a tug on a leash, check cord or pinch collar. When the dog is a distance away, we prefer an ecollar. Even a rolled-up newspaper whacked near the dog will get its attention.
• Physical: Sometimes, this becomes necessary. Grab the dog by the scruff of the neck, look it straight in the eyes and sternly say QUIT. Never strike or kick a dog.
Some final thoughts…
Consider your dog’s temperament and understand there are differences in learning capability. Dogs can be bold and fearless or soft and timid or some can have a difficult combination of headstrong yet submissive.
Ultimately, you must make your dog respond—whatever it takes.
It’s unlawful to reproduce Larson’s panel but click here to see Ginger and her owner again.
Judging by the news and photos we’ve received from puppy owners, summertime and puppies belong together. From Colorado to Massachusetts, Oklahoma to Minnesota and Michigan, puppies are out and about with their owners.
We are both having the best time, and he could not be a better puppy!
Northwoods Blue Skye is sight pointing pigeons and has been demonstrating a natural retrieving instinct. She has adapted well to her new family and has shown to be a very intelligent and affectionate pup.
Bandit is…great fun. He is a wonderful addition to our family.
And owners are eagerly anticipating this first fall in the woods and fields with their puppies.
I can’t wait for the fall with her. So far we are set for 6 states and 9 or 10 different upland birds.
NW Smooch (CH Elhew G Force x Northwoods Vixen, 2013) nicely executes the essence of a bird dog. She hunts, handles and point birds during a training session in Georgia. Photo by Chris Mathan, The Sportsman’s Cabinet.
The essential duties of a bird dog are simple. Hunters and field trailers might endlessly discuss other traits but, truly, there are only three basic characteristics.
While these three are genetic, refinement through good training is necessary to bring each to the highest level.
A bird dog must hunt, handle and point birds.
Hunt
The dog should hunt for birds all the time, under all conditions and never quit. It should always seek out the slightest wisp of scent. As Sherry Ray Ebert once said to me, “A dog should be hunting for bird scent every time its feet hit the ground!”
The opposite is a dog that just runs—and it’s easy to tell the difference.
Handle
While hunting for birds, the dog should keep track of the handler’s location and direction. This involves good hearing, good eyesight, good sense of direction and a want-to-please attitude.
Some dogs focus too much on their handlers and don’t hunt enough. They might find easy birds in their path but never really dig them up. Others are so intent on searching for birds that they disregard the whereabouts of the handler. At best, these dogs can be hard to find when on point and, at worst, they could get lost.
Point Birds
This is the epitome. When the dog smells body scent of a bird, it should stop, point and stand still until the handler arrives. If the dog points too soon, the bird can be difficult to flush. If the dog points old scent, there is no bird. The bird can flush wild if the dog crowds the bird searching for stronger scent or if the dog doesn’t stop at all.
Veteran Northwoods Vixen (CH Westfall’s Black Ice x Northwoods Prancer, 2011) makes it look easy.
Much of Minnesota’s woods are thick and hot now during high summer but whenever I have an opportunity to work dogs on wild birds, I say, “Let’s go!”
Northwoods Carbon (Blue Riptide x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2014) found a woodcock on the edge of a grazed cattle pasture.
Just to the south of our kennel are great woodcock covers. Young and old aspen mix with alders and field edges and there is plenty of damp ground. I’ve worked one or two dogs almost every morning. This summer is especially fun as woodcock are abundant and we’ve even encountered a brood or two of pheasants.
Northwoods Jaguar (CH Elhew G Force x Northwoods Vixen, 2013) pointed a woodcock in older aspen with an understory of ferns.
It’s interesting to watch the dogs naturally shorten up in thick vegetation. Our dogs usually range 100 – 150 yards in mid-October but, now in July, they’ve hunted 20 – 40 yards from me.
One-year-old Northwoods Bismuth (Blue Riptide x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2014) pointed the first woodcock she smelled and let me flush it!
Jerry and Northwoods Chardonnay (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2009). Photo by Chris Mathan, The Sportsman’s Cabinet.
Many of our clients have met our neighbor, friend and training helper Jeff Hintz. Besides his devotion to pointers and hunting wild birds, Jeff is very active online. He emails and texts to people all over the globe and has 1,145 Twitter followers. He recently sent me this post from an outdoor blog on the Garmin website. While its focus is dog training, clearly the principles apply to life in general.
Here are some highlights.
“Every day, in every way, our attitude greatly affects how each project, idea, communication, or dog training session will turn out. A calm, compassionate, yet gung-ho and positive attitude can achieve amazing results.
“Having a good attitude is very important when we want to communicate. The way we communicate with people or dogs could be the bottom-line reason things generally go well for us . . . or not.
“Using a calm voice and a steady, consistent demeanor will help our dogs…
“…use our happiest voice, even if it sounds like a gushing teen-aged girl, when we’re letting our dogs know how thrilled we are with something they just did or learned.
“…use our mean voice when it is clearly required…
“The person who allows his attitude to get bent out of shape when bad things occur, or when things don’t go his way is going to bring heaping helpings of unhappiness upon himself. And he certainly will not achieve excellent results with his dogs, goals, or the folks around him. It pays all of us to frequently think about our attitude and resolve to keep it at its best.”
Is there such a thing as too much exercise for a young dog?
Jerry and I think, yes, there is. So does Turid Rugass, Norwegian dog trainer and behaviorist.
“It’s a common misconception that energetic dogs need a lot of activities and exercise, but in general the rule is that too much physical training and activities doesn’t use up excess energy, but creates more of it, leading to stress.”
In addition, the more exercise a dog gets, the more it needs. When the excessive activity level begins at a young age, the pattern can carry into adulthood and the result can be a stressed-out, high-strung, wound-up dog.
That stress can manifest itself in a couple ways in dogs. Some can’t maintain a healthy weight despite the proper amount of food. Poor digestion can lead to intermittent bowel problems.
We allow groups of puppies to spend half of each day in the exercise pens. They sleep as much as they play. Both rest and exertion are necessary for good health, mental stability and physical development.
Fenced-in back yards and invisible electric fences are wonderful options for dog owners. It’s easy to simply open the door and let a dog out. But it’s not healthy to allow it to free run all day.
As with most things in life—whether for people or for dogs—balance is essential.
The past couple months, I’ve been using a PE-900 Pro Educator training collar manufactured by E-Collar Technologies, Inc. I bought a one-dog collar but the PE-900 can be expanded to three dogs and features seven stimulation modes, including momentary and continuous, seven vibrations and four tones.
The cool thing is that these options can be programmed and combined in almost any configuration and can be customized for each dog. There are many other innovations—some quite complicated such as Level Lock and Boost.
For basic training in a defined area, the PE-900 is the best ecollar I’ve used.
Nice features.
My favorite capability is the patented “Instant” stimulation mode. It lets me use one hand to dial the intensity up and down while training compliance to known commands. The small increments of low-level stimulation help the dog make the right choice without causing the stress of hard corrections. This “Instant” mode can be applied for up to 45 seconds.
Another feature I like is the small size of the receivers. At only 2.4 ounces, they can be used on a very small or young dog.
For Whoa training, the PE-900 is perfect for use on the flank. The small bungee allows for a snug fit without inhibiting movement. (Houston’s Cappuccino, CH Shadow Oak Bo x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2014)
E-Collar Technologies also improved another issue for me. When training compliance to the Whoa command, I use an e-collar on the dog’s flank. The collar must be snug enough to make contact with the skin but not so tight that it restricts movement. The PE-900 has a biothane buckle collar with an elastic bungee incorporated into the strap which allows a good fit with easy expansion and contraction.
Limitations.
The PE-900’s range is only ½ mile and I wonder if that could be further limited in dense woods or hilly terrain. Too, since I haven’t used the collar under actual hunting conditions I can’t vouch for its durability.
E-Collar Technologies is the brainchild of Greg Van Curen, co-founder and former president of Innotek. Another Innotek alum, Kim Westrick, is in charge of sales and customer service.
For more information on the PE-900 and other e-collars made by E-Collar Technologies, visit their website at www.ecollar.com.
Northwoods Chardonnay (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2009)
What we think, what we know or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only consequence is what we do. ~ John Ruskin
It’s amazing and humbling to think about but 20 years ago today, on June 6, 1995, Betsy and I whelped our first litter. We bred a strong, blocky-headed, handsome black-and-white male English setter to a chestnut-and-white female. Even though she wasn’t pretty, she had a powerful combination of bird-finding and pointing instinct.
Finder’s Keeper (RU-CH Pat’s Blazer Banjo x Spring Garden Rose, 1991)
We never thought that 47 litters and 301 puppies later, we would have created a bird dog business that sustains and fulfills us. For not only did we produce lines of setters and pointers of which we are proud but we formed deep friendships with people from all over the country who share our love of fine bird dogs.
A. G. Murray, Jr., is an attorney and serious bobwhite quail hunter. A.G. and his wife Mary Beth drove from their home in Oklahoma to buy a puppy—a male they named Colonel—from that first litter. Last summer, they again travelled to Minnesota to pick out their fourth setter from us.
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Our first litter out of Spring Garden Tollway x Finder’s Keeper produced five males and three females. CH Blue Streak is in the upper right looking at the camera and CH Blue Smoke is in the lower center.
The sire Spring Garden Tollway (Charlie) and dam Finder’s Keeper (Sparks) weren’t our first bird dogs. Charlie was preceded by a Brittany spaniel I purchased in 1980 but it was Charlie with his verve and tenacity that got me hooked on field trials. After buying Charlie in 1987, I was determined to find more good grouse dogs and spent the next seven or so years sorting through a dozen or more dogs—buying puppies and started dogs from the best dogs in the country. I hunted over them and then Betsy and I competed with them but not until we bought Sparks in 1993 did we find a match for Charlie.
CH Blue Streak (Spring Garden Tollway x Finder’s Keeper, 1995)
It was a gut feeling and also perhaps a bit of beginner’s luck but that first breeding of Charlie to Sparks succeeded beyond our expectations. It produced two field trial champions, CH Blue Smoke and 4XCH/4XRU-CH Blue Streak and, essentially, laid the foundation of all that followed. Out of Streak, we got Blue Blossom and Blue Silk. Silk produced our two best sires, Blue Shaquille and Northwoods Blue Ox, and out of those males, we have current dams Chablis, Chardonnay and Carly, and Grits, a wonderful male.
Blue Silk (CH First Rate x CH Blue Streak, 1999) and her sons Northwoods Blue Ox (by CH Peace Dale Duke, 2007) and Blue Shaquille (by Houston, 2004)
~~~~~
Blue Chief was whelped in our second setter litter out of Sparks by CH First Rate in 1996. Chief was a dream come true for me—a big, tri-color male with incredible instincts. Betsy and I learned early that Chief was a pre-potent sire and we found an excellent cross in Blue Blossom. In fact we bred Chief to Blossom three times, our first “nick.”
Blue Chief (CH First Rate x Finder’s Keeper, 1996)
Chief’s reputation grew and he became popular as a stud around the country. He sired 32 litters and produced 11 dogs that won 86 field trial placements. His contribution to the breed is still evident in championship-caliber setters such as CH Conecuh Station’s Pressure Test.
Kevin Sipple, a school superintendent in Wisconsin, bought Elle, a Chief x Blossom female in 2006. He brought her to a grouse camp owned by friends and shared with several serious hunters. Kevin has since purchased another female setter from us and now his five hunting partners have bought our setters, bringing the total number of Northwoods dogs in camp to nine.
But Betsy and I don’t breed only English setters; we’ve carefully and selectively bred pointers, too. In 1997, we bred CH Dance Smartly, our liver-and-white female and first field trial champion, to CH Brooks Elhew Ranger. We kept a male named Dasher that Mark Fouts chose for Fallset Fate, his Elhew-bred female. Out of Dasher and Fate we got Prancer who produced Vixen, our current dam.
Bill and Gail Heig own Bowen Lodge on Lake Winnibigoshish in northern Minnesota. They offer grouse hunts to a select group of hunters and for more than 20 years, I have spent part of each fall working as a guide. Betsy and I will never forget the honor Bill bestowed on us in 1995 by placing the Minnesota Grouse Championship trophy Dancer had just won on the center of the lodge dining table.
Bill has bought many dogs—both setters and pointers—from us for use in his own guiding string. Over the years, guiding customers of his have become our clients and friends.
Northwoods Vixen (CH Westfall’s Black Ice x Northwoods Prancer, 2011)
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Another pivotal litter was whelped in 2005. Dr. Paul Hauge is a dentist from Wisconsin who has long been involved in field trials and setters. Not only did Betsy and I campaign his excellent female CH Houston’s Belle but, with Paul, we planned and whelped Belle’s litters.
The sire of that 2005 litter was Gusty Blue, a grandson of our CH Blue Smoke. One of the female puppies was Houston’s Belle’s Choice. She became an exceptional producer, especially when bred to Blue Shaquill—our second “nick.” Choice’s genes, somewhere back in their pedigrees, are in every one of our setters.
Northwoods Grits (Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis, 2011) and his granddam Houston’s Belle’s Choice (Gusty Blue x CH Houston’s Belle, 2005) had a good day in the grouse woods with owner Bob Senkler.
A later breeding of Belle to CH Can’t Go Wrong produced an uncommon litter. Every male that was given a chance to compete in field trials won, including RU-CH Land Cruiser Scout and two champions, CH Ridge Creek Cody and CH Houston’s Blackjack.
Betsy and I bred to both Cody and Blackjack but all three have been used as sires by other kennels around the country including Grouse Ridge Kennels, Skydance Kennels, Waymaker Setters and Erin Kennels and Stables.
~~~~~
Even though we focus on setters and pointers used in the pursuit of ruffed grouse and woodcock, Betsy and I are proud that our dogs are bought by hunters throughout North America and in Hawaii and Japan, too. Dogs have been used by their owners—some of whom are professional guides—to hunt most every type of upland bird whether in the woods, mountains and desert or on the prairie.
Northwoods Prancer (Dashaway x Fallset Fate, 2008)
We are also proud to have produced 13 dogs that have won 23 American Field championships or classics with 16 runner-up placements. These titles have come at local, regional and national events, some with more than 80 dogs entered. Our dogs have won on grouse and woodcock, quail, prairie chicken, pheasant, sharptailed grouse and chukar partridge. They have won stakes in every age category and in walking and horseback trials. Importantly, our dogs have won for both the most experienced handlers and the least.
Our dogs have amassed a nice list of national and regional awards:
• Micheal Seminatore English Setter Cover Dog Award
• William Harnden Foster Award
• Elwin G Smith Setter Shooting Dog Award
• Bill Conlin Setter Shooting Dog Derby Award
• 5X Winner/3X R-U Minnesota/Wisconsin Shooting Dog of the Year
• 4X Winner/3X R-U Minnesota/Wisconsin Derby Dog of the Year
~~~~~
Northwoods Rum Rickey (Blue Shaquille x Snyder’s Liz, 2012) and Northwoods G (CH Elhew G Force x Northwoods Vixen, 2013)
Our earliest litters had one clear goal—to breed dogs that could win grouse field trials. But when Betsy and I formed Northwoods Bird Dogs in 2002, we refined our focus. Without losing the athleticism, flair, poise and polish required of championship-level performances, we wanted to produce dogs that had it all—smart, natural wild bird dogs with excellent conformation, superior instincts, wonderful dispositions and that were good-looking, too.
Now, 20 years later, Betsy and I are breeding the seventh generation of setters and fifth generation of pointers. What a rewarding, gratifying journey.
Miles (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Northwoods Madrid, 2024) ~ Lars Totton, New Jersey
Rip (Northwoods Louis Vuitton x Houston’s Dancing Queen, 2022) ~ Mark Fitchett, Kansas
Vida (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2019) ~ Tom Condon, Montana
Suki (May’s Pond Hank x Northwoods Stardust, 2024) ~ Eric Beauregard, Massachusetts
Birdee-Su (CH Westfall’s Black Ice x Northwoods Prancer, 2011), from a stellar litter of eight females ~ Chip Young, Tennessee
Winnie (CH Miller’s Upgraded Version x Northwoods Comet, 2024) ~ Joe and Jess Nelson Family, Minnesota
Tally (May’s Pond Hank x Northwoods Stardust, 2024), on left, and Georgia (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2015) ~ Joe and Deb Wech, Minnesota
Cosmos (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2019), on right, and his pal ~ The Collins Family, Georgia
Stanley (May's Pond Hank x Northwoods Stardust, 2024) ~ Johansson Family, Minnesota
Tyler (CH Miller’s Upgraded Version x Northwoods Comet, 2024) ~ Josh and Des Matel, Minnesota
Filly (May’s Pond Hank x Northwoods Stardust, 2024) ~ Tom and Lauren Strand Family, Minnesota
Sage (CH Miller’s Upgraded Version x Northwoods Comet, 2024), top, and Louis (CH Erin's Hidden Shamrock x Northwoods Nickel, 2018) ~ Joey Paxman and Amanda Allpress, Montana
Racer (CH Miller’s Upgraded Version x Northwoods Comet, 2024), right, and his very special pal JTH Cooper (HOF CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, 2015) ~ Doug and Nicole Miller, Oregon
Russell (CH Woodville’s Yukon Cornelius x Northwoods Redbreast, 2024) ~ Gregg Pike and Family, Montana
Abby (CH Woodville’s Yukon Cornelius x Northwoods Redbreast, 2024), on top of her new pal ~ Ben and Penelope Pierce, Montana
Annie (RU-CH Northwoods Nirvana x Northwoods Carbon, 2017) on her 7th birthday ~ Lynn and Kathy Olson, Iowa
Maisy (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Houston’s Nelly Bly, 2023) ~ Zenas and Susanne Hutcheson, Minnesota
Molly (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Houston’s Nelly Bly, 2023) ~ Ken and Caroline Taylor, Pennsylvania
Jordy (CH Elhew G Force x Northwoods Prancer, 2014). Look closely! ~ Mark and Janie Fouts, Wisconsin
Speck (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2018) ~ Mike Watson, Pennsylvania
RU-CH Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2017) ~ Greg and Michelle Johnson, Wisconsin
Zion (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022) ~ Rick and Jodi Buchholz, North Dakota
Harper (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022) ~ Tom Dosen-Windorski, Minnesota
Attie (Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023) ~ Jeff and Carol Hintz, Arizona
Cedar (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2019) ~ Eric and Lindsey Saetre, Minnesota
Chester (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Northwoods Stardust, 2023) ~ The Milles Family, Minnesota
Millie (RU-CH Northwoods Nirvana x Northwoods Carbon, 2017) ~ Mercer Clark, Georgia
Belle (CH Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023) ~ Kevin Sipple, Wisconsin
Piper (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Houston’s Nelly Bly, 2021) ~ Tom and Ashton McPherson, Pennsylvania
Ginny (Northwoods Louis Vuitton x Houston’s Dancing Queen, 2022) ~ Pat Kane, Montana
Valencia (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Carbon, 2017), on left, and Tasha (Blue Shaquille x Snyder’s Liz, 2012) ~ Tim Esse, Minnesota
Macquina (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Houston’s Nelly Bly, 2021) ~ Jeremy Moore Family, Wisconsin
Caddie (CH Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023) ~ Brian Smith, Pennsylvania
Madji (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Stardust, 2021) ~ Ron and Lora Nielsen, Minnesota
Russell (CH Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023) ~ Nathan and Gretchen Johnson Family, Minnesota
Willie (Northwoods Rolls Royce x Northwoods Minerva, 2021) ~ Chris Smith, Wisconsin
Junie (CH True Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2021) ~ Joey Paxman and Amanda Allpress, Montana
Enni (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar 2022) ~ Eric and Lindsey Saetre, Minnesota
Layla (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Houston’s Nelly Bly, 2023) ~ Skyler and Jen Gary, Colorado
Frisco (Blue Riptide x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2014), on left, and Zion (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022) ~ Rick and Jodi Buchholz, North Dakota
RU-CH Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2017) ~ Greg and Michelle Johnson, Wisconsin
Watson (CH Houston’s Blackjack x Northwoods Highclass Kate, 2013), on left, and Walker (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Houston’s Nelly Bly, 2023) ~ The Long Family, Ontario, Canada
Northwoods Highclass Kate (Northwoods Blue Ox x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2010) ~ Barry and Jill Frieler, Minnesota
Pep (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Houston’s Nelly Bly, 2023) ~ The McCrary Family, Michigan
Maple (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022), on left, and her pal ~ The Watson Family, Montana
Rip (Northwoods Atlas x Northwoods Stardust, 2023), on left, and Flint (Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis, 2015) ~ Ben and Adrian Kurtz, Colorado
Attie (CH Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023) ~ Jeff and Carol Hintz, Minnesota
Luna (RU-CH Northwoods Nirvana x Northwoods Carbon 2017) ~ The McCrary Family, Michigan
Stoeger (CH Ridge Creek Cody x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2013), on right, and Chester (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Northwoods Stardust, 2023) ~ The Milles Family, Minnesota
CH Northwoods Sir Gordon (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2016), on left, and Eddie (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2023) ~ Ben and Maureen McKean, Minnesota
Griffin (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2023) ~ The Johnson Family, Minnesota
Annie (CH Rufus del Fuego x Northwoods Valencia, 2021) ~ The Sligh Family, Georgia
Chrissy (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022), on left, and Carly (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2015) ~ Bob and Carol Berry, Wyoming
Sage (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2022) ~ The Orstad Family, Minnesota
Dottie (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Betty, 2020) ~ Tom (on left) and Lauren Strand, Minnesota
Lacey (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Minerva, 2020) ~ Zenas and Susanne Hutcheson, Massachusetts
Smooch (CH Elhew G Force x Northwoods Vixen, 2013) ~ Wayne and Julie Grayson, Mississippi
Biscuit (Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis, 2011), litter sister to our beloved Grits ~ Ryan and Monica Gould, Minnesota
Rayna (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2017) ~ Jeff Bird, Oregon
Carly Simon (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2011) ~ Jessica Kramer, Wisconsin
Jenny (CH Shadow Oak Bo x Northwoods Carbon, 2016) ~ John and Jeri Cleverdon, Michigan
Lacey (CH Elhew G Force x Northwoods Vixen, 2016) ~ Brian Smith, Pennsylvania
Jade (CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, 2015) ~ Frank Ilijanic, Michigan
Jones, on left, and Nellie (both out of CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2022) ~ Chris and Laura Miller, Illinois ~ Gregg and Sherrie Knapp, Wisconsin
Tippy (Northwoods Louis Vuitton x Houston’s Dancing Queen, 2022) ~ Bill and Gail Heig, Minnesota
Dexter (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022) ~ Mike Rosario, Wisconsin
Jones (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2022), on left, Stella (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2015), center, Rose (Blue Riptide x Blue Ghost, 2010), on right ~ Chris and Laura Miller, Illinois
Rip (Northwoods Louis Vuitton x Houston’s Dancing Queen, 2022) ~ Mark and Jana Fitchett, Kansas
Willow (Northwoods Louis Vuitton x Houston’s Dancing Queen, 2022) ~ Rhon and Lori Tranberg, Indiana
Madison (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2018) ~ Barry and Jill Frieler, Minnesota
Lady P (RU-CH Erin's Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2018) ~ DeWolf Emery, Maine
Nellie (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Bismuth, 2017) ~ Dick and Melanie Taylor, Michigan
Elmer (Northwoods Grits x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2014), Annie (RU-CH Northwoods Nirvana x Northwoods Carbon, 2017), Sig (Northwoods Rob Roy x Northwoods Minerva, 2019), front to back ~ The Olson Family, Illinois ~ Kathy and Lynn Olson, Iowa ~ Chris Bye, Wisconsin
Winston (CH Rufus Del Fuego x Northwoods Valencia, 2021) ~ The Short Family, Oregon
Cosmos (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2019) ~ The Collins Family, Georgia
Northwoods Diana (RU-CH Northwoods Nirvana x Northwoods Carbon, 2017) ~ Lynn and Kathy Olson, Iowa
