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Mason, Oak Point's Traveling Man

Producing Exceptional Performance Dogs



At Oak Point Retrievers our goal is to produce dogs capable of performing in the field as well as being beloved members of the family.  We believe in starting with a well bred dog, but there is much more involved in a quality breeding program than a great pedigree.  All of of our dogs are from proven hunt test or field trial lines.  We complete health screenings on all of our dogs prior to being considered for our breeding program.  We believe that the bitch contributes just as much to the genetic disposition of a puppy as the stud dog does.  It's more difficult to campaign females due to heat cycles but it is important to us that they have demonstrated the ability to be competitive in field events prior to being bred. 

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I went to my first hunt test at Coastal Empire HRC in 2009 and was absolutely in awe of the things those dogs could do and the incredible connection between them and their handlers.  I had no idea how to go about training a dog to retrieve, but what I did know was that I HAD TO HAVE ONE!  We were between dogs, having recently lost a golden retriever to cancer.  While I waited for the new puppy to arrive, I read everything I could find and immersed myself training material.  We brought Tucker home and stumbled our way though basic training, making our share of mistakes along the way and learning that there was a lot more involved than it might appear.  We soon discovered that training a dog to be truly competitive requires more time than most weekend warriors are able to dedicate and the support and guidance of a professional trainer is an invaluable resource.  Stephen Durrence of Taylor Farm Kennels trains our competitive dogs and he handles them on occasions when we are unable to do so. 

My husband Mitch and I have six Labradors, all of whom participate in retriever field events.  We participate in AKC Hunt Tests and AKC Field Trials but are most active in HRC Hunt Test and Super Retriever Series events.  I have served as an officer or board member for four different retriever clubs, as an HRC Judge and as a member of HRC's PR Committee and HRC's Executive Committee. 

 

Elaine Mitchell
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