“I started working with bird dogs in the summer of 1976 at the age of 13 and I have been at it in some capacity ever since.  You see I was a lucky enough kid to have had a professional dog trainer for my grandfather.  That first summer on the farm wasn't all fun with the dogs in the field.  As any worthy apprentice, I started at the bottom --- of a honey bucket that is!  My duties included cleaning the kennels, feeding and caring for the dogs, birds & horses as well any other farm chore that needed to be done. 

 "I clearly remember hustling to get my work done so I could join the training sessions out in the field. In the beginning all I could do was walk along and watch and learn.  I paid attention to how my granddad spoke to the dogs, the different tones he used.  I noticed different tones got different reactions.  I noticed when he spoke to the dogs, and saw that timing in the issuance of a command was crucial. 

 "In time my grandfather would let me walk a few puppies and get them into birds.  I was hooked!  By age 16 I was living at the farm full time and scouting and handling dogs in field trials.  The successes have been piling up ever since.  This early introduction to caring for and training dogs has enabled me to be almost instinctive in my ability to read and understand my charges."