Simon Marley will be 8 months old tomorrow.  He's a big boy!  65 lbs. and still growing...still eating two big bowls of chow every day...still skinny and runs like a mad man!  I love him to death!

I ran high bred labs for 20 years, the best that money could buy.  One of my Labs, a big black by the name of B.A.R.T, (Bay Area Rapid Transit), was the finest dog I have ever owned.  I used to guide pheasant hunters in South Dakota every year for three weeks...80 execs from all over the world...every week.  We shot more than 18,000 birds over that dog in nine years.
He also hunted geese and ducks and traveled across the US and Canada. When he finally went down in 1998, I thought I would never have a dog that could compare.  And I haven't.  I've bought and worked with four more Labs since his passing.  Through injury, physical problems or lack of desire, I never attained another dog that could remotely fill his obviously large shoes.

Until now,  Simon Marley is not even eight months old.  I have killed 55 wild birds over him and dozens of training birds...pigeons, etc.  Simon was gun shy at 5 months old, largely my fault as I had been told by all of my hunting friends, "Goldens are soft ....you can't do the stuff you did with Labs with a Golden."  Unfortunately...I heeded their ill-begotten advise
until it was too late.  I eventually sent Simon to a 2-week "get over gun shy"course at Dokken's Oak Ridge Kennel, (Northfield, MN).  He came back an incredibly strong, non-gun-shy dog who wanted to  hunt 24 hrs. a day and cared not about guns.
He just wanted to go!  And we have been ever since.

Since his return, I  have taken him to North Dakota and hunted him on tough, wily, wild pheasants, run his wheels off at various game farms on quail, pheasants and huns, hunted him in Wisconsin on wild pheasants and ruffed grouse, plus have shot dozens of pigeons over him prior. He's even retrieved 20 lb. Canada Geese.  He's a natural.  And that's with only two weeks of
professional training.  (I work with him every day and shoot or hide or throw dead or live birds over him as well).

He goes back to Dokken's Oak Ridge Kennels in late December for two months, but the other night I told my wife, "I really don't know what they are going to do with him other than firm up his retrieves and reinforce his sit, stay, come commands...and possibly give him further hand commands, (overs).  He is doing so well at this age I can not believe it!

As I sat the other night talking about his remarkable development, I realized that my great Lab, Bart, didn't even LEAVE for school until he was 8 months old.  Simon is already further ahead of the curve than Bart was when he came back four months later.

Long story short...Simon is a very intelligent dog and will not need much heavy handed force breaking.  I taught him to quarter and to take "overs" when he was only 10 weeks old. He picked up on it immediately. I could not believe his retention!!!  Truly!  For a little puppy of 10 weeks old to be running in an alfalfa field and to learn to take an "over" command, (on a 100' lead but no pressure), is unbelievable!

Simon's mother is your young female, Kelly, and a male called Leinie's Red.  If I were you I would repeat that breeding as often as practical as you have a tremendously earnest, hard-working, bright eyed, great marking, friendly, wonderful dog from that combination. I can't say enough.  Wish I could do better but this is the best 8-month old dog I have ever owned
in my life.  Enough said.

He is not only a great hunting pup...but he is an absolutely gorgeous animal.  Tall, thin, handsome, sweet, just lovely dog.  I could not have written a description of my ideal dog better than what you put into my hands on Mother's Day, 2007, when Simon was seven weeks old.  I can never thank  you enough for providing me with such a fine specimen.  We love him dearly...for a lot of reasons.  He's just the best!

Richard Sanders
Prescott, WI
Call me if you like.  I am a fan but I am also the first to criticize dogs who don't perform or live up to expectations.  I owned
dozens. I've had four or five that were great.  And this one is going to be one of the great ones...I can already tell.)