Golden Beekeeper’s Retrievers

09/03/2026

A band turns a slow hunt into a great hunt. Thanks for the hunt, Brent. The kids had a great time.

HRCH Sweet Pea

09/02/2026

Saturday afternoon for Started Land was a meatier test with tall cover and rolling hills, but the kids and the dogs all did wonderful and passed.

Here are some shots from Started Land on Saturday afternoon.
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During Michigan Hunting Retriever Club’s 40th anniversary, our kids ran our three youngest dogs in Started.

Our daughter ran Girl and Apple, and our son ran Pete. This was our daughter and Apple’s first hunt test!

For anyone familiar with HRC (Hunting Retriever Club) hunt tests, this was a real hunt test and the kids were registered as true handlers. This was not part of the Youth Handler Program (often referred to as junior handlers) designed for young hunters and handlers aged 18 and under, although we do plan to register them in the program so they can start earning points.

For those not familiar with HRC:

What to expect at the Started Level
* Handling: You must walk your dog to the line on a leash (slip lead) under control, and you are allowed to gently restrain or hold your dog at the line to maintain steadiness.
* The Tests: Consists of four separate tests—two marked land retrieves and two marked water retrieves.
* Distances: Land marks do not exceed 75 yards, and water marks do not exceed 60 yards.
* No Blinds or Handlers’ Guns: Started tests do not require blind retrieves, and handlers do not have to handle a firearm. A judge or helper fires a popper gun from a short distance away instead.
* Delivery: Dogs do not strictly need to deliver the bird directly to hand, but they must retrieve it to an area close to the handler.
* Scoring: It is a non-competitive, pass/fail system against a hunting standard (earning 5 points toward the Started Hunting Retriever / SHR title) rather than competing against other dogs.

Toby x Sweet Pea

GOLDEN BEEKEEPER’S CHERRY BLOSSOM BARBIE GIRL

GOLDEN BEEKEEPER’S GIVIN’EM THE BIRD PETE MITCHELL

GOLDEN BEEKEEPER’S APPLE BLOSSOM, BOOTS WITH THE FUR

09/01/2026

We’re on the board for early goose (plus a bonus pigeon!) with the goose getter, HRCH Sweet Pea! Thanks for the memorable hunt, Brent!! It’s safe to say, Claudia is hooked on hunting! She’s requesting her own blind bag for her birthday, and she cried about the possibility of not being able to wake up at 4AM for opening day. She says she plans to spend her winters duck hunting and her summers dog training:)

09/01/2026

Last weekend was one we’ll never forget. As we celebrated Michigan Hunting Retriever Club’s 40th anniversary, our kids ran our three youngest dogs in Started, and Grandma RooRoo joined for her first hunt test weekend as well!

Our daughter (7) ran Girl and Apple, and our son (11) ran Pete.

Here are some shots from Started Water on Saturday morning. This was our daughter and Apple’s first hunt tests and everyone did great/passed!

For anyone familiar with HRC (Hunting Retriever Club) hunt tests, this was a real hunt test and the kids were registered as true handlers. This was not part of the Youth Handler Program (often referred to as junior handlers) designed for young hunters and handlers aged 18 and under, although we do plan to register them in the program so they can start earning points.

For anyone who’s not familiar with HRC:

What to expect at the Started Level
* Handling: You must walk your dog to the line on a leash (slip lead) under control, and you are allowed to gently restrain or hold your dog at the line to maintain steadiness.
* The Tests: Consists of four separate tests—two marked land retrieves and two marked water retrieves.
* Distances: Land marks do not exceed 75 yards, and water marks do not exceed 60 yards.
* No Blinds or Handlers’ Guns: Started tests do not require blind retrieves, and handlers do not have to handle a firearm. A judge or helper fires a popper gun from a short distance away instead.
* Delivery: Dogs do not strictly need to deliver the bird directly to hand, but they must retrieve it to an area close to the handler.
* Scoring: It is a non-competitive, pass/fail system against a hunting standard (earning 5 points toward the Started Hunting Retriever / SHR title) rather than competing against other dogs.

Toby x Sweet Pea
Headwater's Retrievers

08/31/2026

08/28/2026

Baby Cedar ♥️ the retrieving machine! Both clips are from 12/13 weeks old.

Tulip x Toby



Michelle Laurain

08/28/2026

Cedar♥️ is doing great with his retriever training and is loving his new life with his family. Here are some notes from the last couple months:

He went for his first little hike, he swam in a lake, saw a deer, found a pheasant feather on the hike and then got the zoomies in the tall grass. I think he was trying to flush out the birds in the tall grass.

He LOVES birds. There was a cardinal in my garden this morning and he had to chase it.

He is retrieving a scented bumper roughly 80 feet out and back.

Working with pheasant wings today!

08/27/2026

Happy National Dog Day!
Afterburner earned his STAR Puppy tonight 🐝🖤
We’re so proud of you, Burner!

AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy is a program designed to get dog owners and their puppies off to a good start through basic training and socialization.

Tulip x Toby

08/26/2026

♥️🐝 Allow us to introduce Golden Beekeeper’s Cedar Resolute Cara (Cara is Irish for friend), previously Mr Red Boy. ♥️

Cedar is a versatile, active boy who loves to swim and retrieve, and is fitting in perfectly with his new family. Sweet Cedar is a family companion and therapy/service work prospect, and although it wasn’t originally the intention, his dad may end up getting back into hunting now that he has a very apt hunting partner in tow. 😉

Cedar is staying right here in Michigan, and he and his family are already doing great with (and really enjoying!) his retriever training.

We love you Cedar! We love seeing your updates and watching you grow! 🐝♥️

08/24/2026

Stella💕, at 11 weeks, doing some water retrieves. 🐝🦆