Ridgetop Retrievers

12/02/2025

Protecting the integrity and health of Labrador Retrievers is any good breeder’s priority! Unfortunately the AKC has decided money in their pocket is more important than that. Please read!

https://breedingculture.substack.com/p/the-dilute-gene-and-the-cost-of-looking?r=16yo82&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&fbclid=IwdGRleAObuJFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeKMC81Y7FsuSNXqTBGql2d1CcdFKd2oEWkr34jMYYzH9i83BEIhJz4BjSwy4_aem_d4maywnX_bmsri4dfR7wdg&triedRedirect=true

Understanding the problem, and Not ignoring the facts.

07/11/2025

Bullet, a Queen x Duke offspring, earned his MASTER HUNTER title! 🔥

Chad’s post is such an awesome reminder that patience is everything in dog training. Not every dog learns the same way or on the same timeline and what works for one might not work for another. Changing how you approach training, especially with a dog as driven as Bullet, can make all the difference.

Thank you, Chad, for not giving up on him. It takes real dedication to stick with a dog through the tough phases, especially when others are questioning your time and effort. You saw his potential, trusted the process, and now he’s proving exactly what he’s capable of. Huge congrats to you both—what a team! 🐾

*** NEW TITLE ALERT***

SHR Red Hots Another Round MH

This could get a little lengthy and I apologize in advance.
It’s been a long last couple days. Between training and running back n forth to Stoughton for the mid week masters. I couldn’t be more proud of Bullet. He passed the last 5 master tests in a row to get his title.

This dog has taught me more about training a dog with intense prey drive more than I could ever imagine. So to say the least I have a learned a lot from him. He was a terrible breaking dog at tests and got test wise. He would never break in training, but when it comes to a test he knew he could get away with it. It got to the point multiple people asked how long are you going to waste your energy and money on him failing. I knew he had it and eventually the lightbulb would come on, and he would realize that if he just sat still, he could play the game. When we started back up Training in April, I could see that the lightbulb had went on and he was ready to play the game and proved it to me by passing the last five tests in a row to get his master title, with two of those being in the same week.

I am very proud of what the two of us have accomplished. To say the least he has turned into one hell of a dog!!!

I also want to thank the judges and the Madison retriever club for putting on a very organized and challenging test! Everything ran smoothly thanks to the awesome help that they had!

05/31/2025

🎉 Our best boy Cash is ten 🔟 today and doesn’t act a day over 5! Ten years has flown by! Post a picture in the comments of your Cash pups to celebrate an amazing dog!

10/05/2024

Today marked the boys' first duck hunt together, the start of many cherished memories with their dad, dogs, and a boat blind. 🦆

10/02/2024

Cali, HRCH Ridgetop’s Hollywood Dream, with her favorite hunting buddies and future goose slayers! Jerren, 6 years old, got a new shotgun this weekend and hit his first goose with it tonight! Beautiful night for a hunt!

09/11/2024

Check out a preview of Flying V, Meat Eater’s newest waterfowl series featuring Lead, owned by Brady Davis. Lead is out of our FC Sweetie’s Easy Rider x HRCH King’s Texas Katy QAA litter. We can’t wait to watch one of the dogs we bred do exactly what he was born to do! 🦆

Flying V—a new series that captures the essence of what it’s like to eat, sleep, and breath waterfowl 365 days a year. From offseason habitat construction to late season mallard beatdowns, Flying V is paving the way here in MeatEater’s home state of Montana. In this episode, you’ll get to know the newest members of the MeatEater crew; Brady Davis and Matt McCormick. Join Matt, Brady, and the Flying V crew of diehard waterfowlers as they chase ducks and geese in North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming and California.

Welcome to Flying V—a new series that captures the essence of what it’s like to eat, sleep, and breath waterfowl 365 days a year. From offseason habitat cons...

09/06/2024

Two chocolate male labs left from the Luna x Cash litter. This is a great repeat breeding! Contact Echo Kennels for more info!

09/04/2024

Congratulations to Joe Howard and HRCH Ridgetop’s Island Boy Croix MH QAA from our HRCH King’s Texas Katy QAA x FC Sweetie’s Easy Rider litter. This weekend at the Tri-State LRC field trial they earned 2nd in the qualifying event which makes Croix QAA.

If you are looking for a top-notch stud for your next litter, reach out to Joe Howard; Croix is the epitome of an American field-bred Labrador, showcasing drive, biddability, and great companionship.

07/27/2024

Check out Echo Kennels for a great chocolate litter! 🤎

06/19/2024

We’ve got a new AKC Master Hunter title at Blackhawk Ridge Retrievers!

Blackhawk’s Last Minute Acquisition MH
“Mack”

Mack passed a double Master test at the Lower Alabama hunting retriever club to finish up his title at only 27 months old.

Mack is now qualified for the 2021 Master National!

Huge thanks to Todd Sterrett at Arrowhead Kennels and Richard Meisman at RWM Retrievers for the training and handling.

Mack was bred by Dan Wennenkamp and Ridgetop Retrievers
FC Ford X HRCH Kate QAA

04/01/2024

👌🏻 come join us in Oxford Junction on Saturday night!

Your dog wants to go, you get to go! We’re within 5 days of the 44th Annual Jones County Ducks Unlimited Banquet. We’re excited to announce a featured item on our live auction this Saturday night. A Gorgeous male purebread black lab donated by Ridgetop Retrievers out of Monticello. Be sure to stop by their table Saturday night with questions about the puppy and to find out details about future litters.

02/29/2024

Get out there and thin them out!