Turkey Creek Kennels - Indiana - American Brittany's

05/04/2026

TURKEY CREEK O’DEE COOPER’S OZARK TRAVELER – 2025 Litter Another Bodie Training Update!

It has been a busy and rewarding spring for the owners of the 2025 litter that produced Turkey Creek O’Dee Cooper’s Ozark Traveler Bodie, Chance, and River. The pups are now 32 weeks old, and their development continues to impress.

Be sure to look back at the earlier posts to follow the progression, milestones, and growing capabilities of these young prospects as they advance through their training journey. You can also browse the Gallery on our website: https://www.turkeycreekbrittanys.com/gallery Then select the “Pup to Point Field Start Milestones” tab to see their development in the field.

Today’s post features Bodie with a new set of photos from his advanced training program. His work continues to build on proven principles like the George Hickox training program for developing a polished, dependable pointing gundog. These methods emphasize clarity, consistency, and a step by step progression that brings out a young dog’s natural instincts while shaping steady, dependable field performance. These are the same successful standards we adhere to at Turkey Creek Kennels throughout our training program.

The focus of this phase of training has been on reinforcing Bodie’s ability to remain “steady to wing” once he has located the bird and locked into a solid point. From there, the handler steps in to flush the bird—allowing Bodie to hold his composure and trust the process as the bird breaks.

We welcome you to contact us through our website and email us to arrange a visit with the owners of the 2025 litter. https://www.turkeycreekbrittanys.com/

Turkey Creek Kennels
We go beyond conventional breeding practices by incorporating frozen semen from elite field champions. This rare genetic resource strengthens our selective breeding program, reinforcing desirable traits in both field performance and conformation.
https://www.turkeycreekbrittanys.com/about-1

04/15/2026

The Turkey Creek Kennels Method:
Preparing Bird Dogs for Home Harmony and Field Training

Proper socialization is essential for puppies to thrive and reach their full potential. From the moment they are born, puppies begin to experience gentle, positive interactions through daily handling and physical contact. Isolation from human contact before 12 weeks of age can significantly hinder their training progress later.

At Turkey Creek Kennels, socialization starts right from birth. Our puppies are gently handled multiple times daily during feeding and cleaning routines. As they grow, they are gradually introduced to all family members, including our grandchildren, fostering comfort with a variety of people. By four weeks old, the puppies explore the yard enclosed by the fence, and this is when their new owners are welcomed to meet and connect with their future companions.

During the crucial first six months, building trust and connection with your puppy is essential. This period is your opportunity to truly understand the emerging personality of your pup as it grows and matures. You’ll notice its focus sharpening and its readiness to absorb new lessons increasing. Successful training hinges on recognizing when your dog is ready to learn new skills and when it’s time to progress to the next stage of development.

Taking your puppy for walks introduces them to a world of new scents, people, and other animals—essential experiences that lay the foundation for training. These outings create valuable opportunities for you and your dog to begin building communication and trust. Consistency in responding to your commands should be a key training goal, achieved through patient repetition. Remember, a puppy’s attention span is naturally brief, so short, frequent training sessions will always be more effective than fewer, longer ones.

Make it a habit to give each command just once. Speak the command firmly, then expect your puppy to respond promptly. A well-trained dog listens and acts the first time—this level of obedience comes from consistently demanding excellence. Early on, your puppy needs to master essential commands that ensure safety and proper behavior indoors, such as No, Come, Down, and understanding that biting is not allowed. Rewarding your pup with a treat and a gentle pat reinforces good behavior and encourages learning.

Between 10 and 12 weeks of age, you can start teaching your puppy commands like “Sit” and “Whoa.” Keep training sessions short, as young puppies have limited attention spans. For pointing breeds, it’s best to teach “Whoa” before introducing “Sit,” since puppies taught “Sit” first may mistakenly sit when you want them to stop or stay.

https://www.turkeycreekbrittanys.com/services/training-options

To follow the progression of litter training visit our website Gallery:
https://www.turkeycreekbrittanys.com/gallery
Look for the “Pup to Point Field Start Milestones” tab.

Gundog training at Turkey Creek Kennels blends conditioning, field drills, and guidance on the best gundog training vest to keep your Brittany steady.

04/13/2026

At Turkey Creek Kennels, we place a high value on customer experience and transparency. We encourage potential buyers to arrange a visit to our kennel, interact with our Brittanys, and become familiar with our breeding and care practices. Family visits are welcomed. Our commitment is to ensure you feel informed, confident, and comfortable with your investment, and we are glad to answer any questions you may have.

Our commitment to transparency and customer care has inspired many families to share their experiences in their own words. We invite you to explore their testimonials—and we hope to earn the privilege of adding yours next. https://www.turkeycreekbrittanys.com/testimonials

04/13/2026

🐾 4 13 26 — Puppy Training Session | 2025 Litter Update

Spring has finally arrived, and with the warmer weather comes the perfect window to push training into full stride as we prepare for the 2026 upland season—pheasant, chukar, sharptail grouse, Hungarian partridge, and quail.

In my last post on 3 27 26, Turkey Creek O’Dee Cooper’s Ozark Traveler Bodie was working alongside his littermates, Chance and River, demonstrating solid points, steady to wing behavior, and natural backing instincts.

Today’s post highlights 28 week old Bodie back in professional school and progressing quickly. A consistent supply of birds is being introduced to him—an essential component in shaping a young pointing dog’s confidence, steadiness, and reliability in the field.

📸 Photo 1: Bodie holding steady to wing on a clean, confident point. 📸 Photo 2: The bird launched to flight—setting the stage for step three in the sequence: knockdown and retrieve.

This stage of development is where the foundation becomes a future bird dog.

To follow the progression of this litter visit our website Gallery:
https://www.turkeycreekbrittanys.com/gallery
Look for the “Pup to Point Field Start Milestones” tab.

Turkey Creek Kennels
We go beyond conventional breeding practices by incorporating frozen semen from elite field champions. This rare genetic resource strengthens our selective breeding program, reinforcing desirable traits in both field performance and conformation.
https://www.turkeycreekbrittanys.com/about-1

https://www.turkeycreekbrittanys.com/services/training-options

For more information about Bodie and Turkey Creek Kennels, please feel free to contact us. Bodie’s owner has given permission to be contacted by phone. 574-453-7208.

03/29/2026

3 27 26 — Puppy Training Session | 2025 Litter Update

Turkey Creek O’Dee Cooper’s Ozark Traveler pups — Bodie, Chance, and River — whelped September 24, 2025, continue to advance beautifully in their field development. At 26 weeks of age, all three demonstrated confident search, clean bird location, and solid pointing instinct.

Today brought an exciting milestone: each pup began the backing process, naturally honoring when another dog established point. Watching that instinct emerge in real time is one of the most rewarding parts of early field work.

What a meaningful way to begin the Palm Sunday weekend — time with good friends, good dogs, and a grateful heart for all God has done for mankind.

To follow the progression of this litter, you can browse earlier posts and visit our website Gallery:
https://www.turkeycreekbrittanys.com/gallery
Look for the “Pup to Point Field Start Milestones” tab.

Turkey Creek Kennels
We go beyond conventional breeding practices by incorporating frozen semen from elite field champions. This rare genetic resource strengthens our selective breeding program, reinforcing desirable traits in both field performance and conformation.
https://www.turkeycreekbrittanys.com/about-1

03/16/2026

Chasing the Flush – Extend Your Upland Season at Rolling Hills Rolling Hills Shooting Preserve

State game seasons may be winding down, but if you’re anything like me, the itch for crisp air, open fields, and the rush of a bird breaking cover never really fades. The good news is you don’t have to wait until next fall to get back into the action.

Have you experienced Rolling Hills Preserve in Marcellus, Michigan? It’s a premier destination for off season upland action, offering outstanding pheasant and chukar opportunities. Take a look here:
https://rollinghillssp.com/

If you don’t have a seasoned bird dog, I’ve got you covered. I am a guide at Rolling Hills with well trained Brittanys from Turkey Creek Kennels—dogs that know the property, handle beautifully, and make every outing memorable. You can learn more here:
https://www.turkeycreekbrittanys.com/

I’ve been guiding at Rolling Hills for many years and know the terrain, cover, and bird patterns well. We can tailor your adventure, size of your party, and the birds you want to pursue. There are plenty of pheasant and chukar are still available, and the fields are calling.

You do not need a Michigan license on a preserve. Call now to book a hunt - Mobile: 574 453 7208.

03/16/2026

Turkey Creek Kennels – 2025 Western Hunting Trip Memory.

Each fall, I load the truck, settle in the Brittanys, and point the nose of the rig west toward upland country. It’s become more than a tradition—it’s a rhythm of the year, a stretch of time carved out for the dogs, the birds, and the friendships that have grown through the kennel.

Out there in the wide‑open spaces, watching my Brittanys sweep the cover, lock up on a bird, and hold a point with that unmistakable intensity—there’s simply nothing that compares. Those moments stay with you. They’re the kind of memories that remind me why we do what we do at Turkey Creek Kennels and why these Brittanys are such a gift. I thank God much for these opportunities.

02/18/2026

Do Brittanys Make Good Water Retrievers
People ask me all the time: Do Brittanys make good water retrievers? How will my Brittany respond to NAVHDA‑style training?

NAVHDA — the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association — is one of the premier training and testing organizations for upland and waterfowl dogs. Their program emphasizes natural ability, confidence, and a dog’s willingness to work on land and in the water.

Well… look at the videos of Turkey Creek O’Dee Cooper’s Ozark Traveler Bodie and Turkey Creek Overbrook Chispa O’Dee.

Bodie is in the Florida ocean, absolutely loving the water and retrieving thrown dummies — no lead, all free hand, all enthusiasm. Chispa, currently in Pennsylvania, is engaged in focused water‑retrieving training and demonstrating excellent progress.

This is exactly the kind of natural versatility NAVHDA celebrates, and it is a perfect example of what a well‑bred, well‑started Brittany can do with the right exposure.

At Turkey Creek Kennels, we are committed to producing quality‑bred Brittany versatile gundogs, strengthened through the strategic use of frozen semen from national field champions.
Discover more about our kennel, our breeding philosophy, and our dogs at: https://www.turkeycreekbrittanys.com/

02/12/2026

Turkey Creek O’Dee Cooper’s Ozark Bodie – a standout from our 2025 litter and now a confident 20‑week‑old youngster.

“Beach Boy” Bodie decided he’d had enough of the Michigan cold and has headed south for a spell, sharpening his skills with some warm‑weather water training in Florida.

Originally posted January 3 & 16, 2026.

Be sure to check out the earlier updates on Bodie. You’ll also want to visit our newest website feature, “Pup‑to‑Point Field Start Milestones,” where you can view his latest 16‑week field training photos. https://www.turkeycreekbrittanys.com/gallery

01/28/2026

In 2016, Turkey Creek Jack Flash—one of our proven Turkey Creek Kennels stud dogs—was paired with TKC’s Rocket Ginger Dandy, producing a handsome litter of liver‑and‑white and orange‑and‑white Brittany gundog puppies. That cross delivered exactly what we hoped for: a well-made group of young dogs that developed into capable, stylish upland bird performers.

This photo series captures key moments from that litter’s journey, from their early development to their emergence as confident, well made adult Brittany gundogs. Their progression stands as unmistakable evidence of what quality bloodlines can produce—then and now—and reflects the continued success of our breeding program, including our later work utilizing frozen semen from national field champions.

These images are featured alongside our other young prospects in the Pup to Point: Field Start Milestones section of our website:
https://www.turkeycreekbrittanys.com/gallery