Copper Creek Outfitters and Kennel

Copper Creek Outfitters and Kennel one of a kind waterfowl experience. training kennel, we can help you find your next hunting partner message us today! we stand behind the puppies we produce.

At Copper Creek we strive to produce healthy well rounded Labrador Retrievers and Boykin Spaniels. all of our dogs are cleared by the OFA and genetic tested for recessive disorders or disease. we work very hard to produce great hunting partners and family pets. i have been breeding dogs from a young age and strive to produce only the best of the best for out clients. our dogs are in home and part

of the family. puppies are handled all the time and worked with from day one. our outfitters works hard to produce one of kind memory making hunts in some of the best locations to see and hunt birds! we strive to make lasting happy memories for our hunting clients. Copper Creek custom products are hand made with a large attention to detail for our clients. we are always happy and up for a challange to create something new and one of a kind for anyone on the list. from custom collars leashes or lead to custom cups or even a beautiful custom pottery piece. check out our website or Etsy page for more info!

03/16/2026

Copper Creek Tips

Dog food.

Just like our diet our four legged companions diet should be looked at as well. With so many brands price ranges meat recalls and opinions from others which is right for you and your dog and where do you start even looking???? We'll here are some basics to help and as always we are here if you are still lost.

Nutrition is key in keeping your hunting partner in tip top shape. So I start with picking about 6 bags or less to look at and I start with the most simple thing to look at the back of the bag. In our kennel we raise and have dogs that work and demand a good fat to protein content so I always try to stay around the 28/16 or more area for my guys and gals. And that can be found in the nutrion panel on the back of the bag. Next on the back of the bag I look at ingredients so many bags put these amazing pictures on the front to lure you in dont let it. Look at the ingredients, you want meat to be the first ingredient in that list. Alot of people also see a chicken meal beef meal as a bad thing, its not terrible as this is usually just portions ground up(ie meat fat tendion some bone) all things that are good for a dog to have. Next grains you dont want filler grains such as corn or soybean as these aren't great grain fillers for dogs, brown rice is a good one. A big one is salt in the US salt is that tipping point anything above is more then 1% of the daily meal value and anything under is less then 1%. Salt is also alot of the time used as the preserving agent and is one of the best options for that as there is very little side effects to a dogs system like some of the other preserving agents used.

This should have dropped a couple bags off your list. Next I move to the internet with a bit of web searching you can dig up alot of dirt on dog food and the companies that own them. Recalls raw good sourcing and any adverse issues with owners is what I keep my eyes open for. I like to stay away from anything thats had a major recall in 6 or less years anything that sources fat from rendering plants as those animals can have growth hormones antibiotics and euthanasia fluid in the systems of the animals they use. Next where the company sources the products they use and where they are from. I like to stay with anything that is 100% United States ran and sourced because our regulations are higher then others. Finally if there are any open ongoing or newly started investigations into the company from dogs getting sick or any issues that may be going on.

There are many other things you can look at as well holistic dog foods raw diet canned making your our meals for your dog all come with challenges in navigating. Knowing a simple place to start and some small things to make an educated decision is always great. After all we always want what the best for out guys and gals because they are a member of the family!

03/02/2026

Monday quick tip!

When picking a breed know exactly what you want the dog to be doing is key. They are only a handful of breeds that are truly build to do many different hunting style though you can train many of the sporting breeds to do an array of things many have been bred over many years to have natural talents or things like double coats webbed feet ect to help them in the style of hunting they are doing. A good amount of research should go into picking your next hunting partner not sure where to start or even what breeds are out there! Message us today we would be happy to help you find a great new hunting partner!

Did you know that about 15 minutes with a puzzle toy or enrichment toy for your dog is equal to about 30 to 60 minutes o...
02/09/2026

Did you know that about 15 minutes with a puzzle toy or enrichment toy for your dog is equal to about 30 to 60 minutes of exercise. Not always a long term solution for not getting your four legged friend out of the house but can help on the freezing cold winter days when getting out for a walk or tossing some bumpers may not be ideal!

Let's talk Mondays!Supplements!!!! In a perfect world your food you feed would give your dog everything they need. Well ...
01/26/2026

Let's talk Mondays!
Supplements!!!! In a perfect world your food you feed would give your dog everything they need. Well thats not the case. And yes on the label many food say they have vitamins and minerals ansnits such a trace amount its not doing a lot for your dog. You can do natural add ins like meats veggies or other things like that or chews powders or treats that give them the extras to help them get that leg up!

What do we use? No over the years we have tried some expensive supplements that were not worth the money some pet store brands that were sub par and ok in a pinch and just adding in what we needed to help joints and coats and at the end of the day your going to have a dog that refuses to eat it or a dog that get sick on something or one thing that works great for one but not the other. We have only found one brand that we have stuck with that is great on price covers alot for the buck and all of our dogs will eat it. And thats Alpha dog Nutrition.

Depending on what your looking for they may having something to cover it from a general nose to tail to an allergy aid. They have a supplement for that we have been very happy with them our dogs over appearance since we started using it a couple of years back has been great! And we start all our pups out on opti pup as well and it seems to give our pups a great leg up on it as well. From our younger dogs to our senior ones its helped keep them going strong with great coats a good bounce back after a hard day's hunt and fill in the gaps from your dog food!

They even have a nice balm for cuts and scraps that helps heal soothe and protect with no harsh chemicals and its safe it they lick any off.

Check them out today or feel free to ask us any questions!

01/19/2026

Let's talk Monday!
OFA hip testing. What is it and why's it important?????

OFA stands for Orthopedic foundation for Animals. And why is getting OFA hip testing important for your dog or getting a puppy from a kennel where they do this testing important? We'll it helps to eliminate some of the potential of passing on bad genetics to the next generation of the breed. Can two parent dogs with great hips have a puppy with horrible hips yes but then we have to look at outside factors as well.

What is Hip testing it's pretty simple and many vets can do it. It's a very simple xray many do it under sedation of the hips it looks at the placement of the hip ball and sock. It's very important though that the hips are placed right because if the hips are turned it can change the outcome of the reading. The xrays are then sent to the OFA board and are reviewed the board then come up with a joint reading or result and a certificate or letter with the results is sent out results are either excellent good fair boarderline mild moderate or severe.

You can always get a retest done if you feel that they didnt read the xrays right as well. So why would breeding a dog with a negative result be a bad idea or no testing at all? We'll it's taking a shot in the dark a dog with a negative result has some degree of hip dysplasia and could potentially pass that onto its offspring if you would be breeding or you could be causing the dog pain. Not to mention other issues down the road for your 4 legged companion. Well there are environmental factors that can cause your dog to create hip issues as well as a pup while they are growing there are many issues thay can be genetic.
To limit environmental factors not letting you young pups jump from high up location alot of high impact play and working them to hard at a younger age can help promote good growth.

If you aren't sure if a puppy you are looking at has this testing you can ask the breeder for thier OFA certificates numbers or go to the OFA page and you can easily search the dog by thier AKC registration number or name.

01/13/2026

Spotting a scam!
Since covid the boom of puppies people looking for puppies and backyard breeders has become huge and with that a large amount of scammers out there as well but how do you know who is a scam? What's a quality breeder and what's worth the money? Here we will cover some basic tips and tricks to spot scams and Kennels worth putting a deposit in at!

How to spot a scam post? If the post sounds to good to be true it probably is to start out. But a basic once over on the posting person profile can tell you alot if the profile was recently made is a big red flag if it's had many changes in name random photos or other changes can be a red flag as well.

What the dog is registered with if the breed has its own registry it's always a red flag if they are not registered with them. AKC is always great as well, one I as a dog owner handler and kennel is CKC(continental kennel club) just because they don't have as many rules and regulations as AKC, UKC and Canadian Kennel Club or breed clubs.

Other things to look for is the basic is the breeder willing to chat with you on the phone FaceTime or let you come see the puppies when they are of appropriate age. Also good reputable breeders will have reviews from people videos and will have plenty of info available to new puppy homes so show that they are legit kennels.

Scammers will ask for money first without providing much info if it doesn't feel right then it probably isnt. many scammers will also use stolen photos and info a reverse photo search can help with that as well and doing a good once over on photos as well can help pull clues like green grass in winter in a place that gets snow or other kennel logos.

Scammers also will not post on pages that require posters to provide things like health testing information registration numbers ect.

If you ever have any doubt if the ad you are looking at is a scam it probably is. They are getting better and better at scamming people using others videos and pictures but if you do a little bit of digging you can usually find the red flags and sniff out the scam.

Many kennels have great websites with all thier information laid out for you as well.

So what's the take away??? If it's too good to be true it is. Check for registration testing websites and pages they are on get them on the phone FaceTime get videos talk to people thay have gotten puppies from them! Price should reflect the areas price for the breed and scammer is going to slip up somewhere check over websites and pages. Never be in a huge hurry make sure the puppy you get is worth it pay now or pay later.

COPPER CREEK TOPIC FRIDAYS!WHY HEALTH TESTING??? Whether you are purchasing your first puppy looking at doing Trials doi...
01/02/2026

COPPER CREEK TOPIC FRIDAYS!

WHY HEALTH TESTING???
Whether you are purchasing your first puppy looking at doing Trials doing some showing or getting yourself a good hunting partner getting a puppy from tested parents is important!

Let's go over a brief overview of what health testing is and later on we will go indepth on each test specifically in its own topic and as always if you have questions we are always here to answer questions! Because the more you know the better!

Health testing doesn't just mean a look over at the vet with a paper stating all thier systems check out those are good but the health testing we are touching on are specialty testing from board certified vets. These test are things like a genetic panel checking for recessive disorders like EIC DM CNM and SD2 to name a few or your OFA test like knee hip or elbow dysplasia.

Many of these issues have a genetic factor to them which is why finding a breeder that does health testing is becoming such a mainstream thing now.

OFA or Othopedic Foundation of Animals is the main hub for holding and certifying all this information thier website is pretty easy to navigate has a simple and advanced search option to look up dogs by registration names registration numbers from AKC and or the OFA numbers.

So why are these test important for you as a prospective buyer?
So let's give an example let say someone has a litter of puppies and both parents are untested, let say parents both carry a copy of DM and mom has alright hips dad has hip dysplasia but hides it fairly well at a younger age. Because this litter was untested the entire litter runs the risk of either being a carrier of DM or degenerative Myelopathy or being effected and they could have hip dysplasia.

Now if the 2 dogs had been tested the person looking to breed could have paired the female to a male that didn't carry DM and had excellent hips giving the litter a better chance of having good hips.

Now this doesn't cut out environmental factors that can play a part in creating issues with knees hips and elbows but it does help remove some genetic factors

Now where and how can you get your hands on these tests and how do you ask when seeking them looking for a puppy. There are a handful of genetic testing companies out there pawprints and embark being the biggest 2 and many vets can do the xrays for knees and elbows and most can do patella luxation. OFA has a calander of ofa clinics across the nation held at breed club get together and dog shows. Most eye testing can be done at vet ophthalmologist and there are cardio vets scattered across the nation as well. Many reputable breeders will have thier ofa numbers and certificates handy and ready for people when asked. We have noticed many breed or dog groups pages will now not let you post litters without that info present.

Happy Boykin Spaniel Day!
09/01/2025

Happy Boykin Spaniel Day!

Here are some of the pups from our last litter of Boykins
08/26/2025

Here are some of the pups from our last litter of Boykins

Happy National Dog day to the Copper Creek gang!
08/26/2025

Happy National Dog day to the Copper Creek gang!

Hunting season is just around the corner! Are you and your 4 legged hunting partner ready?
08/25/2025

Hunting season is just around the corner! Are you and your 4 legged hunting partner ready?

HOW MUCH FOR A PUPPY?Let me say a few words to you, yes you, the person who writes an email to simply ask the price. The...
05/12/2025

HOW MUCH FOR A PUPPY?

Let me say a few words to you, yes you, the person who writes an email to simply ask the price. The person who calls and after hearing a price surprisedly states: “I can buy a cheaper pup elsewhere”. I also address you; the person who doesn’t care about papers because I want “just a pet”.

No dog is “just a pet”.

Behind every pure bred puppy/dog is a BREEDER. I’m using capital letters to differentiate a breeder from a pet factory or mill. A reputable breeder does not breed dogs without papers, that does not protect the integrity of the breed. Registration (papers) are records of lineage that document bloodline and allow one to research any possible health issues present in the lineage. When you tell a Breeder you don’t care about papers what you’re really telling them is you couldn’t care less about the health of the puppy you just want the cheapest thing you can find! When you select to buy a puppy from a reputable and quality breeder, this breeder is responsible for the health of every pup ; both dogs owned and every pup they’ve sold for its lifetime. This breeder will skip holidays, miss sleeping, and most of their personal house space has been turned into space for their dogs . The truly passionate breeder who loves what they breed, puts their whole heart and soul into it. Not only in puppies that are sold, but also in each client who owns a piece of their heart and now is a member of their extended family. This does not take into account any puppy/dog who might get sick or need extra help to thrive. Breeders worry about their babies after they leave and will take one back without question.

A breeder will get their hands dirty, often covered in everything accompanied with birthing. Because that’s what life is about...In the middle of birth and death is life. The wheel that keeps turning. A breeder will do tests, echos, xrays, analysis, emergency c sections, vaccinations, register litters, research pedigrees, deworm, as well as microchip their puppies and get them evaluated by specialists.

Last but by no means least, a breeder CHOOSES the family lucky enough to have one of their puppies. Yes, you read that right. A true breeder chooses who they sell to because they are not making money off the sale. There is no compensation that can offset the investment a Breeder has made so they need to be confident its the right fit. Many times saying more no’s then yes...A good Breeder will have different criteria for those wanting to carry on their bloodline, why? Because breeding is not a responsibility to ever be taken lightly, it’s a lifestyle choice set aside for ONLY the few devoted people willing to sacrifice.

Because a dog is never “just a pet” it’s the Breeder’s legacy, a little boy’s best friend, a little girls protector, an elderly persons therapy, a member of the family, someone’s whole world!!!

Thank you for reading.

Address

Wrenshall, MN
55797

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

(218) 390-8581

Website

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