Quill Feather Farm

05/13/2026

Mornings with the Labradors. These two, although having never met before, have become fast friends. They are very harmonic and move together like they’ve carefully rehearsed a synchronized dance. While I’ve seen this many times before, I’m still fascinated by dogs’ abilities to recognize and connect with others that look the way they do. It’s a sixth sense kind of thing. 🐾

05/11/2026

When we bought this farm six years ago, we had a clear vision: to create the ultimate environment for training versatile gun dogs. A big part of that vision was sharing this special place with our local NAVHDA chapter and its members.

It hasn’t always been easy. There have been challenges, lessons learned the hard way, and plenty of growth along the journey. Over time, our training program has expanded far beyond NAVHDA members—but that original purpose still means a lot to us.

Through it all, one thing has remained the same: our dedication to providing high-quality training and effective environments to train in. Today, we’re proud to continue offering a place where dogs and handlers can come together, train, and grow. We’re proud of what we’ve built—and even more excited for what’s ahead.

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05/11/2026

When a dog essentially teaches itself to search a body of water, the ultimate duck search dog is born. No dependencies, no cues, no sounds, no splashes. This is where prey drive kicks in and patience pays off.

05/11/2026

05/07/2026

Intro to duck search…one of my all time favorite training scenarios! There is something amazing about watching prey drive kick in and take over. Regardless of how far out of sight a wounded duck might go, dogs that are driven will search until they find even the slightest whiff of scent. They hone in, and then the chase is on. The dog that doesn’t give up is often rewarded with the ultimate prize…the retrieve. This is conservation of game at its finest. This guy did a phenomenal job being that it was only his first exposure.

05/06/2026

There are several distinguishing traits that makeup a good, reliable versatile hunting dog. The NAVHDA Natural Ability Test measures seven of these hereditary characteristics: use of nose, search, willingness to swim, pointing, tracking, desire to work, and cooperation. Results of this test allow the owner, breeder, and/or trainer to get an impartial evaluation that may help form future training and hunting plans. While the test seeks to gauge natural abilities, there are many things you can do to prepare yourself and your pup for test day. We are beyond thrilled that Brandt’s daughter has decided to run a pup in an upcoming NA test. She’s been working hard to learn and prepare both herself and her pup.

05/04/2026

These two handlers are going to have a great time training together! They have two very different dogs that are going to require very different training strategies. The basics will remain, however, the course of action for each handler and dog will vary depending on the goal. They are smart and eager to work and training (with some help) should go well!

05/04/2026

Yesterday’s group training was another fantastic day of training! The weather was pleasant and progress was seen across the board. Seventeen different dogs participated in activities that included: confidence, obedience, cooperation and handling, steadiness, line drills, honoring at the water, NA test prep, UT test prep, water work, and more!

05/03/2026

Watching a bird dog experience its first bird is often awe inspiring. Why? The fact that these dogs can scent with such incredible distinction AND point ground birds so instinctively (without training) is nothing short of amazing. Imagine running through a field filled with a cacophony of fresh smells, with copious amounts of pollen and dandelion bristles drifting through swirling winds…and being able to stop dead in your tracks at faintest waft of a scent. A scent you’re not even familiar with, but which your brain tells you is something to pay attention to. This is why well-bred bird dogs are amazing. This is why witnessing the 4-stages of introduction are so exciting to us…

05/02/2026

Lots of force fetch going on here. We believe so wholeheartedly that a trained retrieve is essential to any gun dog that it is a requirement for all clients. Why? Conservation of game. Any hunter should recover their harvest whether it be dead or wounded. Our gun dogs are our greatest assets in conserving game as, through proper training, their job is to find that game whether it lay dead, or ran off to hide/die, and to recover that game to his handler’s hand…without dropping, burying, playing, or mauling.

05/01/2026

We are often asked, “how long will it take to train my dog to hunt?” Our answer is typically, “it takes as long as it takes.” And the reason for this is that there are so many variables that go into it, so many things can have an impact. For the dog: breed, bloodline, age, foundation, socialization, exposure, and more…For the handler: time, commitment, experience, learning capacity, and more. But for some, training a bird dog is not a race. They are happy to embrace the course that fits their dog. This red dog has worn many hats, including being a medical service dog to his owner. And, for this reason, we have always been careful not to push him beyond his limits. While it may have taken longer than most gungho gun dog owners would tolerate, patience is paying off ten-fold for this guy and his owner/handler.