Drake Creek Kennels

Drake Creek Kennels offers several training programs for hunting retrievers and hunt test preparation. “The Basics” program lays the groundwork, teaching obedience (SIT, COME, HEEL, HERE verbally and with whistle commands), conditioned retrieve (force fetch), e-collar conditioning, steadiness (non-slip retriever), and basic single retrieves on land and water. Upon completion, dogs are ready for basic duck, goose, or dove hunts and can achieve a “Started Hunting Retriever” Title.

“The Gun Dog Program” is a 4-week program for dogs that have completed “The Basics,” designed for young dogs before their first hunting season or veteran dogs needing a tune-up. It focuses on specific hunting setups, introducing dogs to concepts and equipment (decoys, mojo ducks, blinds, boats) for various waterfowl hunts, culminating in a “mock hunt” each week.

The “Intermediate/Transition Program” follows “The Basics,” transitioning dogs from single retrieves to multiple marked retrieves and handling (taking directional hand casts for blind retrieves). Dogs learn casting/handling/blind retrieves on land and water, multiple marked retrieves, and are introduced to “technical water” concepts like points, islands, and channels. Completion prepares dogs for a wide range of hunting scenarios and enables them to run “Seasoned Level” Hunt Tests for a “Hunting Retriever” Title.

The “Advanced Program” builds on the Transition program, adding high difficulty to retrieves. It includes advanced blind retrieves using only whistle commands and hand signals in challenging situations, advanced multiple marked retrieves (triples at long distances), advanced technical water navigation, and honoring (remaining seated while another retriever works). Dogs completing this program are ready for any hunt and can pursue their “Hunting Retriever Champion” Title.

The “Master Program” is for talented students and clients with high ambitions, such as professional guides or breeders. It focuses on master-level double blinds, master-level multiple marked retrieves (including combination multiples on land and water at 100-250 yards), and master-level technical water navigation with precision and swiftness at extreme distances. Completion enables dogs to run “Master Level” Hunt Tests and earn the “Master Hunter” Title, making them ideal candidates for breeding.

Drake Creek Kennels, located in Lincoln, Nebraska, specializes in breeding high-quality Labrador Retrievers, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, and Golden Retrievers, and offers hunting dog training and waterfowl dog training, along with hunt test training programs for AKC and UKC Hunt Tests. They are a small family business, not a commercial operation, which allows them to provide special attention to each dog.

Their philosophy centers on breeding dogs with established bloodlines that have proven themselves in hunt tests and as genuine hunting companions, ensuring outstanding genetic traits like marking and memory, as well as a suitable personality for family companionship. Their retrievers are versatile gun dogs, spending springs and summers training and competing in Hunt Tests, autumns hunting ducks, geese, and pheasants, and evenings as family companions.

They aim to produce Champion gundogs with titles and ribbons, and have a high success rate in HRC and AKC Hunt Test Titles. They take on a small number of outside hunting retrievers for training each year.

Their facility features indoor, climate-controlled kennels with Kuranda-style dog beds, 24-hour camera monitoring, and a large, secure exercise yard used at least four times daily. They also train off-site regularly on numerous private grounds with unique features to prepare dogs for diverse hunting environments.

Dogs travel in commercial-grade, insulated, and fan-equipped dog boxes with waterproof kennel mats for comfort and safety.

Accomplishments

Drake Creek Kennels was founded by Mark Van Zee and Riley Sandall, who train their own retrievers and compete at a very high level, earning Champion/Master Hunter Test titles on their dogs. They have a very high success rate in both HRC and AKC Hunt Test Titles.

Mark Van Zee, the Head Trainer and Co-Founder, is the former President of Salt Valley Hunting Retriever Club in Lincoln, NE, and a member of the Nebraska Dog & Hunt Club and Missouri Valley Hunt Club. Riley Sandall, Stud Dog Manager and Co-Founder, is the secretary for the local Salt Valley HRC club in Lincoln, NE, and the Region 13/13A Public Relations Chair for the National HRC organization.

How to Get Started!

To get started, clients can fill out the contact form on the website or call Drake Creek Kennels directly. They encourage potential clients to contact them for more information regarding their dogs or to inquire about stud services.