the dog that started it for us

My journey with Blaze began in February 2012. Duck season had just ended, and I was eager to find the right dog to prepare for the upcoming season. After searching with no luck, some friends approached us about a yellow Labrador puppy they had rescued. Blaze wasn’t a puppy — he was about two years old — and as you can imagine, we had a lot of work ahead of us.

Blaze had his share of flaws, but he was full of potential. That summer, we trained hard, determined to get ready for the season. The beginning of the 2013 duck season was tough. Some might have given up, but with patience, repetition, and experience, Blaze figured it all out by the end of that season.

Over the years, Blaze retrieved several thousand birds. But more than being a phenomenal hunter, Blaze was one of the kindest, most loyal dogs I’ve ever known. When he wasn’t hunting or training, you’d find him lying under a shade tree, quietly watching over our son as he played in the backyard.

In the second split of the 2016 season, Blaze passed away suddenly. He was a once-in-a-lifetime dog, and losing him left a hole in our hearts. But that loss sparked something in me. I told my wife, “I will never be without another dog again.”

 In 2017, we opened Blazing gundogs to the public in honor of Blaze.