Updates on how these pups are developing...
Since my goal is to produce puppies that equal or surpass the talents of their sire and dam, I'm keeping track of how the pups in Joy's first litter are doing. Several went to hunt test homes who also do waterfowl and upland hunting, and a couple went to non-competitive upland hunters.
All show exceptional noses, are excelling at marking, and are pointing staunchly; several have already earned their APLA Grand Master Pointing Retriever title by 14 months of age!
Many thanks to the owners for keeping me apprised of how their Joy Luck pups are doing!
Here are pics of some of the pups at 6-8 months of age...
Penny
Max
Loki
Rose
How they're doing in the upland field...
How they're doing with retrieving and handling...
"Martine has a heck of a nose. I have been hunting/training on a regular basis. What a good dog! She is 'hell' on crippled chukar. Some retrieves have been close to a hundred yards in rugged rocky steep terrain. Besides all that she has great attributes and pleasant to have around. My grandchildren love her, me too."
(owner of Martine, the pink collared puppy)
"Nugget is stepping on all her marks. Best young dog on [the trainer's] truck. When he trains with other pros, she stands out." (owner of Nuggest, the cyan collared puppy)
Their first year and a half...
Hunt tests are a useful way to objectively gauge how the puppies are doing in terms of marking ability, perseverence in finding a downed bird, upland hunting, biddability, willingness to be handled to a bird they didn't see, and eagerness to point and retrieve. This first litter has not disappointed! 6 of the 8 have played the hunt test game and they've excelled, with several earning titles in their first 15 months of life.
Bea (yellow collar)
Bea is my girl, the little runt of the litter. She competed in APLA hunt tests this season and passed both Advanced tests and all four Master tests in which she competed, finishing her first full test season as a 2x Grand Master Pointing Retriever. She'll start hunting wild pheasant this fall and ducks and geese this winter.
Rose (green collar)
Rose and her owners have earned their CKC Junior Hunter title and have been hunting wild birds in Canada with lots of success.
Penny (orange collar)
Penny ran her first APLA hunt tests in October 2025 and earned her Advanced Pointing Retriever title in 2 days. She'll be hunting this winter when she returns home to Blackjack Kennels--the kennel which produced her Hall of Fame mother, Joy!
Max (blue collar)
Max's owner planned to exclusively use him to upland hunt but when he saw Max's littermates playing the hunt test game, he joined in just for fun...and earned his Certified Pointing Retriever title. Now he gets to enjoy upland hunting the rest of the year.
Nugget (cyan collar)
Nugget has been busy on the hunt test circuit, earning her HRC Hunting Retriever and her APLA Grand Master Pointing Retriever titles. She will be hunting lots of wild birds with her owner in South Dakota this fall.
Loki (purple collar)
Loki's owner trains 5 days a week and it shows, with Loki earning his APLA Master Pointing Retriever title this fall. He is natural in the water and will be hunting for pheasant and ducks and geese this fall/winter.