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Facilities Our new kennel, completed in 2006, is clean, comfortable, and safe. Enclosed within a "pole barn," the individual runs are protected from wind, rain, and direct sun. Wide doors at each end admit daylight and fresh air, augmented by fluorescent lights and draft-free forced-air ventilation when needed. Each dog has its own run connected to a private, insulated fiberglass doghouse, and can go in and out at will. Runs are concrete-floored, pitched for good drainage, and enclosed by sturdy 9-gauge chain link, with lighter wire across the top to prevent escape by climbing. The white, insulated roof of "the barn," and the trees that shade it, keep the interior comfortably cool on the hottest summer day. Protection from wind and rain ensures dogs will be comfortable in winter, while still becoming acclimated to cold. We have beds or fleece pads for those dogs who demonstrate that they will not chew them up. The kennel building is next to our house where we can check on the dogs last thing at night and first thing in the morning, and immediately hear if a dog should be in distress during the night. The kennel sits on 25 acres landscaped for retriever training, including six ponds. Our ability to train on site several days a week saves time in transit, allowing us more time to work with the dogs. We also train on a variety of other grounds. We transport dogs to and from the training field in our professional's dog truck custom built by Bush of Texas. Each dog has his or her own, locked, compartment. The truck is insulated for protection against cold and against the hot sun, while a ventilation system including breezeways and louvered doors ensures dogs' comfort and safety in the hottest weather. Compartments and doors are constructed of durable stainless steel. We carry our own water supply to make sure dogs have access to fresh, safe drinking water at all times. When dogs sleep on the truck (as when traveling to events), we provide bedding of fresh straw. We are committed to minimizing dogs' exposure to pesticides and poisons. We use a number of non-chemical measures to control pests. Rodents are excluded by building design and by cats kept for the purpose. Dogs are treated with Frontline monthly during tick season and every three months during the rest of the year. The kennel is kept free of pests by frequent cleaning.