Welcome to Sawlog Gun Dogs

We specialize in training all breeds from Pointer to Retriever. We train everything from basic obedience to advanced handling, and we strongly empasize handler education.

Contact Information:
Travis Ruff
Phone: 620.623.2265
Email: traviscruff@yahoo.com

Gun Dog Philosophy

(I) Puppies/Started Dogs

We strive to provide the average hunter with a gun dog that possesses the necessary traits to enhance the sportsmans hunting experience. A day afield with your dog should leave you refreshed and with another days worth of memories to add to your collective experience. Whether you are chasing pheasants across the prairie or coaxing ducks into your favorite honey hole, a good gun dog is the corner stone in the foundation of a successful and enjoyable hunt.

A bad gun dog, on the other hand, can leave you wishing that you had never left the warm comfort of your easy chair and football game. This dog will not only cost you birds in the bag, but quite possibly some hunting buddies, not to mention the embarrassment associated with owning a block head. And as if to add insult to injury, he or she will invariably outlive their productive counterparts by a factor in direct proportion to your frustration with them.

Without getting into a prolonged discussion on “Nature vs. Nurture,” we believe that no amount of time, training, or money can undo the shortcomings of poor breeding. This philosophy can be summed up by the old axiom, “You can’t make chicken salad out of chicken droppings.”

Our dogs are hunted extensively during each season guiding hunters from across the nation. These dogs are expected to perform to a standard of reliability and endurance that the average hunter will rarely expect of his dog. In order to endure the strain of this level of performance, our dogs must possess exceptional conformation and have an outstanding drive to hunt for the gun. The demands that we place on our gun dogs allows us to thoroughly evaluate each dog’s strengths and weaknesses in order to best determine if they should be bred.

Please check our website or give us a call to inquire about prospective litters. All Sires and Dams will have their hips checked and be OFA “Good” or “Excellent.” Started dogs are available from time to time.

(II) Training

A limited number of gun dogs are accepted for training. Programs vary from basis obedience to advanced handling and test/trial competition. Please call to discuss options. References are available upon request.

Sawlog’s Highland Drifter, “Thumper” MHR, WR OFA, GOOD
#LR-126382G65M-NOPI

Thumper is the son of 1997 Nat. Champion Storm’s Riptide Star, “Rascal” and a half brother to 2000 NAFTC, FTCH, Quick Windstorm, “Chip” He is very athletic at 78 lbs, and has a spectacular water entry. (See Photo). In spite of a late start to his advanced training, Thumper easily completed his Master Hunter title at 3 years of age. He is, without exception, the most exciting pheasant dog that I have ever hunted behind. If you are looking for a stud with good looks and tons of drive, look no further. Thumper produces pups with extreme drive and hunting instinct, and as such will be bred only to appropriate hunting/hunt test/field trial females with OFA “Good” or better hips. No pet breeders please!!! Call for references and owners of former litters. Excellent conformation, deep chest, correctly proportional length of leg, good head.

• Great water attitude and ability.
• Equally at home in the marsh or the uplands.
• 19 Field Champions and 6 National Field Champions in 5-generation pedigree.
• Good trainability, easy to handle.
• Great multiple marker, strong attitude on blinds.

Hobbs is the son of AFC Rose Hill’s MR. Speaker. He is quite possibly the most biddable dog that I have ever worked with. As you can tell from his photo he is a handsome fellow and is built for fieldwork, a trait found lacking in most of today’s Goldens. Hobbs has been used extensively in our Pheasant hunting service and will begin running AKC Master Retriever Stakes this fall. Previous litters have produced some outstanding pups. Pups out of Hobbs will make great hunters or family dogs. Terrific upland dog.

• Excellent nose.
• Extremely intelligent and tractable.
• No fear, hard going dog, especially for a Golden.
• Gorgeous dark red coat.
• Very sociable, first-rate family dog.

Jane is a Daughter of CH, Havelock Ike, 1995 North Dakota Pheasant Champion. Ike was sired by 1992 Shooting Dog of theYear & National Pheasant Shooting Dog Champion, Fairplay. Janie is a lady in every sense of the word. She has been a joy to train and shoot over. She pointed and retrieved naturally at an early age and is as birdy as they come. She is a proven bird dog and has been used extensively in our Pheasant hunting service. Janie is a close to medium range dog for the foot hunter. She has a ton of style both going and pointing, with a 12 O’clock tail and high head. She is every thing that I look for in a bird dog. Janie has been one of the most purely natural bird dogs that I have worked with. After she was taught basic obedience and whoa she was simply put to the task of finding birds and never looked back. Given her easygoing nature and level of natural ability, Janie’s pups should break easily and therefore be an excellent choice for the novice/first time trainer. Look for a litter out of Janie as soon as her hips are cleared by the OFA. Great nose.

• Strong natural pointer.
• Totally natural retriever, never “force fetched.”
• Natural backer.
• Very sociable and extremely easy to train.

Belle is the Daughter of the famous CH, Havelock Blacksmith. Blacksmith is one of the most successful setters to be trialed in the states in the last ten years. Blacksmith was sired by the immortal Shooting Dog Champion, CH,Destinare. Blacksmith’s accomplishments include; 1997 North Carolina Shooting Dog Champion, 1996 Dakota-Saskatchewan Shooting Dog Champion. Belle is turning out to be true to her breeding. She has been a natural from the beginning and is exceptionally stylish in the field. She has the innate ability to be in the right place at the right time, i.e. where the birds are, demonstrating her intelligence and natural ability. Belle has been used on our hunting operation this past fall, and is always a client favorite. Belle will begin running shooting dog stakes this fall and will be bred when her hips are OFA cleared.

• Outstanding intensity on point.
• Exceptional conformation; straight legs, beautiful head, deep girth.
• Easy to break and train, because of her strong desire to point.
• Powerful running dog, but smart enough to hunt for the handler.
• Great tail, 12 O’clock on point, and cracking in the field.
• Excellent bird finding ability. The old timers called this “bird sense,” this is a trait that is either in a bird dog or it is not.

Kitt is a daughter of MHR WR Thumper and a hunting bitch and granddaughter of FC/
AFC/CFC/CAFC Trieven Twist & Shout. Kitt is currently in training and will begin running Senior/Master hunt tests this coming fall and spring. At this stage of training, she is absolutely on fire and shows even more promise than her sire did at the same age. Keep an eye out for Kitt, if she finishes as well as she started she will be a star. Kitt will not be bred until her hips are cleared and she is a finished, proven performer.

Risky is a full sister to Kitt. Both sisters were kept out of a Thumper litter with the idea being that they would both be trained until I could make a decision as to which one to keep and trial. It has taken a year and a half to make the final assessment, but it has been made and as such Risky is for sale to a serious hunter or hunt test home only. She is a little soft for a trial dog but would make an outstanding addition for a hunting or hunt test owner. She has a full year of hunting experience on wild pheasant and quail; in addition she has been used extensively on Ruff House Outfitters guided hunts.

Risky’s training to this point

• Obedience trained i.e. sit, stay, come, kennel, and heel.
• Force fetched.
• Initial lining/handling drills.
• Starting on doubles and triples on land and water.
• Price will increase as training advances.

Rarely will the average hunter have the opportunity to purchase a good young dog with this level of training and wild bird experience. Priced at $1,500