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Brag Book

 
 murphy  Teesie B., February 2013 (Owner of Murphy, Bessy x Fred 2013)
 “When we walk Murphy people are always stopping their car to ask about him.  He is such a joy!  We love him so much.  He has the funniest personality.  Also, I don’t know if you remember, but my brother Michael, who has Down syndrome, lives with us.  Michael and Murphy love each other and are the best of friends.  Also, my three adult children are crazy about Murphy and all say that when they are able to have a dog they will definitely get a Braque Francais!  Can’t thank you enough for the gift of Murphy!”
 Garvin L., February 2014 (Owner of Juno, Eve x Casius 2014)
“The folks at Great Lakes Gun Dogs made us feel like family. After losing my first bird dog early to cancer, I started the search for a new hunting companion and family member. With a young family, I needed a dog that could perform in the field and be in a home with a toddler. I set my sights on the Braque Francais, and began the search to find the right breeder. I spoke to a few Braque breeders (and they all were great) – but I felt a strong connection with the brother breeding team of Seth and Keith of Great Lakes Gun Dogs … truth be known, wives Tammie and Bridgette were equally a part of the decision to select GLGD as my BF breeder of choice – a fantastic family who also have young children and understood what I was looking for in a dog.
I had a lot of questions for them. After a number of conversations on the phone and building a comfortable rapport with them, I decided it was time for a visit to see these dogs in person. The trip took some planning as we were making the trek from South Western Ontario, across the border to Western Michigan. The GLGD family was overly-accommodating and planned a wonderful day for us. My family was able to spend a few hours getting to know breeders, the breed, and their dogs better. On the long journey back there was no debate on the breed or breeders – we loved them both.
Fast forward about 10 months and we have a healthy seven month old pup that is a great family dog and by all indications, will be a first class gun dog. My first dog will never be forgotten – he was great, but my Braque is making is easier to move on. What enhances the experience with my Braque is the great relationship I have with my breeder. They were there to answer my many questions in the beginning via e-mail and phone. They opened their home to my family to get to know the breed and their dogs better. They used social media effectively to keep us informed during the pregnancy, the selection process, and for general updates on their dogs and extended Braque family. Seth and I have regular dialogue on training techniques and all things NAVHDA. Importing my dog into Canada required some paperwork from their vet – Seth had it organized and ready when I picked up my dog. The folks at GLDG run a great business. If I could sum them up with one word, it would be integrity. If you are considering a Braque Francais, I would encourage you to contact Great Lakes Gun Dogs and have a chat – you’ll be glad you did … I am.”
IMG_1057  Kerry B., August 2014 (Owner of Sophia, Bessy x Fred 2013)
“Great Lakes Gun Dogs is the best!! We were new to Braque Francais as a breed but not new to bird dogs. After researching this breed online, BFs seemed to meet our needs for a new family pet & hunting companion for my husband. The team at GLGD was SO helpful, answering all our questions. We were lucky to put in the last deposit on the litter they had just whelped.    Throughout the next 8 weeks, the Leyendeckers posted photos & videos on Facebook with updates. They comment back, are quick to answer emails & questions. We never felt far away from what was happening, how they were developing or who was doing what in the welping box. Bridgette was a master at coordinating transportation for the pups & pick ups. We felt that we were in good hands all the way.  Fast forward a year and a half, our BF Sophia is a delight. She is everything we anticipated. She is easy to have in our Brooklyn apartment, quiet & cuddly. Outside she is raring to go, eager & attentive. We are constantly stopped on the sidewalk by folks asking questions about her & telling us how beautiful she is. She is mistaken for a GSP all the time. Easy to do. And when we tell them she’s a French Pointer, everyone is amazed. They’ve never seen anyone like her. We hand out GLGD info all the time 🙂 The Leyendeckers have been available to answer any questions along the way. We are so lucky to have found them & Sophia!  Great Lakes Gun Dogs are a wonderful family who truly knows what they are doing & the dogs they are          breeding. What’s more, they are diligent about proper breeding practices & keeping bloodlines separate. They take great care of their dogs & pups. I would highly recommend them!!”
Rio  Katie M., February 2014 (Owner of Rio, Bessy x Fred 2013)
“We’ve moved to Kampala, Uganda. We’re pretty sure she’s the only one in the country (and she’s the best ambassador for Braques you could ask for!) She’d chase birds and critters in the yard all day if she could.  And I have to tell you– every puppy should be so lucky as to get to grow up with a house full of kids. Children here _love_ her but they typically haven’t been exposed to dogs much, so they tend to be much more shy and nervous (and less aware that pulling a dog’s tail maybe isn’t the best thing to do!) but Rio is _so_ good with them. She’s so chill and patient– I just can’t imagine a better-natured dog. Take care!”
 
 Oban  Brad C., Aug. 2014 (Owner of Oban, Cartouche x Casius 2014)
“We couldn’t be happier with our Braque from Great Lakes Gun Dogs. The first thing we noticed about him was how well socialized he was. He is comfortable with everyone and absolutely loves children. He is a quick learner and crate training/house training was very fast and easy. In terms of a family pet he is ideal; good with people and a fast learner. Before i got a Braque I had heard that they were “big in the field and small in plenty of hiking in California and Colorado. On the trips he runs all day and loves the water. At home he has his activity periods in the morning and afternoon but spends most of the day sleeping. I’ve started to train him using the Delmar Smith/Huntsmith style and it is working really well. He has a strong prey drive and a good natural retrieve. I would highly recommend Braques Francais as a breed and Great Lakes Gun Dogs as a breeder.”
  
Miki  Dawn O., July 2015 (Owner of Miki, Cartouche x Blu 2014)
“I can’t believe that Miki is almost a year old.  To say the least, we adore having her in the family.  She is such a sweet heart and so much fun.  What a personality. We get compliments from everyone who sees her.  She has boundless energy outdoors, yet is calm inside.  She is so social — has not met a dog or person that she doesn’t want to be best friends with.    Her trainers have all commented on how smart she is.  Of course this all goes back to your breeding ethics and all the work you did in her first months of puppyhood.  I can’t thank you enough for your responsibility and love given to this breed.”
Lu lu  Gregg B., November 2015 (Owner of Lulu, Cartouche x Casius 2015)
“Lulu is in fact remarkable. While wife, who adores Lulu, is getting tired of hearing the same stories over and over again, she will none the less listen and feign amazement. Now it is your turn….She holds grouse like no six year old pointer…incredible nose, tremendous stealth, a beautiful point and she is rock steady to the shot. Oh, did I tell you she finds dead in the deepest thicket?  And her point…oh my Lord. Stealthy…absolutely stealthy…absolutely…and today ..what a retrieve!  A live pheasant at 100 yards right to me. I could have died and gone to heaven. She is sleeping now, with Ellie. She loves Ellie. Ellie will eat any thing or anyone that dares to come near her baby. Teddy passed last week. Greatest dog ever…but Lulu is helping all of us get over the loss.   Thank you. We adore Lulu. I can’t wait until the morning, at 5:30, when like clock work she jumps up and into our bed (I help her). By the way, no dig her age has ever pointed and help a dozen woodcock, a half dozen grouse, a dozen pheasant, a hundred quail or twice that at her age. She is amazing and the sweetest little dog (42 pounds) in the world.  Again, thanks.”

 Cliff & Leslie, February 2016 (Owners of Rhone, Piper x Casius 2015)
“Fabulous experience meeting and then adopting. Our little Rhone is a fabulous man with a great personality. Grateful to find the breed and great breeders. Would love to do another Braque in the future.”
 Eric & Trishia, March 2016 (Owners of Lilikoi, Piper x Casius 2015)
Aloha from Hawaii. We are the proud owners of Lilikoi (Lili) of Great Lakes gun dogs. We had an awesome experience with the Leyendeckers who cared for and trained Lili over a 9 month period before she was able to come to Hawaii. She was everything we expected and more. Keith did an awesome job training her and she achieved a Prize 1 with a perfect score of 112 in the NAVHDA test at just 7 months of age. We can’t say enough about this breed. They are great natural hunters in the field and make wonderful companions at home as well. Lili is our third Braque Francais and each of our dogs continue to impress us everyday and they always put a smile on our face. All 3 have very unique personalities and have great temperaments. The Braque Francais is truly a versatile hunting breed and great for those who are just starting out with a bird dog.
We can’t say enough about the Leyendeckers. They not only take great care of their dogs but they keep you informed and answer any questions that you may have. They respond very quickly to emails/phone calls and send you many videos and pictures of your puppy. They are very responsible breeders and take great care to ensure that each puppy goes to a good home. We highly recommend them as a breeder of the Braque Francais and we highly recommend this breed.
 Jeff P., July 2016 (Father of Owner of Macy, Piper x Casius 2016)
“Via my son’s purchase of a puppy from Great Lakes Gun Dogs I have been fortunate to experience the care, concern, thoroughness and professionalism you would hope every breeder would demonstrate but few actually do.  I personally own 3 Braque d’Auvergne gun dogs but having witnessed this interaction I would seriously think about buying a Braque Francais for my next dog from Great Lakes.  I have never seen such concern for the breed, dog and owner in the years that I have been part of the gun dog world. They not only keep the buyer up to date on progress of the puppies but provide advice and documentation on nutrition, toys, training, socialization and much more.  Their methods are second to none. Too many breeders provide only just enough service to satisfy the customer and provide a healthy dog. Great Lakes goes much further in making sure the dog is socialized, started on training, developed at the right pace and they are always researching for the best methods of doing so. How many breeders would take the time to learn and practice Bio Sensory stimulation for each puppy?  I look forward to watching my son’s dog develop and will definitely consider obtaining a puppy from Great Lakes Gun Dogs in the future. Just the fact that I felt impelled to pass this on to others speaks volumes for how impressed I have been with their business and family. I have no dog from them but have admired what they do.  Great dogs and great breeders. Keep up the good work and maybe other breeders will learn.”
 Torie Daria S., March 2016 (Owner of Torie, Piper x Casius 2015)
“We purchased our Braque Francais puppy from Great Lakes Gun Dogs nearly a year ago and could not be more pleased. Torie is a joy: so smart and quick, a pleasure to train, and wonderful with our children. Bridgette Leyendecker was so responsive to my many questions and provided detailed instructions for caring for and training our BF, in addition to wonderful photos and videos throughout the process. Importantly, she continues to be available to answer any questions I have. I recommend Great Lakes and this fabulous breed without reservation and would certainly return for another beautiful addition to our family.”
 Harish N., May 2017 (Owner of Mookie, Piper x Casius 2016)
We currently have a Male Braque from Great Lakes Gun Dogs from the litter in June 2016 so he’s almost a year old now. Our first experience with the breed and I’m sure it won’t be the last. He’s a real joy to have around and a great addition to our family. We have 3 boys, a Doberman, 6 chickens, and a cat and Mookie, the Braque, fits in great and gets along with all the other critters. We don’t hunt with him but we are pretty active and take him hiking and mountain biking where he really shines with his athleticism. He came to us very well adjusted and socialized. He’s extremely easy to train and just wants to please. My wife and I are both veterinarians so we probably didn’t utilize Bridgette as much as we could have as a resource for information but felt like she was extremely organized and would have helped with most any request. We highly recommend!!!
 Rose A., January 2019 (Owner of Bruno, Piper x Jet 2018)
“Bruno has been such a joy on our lives.  He is such a smart, loving and very energetic dog, he had been keeping our 6 year dog Enzo in shape!! We have had numerous people ask for your number. Thank you for breeding such an amazing dog!  He has been a great addition to our family.”
 Robbie & Jennifer – January 2019 (Piper x Jet 2017) Owner of Opal, Pearl (Leonie x Flacon 2019)
“From our very first contact with Great Lakes Gun Dogs in July of 2017, before even deciding on the Braque Francais breed, Keith and Bridgette were fantastic. Like any first time dog owners, we had many questions and they walked us through the process with ease. Bridgette was always timely with answering questions and helping us finally decide that the breed was perfect for us. We traveled about 14 hours to get our precious Opal and they also made that process so easy, recommending hotels, even places to site see. With such a special breed, it’s important to do everything the right way, and they do. We recommend them to everyone and always say that our Opal was worth the wait. We are so happy with our experience we hope to be getting pup #2 next Summer. If you’re looking for a family to help you through the puppy process, GLGD is it!”
Eric & Julie November 2020 (Co-owners of Ollie, Piper x Jet 2018)
Ollie is a product of Great Lakes breeding with excellent genetics with Piper as his Dam and Jet from Brielle Kennel as Sire.  Ollie is an extremely intelligent dog and his high desire for personal interactions and attention make him an easy student.  He is a medium to medium long ranging dog with excellent stamina.  His strong skeletal structure, durable feet, and very tight hip scores all contribute to him being able to hunt for many hours, multiple days in a row.  Eric reports 3–4-hour hunts 4 days in a row with no issues.  Ollie has hunted ruffed grouse, woodcock, prairie grouse, wild pheasants, quail, as well as released birds.  Ollie’s use of nose is excellent with intelligent quartering search and a steady, intense point.  His prey drive is high as is his cooperation with checking back in.  (Eric has run GSPs and English Pointers before and finds Ollie fun and more comfortable to hunt behind).  He likes to swim and is not intimidated by Lake Michigan surf.  Ollie’s retrieving is average to strong. In the house Ollie is the perfect Braque with a true off switch and is always by your side or snuggling in craving attention. He is food motivated and carry’s his food bowl around to manipulate anyone into an extra helping.  Julie often can be heard saying “Ollie you are the best dog ever”. Some early training videos can be seen on the youtube channel TrainingOllietheBraque.