Bayside Labs – About Debra
DEB – Bayside Labrador breeder and trainer of gundogs
My involvement with dogs over the last fifty years has been working on a professional level in the realms of boarding, breeding, and training and competing Labradors Retrievers.
Dogs are in my blood as both of my parents were in the dog game. As a child my parents operated a 100 run Lakeland Terrier Kennel in Connecticut. During elementary school I lived at Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael where my Father was the Director of Training. During my high school years my family also owned 2 boarding kennels in Marin County and we all had to work the kennels! My Mother bred Miniature Poodles and my Father bred and trained Rottweilers for protection.
My parents encouraged me to explore where my “niche” was in dogs. I showed a Great Dane as a Junior Handler, trained a Poodle to C.D. level in Jr. High school and worked every weekend at a grooming shop in high school. I also owned and rode horses, competing for Kiwanis, Queen of the Rodeo. While I didn’t make the Queen I did make the flag carrier.
My involvement expands from service dogs, grooming, breeding, obedience, show ring and more currently field trials and hunt tests. I am a 8+ point AKC (American Kennel Club) Judge for Junior, Senior and Master level Hunt tests. I am also an AKC (CGC) Canine Good Citizen Judge. For many years I owned or operated several boarding kennels in the Bay Area.
My accomplishments are proven with my personal dogs by their many AKC Show Champions Titles, Obedience Titles, Junior Hunter Titles, as well as Senior Hunters and Master Hunters. We have completed 65+ AKC Titles on our own dogs over the years.
Prior to becoming a professional trainer, I studied with Warren Grimsby, WARCON, for 15 years privately and in group classes to learn how to train, start to finish, a Master Hunter. Under Warren’s tutelage I titled 9 dogs as Master Hunters. Additionally, I studied with Dave Rorem, of Rorem Retrievers for 5 years, attending seminars and as his client of field trial dogs. Both of these experts have taught and trained me to excel as a trainer and handler with their wisdom and understanding of dogs.
I have qualified dogs 16 times for the Master National the first being in 2000 with CH. Bayside’s Mark West C.D MH, “MARTIN”, of my own breeding and all show bred and listed as the 22nd Labrador Retriever in the history of the breed to obtain a CH/MH.
I completed the 1st Master National I attended in 2002 at Bend, Oregon with his daughter who was the second dog I qualified for the Master National. Out of 358 dogs, only 56 dogs passed and received qualifying scores, and I was fortunate to be one of them, with another show dog of my own breeding and training, Bayside’s Whirlwind MH, “Twister”. Of the 15 dogs qualified for the MN, 5 never ran it and 9 have become finalists.
I tried my luck in field trials and won 1st place (Joker) at the Field Trial Qualifying as well as a 4th place (Flint). Flint also took a 2nd in the Derby my very 1st trial, both dogs owner trained and handled. After doing the basics myself, one of these dogs (Flint) went on to become a Field Trial Champion within a year of turning him over to a professional trainer/handler, Dave Rorem.
In 2010 I was awarded the Women’s Challenge Trophy by the Master National Retriever Club for completing 3 Nationals in a row with the same dog. This dog (Joker) Sawtooth’s No Foolin’ was also entered into the HALL OF FAME at the 2010 MN. Additionally I attended the 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013 Master National with client dogs (Juice & Tigger) both passing in 2012. In 2013 Juice passed her 2nd national and was awarded a Master National Hunter.
In 2014 I was the recipient of my second award of the Women’s Challenge Trophy by the Master National. Juice was additionally entered into the Hall of Fame.
Bayside Labs About Les
Les training and working gundogs for hunting
Les is a native of Marin County, born in Sausalito and raised in San Rafael, California. He has a love for hunting, fishing and the outdoors. Les joined Debra’s interest in dogs after they married over 40 years ago. Ch. Canvasback Chantilly WC was purchased as a gift by Deb to become a gundog for Les back in the 1980’s. While Chantilly was just a young pup, Les worked with her and together they learned how to become a team in the show ring and the field. Les handled her to her Championship Title as well as accumulating points on other dogs in the show ring towards their Championships (Ellie and Martin).
Les’ interest in the field was more prominent and he preferred a gundog at his side. He pursued the hunt test game with many of the dogs. Les ran the majority of the dogs in the Junior Hunt tests and hunted over them. Les encouraged Deb to come along to the hunt and taught her how to shoot. Together they developed the love for big game hunting as well.
In 2009 Les decided to retire from his commercial plumbing career in San Francisco of 27 years. While his expertise provided him with a colorful clientele of Rock Stars, SF Giants Team owners, and even a past Vice President, he was ready for a change since he started that at age 15 years.
While Les had been involved in the dogs since the 80’s he has now become a full time partner to Deb. Les is also an AKC judge in the hunt tests, judging Junior Hunter and Senior Hunter level events.
In 2010 a property was purchased in Red Bluff, where they now reside and a huge project of developing a training facility began with Les in charge. Nearly 70 acres of fields and old ranch materials abandoned by former tenants has turned into a wonderful place to work dogs. With ponds, cultivated grasses and a kennel facility to house dogs Bayside Labs is set. Les’ retirement has now become learning to farm as well as assist with training of the gundogs.
After repeated requests of many we combined our personal interest on a professional level and became Bayside Labradors & Gundogs. We now offer training for Hunting and Hunt Test Training and Canine Good Citizen & Therapy dog training.
