Tejas Hunting Retriever Club

26 Years in the Making

Club Officers

Meet your new 2012
HRC Tejas Officers

Pam Wilson - President

The journey began 3 years ago after we took in a lost chocolate Labrador. We instantly fell in love with her but soon found her owners. So, we set out to find another chocolate Lab just like her.  After a week of looking, my husband and I drove home from Louisiana with a yellow, boxy-head male -- “Brody”!  ...somewhere along the way we deviated from original our plan.  Our family continued to grow with the additions of Gracie, 2, and Halle, 1.  Gracie was pro-trained by Steve Hendricks, who has trained us more than Gracie.  Brody and Halle are home-schooled.  Soon, Brody earned his AKC Senior Title and UKC Hunter Retriever Champion Title.  Halle earned her AKC Junior Title and UKC Hunting Retriever Title.  Brody, Gracie and Halle are registered Therapy Dogs, and through our work in hospitals, nursing homes, churches and schools, these working retrievers touch the lives of others bringing smiles to faces and sharing joy to brighten sometimes difficult days.  They bring immeasurable joy on and off the field.  God has blessed us with three wonderful dogs; they are loan from Him, and we are grateful.  I truly enjoying training and trialing our retrievers.  Someone once said, “When something is your hobby, it becomes your passion.  You educate yourself on it.  You care about it.  You even obsess about it. That is because you love it -- with all your heart and soul.”  Training and running our retrievers brings both joy and heart ache worth the ride.  My desire with Tejas is to make new friendships, enjoy each event and meet challenges put before us with courage, grace and laughter sprinkled in.  I am proud of and grateful for our terrific Tejas team!

 

Paul McWhirter – Vice President

I grew up in Virginia and South Carolina where I attended the University of South Carolina.  I grew up hunting dove and deer with my father and our family always had dogs.  While I learned the importance of obedience training from my Dad I did not train my first gun dog until I went to college.  My wife Kathryn and I purchased our first Boykin Spaniel shortly after we were married and in spite of my inexperience as a trainer our boy Chap became a very proficient retriever.   We also learned the stress and fun of hunt test by participating and judging in local hunt test events in South Carolina. 

Kathryn and I moved to The Woodlands in 1998 and after our two Boykin’s passed away at the age of 17 we purchased our first Lab (Sadie) in 2001.  She has retrieved all kinds of game birds all over the country.  She is now 10 years old and holds her Senior title which she earned at a Tejas event in 2005.  

I am an Operations Manager for Shell Oil Company where I have worked for 24 years.  My wife Kathryn and I have been married for 26 years and currently live in Magnolia, Texas.  We are grateful to have been blessed with our daughter Christa now 18. Our family of labs has grown to three; Sadie (10), Luke (10), and Obie (3).  Sadie and Obie both have their Senior titles.  We attend worship at Stonebridge Church in The Woodlands, Texas.

 

Warren Fields –  Secretary

I joined the board in November 2011 and serve as Secretary.   

I grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma and attended school (undergraduate and law school) at the University of Oklahoma.  While in school, I purchased my first shotgun with scholarship money and took up dove and quail hunting.  At that time, I started raising English Pointers and Boykin Spaniels and for years provided at least one pup to the annual Ducks Unlimited Banquet in Tulsa.

I moved to Houston in 1990 to begin my legal career and took up duck and goose hunting on the Katy Prairie.  Currently, I run a law practice catering to individuals and small to mid-size businesses.  I also serve as Executive Vice President of MudSaver Valve Technologies in Katy, Texas.

My wife Jerusha and I live in Katy, Texas with our three children, Martha Grace (8), Elizabeth (6) and Joseph (4).  We have a couple of unruly black labs,  Jessie (the babysitter)(11) and Star (2).  We attend worship at Second Baptist Church in Houston, Texas.

 

Dale Wilson – Treasurer

I grew up in Houston and work for a small construction company specializing in industrial heat treat equipment.

My wife (Pam Wilson) and I have been married since 1984; we have three wonderful children (two daughters and a son) all grown and a beautiful Granddaughter.    Pam and I have had dogs all of our married life and have been working with retrievers since 2009.  We have three Labs (for now) Gracie’s, Brody and Halle.

I enjoy Dog Training, Dove and Waterfowl hunting. We attend service at Bear Creek Baptist.

 

Lisa Frederick - Director at Large

 I'm a native Houstonian, I grew up with horses and little unruly house dogs.  I have been married to Bobby for 29 years, he loves to hunt any and everything, but never had a dog to retrieve his birds.  We have had Golden Retrievers, one I competed in Obedience Trials (before kids) and the another one that was just a house pet.  Bella is my first Labrador Retriever and is a joy!!  She is my companion around the house, in the field training or competing, and also a Pet Therapy Dog.  I got Bella after my kids went to college.  My daughter, Jennifer, makes fun of my camo clothes and my son Kevin, loves to hunt birds and big game.  Bella has enriched my life and opened up a whole new group of friends, that continues to grow everyday.  Bella and I run AKC and UKC/HRC Hunt Test.  Last year we started running HRC Test, it took me a while to learn to handle the gun, but after that obstacle it was a blast!!  I look forward to this year with Tejas Retriever Club.

As club officers we are dedicated to helping each other grow as dog trainers and handlers.  We are proud and honored to serve as your 2011 Club Officers. 

President
 Pam Wilson

Vice President
 Paul McWhirter

Secretary
 Warren Fields

Treasurer
 Dale Wilson

Directory at Large
 Lisa Fredrick


 Other Committees

Training Coordinator
Clint Zentic

Website
Dale Wilson

 

 






 Training Principles

Retriever training is a team effort; you are the coach, and as such you must lead the team.  Successful training is determined not only by the dog's ability, but also the trainer's ability, attitude, the time and effort you are willing to put in and giving your dog a variety of places to train.

1. Be sure that your retriever keeps a good attitude.  When they become worried their performance will diminish, use praise (especially when teaching something new).  Some retrievers get overly excited if too much praise is given, in that case praise on, praise off.
2. Learn to read and understand your retriever’s behavior while training.  Ask yourself why he/she did that.  Mix up your training actions and response to build a successful retriever. Be sure not to blame the dog when they don't perform as expected, a good trainer will take the time and work it out with them . . . simplify the training task.
3. Vary your training days and be careful not to overtrain or expect immediate results from your retriever.  Training takes perseverance; remember your dog deserves a day off, and so do you.
4. It is very important to maintain control of your temper toward the dog.  They get corrected because they broke the standards set before them.  Do not train when you are angry, neither you nor your dog will perform to your highest potential.
5. Most importantly teach your retriever before using the collar.  Use the collar to reinforce what you already taught.  Never collar correct the dog before you give a command.  The proper way is: "Sit." (nick) "Sit."  Be sure the dog thoroughly understands the command before using the collar.  If you have any doubt, do not give your retriever a collar correction.
6. Establish and maintain a standard.  The dog must know what is expected of him/her.  This is the fair way to train. Remember dog’s can have bad days; just as you do.
7. Your retriever is not out to “get” you - dogs do not think that way.  They make mistakes and may look for an easy way out, but that’s in their nature.
8. If your dog did something right, so did you. Go celebrate!