Click on the photo above to see pictures of dogs from our past.

The beginning

Highcaliber was founded in 1981 with the purchase of a Chesapeake Bay Retriever male called "Chet". Chet was an outstanding hunting dog with marking ability and field drive matched by few dogs.

Unfortunately his prowess in the field was short lived and his health proved to be poor. He died at only 18 months of kidney failure.

The heart ache and disappointment of loosing such a young promising youngster however was one of the tools in making us remain committed to striving to produce sound healthy dogs. Chet was the first dog that we took to an obedience class and our first conformation event with.

Our second dog was another Chesapeake, Cavendish Autumn Queen WC, CD. "Belle" who was our introduction to the world of field trials, dog shows and obedience trials. With her we experienced our first success.

It was with Belle we ran our first field trials, Working Certificate tests, earned our first conformation points and obedience title. She was also the dam of our first champion, Ch Highcaliber Kodiak Cub. In fact our first two champions were Chesapeake's, the second another homebred was Ch Highcaliber Roughwater Murphy.

In 1984 our interest in Labradors began when a friend of ours brought his new puppy over to train. Sasha was an English-styled black female. She was sweet, affectionate and a very willing worker. She possessed great drive, an outstanding nose and a willing to please that won us over immediately. On top of this she had lots of breed type and there was no mistaking the quality of her bloodlines when one looked at her. When she showed not only the ability to work from a duck blind but on upland, my husband an avid pheasant hunter was sold on the breed.

When tragedy struck a second time and Belle being diagnosed with an untreatable auto-immune disease and given a short life expectancy, we knew she was just one of those dogs that was irreplaceable. It was time to consider an alternate breed to avoid comparisons. She was an outstanding Chesapeake with great temperament, workability and a wonderful family dog. She will always be sadly missed.

So it was that we began to research Labradors and in 1985 after a few months of going to various events and kennels, Sharon saw an impressive black male, Ch Graemoor Labradale Smoky. He was bright, outgoing, gorgeous head, coat, tailset and side gait true to a working dog! Then we saw one of his offspring equal in aspects to her sire. We contacted Smoky's owner and reserved a puppy from his next upcoming litter.

We did not yet know that this puppy would have such a huge impact. Josh turned us from owning a couple of dogs to the hobby kennel we are today. He introduced us to the friendship that has bloomed between Labradale and Highcaliber. The business relationship we have developed today and success was guaranteed.

For over twenty-five years Highcaliber has remained committed to producing sound working Retrievers who are competitive in conformation in Canada and the US.

CH/HR Labradale Highcaliber Bullet CD, WCX