Joe and Shelley LeBlanc have had dogs around them their entire lives. LeBlanc’s Rice Creek Hunting & Recreation, where the kennel is located, was started by his father one year before Joe was born, in 1961. He has been at the shooting preserve ever since. Joe has literally experienced dog training his entire life.

Joe's dad had German Shorthaired Pointers here to use as guide dogs on the preserve ever since Joe can remember.  Joe has been working with Shorthairs all of his life and will occasionally have a litter here at the kennel.  Joe has trained more than 15 pointing dogs of different breeds to their Master Hunter titles.  Family life and the growing hunting preserve has now forced him to retire as a trainer, however, he still manages to sneak a few in per year.  Joe is an AKC registered judge for AKC Hunt Tests and has volunteered to be a gunner in many different kinds of dog events for 20+ years.

Shelley grew up with her standard poodle sleeping on her bed every night.  To her family, the dog was definitely a family member.  Shelley has lived without a dog only a couple of years of her life - while she was in college.  She acquired her first Gordon Setter in 1982 (right after graduating from college) and started showing her Gordons in the conformation ring, handling them in hunt tests, obedience trials and of course, hunting them in the grouse woods and pheasant fields.  After spending 12 years campaigning her Gordon Setters in the show, field and occasionally in the obedience ring, she has decided to commit more of her time to raising their family - and less traveling with the dogs!

Joe and Shelley have a strong faith in Jesus Christ and are involved in their local church, Grace Covenant Church, in Little Falls, MN.  Their time spent campaigning their dogs in the past has now moved to raising their family and learning and working to be better examples of what Jesus would want them to be.  They're constantly working at it!! 

God has shown us how truly blessed we are!!