The breeding philosophy of Windfall is to have a very small program that is based on strong female lines. Good sires produce a number of offspring, but good bitches, especially those who are worked competitively, have very few offspring to carry on their qualities.

The primary focus of Windfall is on working ability and health. This does not mean that correct breed type or movement is unimportant. The record in the show ring of Windfall-bred or -sired dogs has been exceptional. Temperament is also of fundamental importance. Dogs must show stability while working, even if the task is difficult. They must also demonstrate good temperament around other dogs. Finally, there is no substitute for a Flat-Coat with character, intelligence and a unique sense of humor.

To have working dogs with drive, courage and perseverance under the most adverse conditions, we have chosen to select for small- to moderate-sized dogs, but with the goal of staying within the breed standard. We believe a smaller and highly athletic dog without excessive bone or coat will be more likely to withstand many years of hard work. Coat texture is especially important in a working dog, as soft, long, or fluffy coats with excessive feathering are not desirable in either a working dog or as an active family companion. A Flat-Coat should have a “shake dry” coat that does not carry extra dirt or burrs, nor should the dog require regular trimming to maintain a correct coat.

Another part of our philosophy is that Windfall dogs must compete against the very best retrievers in the country, which means competing only in all-breed field trials and hunt tests. We want our dogs to earn field trial awards in all-breed Derby and Qualifying stakes (** designation), become Qualified All-age dogs (designated by ***) or earn ribbons in stakes for Field Championships and Amateur Field Championships. All Windfall Flat-Coated Retrievers are exclusively owner-trained and handled. Distinct from our philosophy of competing in only all-breed field events, we treasure ribbons won in conformation at the breed’s National Specialties. These events showcase the largest number and highest quality Flat-Coats from the United States and Canada each year.

I am constantly evaluating my breeding program and my dogs. A few years ago now, I decided to import some dogs from Sweden. After many trips over and many wonderful hours watching dogs work and talking with breeders, I selected dogs I thought would bring something into my established lines without sacrificing health, working ability, conformation or temperament. So far, I have been guardedly happy with the result, with young dogs who are as easy to live with as they are hard-driving in the field.

There have been very few litters since I started in Flat-Coated Retrievers more than 30 years ago, and there’s usually a waiting list for our handsome, hard-working and competition-proven dogs.

I work to follow up on each puppy from birth until death. Preliminary hip and other health checks are required of all dogs, not only those who may be intended for competition or breeding. The majority of Windfall dogs are placed on non-breeding limited registration and spay/neuter agreements in active family homes. I require those who own Windfall dogs to maintain contact with me at six-month intervals so that I can know how the dogs are doing. This is especially important in trying to improve health and longevity.

Breeding stock is generally not available, and even then, written agreements are needed before a Windfall dog owned by someone else can be bred.

While we have two Windfall stud dogs and frozen semen is in storage from another dog who has passed on, it is much more difficult to control what happens with offspring from a stud dog. Because of this reality, there are no plans to have a stud dog again who is generally available; there are also already enough descendants from Windfall male lines in the North American gene pool.