Testimonials

TESTIMONIALS –  I have included updates and testimonials on this page!  We are very proud of what DTR Kennel is throwing and we are extremely grateful to all our DTR fans and families. 

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Lucinda is amazing!!! She is incredibly thoughtful in her approach to breeding, and in pairing her dogs with their future owners. She is communicative throughout the process and I felt attached to Lucy well before she came home. Her dogs are not only incredibly beautiful, and smart, but they have the best temperament. I feel lucky to be a part of the Ducktown family!  Sara + Lucy. Wiggles+ Addi

“We are so pleased (and in love) with our puppy from Lucinda & Ducktown Retrievers! Lucinda took incredible care to educate us on how to prepare and what to expect. She was wonderful from the start and continues to be attentive! We are so very happy!”  Billie + Bonnie S.   Jetta+Bam 2021

“Overall exceptional experience. From the first phone call we could tell that she is dedicated to these pups and their health and success. So much time and effort was put into these pups and it truly shows. She provided updates very frequently and prepared them extremely well for the transition into their new home. The fact that my pup already loved his crate and responded to “here” and “do your business” was a true blessing. Our pup Ripp has an intense drive to retrieve and is sitting on command at 8 weeks. If you want a great looking pup who is driven to retrieve, get on her list.”

“DR has been great all along from our initial approach until we picked up our puppy. Lucinda kept us in the loop all along sending photos, videos and tips – great job”. Richard B.

“I never expected to find my breeder scrolling through Instagram. After speaking to Lucinda and looking at DTR’s social media, I knew this was where we were going to get our pup, and we had struck gold with her. She has blown me out of the water in terms of keeping us informed, sending pictures/updates, and talking to us about our girl, and laying out her process. She is super transparent, and goes all-out for her dogs and her families. For exactly one year, we were on the Jetta/Bam list, and she matched us up with the perfect puppy. Our little lady, Onyx Grace is wonderful, she is well-behaved, super sweet, loves people and interacting, and loves exploring the world. She is mature for her age, and has been an easy-going girl. We had a road trip from GA to MN to bring her home, and she handled it all so well, as well as going to work, and meeting people, and having new experiences. Lucinda does a lot in terms of development and growth while she has the little ones, and it shows. We all love her, she has melted into our family, like it was meant to be. I would recommend her to anyone looking for a top-quality Labrador, especially one that they would like to be a hunter. We look forward to all the memories made with Onyx, taking her places, and showing her everything, and lots of hunting! Go to Lucinda and her family, believe in her line, you will get a great, furry friend, for life!”  Aris

“I have to preface this by saying that I am an extremely tough sell. I felt like I had the perfect dog, but tragically I lost her at 6 years old. I figured there was no way possible I could ever replace her. Unbeknownst to me, my girlfriend had reached out to Lucinda. Occasionally, she would mention Ducktown Retrievers and that I should at least take a look. To be quite honest, I couldn’t even bring myself to look. Months went by. One day, I finally decided to reach out to Lucinda. She answered the phone by calling out my name. I had no idea she had been talking to Michelle for months. She knew my entire story and was incredibly sympathetic. After speaking with her for 10 minutes, I immediately felt a connection. She put me on her waiting list for a Gus and Jetta breeding. My Jenny was a yellow female. It just didn’t feel right to go with a black. Lucinda felt this and suggested the possibility of a yellow breeding. We discussed this multiple times and Michelle and I even drove up for a meeting. I cannot describe how accommodating Lucinda was. She is an absolute gem. Very knowledgeable and very passionate about what she does. She figured me out perfectly. We picked Tate up on May 15. She told me in the weeks prior she was leaning toward a male for me. I have not had a male in over 25 years. She decided that temperament was more important than gender for me and she could not have been any more correct. I was looking for a laid-back dog with a switch. He is perfect. Laid-back, extremely trainable, and definitely has an on/off switch. Tate has huge paws to fill. I don’t think he could be any more perfect for us. If you are looking for a breeder, look no more. Lucinda York and Ducktown Retrievers are absolutely top-notch.”

“We have had our pup ‘Hurly’ about 5 weeks now out of Frankie and Haze. He is everything that I asked for, plenty of drive, very smart and extremely good looking. He will be trained by me (at least that is the plan) in all aspects of making a good gun dog. Lucinda and Ducktown Retrievers did an excellent job with picking out the puppy that we asked for. Great job Lucinda and continue the good work!”

“Ms. Lucinda is amazing at what she does. She takes so much time with her dogs and it shows! She takes into consideration your needs and wants from a dog and matches you with the perfect puppy. I cannot say enough good things about her line. She communicates with you every step of the way and even offers support and guidance after you take your puppy home!”

“My family just got our second puppy from Lucinda at Ducktown Retrievers!!! She is the best breeder, she cares so deeply about her dogs, we couldn’t ask for anything more. From the time the puppy is born you receive pictures, videos, advice on how to train and care for your puppy.
Although her dogs are bred to be top notch hunting retrievers they make wonderful pets and family members. The breeding brings intelligence, drive and loyalty to their owners. I can’t say enough about Lucinda and Ducktown Retrievers!!!”

“Lucinda York at Ducktown Retrievers is a top class breeder who I am so thankful to know and have worked with. After calling multiple breeders in the area in search of a black Labrador, and leaving messages with no returned calls or a nonchalant reply to my inquiry, I came upon Ducktown Retrievers. Lucinda immediately took an interest in me and my story and deeply cared about my goals in getting a Labrador. Most importantly, she wanted to make sure we were the right fit. Unlike other breeders I spoke with, many just wanted to sell their next pup. Lucinda wants to find the best homes for her litters and it shows in all steps of her process. I appreciate her follow up phone calls regarding the litter, attentiveness to what I was looking for in a lab, and most importantly, her genuine love and devotion to her dogs. Lucinda’s passion is demonstrated in all steps of breeding. At Ducktown Retrievers, Lucinda works to find the best pup for you and your goals which I truly appreciate. We are so happy to have our boy, Beau – he fits perfectly into our family and is a beautiful dog with such a wonderful disposition – and he is oh, so handsome! I highly recommend Ducktown Retrievers for family dogs or hunting dogs!”

“Lucinda was very helpful and knowledgeable. We talked about a couple of litters that where on the ground and soon to come to decide what litter would be a better fit for my needs. She kept us up to date frequently after the pups where born and was filled with great information. Made the drive from mid Michigan to get our new family member”

“We could not have asked for a better breeder & overall experience with Ducktown Retrievers. Lucinda York helped guide us – way before the pups were born. And, once they were, she kept us updated daily how the litter was doing. We really looked forward to her updates, pictures and videos. That phase of the process really was great fun and it made us fell so well informed & connected way before we picked our puppy up. I write this one week after bringing her home – she is energetic, friendly, curious, loving and amazingly well behaved. She loves to explore our property right at my heals. She is going to be an awesome companion and already shows signs of being a good bird dog. Lucinda is a great breeder. We thank her and we offer our highest personal recommendation.”

“Lucinda @ Ducktown Retrievers is by far the best breeder you would ever want to meet. Lucinda cares so much for her dogs and puppies. She keeps you informed throughout the process with photos, videos and emails. Lucinda makes sure that each puppy is matched to the right family. We are so pleased. Molly has only been here for a week and she is already stolen our hearts.”

“I can’t say enough good things about Lucinda and our experience with Ducktown Retrievers. She was always very responsive and willing to answer any questions we had during the process. Lucinda asked us detailed questions about what kind of dog we wanted for our family and Murphy is exactly what we were looking for. She loves her pups and kept us updated with pictures and videos throughout their time with her. We can’t recommend her enough.”

“Great experience working with Ducktown Retrievers. Lucinda was terrific through the entire process and her passion for the breed and confidence in her line really shines through. Lucinda is amazing at reading behavioral characteristics and drive in her litters early on. Was invaluable in helping us dial in the right pup and fit for our family.
Our beautiful black lab male is the perfect balance of sweet easygoing temperament, intelligence, athleticism, classic looks and high drive to please. The exact combo we were looking for as family and hunting companion. He is a joy to work with and has taken to all aspects of training exceptionally well. Truly is a special dog and we could not be happier with our decision.

Many thanks to Lucinda for her professional level of service and attention to detail. The premium quality hunting labs Ducktown Retrievers is producing speaks volumes to her dedication for proper breeding practices maintaining the highest level of dogs possible. We greatly appreciate your efforts!”

Cash isn’t a year yet and is handling like a big dog. He has it all drive, looks, natural ability and ton of trainability. He is working on his HR title and has 2 passes at the moment. He is owner trained and handled. This guy is a pup to watch. He is out of HRCH Buck, MH & Ducktowns Frankie (who is a Addi/Juice daughter)

“After a lot of researching breeders to find not just a good hunting lab but also a well balanced companion, I settled on Lucinda. Great decision! She took great care and a lot of time getting to know us and what we wanted with our next dog. Her communication with us was great all along the way and helped with the waiting. Once the pups were here we got weekly updates and enjoyed watching all the pups develop. The care she took in the matching process really paid off. She spends a lot of time with her pups and buyers and makes great matches. Max came to us almost housebroken and crate trained. Very easy pup to train. Intelligent and loves to learn. Lucinda is available for questions and guidance still and he’s almost 6 months. Lucinda loves her pups and cares about their placement. Whether you are looking for a hunting companion or a best friend or both you will not find a breeder who cares more about her dogs and improving the breed.”

“I have had my female black pup for three weeks, and she has been nothing short of amazing. When I brought her home I could tell she had been exposed to many different surroundings such as stairs, tall grass, other dogs etc. Mrs. York does a great job with her puppies, and it is very obvious that she takes great pride in her dogs. I would recommend Ducktown Retrievers to anyone! “-Andy Taylor

“Lucinda, was by far one of the best breeders we have ever come across. We searched for months, calling breeders on breeders on breeders and we just couldn’t click with them. We didn’t have this “I love this breeder” come at all. We came across Ducktown Retrievers, saw the pictures of the Ducktown family, and had to call Lucinda. After speaking with her, we knew, this is the breeder we are getting our puppy from. By far one of the best processes and Lucinda made it that much better. We are so in love with our Lily girl and we’re just discussing that whenever we’re ready for another dog, we 100% will go through the Ducktown family.”

Thank you! Jacqueline DiPietro

“ I just wanted to reach out and give you a quick update on Angus “Gus”. He is the most amazing dog ever and I am so thankful I was connected with Lucinda at Ducktown Retrievers when I was on the hunt for the perfect Labrador. I am a professional dog trainer so having a dog with great drive and athletic ability was extremely important to me when I began my search. Gus has been everything I asked for and more. He is an amazing demonstration dog at work and learned very quickly how to work both on and off leash. He is a true retriever at heart and loves the water, birds and working for me. He has an amazing nose and can find anything you ask him to. His marking abilities are impeccable and he is continuing to advance with his retriever training every day. Besides being a great hunting and work companion he is a very sweet boy and loves to snuggle. He is very loyal and makes friends with every person and dog he meets. I honestly couldn’t have picked a better dog and I owe many thanks to Lucinda for raising such an amazing litter and quality breeding.” McKenzie

“I wanted to reach out and thank you/update you on my sweet Lucy! My parents surprised me with her as a college graduation present and I couldn’t have asked for a better gift. She’s incredibly smart and a quick learner. She’s from the Jetta and Gus litter and will be 9 months old this month! It feels like just yesterday that I brought her home. I’m so thankful that my dad decided to get me a puppy from Ducktown Retriever’s! Lucy and I are a perfect match; everything I asked for in a dog and so much more. She is my little sidekick, always following me around the house, laying right up against me in bed, and constantly trying to talk to me with her little moans and cries for attention. Lucy loves my entire family, especially her “papa,” my dad, who has an entire morning routine with her that includes her sitting on his lap while they watch the outdoor channel (she LOVES watching TV). Everyone that meets her instantly falls in love with her! Her hobbies include; swimming in the lake, going for walks, craving attention, eating, playing fetch, and going for car rides. She’s a precious angel and I never knew I could love something so much!” Emily  January 2018

“Hey Lucinda!! It’s Sophie Gawrych! My boyfriend Ren and I have sweet Mallie girl from your addi and hammer litter. It’s been a while since we talked and I just wanted to check in! Miss Mallie will be 8 months old this month! Crazy to see how time flies!! We are more than satisfied with her and are so thankful for you and your care for these dogs. She is an excellent retriever, we can’t get her out of the water ever! She retrieved her first ducks in December and has such an amazing drive! She’s so sweet and goofy and the best cuddle bug around. She’s everything we could have asked for and more! Definitely has completed our little family!! thank you so much again! (Sorry for the over load of pictures)!! She’s such a busy girl and loves everyone she meets!!”  January 2018

“When i decided it was time to make the commitment and buy a puppy there was a lot to pick from. After hours of searching and researching I found Ducktown Retrievers. Lucinda answered the first time I called and was more than helpful with information. It didn’t take long and I had a good feeling about this. One that I never got with any other breeder/kennel I talked to. So I made my decision and reserved a black female. I got multiple updates right up until we picked up Bella. Lucinda told me what to expect out of her and she was spot on! Bella has exceeded every expectation you could ever dream of having for a dog. I still can’t believe how accurate she was with what all she told me Bella would do and how she would be. The whole experience was so easy and stress free. Bella is a part of the family now and I owe it all to Lucinda and Ducktown Retrievers. When the time comes for me to buy another one I know where it will come from.”

“Thank you Lucinda York for our wonderful boy, Brooks! He just completed an amazing road trip to our family cabin in Canada. He got tons of love, romped on the beach, learned to swim, and took rides on the boat! He has been an amazing addition to the family, and he is truly going to be a talented dog!

“Thank you Lucinda York! Our family is completely in love with “Harli”. We can not say enough good things about Lucinda and her amazing line of pups. We started this process of finding the right pup over 8 months ago. She exceeded our expectations in getting to know our family to make sure all of our needs were met. This line of labs is something special….Loving, energetic, intelligent, not to mention beautiful structure. We can not wait to see her in training and watch her retrieving ducks.” The Cannon Family

“Our sweet puppy came to us from Ducktown Retrievers. We talked to so many breeders and I am so glad we went with Ducktown Retrievers. Lucinda is amazing. She isn’t just a Breeder, she loves her puppies so much and keeps in touch through the whole thing. She made sure we got our puppy shipped here to California, and checks in to make sure all is well with her. Lucinda is always willing to give advice and offer help for anything we need. As for our puppy she is so beautiful! She’s smart and has the best temperament. She came to us so well adjusted and so eager to learn her new environment. You can’t go wrong with choosing a puppy for your family from Lucinda”

“Last month, we picked up our pup Coco from Lucinda. She is wonderful to work with. We had begun our search earlier in the summer, and were not having much luck with breeders that fit our timeline and goals. When we found Lucinda, everything fell into place We loved working with her and following the pups on fb and Instagram. She was very good about posting updates each week as they got bigger. We were coming up from Florida so the pics and updates kept us entertained. We had to push back our pup pickup date by another 2 weeks and she was more than accommodating. Everything about the transaction and pickup day went as smooth as could be. So far every one of our friends had been envious and impressed with Coco’s looks and temperament. After 2 weeks she has already become the best part of our family. We couldn’t be happier and would highly recommend Ducktown to anyone who is serious about getting a top notch dog from a great breeder. Thanks again Lucinda!![

“My fiancé and I bought a pup from Lucinda and Ducktown Retrievers earlier this year. My fiancé loves to duck hunt and he doesn’t have Facebook. Our puppy, “Mabel,” is doing wonderfully through training. She has an awesome, outgoing, and eager to please personality but is all business when we are training. She is mighty birdy. Lucinda was awesome to work with through the whole process and made sure she understood our goals on the front end and also made sure that we understood her goals for Mabel: that the pup would go to a serious duck hunting home and she would be put to work doing what she’s bred to do! We highly recommend Lucinda and Ducktown Retrievers to any person who is serious about having a fantastic retriever and gun dog”

“Lucinda was great to work with in our quest to find a new addition to our family. She took the time to learn about our family, our home life and our other dogs. It is clear that Lucinda is dedicated to her profession and her DTR family.

Our girl is a sweet, a great pick for our home, and we couldn’t be happier with Ducktown Retrievers. Thank you DTR for everything!”    Sal M

Juice & Addi Litter 2016 –   Ducktown’s Girl Named Earle “Earle” Sarah and I have had an incredible experience getting our first dog together from Ducktown Retrievers. Even before meeting Lucinda, I could tell how passionate and knowledgeable she was about the business just by talking with her. When we arrived, Lucinda’s professionalism was even more evident, as the puppies were in a great environment and she had already begun introducing them to birds. Many thanks to Ducktown Retrievers for an excellent breeding! Earle has brought more joy to us than we could have imagined. She has a curious personality, an energetic spirit and willingness to learn. She’s the perfect companion and listens very well. We couldn’t have asked for a happier or sweeter dog. Time will tell as a duck dog, but I am optimistic to say the least. Stay tuned for updates on Ducktown’s Girl Named “Earle”. – Sarah and Wynne Barton Nashville, TN

Belle – At two, Belle is still a little “goofy” around the house but amazes me at how she turns the switch when in a hunting situation. This week she has seen all of the hard and harsh conditions. She has went from a covered dog stand to a pit and a skid blind. She has hunted in open water and 2 inches of ice and mastered them all. She is a heck of a “meat dog” and learns something new, every trip.  From Todd L.  12/29/17

We wrapped up the Arkansas season on Sunday. Belle had a great first season! She learned something new every trip. She handled well and lost some of her hard headedness while keeping all of her drive. I watched her make two 200 plus yard retrieves. I can’t say enough about how pleased I was with her this season. I will add that she hates having her picture taken….LOL  1/28/2018

Ducktown’s June Cash “June” – June started training with a pro at 6 months. She was easy to force fetch and collar condition.  She is a natural duck dog.  She loves to hunt, does great on the boat.  She is owned my a loving family who spend many hours with her in the house.  She is a lucky girl.  We are proud to have owners that take the time to spend with their dogs to make them the best dog they can be.  June is only one year in this photo. She is a beautiful dog, long coat with excellent conformation and a nice head.  We strive to produce big dogs that are nice looking as well as talented. June the real deal.  Feel free to call me if you would like to a reference.12/1/16

Addi & Juice Pup  –  Hi Lucinda! “As Christmas approaches, I am reminded of the day we drove from Tampa to your house to pick up our newest family member almost one year ago.  I remember during our interview explaining what we were looking for in a pup–to be a family dog.  The day we arrived to pick our pup, you did a great job pointing out positive traits in each puppy but ultimately left the decision up to us.  Choosing a puppy for our family would have been very difficult as they were all so cute; however, for my son and “Bailey”, it literally was love at first sight for them both!  That love has grown between them as well as well as the rest of the family.  We can’t imagine life without her!  We couldn’t ask for a better puppy.  Overall, she has a very passive and gentle temperament which is perfect for a family dog.  She was easily housebroken and quickly learned basic commands and continues to work on more advanced commands.  She loves her daily walks and when she sees a ball, well, she lives up to her retriever heritage and will return it as often as it is thrown for her. Again, from the bottom of our hearts we thank you for allowing us to adopt Bailey. She brings so much happiness each and every day!”

“We could not have asked for a better breeder & overall experience with Ducktown Retrievers. Lucinda York helped guide us – way before the pups were born. And, once they were, she kept us updated daily how the litter was doing. We really looked forward to her updates, pictures and videos. That phase of the process really was great fun and it made us fell so well informed & connected way before we picked our puppy up. I write this one week after bringing her home – she is energetic, friendly, curious, loving and amazingly well behaved. She loves to explore our property right at my heals. She is going to be an awesome companion and already shows signs of being a good bird dog. Lucinda is a great breeder. We thank her and we offer our highest personal recommendation.”  Steve M.

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