Jacob Huset, Kimball, Minn.

I grew up in Montana, hunting pheasants and also ducks. Now I'm an X-ray technician in St. Cloud. When I picked out my puppy, I knew I wanted a female. The breeder asked me whether I planned to hunt geese with her, in addition to ducks and grouse and pheasants, and I said, "Yes." "OK,'' he said, "you better take the biggest female.'' She's still young, only nine months. But I'd say we had a good first hunting season together. She had five points on wild birds. And she's a good retriever. Except when I'm at work, I'm with her all the time. She rides in the truck with me and, at night, sleeps in my bed.