About Us

My name is Mike Taddy.  My wife is Stephanie and together we have two children, Hailey and Hunter.  Harley and Maggie are our two beloved black Labradors.  Steph and I are originally from small towns in northeastern Wisconsin.  We've known each other since grade school and have been blessed to be married since 2001.  I currently serve in the United States Air Force.  I joined immediately upon graduation in 1998.  We have been stationed in Texas, Florida, Hawaii, North Dakota, and Oklahoma. 

Our tour in North Dakota eventually brought us to Dakota Hunting Dog.  It's been an adventurous journey to say the least.  Many thought we were crazy in that we wanted to go to ND after Hawaii.  I missed hunting and it was one of the closest bases to our family and friends in Wisconsin.  We fell in love with it as soon as we arrived...so much so that we purchased land in McHenry county with the desire to call ND our home upon retirement from the Air Force.  We bought both of our labs while we were there.  Harley was the quintessential mistake -- bought sheepishly from a pet store.  However, through hard work, determination, and patience (from both dog and owners) he has turned into a fine hunting companion.  Maggie was an overachiever from the start.  She was everything you're supposed to avoid when buying -- the runt of the litter and the last one left.  However, I could see her natural desire to retrieve and please...and I was correct.  She excels in upland, but retrieves ducks too.  Both of them are important members of our family. 

As I detail in my Hunting Dog Traveler's Guides, I almost lost Harley to heat exhaustion during an early season grouse hunt.  Standing over him and not knowing whether he would live or die was extremely difficult.  I further complicated the situation by not knowing where the closest vet office was...hence the need for my guide.  Additionally, traveling with hunting dogs can be trying at times.  My dog-friendly hotel locator provides a jump-start to planning your next hunt.

Feel free to visit our personal website here. 

Good huntin'

The Taddy's

We need to get a new picture that includes Hunter!