June Joy All Star: Ed Bures, BHE Retrievers 

Former Joplin police officer Ed Bures started his journey into the world of retrievers and working dogs in 1999. Ed was invited by a group of coworkers and friends to go duck hunting, marking his first experience in the activity. It didn’t take long for him to develop a deep passion for the sport. However, one aspect he didn’t particularly enjoy was swimming to retrieve the ducks. He decided it was time to get a dog to do the work for him. So, he began a new hunt, a hunt for the perfect retriever to get his ducks.

Ed attempted to work with multiple dogs from local shelters; however, each one proved to be inadequate for the task at hand. Several dogs and one annoyed wife later; Ed’s wife decided to go out and buy him a labrador retriever from a local breeder with a reputable hunting line. 

Once Ed got this dog, he went straight to work; buying the Water Dog book (as many other retriever trainers and handlers did in the 90’s) and began daily training to get the dog in tip-top shape for hunting season. Another resource that guided Ed to his success with training was a chat blog on the Conservation Cafe. Engaging with local Labrador trainers, owners, and breeders through this platform, he gained insights into effective training practices. Over time, Ed built a community of like-minded individuals who shared a passion for training Labrador Retrievers. They decided to organize meetups where they could train their dogs together and benefit from each other’s knowledge. They started out with just a few guys from Joplin, then it quickly grew with more people from other areas of southwest Missouri. This group training eventually formed the Southwest Missouri Retriever Club. 

During their training, Ed learned that several of the guys that trained with him competed in HRC hunt tests. Ed has always had a competitive spirit, so naturally, he was intrigued by the hunt tests and competing with his dogs against the standards he had set for them. Fellow kennel owners and labrador trainers Bud McConaughey and Bob Willet helped Ed and his dog get prepared for their first hunt test and taught Ed the ins and outs of the competition. Although there were plenty of humbling moments in the beginning, Ed was hooked on the competition and wouldn’t stop until his dog was titled. During this period, Ed commenced a discipline of purchasing, training, and selling dogs to finance his hunt tests. This marked the inception of BHE Retrievers.

Ed switched over to JOY Dog Food after a long road of trial and error with a multitude of brands. His dogs could not hold weight on them with any of the formulas and their stools were often very loose. He started asking around and was recommended JOY Dog Food from Jason Greenstreet at Greenstreet Feed in Walker, MO. After hearing Jason’s success with the food, he decided to try out the High Energy 24/20. He immediately observed a notable improvement in his dogs’ stool consistency, which had become firmer. Additionally, within a few weeks, he noticed that all of his dogs maintained their weight, a feat that other brands had failed to accomplish. Remarkably, they were able to reduce the amount of food they fed while still achieving excellent results.

Once people started to learn Ed was starting dogs to be duck dogs or competition dogs, they started to reach out for their dogs to be trained. His new kennel allowed him to train dogs for others, offering a variety of services from basic obedience, gun dog training, and competition training. He would also handle other people’s dogs at hunt tests. Ed eventually got into breeding pups and selling them as well. Over the years, Ed has successfully produced numerous master hunters and has even trained dogs for the United States Armed Forces. Recognizing his expertise, Canine Solutions approached him with a request to train several dogs for military purposes such as bomb detection, search and rescue, and more, to be deployed overseas.

 “Joy Dog Food is JUST THAT GOOD! If you want to get the best results, feed your dog like an athlete, feed them with JOY Dog Food.”

– Ed Bures, BHE Retrievers

BHE Retrievers strives for excellence with your companion. They treat each dog like they are their own and provide the highest standard of care and attention to each client. Ed dedicates a portion of his week to personally meeting with each dog owner and guiding them through the training process, ensuring they are equipped to continue training their dogs at home. Their unwavering commitment stems from their top priority: customer satisfaction. To keep the owners involved and informed, they regularly send weekly videos and pictures, allowing them to witness the progress their dogs are making. Whether you are needing basic obedience training, gun dog training, or want to get your dog ready for hunt tests and live in the Southwest MO area, reach out to Ed Bures at BHE Retrievers and he will take care of your dog’s needs! Call him at 417-684-2390 or message him on his Facebook page here.