The vom Holzbach story…

We never had any intentions of breeding when we picked up our first Deutsch Langhaar puppy. We were new hunters who enjoyed working with dogs, so a bird dog seemed like the right step to take. We intended to train, learn, and hunt with Liesel vom Coraschatten, who we know as Piper.

Fast forward a few years and now we are fully immersed in this crazy adventure. We are active in our local NAVHDA chapter and regularly train with other versatile hunting dogs, with Joe taking Piper all the way to the NAVHDA Invitational and earning the title of Versatile Champion. Jennifer writes about our hunting adventures through a variety of outlets, including Project Upland. What started as a casual hobby quickly became a way of life for us.

When it came time to get a second bird dog, we had no doubt that we wanted a puppy out of Piper. She’d passed all of the required steps for breed certification with flying colors. Our bond had grown so strong that we couldn’t imagine getting a puppy anywhere else.

Our name, Holzbach, means Wood Creek. This is a nod to Piper’s roots at Coraschatten kennel in Wood River, Nebraska, as well as our current location near Woods Creek in semi-rural western Washington. We celebrate the past, appreciate the present, and look forward to a future of exceptional bird dogs.

We enjoy hunting the variety of opportunities available in Washington, including waterfowl in Puget Sound, grouse in the foothills, quail and pheasant in the central basin, and chukar and huns in the breaks of eastern WA. The versatility of these dogs means that they are equally at home in a kayak as they are in a chukar canyon.

Thanks for visiting our site and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about the Deutsch Langhaars, hunting in the Pacific Northwest, or bird dogs in general. If there’s one thing we’ve learned throughout this adventure, it’s that the bird dog community is an amazing group of people who love to talk about their passions. We aim to be a resource to others, especially to the newcomers who have no idea how fun this crazy adventure is about to get.

Waidmannsheil!
Joe and Jennifer Wapenski