Meet the owners of Tallgrass British Labs

Robert Clair man walking british labradors in a peaceful green field by pond at Tallgrass Kennels

A Little About Us...

Just as we desire to get to know our dogs’ new families, you may be interested in who we are, as well.

Tallgrass Kennels relaxing front porch where we visit about life and difference between British labs and American labs

First and most importantly,
we are believers ~ born again Christians.
We make mistakes (sin) every day of our lives but know we are forgiven and love the Lord for what He has done for us in Jesus Christ.

It's not about religion. It's just about Jesus.

"I am the way and the truth and the life;
no one comes to the Father but through Me."
(John 14:6)

Secondly, we LOVE dogs!
Dogs have always been a part of our lives.

Cute little baby boy in a wagon with a puppy trying to get in.

Funny cartoon about dogs sleeping on the bed and taking up all the room.

Man taking nap with Tallgrass British lab. Calm British lab training!

All kinds of dogs hanging out in the kitchen.

South Dakota cold pheasant hunt with Tallgrass Kennels British labs in the snow.Tallgrass British labs love to hunt!

Tallgrass Kennels owner cradling white calm British Lab puppy

Robert graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Conservation. He began working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1983 for the Agricultural Research Service at an experiment station in west central Arkansas.

Tallgrass Kennels Started Pup training, dog running with bumper to Robert.

Robert Clair standing on the Stikine River flats near Wrangell, Alaska

While employed by the ARS, Robert took a leave of absence and worked for the U.S. Department of the Interior - Fish and Wildlife Service on the North Slope Bird Habitat Study in northern Alaska.
He then took a position with the USDA Forest Service as a wildlife biologist in Wrangell, Alaska, where he met his wife, Kiply.
He left government service in 1993 and began working toward establishing Tallgrass Kennels British Labradors, our family business we own and operate.

Robert Clair in waders with British lab holding a duck on a South Dakota duck hunt. Tallgrass british labs love to duck hunt.

British black lab jumping fence with Tallgrass Kennels dog trainer encouragement using British style methods

Kiply's colorful artwork using Tallgrass Kennels British labrador pawprints

~ artwork courtesy of our dogs
Cuzi, Bun & Molly

Kiply graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Science and began working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Forest Service on the Wrangell District of the Tongass National Forest.

She worked in the Wildlife Department as wildlife technician, then transferred to the recreation department where, among other duties, she served as an interpreter for tourists who were visiting Anan, a developed bear observatory on the Wrangell District.

Since then, Kiply has enjoyed working in various other environments (i.e., hospital, vet clinic, restaurants & elementary schools). She is now full time at our British lab kennel.

Young Kiply Clair in her USDA Forest Service uniform on the Tongass National Forest Anan Bear Observatory near Wrangell, Alaska

Poster with saying once upon a time there was a girl who really loved dogs. That was me. The end.

Kiply reading dog article to Tallgrass Kennels black British labs, Posey and Shamus. There are differences between american and british and english labs.

Shamus & Posey's son, Buddy, in VA, wrote an article for a magazine... (well, his owner would have typed it... we all know dogs can't type!)

Cartoon cute when dogs crunch, but not cute when humans do!

Tallgrass Kennels Kiply Clair storytime with group of black female British labradors explaining the difference between English labs and British labs and American labs

Story time before our walkabout.
~ photo courtesy of Kirsten Stasney

Our two sons, Noah & Caleb, grew up with British labs and helped tremendously in socializing and caring for them.

Young boy napping with Tallgrass Kennels British labrador whose leg is over her eyes

Cute young boy fast asleep with Tallgrass British lab puppies sleeping on him.

Young boy socializing Tallgrass Kennels yellow puppy by reading the newspaper to her.

Cute little boy hand being licked by Tallgrass Kennels British lab puppy

young boy in South Dakota snow with three Tallgrass British black labs

Two boys playing with and giving British black lab puppies at Tallgrass Kennels.

Two young boys in kids' jeep with Tallgrass British black male labrador

Young boy with dog training whistle in his mouth and young Tallgrass British lab on slip lead

Pheasant feathers from South Dakota hunt with Tallgrass British labs

British labrador trainers and Tallgrass Kennels owners, Robert and Kiply Clair

Having our small kennel of British labradors has been such a gift in so many ways...
the dogs we get to live and work with, the people we get to meet and know, and the endless things
we learn on a daily basis are all more than we could have hoped for.

We do enjoy living with, training, and shooting over our British labs.
They enrich our lives at home and in the fields and marshes.
We hope they do the same for you.
Remind yourselves to train with patience, fairness, consistency & kindness
and treasure the time you have with them.

Robert and golden retriever Mattie on Wrangell, Alaska island mountain top

"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace.
In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart! I have overcome the world." ~ Jesus
John 16:33