JOHN started training field trial dogs professionally in 1968 working
with Rex Carr in Oakdale, CA. He has trained and handled several
Field and Amateur Field Champions, as well as a National Amateur
Field Champion. John and Debra opened Hightest Kennels in 1986.
John supervises the training process and development of every dog.
Each dog must meet John’s rigorous standards to advance in
the gun dog program. John has a wealth of experience in troubleshooting and sorting out dog problems. John enjoys bird shooting,
big game hunting, fishing and racing his Miata.
Debra
Folsom
Business Manager/Owner
DEBRA started breeding and training Labrador Retrievers for field competition in Canada, in 1978. She has a three year degree in Animal Health Technology from St. Lawrence College in Ontario, Canada. Her professional background in animal husbandry and genetics is an asset in selecting the best breeding pairs and managing the whelping and rearing of every litter. Debra competed in AKC licenced Field Trials for several years and has handled many of the Hightest sires and dams in AKC Hunting Tests to achieve their Senior and Master Hunter titles. Debra’s passions are business, exercise and the outdoors. She is actively involved in her church and is founder of the Oroville Christian Business Alliance.
Ole
Johnson
Kennel Manager / Gun DogTrainer
OLE joined Hightest is 2005 with several years of dog experience under his belt hunting hounds. He has a passion for waterfowl hunting and dogs. Ole heads up the gun dog training program at Hightest and manages the entire operation of the kennel and staff. He is a skilled coach both in teaching the owners how to handle their dogs and in developing the dogs unique hunting instincts. When he's not working dogs, Ole coaches his son Levi's junior bull riding team. Levi and the team have won awards nationally and compete in rodeo's year round all over the California.
Andrew Faulkner
Gun Dog Trainer
ANDREW joined the Hightest staff in 2007. He started out throwing birds for the hunting dogs and exercising the boarding dogs. He has enjoyed learning all the facets of dog training and is now one of our most innovative and accomplished gun dog trainers. He has a gentle nature and is very encouraging with the young dogs. With Andrew, training time is fun for the dogs so they advance quickly with their lessons. Andrew is a joy to work with and we are happy to have him as part of our training team. In his free time, he enjoys riding dirt bikes and fly fishing.
Amber Thompson
Office Assistant - Customer Care
Amber started working in our office in 2009. She had several years experience working in the front office at a veterinary clinic. Amber is friendly, courteous, professional and very organized. She is knowledgeable about the dogs and can help customers with most of their inquiries. She enjoys the puppies and orientating them with their new families. Amber is a part time student at Butte College. She enjoys cooking, riding quadrunners, baseball and time with husband Jeff and their Labrador "Hank".
Tianna Grimenstein
Obedience Trainer & Puppy Care
TI joined our staff in 2009. She comes from a ranching background and came to Hightest with plenty of experience caring for the horses and cattle on her parents ranch. Ty loves animals and is loving and caring with her canine students. Training and caring for dogs is her passion. She also works with the "Head Start" puppies. The Hightest puppies in the nursery receive plenty of TLC from Ty. Ty enjoys time with her family, daughter Leanndra, horseback riding and helping out at the ranch.
Raeleen Gile
Obedience & Puppy Head Start Trainer/ Puppy Care
Raeleen began working at Hightest in July 2010. She is training the Obedience dogs and Puppy Head Start dogs. Raeleen is also working in the nursery making sure all the Hightest puppies get the best start possible. She has a gentle touch with the dogs and the dogs seem to want to please her. Raeleen enjoys scuba diving, kayaking and camping in her free time, anything to do with the outdoors.
Jeff Thompson
Maintenance & Grounds
Jeff has been working at Hightest since May 2010. He is a "jack of all trades". From throwing birds for the gun dogs to trimming trees. If the Hightest kennel & grounds look especially good when you arrive, it is due to Jeff's hard work. Jeff enjoys archery, hunting and fishing in his spare time.
“Cruiser”
Lab Puppy Swimming Instructor
CRUISER has been teaching puppies to swim at Hightest since 1998. He is
a Miniature Dachshund that doesn’t know that he is not a Labrador.
At the mention of the word “bumper” he’s ready
to head down to the pond with his young recruits. He’s just
the right size for the puppies and has tremendous retrieving desire.
The puppies love him and he loves them because he gets to go swimming
with them. Cruiser’s favorite pastimes are chasing rabbits,
begging for food at the table and making sure that no strange Labradors
get too close to his fenced yard.
