Tornado Kennels MARK & LISA HIER - GALVA, ILLINOIS - EMAIL:  mark_hier1959@yahoo.com

TORNADO KENNELS

THIS SITE IS PERMANENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION...PLEASE VISIT US OFTEN FOR OUR UPDATES!!! Welcome! Tornado Kennels is a family owned business operated in Galva, Illinois.  Galva is located about 1/2 way between Peoria, IL. and the Quad Cities.  We currently have a 2-year-old black female - Tornado Alley - who received a second in her first show in St. Paul, MN, and a two seconds and a third shortly thereafter.  Ali received a first in her class at the Scott County Kennel Club show and went on to take WINNERS RESERVE!!!   Ali took a second at the Winnebago Specialty Show out of 17 labs from the top breeders in this part of the country!!!  Ali just had her first litter out of which we kept ALPHA & OMEGA WHO JUST EARNED THEIR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AT 3 MONTHS OLD (11/03)!!!  Omega went on to earn her INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP on 6/19/04!!!  We also have a very nice 2-year-old chocolate female (Tommygirl).  She will have her debut at the International show in June.  ALI & TOMMY GIRL EARNED THIER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 6/23/02 AND THIER INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 11/2/02 AT THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW IN GRAY SUMMIT, MO.!!!  ALI WENT ON TO TAKE BEST OF BREED BOTH WEEKENDS!!!!  We recently brought home a yellow female puppy from Colorado - Casey...she is a joy!  In January, 2003, we brought home a chocolate female from Black Rock Kennels in Indiana (Bodie). BODIE AND CASEY JUST EARNED THEIR INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 11/1/03 AND BODIE WENT ON TO TAKE BEST OF BREED AND A GROUP 2 ON 11/2/03!!!  And, our most recent addition to the Tornado family is a gorgeous yellow female - Believe - (born 9/3/03) who we just brought home from Black Rock Kennels.  She will have her debut in the show ring next Spring in AKC shows in March, April, and/or May and at the International Show in June.  We're expecting great things from her!!! Experience Tornado Kennels is relatively "young" as we have only been in business for approximately 8 years.  I do use the term "business" very lightly!  We are a family of six - Dad, Mom, Sarah, Jennifer, Dane, & Kayla.  Dad and Mom both have full-time careers and the kids are involved in everything.  Therefore, we raise, show, train, and breed Labradors (in our spare time - ha!) because we LOVE it...not because we need to.  We are NOT a "puppy factory."  We typically breed 1-4 litters of puppies per year for the sheer pleasure of breeding show quality, intelligent, physically sound animals.  We have learned a lot about breeding, about what the judges like, and about Labradors in general over the past 8 years.  Mostly, we have learned that you can love a dog as much as you love a human. Excellence At Tornado Kennels we breed for intelligence, excellent physical characteristics, and good temperament.  All stud dogs used and bitches owned have had their hips O.F.A. approved at "good" or "excellent" and their eyes C.E.R.F. certified annually.  We have a 26-month guarantee that covers hereditary hip, elbow, and eye disorders.  Our puppies have their dew claws removed at 3-4 days old.  They have had their first puppy shot and have been wormed 3-4 times before they leave our kennel.  All puppies go home with their new owners at 8 weeks old. What's with the name Tornado Kennels? In 1996, Galva, Illinois had come through it the worst tornado that ever hit town.  That tornado wiped out our entire farm except the old farmhouse.  My husband was in the basement with a Keystone Light beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other, expecting that these might be his last moments on earth.  God apparently laid his protective hand upon the farmhouse as it was the only building to survive.  All the other buildings were destroyed beyond recognition.  The tornado was here and gone in less than 2 minutes and total destruction was all it left behind.  It took the entire summer to clean up the mess and probably a total of 2 years before no signs of the devastation remained.  Since that time, we have rebuilt our farm with a new home, a new machine shed/morton building, a new utility garage, and all new kennels.  Fortunately, no dogs were lost in the storm.  But, in case you were wondering, this is where the name "Tornado Kennels" originated. persons have visited our page.