a

legacy

of

excellence

Meet Mark and Sophie Haglin

Nearly 5 decades have passed since Sophie purchased an English Springer Spaniel for her then fiancé, Mark, as a graduation present. This thoughtful gesture sparked a lifelong passion for learning and a vision for creating what we now know as a Pine Shadows Springer.

Pine Shadows believes that there are few relationships in life more important than the ones we share with our dogs.  

With the knowledge that anyone can have a litter and sell a puppy, Mark and Sophie decided to forge a new path. Their passion and singular focus has produced a breeding and training program second to none. Without the goal of just selling a dog, they set forth with the purpose of creating superior companion that will enhance your life. Incorporating animal husbandry, genetics and psychology of different breeds and species, they have developed an unmatched protocol of fostering both a well balanced mind and driven hunting specialist.

our team

Our work is a reflection of the quality of our people

 

Mark Haglin

Owner

Mark Haglin attended the University of Minnesota, graduating with a degree in Agriculture Education. His love of teaching and animals made it an easy transition into training dogs and handlers. What started as a way to spend the summers, turned into a lifelong passion. Beginning to train his first Springer in 1975, Mark found an aptitude for the determined and vivacious dogs. Growing his experience and skills, he also found a way to keep three young sons busy. Along with his wife, Sophie, Mark has built a reputation for quality, a business based on character and a community of mentoring. After 31 years of teaching in the school system, Mark retired to focus on Pines Shadows and Daybreak Lodge. While he still has a keen eye for dog training, that mantle has been handed down to his son, Morgan. The goal early on was to make a place where people of all ages could come and find acceptance and community within the sporting lifestyle. “You are always welcome around our fire” can often be overheard. It is just a way of life at Pine Shadows.

Sophie Haglin

Owner

Sophie Haglin attended the University of Minnesota, graduating in 1977 with a degree in animal science. Following graduation, Sophie married Mark Haglin and moved to the Brainerd Lakes Area. While raising 3 strong and successful sons, Sophie followed her love of animals. As a result, she helped create a breeding program and kennel to perfectly support and compliment her husband, Mark’s training endeavors. Anyone who knows Sophie, knows she is the backbone that holds Pine Shadows together. Always passionate to continue learning, she has furthered her education of animal nutrition, breeding, behavior and genetics through Cornell University. Sophie has a unique way of bringing her vast knowledge forward in very practical and approachable way. Fostering the Pine Shadows breeding program, she has become adept at reading personality traits and qualities at the earliest developmental milestones of puppies. This insight is key in Pine Shadows high success rate creating the correct family/puppy placement.

Morgan Haglin

Head Trainer

Morgan Haglin attended the University of Minnesota, graduating with a degree in Animal Science. As the youngest son of 3, Morgan grew up in family passionate about the sporting lifestyle. As a small child, Morgan was often found in the puppy pen, playing with new litters as they developed. This high level of interaction with dogs from an early age has given him a unique shorthand in reading and understanding canine behavior and training. Morgan is a nationally recognized trainer with success competing with both English Springer Spaniels and Cocker Spaniels, as well as training all breeds. Morgan is also an avid firearms safety instructor and gunning expert as part of the nationals team for Springers. What sets Morgan apart as a professional trainer is his openness to train the handler. While many training programs focus solely on dog training, this is only half of the equation for Morgan. He works extensively with the owner/handler to create a cohesive team.

Jill Cronquist

Front Desk Manager | Puppy Imprinting Specialist

Jill has worked at Pine Shadows for ( ) years. Jill is an experienced young dog trainer and works with our early development in starting dogs. Jill’s calm and patient demeanor make her a fantastic person to work with, whether you are dog or human!

Nadine Kohn

Assistant Trainer

Nadine joined the Pine Shadows team in 2018. Very organized and with high attention to detail, Nadine excels in working with young dogs throughout their development milestones. With a long history of involvement in the sporting dog world, Nadine has been a wonderful asset to the training program. While her focus is largely on young dog development, Nadine also trains all breeds and ages. 

DAWN PETTIT

Groomer

Pine Shadows groomer has 3 decades of experience. Beginning as a kennel tech at Pine Shadows, Dawn started assisting the groomer with bathing and drying. While assisting and learning, Dawn developed a career that she loves and is clearly passionate about. She says she can’t imagine doing anything else. Love and compassion are at the center of the service that Dawn provides. Her patience is as bountiful as her skill and technique. Dawn has the biggest heart full of love and kindness, and is a blessing to all she meets.

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