Gun dog training takes a minimum of three months, sometimes four for dogs that are slower to advance or have had very little training before they arrive. The cost is $835.00 per month. We require the first month in advance and then bill monthly. The monthly fee includes boarding, feeding of a premium quality diet, and birds (pigeons & ducks). Not included in the monthly fee are pheasants and veterinary expenses. Dogs can begin Gun Dog training as early as 7 months of age.

In the program we teach the basics of waterfowl and upland hunting, and obedience. It is our objective that by the end of the program, the dog will lay down beside a duck blind, go out and hunt up a bird that he can see fall, and retrieve it to hand. The dog will also be started on quartering, flushing and retrieving for upland birds, learn the basic obedience commands - heel (on and off leash), sit, stay, down and come when called.

We provide a high quality, positive learning experience for dogs and their owners.

Ideally, during the first month the dogs will learn their basic obedience, to hold and walk with a bumper, and be force trained to pick up the bumper on command. This is the basis of mouth control in the retriever. They are introduced to the gun and learn to retrieve a bird, and deliver it to hand, in the heel position. We also teach proper water delivery, to come up out of the water, sit, and deliver the bird to hand, before shaking off. At the end of the first month, if we are not satisfied with your dog's progress, we will call you to come up to observe and you can decide if you want to continue your dog's training.

During the next two months the dogs are taken out to different locations to learn to retrieve birds in simulated hunting situations. They are worked on retrieving ducks over decoys in the water, and taught to flush and retrieve live birds for upland hunting. Every morning the dogs are loaded into their own kennel compartment on the dog truck, and transported to different fields and wetlands, where they are worked individually. The dogs are trained six days a week with Sundays off. We use a choke chain and leash to teach obedience and the electronic collar to reinforce known commands. We find that the use of the electronic collar is the most effective method to teach the dogs that they must come when they are called in all situations, and to stay within gun range during upland hunting. 

We recommend that you leave the dog the first month to become familiar with the trainers and accustomed to the kennel environment. During the next two months we like you to come up for two to three scheduled training sessions, where we will work with you and your dog together, instructing you in obedience and how to handle your dog in the field.

Dear Ole: Thank you for the wonderful job you did training Bo. In the past month we have been hunting twice for upland birds and she did great. We have made it a habit to go on at least one long walk a day where we have plenty of room to practice the retrieve on land and in water. She is very reliable bringing things back now. I call her and she comes and will deliver to hand! What a difference. Thanks again for all your hard work. This was money well spent. It may sound silly to some, but this training has improved our quality of life. All the best, Linda & Ted Kuiper May 2009