Education

Retrievers, for the most part, make great family dogs. Their easy-going temperament means they don’t mind when kids run circles around them and climb on them. They are also smart, so they learn quickly and their strong willingness to please often makes retrievers a great addition to the family. But some retriever puppies are a […]

Do you have a hunter and a gun dog or duck dog on your gift list this year?

If so, you might be at a loss for what to give them. Here are some gifts that are both practical – meaning they will actually be used, and essential.

Many dogs know the SIT command. But there is a difference between knowing how to SIT and sitting consistently on command. There is also a huge difference between a dog that will SIT when told to SIT, and a dog that will SIT and stay sitting even when there are distractions going on all around […]

This is part two in the series of posts about how to train with an e-collar. The first part of this post talks about how to condition your retriever to wearing the collar and how to avoid making your dog collar-wise. You can read that post here.   In this post, I will give you […]

Electronic collars or e-collars are great training tools. When used correctly, they can help your dog learn and progress quickly in training. But when used incorrectly, they can just as quickly confuse and damage your dog. This series of posts will walk you through the steps necessary to properly condition and start training your retriever […]

If there is one dog behavior that really drives me crazy, it is dogs jumping on me. I hate it. It gets my clothes dirty and it is super annoying. But the real reason I hate it is because it is so dangerous. If you want to learn how to stop your dog from jumping […]

Retrievers love to retrieve. They are, by nature, working dogs and if the breeding is good, they love to retrieve anything, anywhere. But just because they love to run out and retrieve a bird or bumper, does not mean that they love to bring it back to you and give it to you. This must […]

Labrador, Golden and Chesapeake Bay retrievers are all excellent hunting and family breeds. They often can span the role of being a family dog and a hunting dog with few downfalls. But that doesn’t mean they are perfect. Many retrievers are very stubborn and hard to train. If your dog is one of the stubborn […]

If you train your dog on a regular basis, you know how rewarding it is to watch your dog progress. Each day, each week, that you put in the work, you are likely rewarded with seeing your dog learn and grow. Unfortunately, what we, as professional trainers, often see is that owners love to do […]

Help your dog find more downed birds Most avid duck hunters know the value of having a dog that can handle. A retriever that can handle will find more downed birds. And will make the task of retrieving them easy work. But training your dog to handle is not an easy task. Many retriever owners […]

A client arrives at our kennel with his Labrador Retriever, and as usual, we spend a little time talking with the owner and observing the dog. We notice that often, when the dog comes and sits by the owner, the dog puts his paw on top of the owner’s foot. It seems so innocent, but […]

There are few things more frustrating than a dog that won’t listen. If your dog doesn’t come when you call him, or if she runs around you and plays keep away, you know what I am talking about. And the madder you get, the more the frustration grows, the harder it is to get your […]

YOU want to do WHAT? I imagine this is the response many people get when they suggest to their significant other or family members that they want to send the dog away for training. For some people it is simply inconceivable. The idea of sending their dog away for weeks and months at a time […]

Occasionally we get a call from someone with a new puppy who has gone off the deep end. In their excitement, they are training their 8-week-old puppy like it is an adult dog – multiple sessions a day, working on perfection of obedience commands and trying to steady their little pup on retrieves. Calls like […]

Avoid these red flags and find the best dog trainer for your dog Are you looking for a trainer for your hunting dog? If so, you probably realize how confusing a task this can be. If you are like me, your dog is very important to you. In fact, he/she is probably like a child […]

And why you don’t have too! Everyone who buys or adopts a puppy has good intentions. Intentions to love and take care of the beautiful animal. Most even plan to teach their dog to be obedient and to have good manners. Yet not everyone is successful at this endeavor. In fact, most people fail when […]

Many retriever owners do not understand the natural talent and skill that lies just below the surface of their family retriever. It brings us joy to display this raw talent and encourage owners to develop it.

Finding the optimal training time for your retriever I often hear owner’s say, “I just don’t have time to train my dog!”. While I understand busy work and family schedules, this excuse usually equates more to not having the knowledge and/or interest than an actual time crunch. Or maybe the task just seems overwhelming to […]

Doing this training will prepare your dog for future training If you plan to send your dog to a professional dog trainer for hunting and/or competition training, you may be wondering what you can do with your dog prior to that training. Since formal hunting dog training generally does not begin until a pup’s adult […]

Maintain your trained dog with these tips If you have invested in professional training for your retriever, you should be enjoying a more obedient, responsive dog. But that does not mean that your dog’s training is compete or that he/she will maintain that training for the rest of their life. Unfortunately, that is not how […]