“The Basics”​
Just like it sounds, this portion of training lays the ground work for all hunting retrievers. Whether your goal is a basic “duck dog” or a “Master Hunter”, this program teaches and prepares a retriever for the fundamentals of retrieving ducks and geese on both land & water.
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• Obedience. SIT, COME, HEEL, HERE are all basic obedience commands dogs will learn here. Both verbally & whistle commands.
• Conditioned Retrieve. Also known a “force fetch”, this is the root of all high-level retriever training programs. Teaching your dog to hold a bird and deliver to hand without dropping the duck until asked to release it.
• Collar Conditioning. Here we reinforce all known obedience commands with the aid of the e-collar. The dog is introduced to an e-collar in a controlled and non-intimidating environment where they can be successful quickly.
• Steadiness. Your retriever will learn here to become a “non-slip retriever”. Meaning they will be trained to remain seated while you’re calling and working birds, and moreover, they’ll remain seated while birds are shot – only leaving to make a retrieve when sent by you. This is paramount for finishing birds, but even more so for the dog’s safety.
• Basic Field Retrieves. Your dog will learn to pick up basic, single retrieves on both land and water.      

At the completion of our Basics program dogs will be capable joining you in the field for a basic duck, goose or dove hunt & will also be capable of successfully completing “Started Level” Hunt Tests and pursuing their Started Hunting Retriever Title! 

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“The Gun Dog Program”
To be eligible for this program, a dog must have successfully completed our Basics program.

This program is designed with two kinds of dogs in mind.

1. The young dog who has yet to complete their first hunting season.
2. Veteran dogs, who have had the summer off & need a quick tune-up and some physical conditioning to get them ready for the upcoming hunting season.

The Gun Dog program focuses on specific hunting setups & situations your dog is likely to encounter in coming hunting season. Each week of this 4-week program is spent preparing a dog for a specific type of waterfowl hunt. Each day the dog will be introduced to concepts and equipment (decoys, mojo ducks, hunting blinds, boats etc.) to be used in a specific hunt. All of this culminates at the end of the week with a full blown “mock hunt” that mimics as close as we can an actual hunt.

• Wade-In Marsh Hunt off of Dog Stand.
• Boat Blind Hunt
• Dry Field Hunt from layout blinds / dog blind
• Buried Pit Blind Hunt 

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“Intermediate/Transition Program”
At the completion of the Basics Program, dogs move on to our Intermediate/Transition Program.

Its known as “Transition” because here is where a dog makes the transition from a dog only able to pick up single retrieves, to a dog capable of picking up multiple marked retrieves as well as “handle”, that is to take directional hand casts from you to assist them, when needed, on retrieving a bird they were not able to see fall.

• Casting/Handling/Blind Retrieves. Your dog will learn to take directional hand signals from you on both land & water to aid in making more difficult retrieves.
• Multiple Marked Retrieves. Your dog will work to build memory while birds are shot for them, enabling your dog to watch and remember multiple birds being shot in front of them & remember where they fell to make the retrieves.
• Introduction of “technical” Concepts. Your dog will learn to navigate basic “technical water”. Meaning they will be introduced to things like points, islands & channels while making water retrieves. They will learn to traverse these obstacles properly so when they encounter them out hunting your dog will have the tools to successfully complete these trickery retrieves.  

At the completion of the Intermediate/Transition Program, dogs will be able to perform to a very high level in a wide range of hunting scenarios & environments. Your dog will be capable of marking & remembering multiple birds at once & will be able to take directional hand casts to run modest “blind retrieves” on both land & water. Additionally, your dog will now be capable of running and passing “Seasoned Level” Hunt Tests and pursuing their Hunting Retriever Title!

“Advanced Program”
Successful completion of Transition Program prepares a dog to enter our Advanced Program. A must for serious waterfowl hunters who hunt a lot during the season or in a lot of different environments & professional waterfowl guides.

​Advanced or “Finished Retrievers” are truly a huge step above most dogs your average hunter has ever hunted with. In this program your dog builds on the concepts learned in Transition by adding a high level of difficulty to their daily retrieves.

• Advanced Blind Retrieves. No more easy ones – your dog will learn to pick up birds they have not seen fall using only whistle commands and hand signals in extremely advanced and challenging situations.
• Advanced Multiple Marked Retrieves. Finished Retrievers are regularly asked to make triple marked retrieves on both land & water, at very long distances in the most challenging environments. 
• Advanced Level Technical Water. Dogs at this level will routinely be taught to navigate an even higher level of water obstacles (points, islands & channels).  Building on what was learned in Transition, but now tougher and at much longer distances.
• Honoring. Building upon the steadiness already learned in Basics, your dog will learn to remain patiently seated while it watches another retriever work and pick up birds.

At the completion of the Advanced Program your dog will be ready for any hunt you could possibly put them in. Your dog will perform at a level higher than any of your hunting buddies have ever seen and most didn’t even know was possible. A “Finished Retriever” is something special most waterfowl hunters never see, let alone own. At this phase, your dog will also be capable of running and passing “Finished Level” Hunt Tests and pursuing their Hunting Retriever Champion Title!

“Master Program”
The Master program is reserved for our most talented students & clients with the highest ambitions. Professional guides, duck hunters who want a dog who ranks amongst the top retrievers in the state & anyone interested in breeding their dog are a great fit for this program.
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• Master Level Double Blinds. Beyond “hard”, your dog will work daily on making retrieves so advanced using only directional hand signals, your average hunter will only need to make a retrieve of this difficulty a few times a year. Professional guides, maybe once a week.
• Master Level Multiple Marked Retrieves. Master Level Retrievers regularly pick up triple marked retrieves at a greater distance and complexity than a Finished Level Retriever does. Often times “combination” multiples, where one bird falls on land & the others on water. A Master Level dog is capable of making these retrieves at fairly extreme distances, typically from 100 – 250 yards.
• Master Level Technical Water. These dogs will learn to traverse the most difficult water obstacles mother nature has to offer. And they learn to do it with precision and swiftness at extreme distances.

 
At the completion of the Master Program your “hunting dog” will be among the top in the state. It will perform at a level so high you’ll be impressing your friends or clients in the duck blind daily. Your dog will also be an ideal candidate for breeding. Female owners will seek out your male for stud service & puppies from these females command a premium. Completion of this program enables your dog to run “Master Level” Hunt Tests where they will earn the prestigious Title of Master Hunter.