Retriever Training Services

We have trained and hunted retrievers since 1980. Waterfowl are my favorite, and nothing is finer than having a retrieving buddy to share it with. No two dogs are alike, so we tailor my program to fit each dog as an individual. You tell us what you'd like to see in your gundog and we will personalize the program to fit your needs. Our goal is to help create companions that you can be proud to take anywhere.

At the end of our basic retriever training school we hope to achieve the following :

• Fully obedience trained: sit, stay here, heel, down, place, here whistle etc.

• Steady to shot

• Multiple retrieves

• Working out of a boat & on land

• Working off of a portable dog stand

• Working out of a duck blind on water

• Working out of our duck pit

• Force Fetched... We force fetch lightly with a lot of praise thrown in.

• E-Collar Conditioned: We collar condition lightly. Our goal is a bold happy dog.

• Exposure to decoys

• Picking up simulated cripples

If you want your retriever to learn to quarter and flush that can be arranged as well. With a 5 month season on shooting preserves, having your retriever trained to quarter and flush is something to consider. We have quality bird pens and will train your dog on live flushing pigeons, chucker, and pheasant. The upland program would last 3-4 months by itself or a few extra months when included with waterfowl training.

Ready to Purchase a Trained Dog?

After many years of producing started dogs with feel that the best situation for the dog is to take a puppy home and socialize it and work on early puppy training. This tends to ensure the pup has the opportunity to be the most balanced dog it can be.

We caution potential clients to steer away from Started Dogs, as the chance of having a spooky dog (afraid of new environments, new people and new dogs are much greater.)

Generally speaking even in good situations it could take month or longer for the Started Dog to become adjusted to his or her new home.  The exception would be a Started Dog raised in a Home, which we rarely can do. Therefore, we advise Clients to get a puppy and then send it back for training. Puppies can be a pain, but also the joy and bonding with a puppy can be priceless.  And, we feel in the long run it will be worth it. 

At Sporting Life, we feel it is better in most cases to raise a puppy at home (read Started Dogs) and then send it here for Basic Training and later Finished Training. We also feel most of the time, but not always, that a pup should hunt the first season not really handling yet (blinds with hand signals etc)

The first season should be about learning what it is all about and gaining confidence. The sites, smells, sounds, environments are all new. Just like a child, start them slow and build them up over time.

We feel that after their basic training and their first season they should be ready to finish.

Finish Training includes:

• Three Way Casting including Left/Right backs

• Long Memory Retrieves

• Pile Work

• Site Blinds

• Pattern Blinds on land and water.

• T Drill on Land and Water

• No Bird Drills

• Cold Blinds on Land and Water.

It is a 4 to 6 month program in most cases. Occasionally, taking longer - a lot of it depends on how much time the Owner is willing to spend drilling once the dog comes home.

If you are interested in having an imported finished Labrador from either the United Kingdom or Ireland we have contacts and can begin a search for you. These dogs will typically be 3 to 4 years old and would have picked up during the shooting season for at least two seasons. They can be incredible gundogs and family companions.

If you would like more information on purchasing an imported finished Labrador please select the button below.