Training - Getting Educated

In association with our on-site sister company, Walker Branch Retrievers, LLC, our nationally recognized professional trainers offer all breed obedience training for good behavior and Retriever training for water fowl hunting.

We provide all levels of general obedience training designed to help your dog become a well behaved and happy pet your family will love to live with. We can also help those dogs that need more direction in specific behavioral areas.

Our highly successful trainers can teach and reinforce in a shorter period of time what may take you several months. Our programs produce positive results and are extremely convenient for owners. Each dog is unique and training lengths will vary depending on the age, desire, and level or prior training.

After training sessions are completed, owners will meet with our trainers to learn and follow instructor guidelines for at-home reinforcement of obedience lessons.

Behaviors can be taught for the following attributes:

Sit, Down, Leave it, Heel (loose leash walking on leash and off-leash control walking), Here, Wait, New commands such as out-of-sight stays and recalls, No jumping, Fetch/returning a toy, Taking treats gently, Reducing nuisance barking

Behaviors listed above can be accomplished for the most advanced pet with distance, distraction and duration.

Nationally Recognized Retriever Training

For those hunting enthusiast and avid competitors, we also offer retriever training for gun dogs, AKC Hunt Tests (Junior Hunter, Senior Hunter, Master Hunter) and AKC Field Trials (Derbys, Qualifiers, and Open competitions). We have received ribbons from campaigning on local, regional and national levels! Please call for more detailed information and visit www.walkerbranchretrievers.com

Basics Retriever Training Program

The Basics Program involves introduction to hunting situations and environments, hunting obedience, exposure to birds, decoys, calls, boats, riding on ATV, guns, hunting blinds, strong emphasis on canine hunter safety, “mouth obedience” (teaches the commands Fetch, Hold, and Drop) on land and water, steadiness, live birds and the dog will be introduced to multiple marks. Learning to sit and come with the whistle is also taught during this time as well. Once your young dog is finished with Basic Training, it should be able to sit steady to shot, mark a single bird down on land or water and deliver that bird to you fit for the table. This program takes a minimum of 4 months to complete. Graduates of this program are at the AKC Junior Hunter or NAHRA Started Hunting Retriever level.

Not all dogs completing the basic program will be suitable for the Advanced program. A dog’s progress will be reassessed on a monthly basis until the desired level of training is achieved.

Intermediate Retriever Training Program

This program is a transitional program. At this stage, the dog will be controlled at your side, take a good line to the fallen bird on land or in water, pick the bird up quickly, return with the bird and deliver to hand.

The dog will be introduced to advanced concepts in multiple marking, basic lining drills, introduction to handling, pattern blinds, cold blinds, and cheating drills. This program takes a minimum of 4 months to complete.

Upon completion of this training program, dogs should be at the Senior Hunter or Hunting Retriever level.

Advanced Retriever Training Program

This program brings all of the disciplines together. The dogs will complete multiple marking scenarios, precision blinds, intensive handling drills, and challenging retrieving scenarios. Dogs that complete this level are typically ready to compete at the Master Hunter, Qualifier Field Trials and Hunting Retriever Champion level.