FAQs | Shorthairs&Shotguns

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What will my dog learn during the Field and Family Program?
Each dog will be ecollar conditioned, have a reliable, off-leash recall, place for long durations (hours), and be able to heel loose leash in a variety of environments. Each dog is an individual, so the extent at which they perform all of these skills may vary slightly.
The field work portion of the program will vary considerable due to bird work being predominantly genetic and depending on the length of the program. All dogs will be exposed to birds and gunfire and will be given plenty of opportunities to start pointing and retrieving, but each dog might be at a slightly different spot in their education by the end of their stay.

2. What will my dog learn during the Basic Obedience Program?

Each dog will be ecollar conditioned, have a reliable, off-leash recall, place for long durations (hours), know sit and down stays, and be able to heel loose leash in a variety of environments. Each dog is an induvial, so the extent at which they perform all of these skills may vary some. This program is designed for owners who wish to do more with their dogs, so an emphasis will be placed on obedience in different environments and with distractions.

3. How will I know how to work with my dog once he is back home?

During your dog’s stay, I will send video updates every few days going over what we are doing, why it’s important and how you’re going to apply it at home. This will keep you up-to-date on your dog’s training so you have a solid understanding of expectations by the time you come to pick him up. At pick up, we will spend 1-2 hours going over everything he has learned and allowing you plenty of time to get comfortable handing him and asking any remaining questions you may have.

Once home, it is up to you to implement the training we have gone over. This will take time and effort on your part, but continually working with your dog is an absolute necessity in order to maintain and continue their obedience training. If you should ever have any questions, I am always more than happy to help! I want to see my clients be successful with their dogs!

4. Is there any follow-up training?

I am always available via call/text/email if you have any questions! If you are struggling, follow-up lessons are available at no cost at any point. I am always happy to help! If you enjoy working with your dog and would like to continue your education and teach your dog new skills, I provide one-on-one lessons to existing clients for a discounted rate.

5. When should I schedule training?

As soon as you decide! Due to the limited number of clients I take at a time, my schedule fills up very quickly. There is a small retainer to hold your spot on my schedule, so if you are interested in signing up, please reach out to me as soon as possible so that we can get you on my schedule.

6. Are there any age requirements for the programs?

The Early Bird Program is only for puppies 8-16 weeks old.

For the adult obedience programs (both the Field and Family Program and the Basic Obedience Program) there is a minimum age requirement of 6 months, but there is no maximum. The 6 – 10 month old age range is ideal for preventing bad habits, but I have had plenty of older dogs who have all done a fantastic job with their training.

7. Will my dog be ready to go hunt when he is done with training?

Every dog is an individual and their progress in the field will vary depending on genetics, length of stay and previous exposure. This is not a "finished" dog program. This program is designed to get dogs back home to their families as quickly as possible, so it is a "jump start" program to give owners the ability to continue to work with their own dog at home.

8. Will my dog remember me?

Of course! Dogs have fantastic memories and certainly won't forget you.

9. What products do I need for when my dog comes home?

For all of my clients, I recommend they have 3 products: a reputable brand ecollar, a quality prong collar and a place cot! These 3 products will set you up for success at home once your dog has been trained.

The Ecollar technologies Mini Educator (ET-300) is my ecollar of choice for obedience and daily use. For my clients, I have these collars available for purchase at a discounted price. At your dog's turnover, we will go over this ecollar extensively. You may use other ecollars, but I recommend a reputable brand that works consistently and that has a vibrate feature. For hunting dogs, I use the Garmin 550 Pro PLUS for GPS tracking. This collar isn't ideal for daily training, but the GPS feature is useful for hunting.

For more information on the products I recommend each graduate have, please visit this link.