Retriever Training
Allie opened Legend in 2014, after 3 years of apprenticing under a professional trainer. She started out with Gundogs and worked her way up to competing at the National level. Allie became a Hunt Test Judge in 2016 and has become a Master Level Hunt Test Judge through the AKC. She prides herself on her low pressure training techniques that differentiate her from her peers.
Allie met Zach at a hunt test in 2016 and a fast friendship developed. Zach began training Gundogs as a kid, at only 12 years old he produced his first retriever after reading books like Water Dog and Retriever Training for the Duck Hunter, at 12 years old he singlehandedly trained his own dog to the Senior level.
Zach became a full time professional trainer in 2011 where he specialized in gundogs, working with upland dogs and retrievers and began breaking into the hunt test game as well. His vast experience hunting waterfowl and upland all over the country give him a unique perspective and understanding of the requirements for a solid hunting dog.
Zach and Allie teamed up in 2023 to provide you with a full scale retriever training outfit. Whether you seek a basic gundog, an advanced level competition retriever or high quality guide level dog that can withstand pure chaos on the hunting field- we have you covered. With our combined 24 years of professional training experience, we have the skills to meet the needs of just about any dog owner!
Our Retriever Training Programs
Basic Retriever Training-
Basic Retriever Training is the cornerstone program, it all starts here. Just like a house needs a strong foundation , your dog's training foundation needs to be strong as well. Completion of Basic Retriever training is required before a dog can move into Advanced or Finished Level training.
This program Includes:
Advanced Obedience, and E-collar condition to the commands:
-Here (recall on or off lead)
-Heel (Walking at your left side, on or off lead)
-Sit (Sit means sit, we do not teach a stay command. Your dog should stay in a sit until told he can get up.)
- Down (Belly to the ground- we do not teach a stay command, your dog should stay in a down until told he can get up.)
-Wait (To stop at a threshold and not go through a doorway until released)
- Place (To stay on a pet cot, pillow bed, or anything with clearly defined edges and borders, until told that he can leave it.)
- Leave it (This command tells your dog to ignore or avoid stimuli that is not for him.)
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-At completion of Advanced Obedience your dog will begin Force Fetch Training. This phase of training is designed to teach your dog how to hold birds in their mouth without holding so loose that they drop items, like a crippled bird, but do not bite down too hard or mouthe your birds.
- The Final stage is the field work stage- we teach your dog to be steady to shot, to retrieve singles at a distance of up to 100 yards, we teach advanced marking concepts like false horizons, and hunting in thick cover, exposure to birds, introduction to honoring and hand thrown doubles.
-At completion of this course your dog will be ready to run a Junior Hunt Test.
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We train to the individual dog! Some dogs may not be able to be successfully force fetched, but we are not a one training protocol fits all program! We have still produced some incredible dogs who completed a modified or even skipped force fetch. We do recommend it for all dogs, but we understand that each dog is an individual and pride ourselves on taking each dog to it's full potential- even if that means it needs something a little different than the rest. You can trust that we will work at your dogs pace and using techniques that work for him/ her, not just what is convenient for us.
Did you know that the first 6 months of a puppy's life is the equivalent of the first 18 years of a person's life!?!? That means their habits, temperament, energy level and attitude are all solidified based on their experiences and interactions during those first 6 months! Did you know that by modifying their experiences you can actually mold and shape their personality, energy level, attitude and habits!?!
INTRODUCING the Service and Therapy Puppy Raising Program! Designed to produce high end working dogs, but also ideal for Hunting, Sporting dogs and Family Companion dogs as well.
This program sends you weekly emails with videos, product list and detailed descriptions of the professional training techniques that we use to build high end working dog puppies so that you can do it yourself at home! Give a man a fish and feed him for a day, but teach him how to fish and feed him for a lifetime! When you learn these puppy raising tools and begin to understand advanced concepts and terminology of the professional training industry you will not only produce a much more well rounded dog, but you will advance your knowledge and communication skills and take this forward into the lifelong relationship with this dog, other dogs you meet and any future puppies you raise!
Whether you are a self training a Service Dog candidate, want a superior Therapy Dog to volunteer with, a highly balanced and driven Hunting dog, or a calm and emotionally intelligent family pet, this program gives you the skills to mold your puppy into the best version it can possibly be! This program has two options- the do it entirely yourself version, or weekly meetups with the trainer to walk you through the process. Contact me by texting 512-786-5373 to find out more about this new program!
