Retriever Training

At Oak Hill we train your retriever to meet your specifications. Whether you need short-term help to solve a problem with a dog you are training yourself, want us to raise a puppy all the way through All-Age stakes in field trials, or anything in between, we can do it.

Types of training we offer include:

Puppy training - starting at any age up to six months

We socialize your puppy, develop retrieving drive, and familiarize him or her with aspects of retrieving including land and water marks, cover, decoys, birds, boats, gunfire, etc. We introduce basic obedience commands with emphasis on developing a willing, confident attitude toward training. Graduates of our puppy program generally excel in formal training.

Basic gundog training - starting any time after 5 1/2 months

Skills include marking on land and water, hunting for downed birds, bird handling and delivery, manners, steadiness, and obedience, and familiarity with all the accoutrements of hunting. Includes force fetching. Requires an average of 4-5 months for most well-bred Labs, Chesapeakes, and Goldens.

Handling training - teaching a dog to do blind retrieves

We can begin as soon as the dog is fetching from the ground on command, concurrent with marking development. Dogs learn to take a line and go in that direction until stopped with a whistle, and to take casts in all directions in a variety of circumstances and wind directions. Time required depends on aptitude and level of proficiency required.

Hunt tests

we handle dogs in all levels of AKC hunting tests. We also train dogs to be handled by their owners, and work with owners who are learning to be better handlers.

Field trials

we develop dogs to an advanced level and handle in the Derby, Qualifying, and Open stakes, or train them for their owners to handle. Owners are encouraged to come train with us and develop their skills.

Problem solving

whether you have trained your own dog and run into a snag, or whether it was trained by someone else, we can usually develop a strategy to solve the problem. Sometimes what appears to be a complete training breakdown resolves quickly, within a couple of months, while some issues take longer.

Please email us or call (910) 245-2603 to discuss your training needs.