My wife and I are looking into trainers for our lab puppy. I am interested in Texas Retriever Training (previously Xtreme Outdoor Gundogs), but haven't heard too much about them. Does anyone have experience with Xtreme Outdoor Gundogs or Mark Winston Kirk?

I found these complaints on the Better Business site> Good LUck
I researched a few months and went with a trainer in east Texas(Ironspike Kennels) recommended by a friend. I pick my dog up in a month
THe owner (Dawn ) sends me videos of her progress while I am here in Saudi Arabia. She has a unique method...... no shock collar. She has a website and list testmonials.... my friend is one of them.

Problems with Product/Service | Read Complaint Details
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Additional Notes
Complaint: Bought a puppy from here in March 2013. This is September 2013 and I have not received papers for this dog yet. Canceled check for puppy states that parents were supposed to be between ***** and ********** ****. Come to find out after many attempts to contact **** ******* **** I finally contacted the owner of ****. She stated that he had breed ***** to her dog ******. So, I have not received papers from him and he also lied about the puppies sire.

Desired Settlement: To get my dog papers and a refund of $1000.00 form ****. This is half of what I paid for the dog, to keep the dog . He has other email sites. ********************* and ***********************

6/6/2013 Problems with Product/Service | Read Complaint Details
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Additional Notes
Complaint: On March 15, 2013, I contacted **** ****, owner of Xtreme Outdoor Gundogs via phone to inquire about obedience/companion and snake avoidance training for my chocolate Labrador puppy. I was told that our dog would receive daily one-on-one training along with boarding and weekly grooming. The fee for this service was $735, which was paid in full, in advance by debit card via phone on March 18, 2013. After touring the facility and chatting with ****, a trainer at this facility, I decided to enroll my dog in the month puppy training program on the afternoon of March 27, 2013. I was told not to come and visit my dog for at least three weeks after dropping her off there. On the morning of March 28, 2013, I called to speak with **** or **** regarding the status of my puppy - to see if she assimilated to the environment. The only communication I received via text was from **** saying “she did fine”. I called again on April 1, to check on status as a bad thunderstorm with accompanying hail had passed through the area. I did not receive a call back. I also tried to text **** and got no response. After multiple attempts to call ****, I connected and was told that he was not at the training facility in Elgin, but would be back on Wednesday, April 3, 2013 and would send pictures to reassure me of my dogs condition. I did not receive anything and tried to text again, with no response. Early on the morning of April 4, 2013, I was finally able to connect to **** **** by phone. He assured me that my dog was doing fine and encouraged me not to call as it was problematic to talk due to his routine. He also informed me that one of his other trainers had quit and he was short-handed. The week of April 8, 2013, I decided that it was time to visit the facility to see for myself what the status of this training might be. After multiple days of calls, emails and texts to both **** and ****, I received no communication. ****** phone mail was full and I was unable to leave a message. I text **** that I was intending to visit on Sunday, April 14, 2013. Again, I had no response. My husband also tried to call and got no response as well. The morning of April 14, 2013, I arrived at the Elgin training facility. A juvenile male who may have been age 12, greeted us. We were told that **** wasn’t there and he had no idea when he would be back. When I asked where he was, I was told he was on tour for his music career. I asked that he contact **** by phone, but was told he wasn’t answering. I went to the kennel where my dog was housed and was horrified at her condition. Initially, I saw several lesions on her front legs and noticed that she was limping. She seemed extremely undernourished as her ribs were exposed. Her paw pads on her front legs were ***** and the area between her toes on her front paws was red and swollen. Her stomach was covered in many bites or puss pockets. There was yellow oozing coming from both her eyes and nose. She smelled terrible and wasn’t bathed. If that wasn’t enough, her stools were runny. I took my dog from the facility, as it was unsafe for her to remain there. I was not asked to sign a release or show any identification. At that time, I text **** telling him of my disappointment in her condition as well as his lack of communication. I also let him know that I removed my dog from his care and asked that he call me at once. Finally, I received a phone call back saying that he was in field trials and had a bad connection but he would call when he was back in range. He denied any wrongdoing to my dog. I didn’t receive any further communication from **** from Sunday April 14th in the afternoon to Tuesday April 17, 2013. On Monday, April 15, 2013, I returned to our vet for help with my dog’s condition. Dr> ****** ****** of ******* ****** ******** diagnosed my dog with several problems and recommended a course of medications to combat the problems that she got from ****** lack of care. After meeting with the vet, I reached out again to **** via text on April 17. He called back to discuss but again denied any wrongdoing – he even said that my dog was “fat”. Via phone and text, I asked that he refund my money back as well as returning any records I had supplied. I have not received any further communication from him. The vet charges for medicine and exam were $180, of which was not taken into consideration but probably should have been. Not to mention the pain and suffering the dog had to endure, or my time to attend to this situation, that should’ve never had to happen.

Desired Settlement: I am disputing charges through my bank (******* ***) for training and boarding that was not rendered in the amount of $293.93. Here is the breakdown for my reasoning: $650 – training for 28 days = $23.21/day boarding from 3/27 – 4/14 = 19 days 19 x $23.21 = $441.07 $650 - $441.07 = $208.93 Snake avoidance training = $85 (flat fee) She didn’t receive this training. $208.93 + $85 = $293.93 refund.

5/28/2013 Billing/Collection Issues | Read Complaint Details
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Additional Notes
Complaint: March 28, 2013 Card was charged $3,032.50 with out authorization or explanation. Business will not respond to request for explanation or credit.

Some people have had good results using Dawn, and some haven't.

One such complaint would be enough for me.

DONT use mark winston Kirk......have you looked into rody best at best retrievers?

Ditto!! I have had more then one client get burned from this guy. I doing a major repair job for a client on a dog he bought from him now. He still doesn't have the papers on the dog.

Angie

I can only say for me, Dawn from Iron Spike Kennels is doing a great job for my yellow lab.
I was given a full tour of the kennel, training area, a full explanation of the training, the skills to be taught, and fees ( very reasonable fees)
Dawn sends me videos of my dog with an summary of how she is doing and is glad for me to visit when I can.

I will say she doesn't use shock collars.

Main point is I am very pleased with how she takes care of an trains my dog

X2 on Rody Best and Best Retrievers, top notch people and facility.

I looked at Best Retriever site.
Looks like a first class kennel and staff

there is a reason Rody is and has been as successful as he has. there is a reason he gets so many dogs and can afford to hire help to allow him to take in more dogs.

Exactly,,, His kennel has a hundred dogs and several trainers. I'm sure he's keeping tabs on all of it.

Clients need to check in more often...

Angie

Do your own research, choose who you're most comfortable with. Think about what you want from your dog for the next several years, be it hunting or competitive. Do you want a companion, a hunting dog or a hunt test dog? Then research the ones who make comments on here and form your own opinion. Good luck on whatever you choose and enjoy your puppy!

I will be another to say DON'T USE Xtreme Gundogs... I had a very bad experience with the owner several years ago... I won't go into all of the details but his biggest concern was not in the best interest of the dogs, but rather making money & his singing career. It is pretty sad when his previous trainers could see it & wound up leaving because of his business practices & lack of customer service.

Go to Rody at Best Retrievers.

Legand Working Dogs...shes a good trainer

Angie, this seems like way to much of a backhanded jab, your normally more out in the open with your criticism of other trainers, you feeling ok

couth - showing or having good manners or sophistication; smooth

I went to a hunt test hosted at Rody’s facility in February. Top notch grounds and really nice people. I talked briefly with one of his trainers who ran one of their young pups as a test dog. I’d take my dog there in a heartbeat.

Hi, my name is Cameaux, male Black Lab, and i am a recovering Mark Winston Kirk victim. If i ever see him again, i am gonna find out what he taste's like. Just want my dang papers !!! I know who the owner of my dad is, Cesar Sanchez Jr from Spring,Tx, the only reason i found this out is he had to submit a DNA test to AKC for my dad. And my mom is Wrigley, one of Marks dogs, and i really miss my mom. I am a year old and still no papers, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated by my great family. Now i am looking for a trainer in N.E Texas, my owner does a pretty good job training but, it's kinda getting boring, and looking to be challenged, he is open to suggestions ?? Thanks for all your help !!!! Cameaux's Xtreme Fowl Mouth......just wish i had some papers to put that on !!!

BTW, i see my brothers and sisters for sale as started dogs on Mark Winston Kirk's new site Texas Retriever Training, i miss my brothers and sisters too !!!!!

I'm feeling marvelous.. Thank you... Rody isn't doing anything that others, Billy Eckett comes to mind for one, that tries to compartmentalize his training to maximize results. It historically has been a disaster. I wish him the best of luck.. Rody is a good trainer. I know nothing of his other trainers. Where they've trained, how experienced they are or who they've trained with. 20 dogs per trainer is 5 too many.

Angie

Twenty dogs per trainer is $10,000 per month.

All that matters is a person runs an honest retriever training business, uses humane training practices, and the end result is a well trained dog.
All trainers have ther own style. If his trainers can handle 20 dogs and produce well trained dogs..... great job.
Some trainers can others can't. It depends on he trainer.
It seems by the post on this site that Rody is honest and has found a method to compartmentalize his training and produces well trained retrievers.

sounds like his operation and trainers are doing O.K. . you don't see any of his past clients complaining on any retriever sites or FB pages etc etc. I don't use him and don't even know him. my referral was based on ALLL the people that are happy with their dogs success and from what one of his former trainers Clayton Taylor has said about him and his operation.

Rody runs and phenomenal kennel and program. He is very successful. The dogs at his kennel are healthy and happy. Everyone I know who has used them is pleased, and his results speak for themselves.

If I was in need of a HT pro in that area I wouldn't hesitate sending my dog to Rody and I can count on one hand the number of HT pros I can say that about.