We brought home our charcoal labrador on September 11th at 10wks old. He has been through basic obedience training. We are looking for a Gun Dog trainer in the DFW area. Any of you have anyone that you highly recommend? Thanks in advance.

What is a charcoal lab?

Robby

If I could get this forum to upload my photos from phone I would show you, but a simple search on google will show you photos.

Okay, I figured it out. Here you go.

And here we go.....

I see where the other members who have responded are trying to take this topic. So I will simply ask that we take this back to the original question at hand.

We are looking for a Gun Dog Trainer in the DFW area. Is there a trainer that any of you highly recommend or know is a reputable gun dog trainer in this area?

Thanks in advance. Again I’m not asking for your off topic responses in regards to the different colors of Labradors.

No judgement here, good looking pup.
Might try J.C. Strange @ Cripple Creek Retrievers, he's in Decatur.
Enjoy the ride with the little guy!

Thank you! I have heard from some others about JC from Cripple Creek Retrievers.

JC Strange all the way!

Ima liking that pups looks! Enjoy!

Might ask JC how many dogs he has, he had 60 dogs.

Double up in Kennels and dogs living in dog trailers.

Just what I saw.

Might have trouble finding a good reputable trainer to take on a dilute.

How long ago was this?

September.

Yet again, with your comments about the different colors of labrador retrievers. Seems to me that you have an issue with the out of "norm" colors, and thats your issue/problem I don't particular care to hear about. I simply asked for members of the Forum to provide me with their preference on highly recommended/reputable Gun Dog trainers in the DFW area.

Your comments have provided absolutely no help to my original question.

Seems to me that if a "reputable" Gun Dog Trainer wanted to keep his reputation up that he would take on any color of a labrador. There shouldn't be any issue of with dogs capability to be trained. All dogs are trainable. Just because my dog is of the Charcoal color somehow means that he should not be accepted by or trainer or isn't trainable??

Again, keeping on track with the original posted question. We are looking for a Gun Dog Trainer in the DFW area. Is there a trainer that any of you highly recommend or know is a reputable gun dog trainer in this area?

Thanks in advance. Again I’m not asking for your off topic responses in regards to the different colors of Labradors.

Shecrappiekilla, thanks for the information. I have contacted JC and discussed his approach to training, the process, timeframe, etc. I do plan on visiting the facility before making any arrangements for training. Hopefully with that being about 4 months ago some of those dogs have completed training and the facility has cleared out a bit.

Have you had JC train a dog for you? If so, and you don't mind talking about your thoughts/experience?

Thanks again for your comments and information. Much appreciated.

Well I tried to avoid getting in this debate but you took the chance to comment and so will I. The majority of trainers operate with the best interest of the breed as primary importance. It is well documented that the dilute gene originate from a single kennel that also bred Weimaraner's. Trainer's are also highly likely to desire dogs that come from a breeding that focused on traits for becoming a gun dog/retriever. Drive, temperament, biddability, ect... Instead of a dog that was purchased with an emphasis on color.

Not all dogs become great retrievers and usually people talk about the trainer instead of the dog or its pedigree. With that in mind most trainer's prefer to stack the odds in their favor so they can turn out a dog that the owner will be happy with.

With that being said I am semi familiar with JC's operation and I think it would be a good choice. I have day trained with him on occasion and he puts in the work. He is also fair to the dogs and knowledgeable. I cannot speak to the kennel arrangements at the house but don't think for a minute any trainer out there is going to treat Fido like you do. They will be in a kennel and not at the foot of the bed when they aren't training or on the trailer. Dogs are doubled up at times depending on the ebb and flow of who is coming and how many are set to return home. I highly doubt any trainer knowingly doubles up dogs they think are a problem or will fight. I believe most try to make sure each dog has their own space but sometimes things have to be altered for a period of time.

When I pay for training I want my dog to be worked regularly, worked with a fair hand, well fed, and kennels that are clean. Not too worried about the rest. Good luck in your search. There are plenty of trainers out there, some good and lots of not so good ones.

[/quote]

Well I tried to avoid getting in this debate but you took the chance to comment and so will I. The majority of trainers operate with the best interest of the breed as primary importance. It is well documented that the dilute gene originate from a single kennel that also bred Weimaraners. Trainer's are also highly likely to desire dogs that come from a breeding that focused on traits for becoming a gun dog/retriever. Drive, temperament, biddability, ect... Instead of a dog that was purchased with an emphasis on color.

Not all dogs become great retrievers and usually people talk about the trainer instead of the dog or its pedigree. With that in mind most trainer's prefer to stack the odds in their favor so they can turn out a dog that the owner will be happy with.

With that being said I am semi familiar with JC's operation and I think it would be a good choice. I have day trained with him on occasion and he puts in the work. He is also fair to the dogs and knowledgeable. I cannot speak to the kennel arrangements at the house but don't think for a minute any trainer out there is going to treat Fido like you do. They will be in a kennel and not at the foot of the bed when they aren't training or on the trailer. Dogs are doubled up at times depending on the ebb and flow of who is coming and how many are set to return home. I highly doubt any trainer knowingly doubles up dogs they think are a problem or will fight. I believe most try to make sure each dog has their own space but sometimes things have to be altered for a period of time.

When I pay for training I want my dog to be worked regularly, worked with a fair hand, well fed, and kennels that are clean. Not too worried about the rest. Good luck in your search. There are plenty of trainers out there, some good and lots of not so good ones. [/quote]

Leonardo, I appreciate your response. I also focused on the traits that you mentioned above. The color of my dog just so happened to be a bonus if you will. Through the various researches I have done, Charcoal/Silver Labradors are just as capable at being retrieval dogs as the other colors within the labrador breed.

I don't expect for our dog to have any kind of special treatment. It is understood that the dogs are kept in a kennel when they are not being trained. Much like you mentioned when I pay for our dog to be trained by whomever we decide to go with I expect for our dog to be worked regularly, worked with a fair hand, well fed, and kennels that are cleaned regularly.

I am glad to hear that you believe or think JC's operation would be a good choice. When talking to JC, I took away many of the things you mentioned. I have done my share of research prior to asking my question to the members of this forum. I will say that JC was high up on the list that I have complied. My intent of this post was to see if there were any other highly recommended Gun Dog trainers in the area prior to making our final decision.

Well you asked.

I do not know JC or how he trains.

I was invited to a "Dove" hunt that was put on by JC, we met up at his Kennels before daylight.

Every Kennel in his barn that I saw had two dogs in it.

There was big dog trailer out side of the Kennel that had dogs in it, this was at 5am ish, so I assumed they lived in a very small space, that about made me puke.

On the so called dove hunt, I saw one of his dogs get shocked and lit up 6 times on a dead dove that was shot by the dogs owner, on a 20 yard retrieve. I should have walked over there and kicked his azz.

When I questioned his trainer about it, he said that was JC doing that. They were down the tree line from me so I didn't see who did what.

I was an invited guest (paid hunter) so I was trying to be nice.

After seeing only 6 doves all morning and on our way out of the field was passed up a deer feeder that was on the opposite side of the tree line, right where he set us up at. I told him that was BS and illegal.

Well now you know how I feel about him.

60 dogs a $600.00 a month.

Kirk Grounds

There are several gun dog trainers within a couple of hrs of ft worth, a search will get you results. Leonardo is correct that most won't accept a nonregisterable pup.when you are questioning the trainers, the number of dogs is important. There are only so many working minutes in a day, and 15 min per dog isn't enough time, especially with a dog bred for color and not proven traits.

Robby

Non-Registerable, that's funny, our Charcoal Labrador is registered with AKC. I do understand that AKC doesn't recognize the Charcoal color for Champion Bloodlines, but he is most definitely a registrable dog. Another comment from your post I found to be funny as well, "especially with a dog bred for color and not proven traits." I am glad you know so much about the breeder that we purchased our pup from. How do you know that our breeder, breed for color alone? How do you know that our pup doesn't come from a Championship Blood line? How do you know that our pup doesn't come from a gun dog line?

As a matter of fact, our pup does come from Championship Bloodline. There are multiple dogs (dams and sires) within his family tree that are recognized/registered Championship Bloodline with AKC. One being the Dam that gave birth to our pup. Both his parents are registered with AKC under the Labrador Breed. As a matter of fact all the generations provided to me up his family tree are ALL registered with AKC under the Labrador breed, and multiple generations were provided to me.

As I mentioned in previous posts I have done my research amongst the internet for Gun Dog trainers within the DFW area. I was simply trying to reach out to fellow hunters within the forum to see if anyone here had gun dog trainer that they highly recommended from their experience. My question never asked for fellow hunters opinions on the color of my pup.

I do agree with you that asking about the number of dogs that the trainer will be working is important, and that 15 minutes is not enough time for any dog being trained to hunt properly.

Well then if it's registerable, it isn't charcoal, and it's parent isn't silver. Neither is recognized by ukc or akc. Hence neither can be titled.
Simple facts-
Eddie Noga in Bonham is a good gun dog trainer as well.
Robby

If you don't find anyone closer, look up Drake Sporting dogs.
They have put hunt titles on silvers, for clients in the past.
They are registered as chocolate.

To the original poster. There will be those who view themselves and their breed with an elitetist attitude. Steer clear of them. What you need to find is a true dog man who will objectively assess what you have to work with and be straightforward with you about it. Just because you have a registered lab does not mean it has or does not have the instincts or the ability to make you a good hunting dog. The overall popularity of the lab has facilitated a dilution of that ability and instinct in the registered population. So to your statement "they can all be trained"- not exactly, some just don't have it. Many will tout pedigree, with good reason. It stacks the odds in their favor. However performance is not determined by color, it's what's under the hood combined with what you do with the dog. Any trainer that you are going to want to train your dog is going to turn dogs away. The dogs he turns away will be performance or owner based. Not pedigree or what they look like. If the trainer does not want to first see if he has something to work with I would be suspect of what he expects to turn out. You have a good looking pup. I wish you the best in finding the right trainer to help you sort it all out. I am no longer running labs and currently hunt a versatile but in the event you do not find a trainer you are comfortable with in your geographic area PM me and I can give you the names of some good trainers I have trained with to talk to. Like me they are well to the south of you. You are in the heart of good lab country and should be able to find what you are seeking. Do the leg work and do not be deterred by the naysayers. In the short term there are a lot of good retriever training programs. Start reading and working on puppy stuff with the little guy. The retriever training forum used to be a great place to visit with experienced retriever trainers....