Long story short... my original trainer made a career change (great guy - just circumstances transpired that compelled him to alter his career) and I had to find someone with space in their kennel.

My dog was there for nearly 7 months and in that time he learned SOME basic obedience. As far as I can tell, he did little or NO field work. When I went to pick him up, the trainer demonstrated his retrieving skills by throwing a dead duck about 15 feet with a tether attached to the dog, and the dog, being a RETRIEVER, of course went out picked up the duck and the trainer then jerked the dog back. I am sure this is a great drill, but after 7 months? This is it? In the time that he was there, I would imagine that the trainer spent maybe a week with my dog. If the lack of training was not bad enough, he consistently lied to me about where my dog was in the training process. All the things that he said he was doing with my dog, never happened. Two months ago I wanted to come and pick him up, but the trainer said that he was having trouble "lining out" (maybe wrong terminology - basically when the dog is sitting next to you, you can aim him with your had and then send him on the retrieve) and that he would like him for one more week. This scenario happened over and over again, but only the training stage changed. When I got there, NOTHING beyond "here," "sit," "heel." Other than a few improved manners, I am certain, with regards to "hunting," that I sent a better dog than I got back. I don't think they did any gun training, at all. I am glad that I did some small caliber shooting around him when he was younger - I hope it is still familiar to him.

I don't know what to do now. I guess I am going to try and read as much as I can and do it myself. Any advice would be great.

Collier Kennels (www.collierkennels.com); Rating: 2.5 out of 10

I gave him 2.5 because there was SOME improvement in basic obedience, manners, and he at the very least looked healthy when I picked him up.

Lies are no good in my book. I also would like to add that I realize that every dog is different, but honesty would have been clutch if the the trainer didn't feel the dog had potential. However, I feel that it was more negligence than anything else. He even said, "we barely worked with him at all" - I don't think he knew I heard him say that.

brother I haven't worked a lab in years and could have had your dog doing more than that in 7months....plus doing my regular job. I would say that goes for the most of us that to our own training on here. I would have chewed that guys hind end off.

I would say that thing that prompted his career change is his inability to train a dog. JMO.

Best of luck finding a good trainer man.

7 months for those results, wow! I'm sure you paid a pretty penny for those 7 months as well.

Sorry to hear that.

I had a different trainer lined up in the beginning. He's the one who made the career change. not the guy that I ended up sending him to. Sorry for the confusion.


I agree with you otherwise. I am serious when I say that I sent a better retriever than I got back

AFTER 5 MONTHS AT MARKS A LOT KENNELLS IN CADDO MILLS MY FEMALE LAB IS HOLDING FIRM TO SHOT, MAKING MULTIPLE RETRIEVES , AND SO MUCH MORE.SEEK OUT A PRO WITH REFRENCES LIKE MARKS A LOT OR ANGIE AT TIOGA KENNELS.

GOOD LUCK

that's the crappy part. this guy came recommended. hes a bird dog trainer that i think dables in retrievers - i should have called angie or best - Zack recommended I go to Best but he was booked up for a while - i should have been more patient and waited for him to have an opening.

aren't you in Austin? How old is the dog? Maybe I can help you get that dog on track without spending any more money. I'm sure TexasEd would be willing to help too.

I'm close enough. I live in Temple. I know, I was thinking of calling Ed. I've hunted with his dog and was real impressed.

I sure would appreciate the help. He's a good dog, eager to please, and has a pretty good obedience foundation. Ruger (the dog) just hit 1 year in January.

Yea man. We can get together. I think me and Ed are planning on getting together this spring and summer. We can have your dog ready for some ducks next year easily. He's still young and got a long way to go. I'm sure he'll be fine.

If anything he will play fetch at least a little right even with a ball or something?

oh absolutely. he would probably retrieve until doom's day. he never went through any force fetch, holding to shot, blinds, etc. i was thinking of jumping a tank with him just to see what happens.

OH! LOL... I just remembered something else the trainer said, "...after you shoot a bird, throw some rocks or whatever to get his attention on the duck." Unbelievable... The more I think about it, I bet he didn't start doing anything with him until like a week or so prior to me picking him up. What really sucks, is that I sacrificed missing my dog growing from puppy to adult for virtually NOTHING.

actually, I froze some birds as I was planning on working with him as soon as I got him back. what should I do?

ok if his OB is good, and he'll retrieve just fine then the next step is probably going to be FF and 1 yo is perfect for it.

If you will look a few threads down under Gundog Trainers one guy actually endorses collier kennels so I am guessing this is the same guy

yea just use those frozen birds and do some plain retrieving. Maybe put him on a 50' lead to be sure he comes back to you if he doesn't already. If you're not real sure what you can do as of right now. Then don't worry about doing anything. We can get together here in a couple weeks after ducks season. You definitely don't want to start any bad habits for him though.

It is the same guy. Like I said, great bird dogs I suppose (cause that's who referred me to him) but lousy with retrievers.

I'm calling you.

First off it sounds like you have me confused with someone else perhaps. I don't think I have recommended anyone to James for retriever training. Until I stand corrected anyway...

Secondly James has a son that trains retrievers and don't know the first thing about his training skills nor whether James was actually the trainer in this circumstance.

I do know that if I had an issue with the dog he would be back at the kennel. If it a case where the dog wasn't being worked I would want to know why and asking when I'm getting my refund.

As others have been pleased with the success of collier kennels sometimes it is the dog and not necessarily the trainer. Not saying this in this case.

so why wouldn't the guy tell him his dog may not be cut out for it?

Whos saying he did or didn't? James had my dog for 6 months and told me up front that if she wouldn't make a good dog he would give me half the money back.

In fact he kept her no charge the last 2 months to get her to whoa and hold better.

Lots of dog trainers,,,, very few good ones. Buyer beware. You need to watch your prospective trainer train dogs, look at their kennels, read their training contract and talk to their clients and peers....

It's no different then any other business. How would you select a doctor or lawyer????

I don't understand how people get so "side ways" when hiring a trainer???

They give more thought to the guy remodeling their bathroom, then the person training their dog...

FWIW

Angie

Ive had two dogs trained by Best Retrievers and they run a first class business. They are some of the hardest working honest people I have ever been around.
I know how you feel cause before sending my dogs to Best Retrievers I had another dog at a different trainer and he ruined her. And I know it wasnt the dog cause I later gave the dog to Rody and he worked wonders with her and now she is a hunting machine.

NO! to Angie at Tioga Retrievers

How many months of training did he charge you for? I have known James for a long time & if there is something your not happy with he will try to make it right. I find it hard to believe that they didn't do any gun training. As far as all the other trainers, i'm sure that they are perfect & have never had someone that was unhappy. James is a good guy and I am positive that he will make it right if he or his operation is at fault. Just call him & tell him the problems you are having with the dog.

+1 for tioga retrievers...