I started this training program out of a true passion for training gun dogs and helping folks with their dogs. From an early age I have been drawn to bird dogs and hunting. Some of my fondest memories were sitting with my grandfather and an old leather-bound book he had, “Encyclopedia of Sporting Dogs”, and going breed by breed discussing the merits and cons of each breed. I pestered my folks for years until they relented and I got my first pointing dog, a Brittany, the fire was lit.

In my mid 20s, waterfowl hunting became a primary passion and switched to working with retrievers. I was a waterfowl guide and using the dogs almost daily in that type of high-volume professional setting really taught me a lot about what it takes to make a truly fantastic well rounded dog duck. I was able to do a few hunt tests to get a glimpse of that world as well. This was also when I was fortunate to meet another Chessie guy and highly decorated Hunt Test and Feid Trial handler and trainer, Leo Lemon of Gemini Cheasapekes. He was an incredible mentor, friend and trainer. A lot of traveling pros would stop, stay and train with Leo, and getting to train and rub shoulders with them bolstered my knowledge, opened my eyes and learned a ton. 

During the time I was guiding waterfowl, most of my buddies had pointing dogs and chukar hunted. I was fortunate enough to spend time over lots of great dogs and explore great country.. This is also when the outfitter I worked waterfowl trips for expanded to a shooting preserve and I oversaw the training and handling of the pointing dogs we guided with.

I have come full circle and mostly pursue upland birds and work with pointing dogs. I was fortunate to be able to work for a pro in Oregon and that worked with flushing, retrievers and pointing dogs. This really allowed me to train and handle a variety of breeds, age classes, and natural abilities. 

 For a couple decades my main occupation was guiding fly fishing trips in Oregon and Idaho. In the guiding off-season , I was a pro ski patroller and was a trainer and handler of avalanche search and rescue dogs for seven seasons. Training working dogs that must move with you in a busy distracting environment, load, and ride chairlifts, and have the discipline and exposure to ride on snowmobiles and all the other unique situations they are required to do has been help expand my training and ability to think out of the box and pull training ideas from other working dog disciplines. 

Currently, my personal gun dogs are Drahthaars and I have been drawn to the versatile pointers. I have tested in the VDD system and am familiar with those requirements and the demands to train pointing, tracking, and retrieving work on fur and feathers. 

This versatile background including retrievers, pointers and even search and rescue dogs allows me to help meet all your training goals. Working as a guide and seeing what the real life training demands and requirements to make a solid, mannered, and well socialized ( to people and changing hunting environments) next level gun dog. 

I feel confident with my background, based on variety and experience I can help you and your gun dog’s goals, from making a solid retriever a duck dog machine, to getting a wirehair ready for NAVDA and everything in between.