Gun dogs and the pursuit of birds is more than a hobby, it is a passion and lifestyle
Our goal- a solid foundation for you and your dog, as a team. We are here to help you achieve your training needs and goals to set you and your gun dog up for years of great, productive days afield.
Training Philosophy and Ideas
At Western Bird Dog Training in Wyoming, we specialize in developing well-socialized, adaptable, and confident gun dogs that excel both in the field and at home. Recognizing that hunting season is shorter than we’d like and that your bird dog is also a family companion, we focus on training that prepares them for both hunting and everyday life. Our customized approach ensures your dog understands both fieldwork and real-world “house rules” based on your specific needs.
We treat every dog as if they were our own, going beyond a one-size-fits-all method. By utilizing diverse training grounds and water environments, we prepare your dog for real hunting scenarios. For those training retrievers and versatile breeds for waterfowl hunting, we incorporate realistic setups with blinds and decoys to simulate various hunting conditions.
Our training is highly personalized, ensuring that both you and your dog are set up for success—whether you're in the uplands, wetlands, or at home.
Testing
Drahthaar Hunting Dog Tests
Drahthaars undergo a series of structured tests to evaluate their natural abilities, training progress, and overall hunting proficiency.
VJP (Verbands-Jugend-Prüfung) – Young Dog Test: Conducted in spring for pups 6-18 months old, this test assesses natural instincts in searching, pointing, and live rabbit tracking.
HZP (Verbands-Herbstzucht-Prüfung) – Fall Breed Test: A more advanced evaluation for dogs that passed the VJP, focusing on searching, pointing, retrieving (land & water), nose quality, and cooperation. It includes gun sensitivity testing and live duck searches.
VGP (Verbands-Gebrauchsprüfung) – Utility Test: The highest level of testing for fully trained dogs, assessing obedience, blood tracking, retrieving over obstacles, independent searches, and overall versatility in the field.
These tests ensure that each Drahthaar meets the breed's high hunting and performance standards.
Meet your Trainer
My versatile background including retrievers, pointers and even search and rescue dogs allows me to really 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.