I will bring you training from my perspective (yes the dog’s) and maybe that will help some of you to see it through my eyes. You will be able to follow me through my training from puppy to adult as I strive to become a dog that will be just as comfortable in the field as I am in my PetMate Kennel at home with my family.
For starters, let me tell you how my owner found my breeder and Kennel. I'll let her do this part, you must remember to let your owners do some of the work and give them lots of praise. In return, they will take you to the field more often and spend more time playing with you.
I have had Labradors since I was 9-years-old and have trained dogs for 23 years. Losing my last Black Labrador Retriever after 16 years was very hard for me to cope with. I was in no way, shape, or form searching for another dog. When Star passed away I felt at that time she would be my last. She had been that one in a million dog that every one dreams of. She was a great hunting companion, obedience show dog, and loyal friend. She was a pointing Lab, which made her great for both duck and upland hunting. Where I live, she hunted mostly grouse.
I own and operate Super Dog Obedience Training School. I stress to all my clients when you are looking for a dog search for a reputable breeder and not buy from Pet Stores and Flea Markets. You have no way of talking with the breeder and puppy mills are not a thing of the past. There is no reason to get in a hurry when you are purchasing a new dog, you are making a life-long commitment here. You don’t marry the first person you met do you? Also when looking for a new dog think of what you want this dog to do, be a pet, a show dog, a hunting companion or a dog for field trials. With Labs and many other breeds you need to look for a breeder that breeds for the traits you want. If you want a hunting dog you are not going to purchase a dog from show lines necessarily, there is a huge difference in appearance and drive. It is also important to visit the kennels, narrow down the top three or four after doing your research and call them and see if they will let you come look at the kennels. Pay attention to details when you are there and write down some questions you would like answers to. It could take you several months or a year to find the dog you are looking for.
For several years after Star passed, my husband Jim had urged me to get a new dog, but I wasn’t quiet ready. I had started doing a little searching on the web and in reputable magazines, but I just couldn’t seem to find what I was searching for. I wanted a female black Lab from field stock bloodlines. I was looking for a certain look and temperament and I felt I was searching for a needle in a haystack until I met Stacey West, owner of Fowl Creeks Kennels.
Stacey has hunted as long as he can remember, mostly dove and rabbit with his Dad and their beagles when he was young. Stacey owned his first beagle when he was 14 years old. He began Duck hunting when he was in the 7th or 8th grade but mostly jump shot birds which does not require a dog. Stacey owned his first lab when he was a senior in High School, his name was Hooch. They learned a lot together and he fell in love with the breed.
Stacey wanted to become a Veterinarian but changed his major and has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Fish and Wildlife from N.C. State University and a Master’s Degree in Zoology from Clemson. Before dog training became his passion, he was a Wildlife Biologist at Johnston Community College where he assisted the environmental program for K-12 graders and also assisted with the outreach for 4-H.
Stacey started doing field trials with his dog’s six years ago and decided he wanted to take it to the next level. He is now a professional trainer and has been for 5 years. His accomplishments and titles are numerous. He and his black Lab GRHRCH UH Wingmaster Scout Sta-West were the first in North Carolina to achieve the Grand Hunting Retriever Champion title. Stacey competes nationally in field trials and hunting retriever trials as well as the ESPN Super Retriever Series. Stacey is a breeder who believes in quality breeding instead of quantity. He is a breeder who does all he can to keep the breed true to it’s origin.
I had talked to Stacey numerous times about what I was looking for, after a year he felt that he had the breeding that would result in the puppy that I had been searching for. You need to remember to let your breeder assist you in finding the right puppy for what you plan to do. I have people tell me that they do not want to pay for a puppy from a breeder, that they can not justify the expense. What they don’t see is that puppy you get from the Flea Market or Pet Store may have underlying problems that have resulted in bad breeding practices. In turn you will spend double the amount on Vet bills and medication or even worse have to have them euthenized. This is not the case all the time, some of the puppies you get will be perfectly healthy but more often than not that is not the case.
We drove to Louisburg to pick up Night on May 29, she was 71/2 weeks old, and Stacey makes sure all his puppies are OFA (eye certified) approved before he lets them go home. Eye CERF test (Canine Eye Registration Foundation) are done much like a visit to your family eye doctor. The eyes are dilated to where the retina can be viewed. Puppies as young as 7 weeks can have this procedure done. When breeding this is a very important step in preventing hereditary eye disease that occur in many breeds. His pups come with a 30-month guarantee against health defects, such and hip displasia and other common defects. The dogs that he breeds have to have their eye and hips certified before they are considered for breeding. Their pedigree is also a huge consideration. Stacey breeds for quality field champion lines and works hard to keep his breeding program at extremely high standards.
When we arrived at Jumping Run Farms, Stacey, his assistant Roni, and the litter of puppies met us. Stacey gave us a complete tour of the farm, kennels, and his training facility. His operation is well run with anywhere from 5 to 30 dogs in his training programs. He teaches fieldwork and obedience. Some of the dogs in training will stay anywhere from a month for some beginning work or until they have completed the titles their owners desire and are reliable hunting companions.
There was a gentleman and his 7-year-old son there who were to get pick of the litter. They were taking two dogs back to Minnesota with them. After they had picked their two, Stacey assisted in helping us pick our puppy. I must admit I was very impressed with the puppies, they had been hand raised, were kennel trained, had been introduced to water and birds and were accustomed to riding in a car or truck.
After the paper work was complete we headed home with a very well adjusted puppy ready to start her life with her new owners. The 5-hour ride home was a breeze, no whining, no barking except when she needed a pit stop. I am very glad that I took the time to grieve Star and to find Fowl Creeks Kennels and Stacey West. Night is already a great addition to our family and we look forward to spending many years with her in the field and in our home.
We will be taking you through her training and welcome you to stop back by several times per month, we will keep updates and a lesson plans going from start to finish. Please feel free to email us with your questions and comments, as we are here to help you with your dog as well. We hope you will enjoy "Night’s Column" and learn from her success and failures. We plan on sharing all of her training with you good and bad. No dog has ever been trained that did not have a set back or two. Maybe you could drop the webmaster of this website a note as well and let her know what you think of this new online training concept. We look forward to working with you and your dog and giving you training tips and helping you troubleshoot through your problems. Night’s first column will be on what to do when you bring home your new puppy.
Until next time, keep your nose in the wind,
