Hunting Doodle Training

We offer training services for your American Hunting Doodle. We train for basic obedience and started hunting ability. We only use positive reinforcement in our training, we do not implement compulsion training techniques or force fetch. 

Our American Hunting Doodles have consistently been successful in the field and blind as early as 6 months old with our training methods.

It all starts with early introduction and positive association with bird scent to nurture the innate hunting instincts in our American Hunting Doodles. We begin with whistle training during the weaning process around three weeks old, then introduce bird scent with the same whistle sound after the positive association has been established. Around seven weeks we begin working with each puppy individually with bird wings on controlled retrieves. 

Hunting Doodle Boot Camp

The AHD Hunting Doodle Boot Camp is for our dogs that have gone home at eight weeks old and return to us for hunting training. Your Hunting Doodle comes back for training around six months old and stays for two months. While at Boot Camp, your Hunting Doodle lives in our home and packs with our dogs and other trainees. This pack training approach allows your dog to learn social skills and household manners in addition to preparing for hunting.

Our Boot Camp program covers the following areas:

• Reinforce basic commands (sit, stay, lay, come, heel).

• Retrieving Protocol - waiting to retrieve until given release command.

• Marked, unmarked and blind retrieves.

• Gun training - learning association of gun noise with retrieve.

• Swimming - confidence in the water. Water retrieves, marked, unmarked, and blind.

• Whistle redirect.

• Introduction to casting / hand signals.

• Introduction to multiple retrieves and prioritization of retrieve.

• Live bird retrieve - live hunt or released pheasant for flushing and retrieving.

• Full Training Report - a detailed write-up of your dog’s training and specific instructions on how to continue developing their hunting skills.

Please inquire for additional customized training tailored to your hunting environment and style.

Space is limited to one trainee at a time, four trainees per season.

The AHD Boot Camp program is $3,600 and is due a the beginning of the training period.

Sold Out for 2020 - Register for 2021