Need recommendations

[LuciandTim]

A buddy of mine just got a puppy and this spring wants to get him in to a trainer. Ideally near the metro.

He's looking for a smaller operation.

Anyone have any ideas or recommendations?

Thanks!

[duckbuster]

What is your buddy looking to do with the dog? Just obedience and force fetch or does he want a dog that is finished, i.e. handles, steady, multiple retrieves that type of stuff.

Let us know and we will try and point him in the right direction.

[Springerguy1]

Wings and Whistles in Watertown did a nice job with my brittany. More importantly, the trainer spent a fair amount of time with me to make sure I knew how to continue the training and proper use of e-collar and choke chain. We had the dog attend a 2 week course that was intro to guns/birds and then a follow up 4 week course, very nice facilities.

[setterguy]

A second nomination for Wings and Whistles, they are very knowledgable dog guys and let the dogs go at thier own pace instead of beating the training into them. I know that metrojoe had his dog trained there and that little dog turned out great.

[bigdog]

Third vote for Wings and Whistles. He worked with me and my first dog many years ago and I have no complaints.

[metrojoe]

She gets it all from her mother Justin. Thats my little girl on a solid point at 9 months old in my avatar. I can't say enough good things about Wings and Whistles. I sent her in around 6 months old and I couldn't believe what I was seeing after only a 2 week bird and gun intro. It was amazing. I also sent her in for the 4 week obedience course and I had a number of one on one sessions with Mike and he showed me some simple exercises and techniques for training "Here", "Heal", and "Whoa" that I still use. Also, for those of you not familiar with e-collar training this is really the way to go. Well worth every penny.

[Tripleplay]

My GSP came from Autumn Breeze Kennels and they were previously in the St. Francis area. He is now close to Isle so a bit away from the metro. Ed used to run labs and now breeds GSP's but I've seen him training everything from pointers to flushers.

What I liked about Ed is that I had the option of leaving my dog with him for the training or I could attend with my puppy a couple of times a week and get trained myself! Believe me, I think I needed the training more than the dog since this was my first try.

Unfortunately I'm about to be starting over as I had to put my dog down last week at 5 years of age due to liver failure. I'll be posting that information in the future once I can see through my "cloudy" eyes to type!

[setterguy]

Sorry to hear about your dog Triple, its never easy no matter how old they are.

[metrojoe]

Sorry to hear that Irv. I wish I would have had a chance to see her in action. I know you talked highly of her.

Take it easy.