Dog Training Classes in Salem, OR
We believe all dogs should perform the following skills well:
- Come to you when called.
- Stop and stay still until released.
- Go with you, hunt with you in the field, and heel.
Side by Side specializes in upland hunting dog training. Pointing and flushing breeds are both welcome. Our goal is to help your dog become the hunter you want them to be. All dogs will be trained to honor the flight of the bird and break on the report of the gun. Flushing dogs will be conditioned to sit on the flush and the pointing dogs will be conditioned to be steady to wing or steady to wing and shot. If your goal is to trial or hunt-test your dog, it will take more time to finish your dog to this level. We believe it is essential for the dog to be on birds every day and to be given quality repetition for them to learn best.
Puppy Training
$350
Puppies should be introduced to the hunting environment in a progressive manner. Each pup will be introduced to the field areas and birds in a manner which develops confidence. Our goal is to allow the pup to smell the bird, to feel it, and to taste the bird without the bird-scaring the pup. The confidence in the field and the desire to “get” the bird will produce the prey drive we all want in our dogs. Puppies are not adult dogs in small bodies as they don’t have the knowledge or experiences of older dogs, so it is vital we keep situations positive for them. Introduction to a variety of settings and other dogs will also occur.
Foundation Training
$900
Our goals in this session are to enhance the prey drive with continued bird contact, begin the development of coming to us, going with us, and staying still. Every day your dog will work on finding birds in the field and learning what it takes to be a gentleman or lady. They will receive daily repetitions on the command lead, whoa post, and check cord. Agility training will be used to develop competence, trust, and physical skills. By the end of this training, your dog should respond to these simulations with a beginning conditioned response of coming to us, going with us, staying still and the beginning stages of honoring another dog’s point. The starter’s pistol will be introduced in a positive, non-threatening manner.
Intermediate Training
$900
Each dog in this session will continue with the daily contact of birds in the field. We will initiate the transition from the mechanical cues to a low-level remote cue and the subsequent naming of the behavior. Our goals are to see an improvement in steadying the dog on point, continuing the development of honoring another dog’s point, and working effectively with us in the field. Obedience training will be continued as well.
Flushing dogs will begin learning the sit-to-flush skill.
Advanced Training
$900
The third session of training is reinforcing all they know so it becomes a learned behavior. The goal here is to expose each dog to a variety of situations in order for them to effectively hunt with us. This includes such things as various wind directions, following directions to hunt “dead,” honoring points, and going with you in the field. The dogs will continue to work with pigeons as well as share time with the shot gun and quail.
