Dogwood Brittanys

Started Hunting Dogs

At Dogwood Brittanys, our dogs are in very high demand. We are known for producing some of the finest Brittanys in the country for everything from family companionship to National Champion Gun Dogs. It is rare that we have any dogs available to meet the high demand for a started dog from our kennel because they are all purchased as puppies. To meet that demand we have begun to offer our pups with started dog packages for those customers who desire to have a started Dogwood Brittany. Here is how it works.

If you were in the market for a new car and you wanted to make sure it had certain features like color, leather interior, a certain size motor and other amenities, you would visit the dealership, decide on the features you wanted, order and pay for your car and wait to take delivery until the car was completed and delivered to the dealer. The dealer has a base price of your make and model and the price increases depending on the features and amenities you add on.

In a similar way, when you purchase a started dog from Dogwood Brittanys, you begin by selecting your pup, choosing what features of the started dog package you desire, pay for that package, and take delivery of your dog once the desired skill level is completed. (After Puppy Head Start, you may take your dog home for periods of time between levels of training and return them at the appropriate time to complete the next level of training.) You begin with the base price of the 8-week-old pup which is determined by the price tier of that particular litter. From there, the price of the pup increases depending on the level of training you desire in your dog. The different levels are as follows:

This is the first level of learning for your new pup. It begins at 8 weeks of age to 13 weeks of age. We focus on the skills of “come to me” (recall), “go with me” (both on and off leash) and “be still”. We also work on crate training, house breaking and beginning obedience. At the end of the Puppy Head Start you can expect that your pup will accept the crate and sleep in it for 6-8 hours, will walk calmly on leash without pulling, will accept restriction and be quiet on a stake out, will go with you in a field and come when recalled and be accepting and quiet for wellness items like brushing their teeth and trimming their nails and bathing.

A pup that has completed the Puppy Head Start phase is priced at $500 above the puppy base price.

Recommended homework for the owner is to visit 2 times during this phase to work with us to prepare for taking your pup home and to purchase and view the Puppy 1 DVD of the Smith Method.

Puppy Head Start

Puppy Head Start Advanced

This the second level of learning for your pup. Because the pup needs to be more mature both physically and mentally, this level usually begins between 4 and 6 months of age. Therefore, if you live close enough to Dogwood Brittanys to take your pup home until they are mature enough for the Head Start Advanced phase, we recommend that you do so. If you elect to leave your pup here until the Advanced phase begins, we will continue to maintain and reinforce what they have learned in the Head Start phase at the charge of $100 a week until the Advanced Phase begins. (This option is cheaper than board.)

In the Puppy Head Start Advanced phase of learning we focus on the continued reinforcement of the skills learned in Puppy Head Start and build on those skills for a higher level of performance. We will transfer the skills of come to me, go with me and be still to the field. We will introduce whoa training to begin steadiness (be still), introduce the whistle to encourage recall (come to me), and introduce them to the field and birds. (Go with me)

A pup that has completed the Puppy Head Start and Puppy Head Start Advanced phases is priced at $1,000 above the puppy base price.

Recommended homework for the owner is to visit 2 times, if possible, during this phase to work with us to prepare for taking your pup home and to purchase and view the Puppy 2 DVD of the Smith Method.

The term ‘Derby’ is a field trial term indicating a dog that is in between the Puppy and Adult phases of training and skill. In the Derby phase of training, we will continue reinforcement of the learned skills from previous training while introducing the check cord. The dog will learn to quarter and use the terrain to hunt. We will reinforce the whistle for communicating cues. We will introduce advanced whoa training utilizing the table, barrel, and board, transitioning the whoa into the stalk, then transitioning the stalk into the point. We will introduce the gun in the Derby phase. At the end of the Derby training, the dog should be flash pointing and 50-60% steady to flush of the bird.

A pup that has completed their training through the Derby phase is priced at $1,750 above the puppy base price. There may be additional charges for birds beginning at the Derby level.

Derby

Recommended homework for the owner is to visit 2 times, if possible, during this phase to work with us to prepare for taking your pup home, purchase and view the Foundation Level DVD of the Smith Method and to attend a Smith Method Foundation Level Seminar.

Foundation Level

The Foundation Level of training comes with the expectation that the dog is performing consistently as a hunting companion. We will continue reinforcement of the learned skills from previous training, transitioning from the check cord and introducing the e-collar for cues and correction. We will continue reinforcing steadiness while on point and introduce the dog to the Whoa Post. We will begin hunting with other dogs and introduce to the dog to backing (honoring) another dog on point.

At the end of the Foundation Level of training, the dog should be steady to flush, biddable to the handler with a minimum of e-collar stimulation, and familiar to hunting with multiple dogs.

A dog that has completed their training through the Foundation Level phase is priced at $2,500 above the puppy base price. There will be additional charges for birds.

Recommended homework for the owner is to visit 2 times to hunt with your dog, if possible, during this phase to work with us to prepare for taking your pup home, purchase and view the Intermediate Level DVD of the Smith Method and to attend a Smith Method Intermediate Level Seminar.

At the Intermediate Level of training, we really begin to put the polish on your bird dog. As always, we will continue reinforcement of learned skills from previous training. Training will consist of lots of bird work with multiple dogs with the expectation that we are becoming a polished team of dogs working together and in tandem with the handler. We will complete whoa post training and seasoning to Steady to Flush. There will be both quail and pheasants harvested over the dog at the Intermediate phase of training. At the end of the Intermediate phase of training, the dog should demonstrate a superior prey drive, successfully point and hold birds through the flush and honor another dog’s point.

A dog that has completed the Intermediate Level of training should be mostly steady to wing and shot. They may stay steady until released or release at the fall of the bird. This is the level of training for the polished gentleman’s bird dog or working guide dog.

Intermediate Level

A dog that has completed their training through the Foundation Level phase is priced at $3,500 above the puppy base price. There will be additional charges for birds.

Recommended homework for the owner is to visit 2 times to hunt with your dog, if possible, during this phase to work with us to prepare for taking your pup home and to attend a Smith Method Advanced Level Seminar if available.

Advanced Level

The bird dog that is finished to the Advanced Level of training is a wonder to behold. They are bird finding machines that display the advanced manners of a season professional. They will hunt with a minimum of cues and instinctively respond to their owner/handler. If competing, they will do so at the highest level required with flawless consistency. They will be steady to wing, shot and fall to the release. This is the level of training for the most discriminating of hunters that appreciate the dog at work as much as the game in the bag.

A dog that has completed their training through the Foundation Level phase is priced at $4,500 above the puppy base price. There will be additional charges for birds.

Many dogs have a natural instinct for retrieving. This instinct can range from “occasionally, when I feel like it” to very reliable. In our experience, the only way to build a consistent, cue-based retrieve is through force breaking. We can add in force breaking to retrieve at any level of training beginning with the Foundation Level training. This is customizable depending on the preferences of the owner.

At the completion of the training the dog should consistently and reliably retrieve to hand the downed game.

Retrieving training is an additional $1,000 and is an add-on feature to beginning at the Foundation Level.