Smith Kennels

08/19/2026

Our Fall Tune-Up, Field Intro, and Basic Training Classes are officially FULL!

Thank you to everyone who enrolled your dog for board and train classes with us this fall. We’re grateful for the opportunity to work with your dogs and to be part of your hunting journeys!

If you didn’t get your dog in, there are still opportunities available to join us working dogs! Our 2027 Field Intro and Basic Formal Training classes are open and you can get your dog in for training with us as early as January. We also have three seminars left on the 2026 calendar.

Don’t put off your dog’s training. Let’s work to make your hunting goals a reality!

08/18/2026

Training and hunting are two separate things.

Training is the sweat equity of teaching dogs, building skills, and developing consistent behaviors. Hunting is where we get to apply it and enjoy the benefits. Trying to train while hunting often leads to a confused dog and a frustrated hunter.

If your Foundation is in place, let’s keep building on the training before hunting season! Attending the Intermediate and Advanced Levels of Training at one of our seminars will help you make the most of your time in the field this year.

Our Upcoming Seminars:

INTERMEDIATE SEMINAR
⭐️ Sept. 19–20: Hackberry Kennels at Shelby, IA
⭐️Oct. 17–18: Smith Kennels at Pawhuska, OK

ADVANCED SEMINAR
⭐️October 24-25: Smith Kennels at Pawhuska, OK

A link for signing up is in the comments below!

08/14/2026

Failure is an opportunity for growth.

Ever had that experience in the training field or hunt where things simply fell apart?
Your dog doesn’t stand steady on birds.
He runs over the next hill chasing off-game.
Maybe there was handler error or confusion. There is so much that can go awry in the field. Yeah, us too.

There is frustration in those hard times. BUT those times also serve as identifiers of what needs attention. And thus failures can become a strength.

Ronnie and I are always asking ourselves where our failures are. This helps us to know how to be better trainers and handlers. Knowing where our dogs have failed in the past also helps us to know what to work on in training scenarios and how to improve our training.

Together we can all work to be better handlers and trainers. We would love to have you join us at a training seminar.

📸: Schellenbach Photography & Design

08/06/2026

Pssssssssstttt… Have you mentioned in passing to Ronnie or me while we were working dogs, washing kennels, or maybe feeding that you’d like to get your dog in for training this fall?

If so, this post is for you!

We know those conversations often happen with good intentions while we’re busy with dogs, but we can’t guarantee a spot until your dog is officially enrolled online.

There are only a few spots remaining in our fall training classes, and we don’t want your pup to miss out on the opportunity to join in this year.

Let’s make it official! Our link in the comments below will get you to the enrollment form. Please get your dog enrolled before the last remaining spots are filled!

Upcoming training opportunities:

* Tune Ups: September 1–30
* Field Intro: September 15–30
* Basic Formal Training: October 1 - December 31

08/05/2026

What makes some bird dogs exceptional?

It’s not just prey drive and it’s not just training. It’s a balance of both.

A dog with strong prey drive has an intense desire to find birds. They’ll follow up weak scent when other dogs can’t, they’ll hunt through difficult conditions and not quit, and they’ll stay focused even when birds are hard to find. At times, they can be so focused on game they’re almost oblivious to everything else (including directions from their handler). This is a bit like a puppy in the field with nothing on his mind except the joy of finding game.

Training gives direction and shapes manners. It opens clear lines of communication that allow us to keep our dogs safer in any environment. Training helps us maintain steadiness and to effectively handle dogs in the field. It teaches manners and develops a mindset that’s receptive to cues. When training greatly outweighs focus on birds you have a well-mannered pet out for a run, not a proficient hunting dog.

The goal is to develop and maintain focus and training throughout the dog’s life. A dog that has been lounging around all summer is not going to be as focused on finding game as they could be, and likely not quickly complying with cues either.

So now that hunting season is drawing near, what’s your plan to prepare your dog for opening day?

For Ronnie and I, it starts with a refresher on the basic cues and obedience, then gradually building to applying those lessons during bird work as we sharpen our dogs’ focus on game. A little preparation can make a big difference during season. Pre-season preparation helps dogs get mentally and physically ready to perform their best throughout the season.

08/04/2026

We want to extend a huge “Thank you!” to everyone that shared birthday wishes, photographs, and stories with us in celebration of Delmar’s 100th birthday!

We compiled the comments in a booklet for Delmar to keep. Reading through it has been a sweet reminder of the tremendous number of lives Delmar has touched. We are including some of the fabulous photos shared by Delmar’s friends, Ken Jacobson (owner of HOF NFC/DC Pacolet Cheyenne Sam) and Joe Crafton (founder of Park Cities Quail).

From our family to yours, thank you for helping make this milestone so meaningful. We know Delmar will be humbled to see the outpouring of love and support. Here’s to honoring a life well lived and the countless friendships made along the way!

07/30/2026

Help us celebrate a legend! For decades, Delmar Smith has influenced both the bird dog and the western worlds, creating a legacy that has shaped dogs, horses, and people alike. His wisdom, passion, and that ever-present sparkle of mischief in his blue eyes have impacted us all.

He is in the Field Trial Hall of Fame twice (Setters/Pointers and Brittanys). He is the founder of the Smith Seminars and the Smith Method of Training. He is known at the Lazy E Arena as "King of the Chutes." And today Delmar reaches the momentous milestone of being 100 years old!

Please join us in celebrating with Delmar and wishing him a Happy 100th Birthday! If Delmar inspired something good in your life, helped you with an animal, or was a part of something that is a fond memory for you, we would love to hear about it in the comments. And if you know someone whose life was touched by Delmar, please share so they can help celebrate this remarkable day as well.

HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY, DELMAR!

07/28/2026

As we celebrate 70 years of our bird dog training business, we’ve been looking through old family photographs. They’ve made us think about how our family has worked with animals, holding an enduring curiosity and respect for them, long before the creation of our kennels.

This photo shows just that, with a young Ronnie Smith Sr. perched atop a flashy palomino (likely one of his uncle’s horses) in 1947. His grin says it all.

Long before there was a kennel… before there were seminars… before the training business… our family was tied to the land and working with animals.

Our business didn’t create our family’s passion for animals, instead it’s what has grown from that passion.

We continue to be humbled and inspired by those who came before us.

06/09/2026

Part 1 of our Whoa Training Series in Gun Dog Magazine introduces the concept of simply having our dogs stand still. This helps develop a composed mindset, which is separate from the teaching the cue to ask for the behavior.

“Teaching a dog to “whoa” does not automatically mean you have shaped a mindset that can consistently and successfully execute the behavior. As you are whoa training your dog, keep in mind that standing still is a skill and a mindset to be nurtured and developed, while“whoa” is the cue or command used to get the dog to stop. A dog that is not able to stand still in a composed/relaxed manner will continuously fail at being told to “whoa,” particularly when there is exciting activity going on around him, as there likely will be in the bird field.”

Here’s the link to the full article:

Whoa Breaking Part 1: Preparing Your Dog

06/09/2026

Part 2 of our Whoa Training Series in Gun Dog Magazine discusses developing a point of contact to cue a dog to stand still. As part of our Foundation Level Training, it establishes the groundwork for the more advanced skills and expectations on birds later on. Developing a cue for whoa allows us to steady our dogs on birds, building our dog’s confidence and proficiency.

The full article is linked here:

Developing the cue to stop can be easily done by using a whoa post.