07/12/2026
One of my favorite questions from new clients is, “How many days a week do you train?”
I always have to fight the urge not to laugh.
Owning and operating a kennel is more than a full-time job, it’s a lifestyle. It takes a special kind of person who’s willing to dedicate their life to the dogs in their care.
This isn’t just an hour or two of structured training a day. It’s letting dogs out, bringing them back in, cleaning kennels, checking over every dog, correcting behaviors, and giving them the attention they deserve multiple times a day, every single day.
Every interaction is training, intentional or not. Sit quietly at the gate. Wait and look for permission. Come out only when your name is called. At feeding time, they sit patiently and wait for permission to eat. No whining, no barking, no chaos, the kennel stays quiet. These aren’t tricks; they’re foundational habits. They take time, consistency, and patience to build and they’re a big part of what creates a well-rounded gun dog.
There’s the daily obedience, bird work, retrieving, conditioning and everything in between. It can be exhausting, and there really isn’t such a thing as a completely relaxing day.
But I always come back to one thought: the dogs are just a part of my life, but to them, I’m their whole life. They deserve my best every single day.
So when someone asks me how many days a week I train dogs…
I just smile and say, “Yes.”
