Concord to Rio Vista: from Contra Costa to the Delta marsh

Concord, in central Contra Costa County, has 124,035 residents and a median age of 39.1 (Census ACS 5-year 2024). It sits about 20 miles from the Suisun Bay shoreline, with the marsh country to the north and east.

Close enough for a morning

At about 47 minutes and 33 miles, Concord is among the nearest large cities to Richard's training ground. A round trip fits in a morning, with time left to talk. The estimate comes from OpenStreetMap routing with no traffic, so allow more on a weekday.

Google lists his hours as 8 AM to 2 PM Monday and Wednesday through Sunday, closed Tuesday. Call first and settle the time for drop-off or pick-up.

The marsh across the water

Suisun Marsh covers roughly 116,000 acres and is the largest contiguous brackish wetland in California, according to the Water Education Foundation. Other sources use narrower boundaries, between 84,000 and 116,000 acres. Duck clubs and CDFW share the management. Read more on our Suisun Marsh page.

Grizzly Island Wildlife Area, about 12,900 acres with about 7,900 open to hunting, is the public alternative. CDFW lists dogs on a 10-foot leash when you are not hunting there. See the Grizzly Island page for details.

Retriever clubs on the Suisun side

The Sagehen's Retriever Club is based in Suisun City, and the 2026 California calendar lists hunt tests at the Denverton and CRTA grounds there. Richard sometimes trains retrievers at Denverton, near Suisun City. For current entries use AKC Event Search and the California hunt test calendar page.

Waterfowl and upland in one dog

Contra Costa hunters often drive north to Solano County and beyond for ducks, geese and pheasant, so a dog that can handle more than one bird is useful. Richard is an avid upland and waterfowl hunter, which shapes how he trains. Read the guide to choosing a retriever, pointer or spaniel if you are still choosing a breed, then call him about what fits.

Visits and lessons

Distance makes regular visits possible. In board-and-train, the dog stays with Richard, and you can ask whether visits or a lesson can fit during the program. handler lessons are one-on-one or in a group.

If you are weighing a puppy against an older dog, the started dog or puppy guide sets out the tradeoffs.