Fremont to Rio Vista: how South Bay-side owners plan the trip

Fremont, in Alameda County, has 228,295 residents and a median age of 39.1 (Census ACS 5-year 2024). It is the largest city in this batch, and its pointing-breed clubs hold events on public land to the south and east.

Counting the hours

The route is about 95 minutes and 66 miles, so a round trip runs a little over three hours. For a first visit, aim for a day that is otherwise open. OpenStreetMap routing assumes no traffic, and Bay Area commutes can add a lot.

Google lists Richard's hours as 8 AM to 2 PM Monday and Wednesday through Sunday, closed Tuesday. Call to set the time.

Pointing-breed clubs south and east

The San Francisco Bay Weimaraner Club lists a pointing-breed field trial at Little Panoche Wildlife Area in Firebaugh, and the Vizsla Club of Northern California lists one at O'Neill Forebay Wildlife Area in Santa Nella, both on the 2026 California calendar (bdarn.com, fetched October 27, 2026).

If you own a Weimaraner or Vizsla, those clubs are a good place to start. The Vizsla page explains the breed, and the California hunt test calendar page lists more venues. Look up current dates on AKC Event Search.

What Richard offers pointing owners

In 2013, under Steve Klassen at Blue Ridge Kennels, Richard expanded from retrievers to pointers and other upland breeds. The Formal Gun Dog Training describes the work, though the details come from a conversation with him.

Questions worth asking

Ask about the dog's age and how it has done so far with birds, then ask what Richard would do first. Some pointing owners are looking for a dog that locates birds, while others also want steadiness to flush and shot. The steady to shot guide explains that second skill, and Richard sets the plan himself after hearing about your dog.

Training around a Bay Area schedule

In board-and-train, your dog stays with Richard, so you do not have to carve out the same slot week after week. Ask about handler lessons when you call, because they let you learn the commands with the dog beside you.

For a retriever, the Basic Waterfowl Program is a good second step after Puppy Camp.