Stockton to Rio Vista: a short drive to a Delta trainer

Stockton is the port city of the San Joaquin Delta, on the Stockton Deep Water Channel, with about 322,000 residents and a median age of 33.9 (Census Bureau). It is close to the training ground and sits squarely in Delta duck country.

Short drive, real difference

At about 31 miles and about 44 minutes with no traffic, a Stockton owner can drive out for a lesson with Richard and be home the same day. That makes the process feel less like sending a dog away and more like a project you share.

Richard trains at Hastings Island in Rio Vista and sometimes at Denverton, near Suisun City. Both are in Solano County, across the Delta from San Joaquin County.

Delta hunters and their dogs

Stockton hunters know the Delta's channels, flooded islands and levees. The hunting in the Delta page explains how that country shapes a retriever: marks across water, blinds on levees, dogs that wait through long mornings.

CDFW's 2024 Waterfowl Hunter Survey found that 13 percent of respondents named San Joaquin Valley counties as places they hunt, and 42 percent named Sacramento Valley counties. That is where they hunt, which is separate from where they live.

Plan by season

CDFW lists the 2026-27 Balance of State duck season as Oct 24, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027. Confirm your county on the CDFW zone map; the seasons page links to it.

1. Late summer: call Richard if you want a dog ready for opening weekend. Training takes time: the Basic Waterfowl Program runs 10 to 16 weeks depending on the dog.
2. Season: hunt the dog you trained. Handler lessons help you keep the habits going.
3. Off-season: use the quiet months for new skills. See the off-season training calendar.

Upland dogs too

Richard expanded to pointers and other upland breeds in 2013 under Steve Klassen at Blue Ridge Kennels. A Stockton owner with a German Shorthaired Pointer or a Brittany should look at the Formal Gun Dog Training.

Neighbors and nearby pages

Stockton owners sit close to several other cities on this site. Lodi is just north, and Sacramento and Antioch are other short drives to the preserve. If a friend from one of those cities already has a dog in training, ask them about the experience, then call Richard about yours. The Delta, Solano and Contra Costa region page covers the ground around Rio Vista in more detail.

Hours and what to bring

Google lists Richard's hours as 8 AM to 2 PM Monday and Wednesday through Sunday, closed Tuesday. Call first, and plan drop-off for Wednesday to Saturday if you can, since those are his preferred days. Bring your questions about the plan; the what to bring answer covers the rest.