Gun dog training guides
These guides answer the questions California hunting-dog owners ask most often, one topic at a time. Each starts with the short answer, then explains how the work is usually done and what to plan around.
- 4.9 12 Google reviews
- Training since 2002
- Qualified at an AKC Master National
All pages in this section
How much does gun dog training cost?
Trainers who publish prices list monthly board-and-train rates, and in October 2026 the ones we checked ran from about $850 to $1,600 a month depending on program,...
GuideHow long does it take to train a retriever?
Plan on months of focused work and about two years from puppy to seasoned hunter. How long your dog needs depends on age, background and the job you want done....
GuideWhen should a hunting puppy start training?
A hunting puppy starts learning the day it comes home: names, manners, people, places, then birds and water as play. Formal retriever work usually begins once the pup...
GuideRetriever training timeline: puppy to hunt-ready
A retriever is built in order: home manners and play retrieves, formal basics, birds and gun work, then marks, blinds and steadiness, then seasons of experience....
GuideForce fetch explained
Force fetch, also called force breaking or the controlled retrieve, teaches a retriever to pick up and hold an object on command instead of only when it feels like...
GuideE-collar conditioning for hunting dogs
E-collar conditioning is the careful introduction of a remote collar to a dog that already understands basic commands, so the collar becomes a communication tool at a...
GuideSteady to shot: what it means and how it is taught
A dog that is steady to shot sits still when a bird falls and the gun goes off, and goes only when released. It is taught by building sit-and-stay, then showing the...
GuideMarks and blind retrieves explained
A mark is a bird the dog sees fall; a blind retrieve is a bird the dog never saw, found by following the handler's direction. Marks use the dog's memory and drive,...
GuideHonoring, delivery to hand and line manners
Honoring is a dog sitting quietly while another dog works. Delivery to hand is bringing the bird all the way to you and holding it until you take it, and line manners...
GuideGetting a dog ready for the California waterfowl opener
Start six weeks out with short, regular conditioning, tighten sit and stay in realistic setups, and rehearse the blind. Then check the current CDFW season dates and...
GuideAn off-season training calendar for California hunters
Use the off-season to rest, rebuild fitness and fix one or two skills, then ramp up about six weeks before opening day. A simple calendar keeps the work short,...
GuidePheasant and chukar training birds in California: the rules
California allows dogs to be trained on certain released game birds, including pheasant, chukar and quail, between sunrise and sunset, so long as no wild birds are...
GuideRetriever, pointer or spaniel: choosing a hunting breed
Retrievers bring back downed birds, pointers locate game and hold still, and spaniels flush birds close to the gun. Pick the one that matches what you hunt most, how...
GuideStarted dog or puppy: which fits you?
A puppy gives you the longest partnership and the most say in how the dog is raised, but it needs the most time. A started dog has foundation work in place and gets...
GuideWhat to ask any gun dog trainer
Ask about methods, experience with your breed and game, how your dog will be handled day to day, and how you will be taught to handle the dog afterward. Then watch...
GuideYour first hunt test: entering and what to bring
Start at the Junior Hunter level with an AKC-registered dog that is at least six months old. Find a test on AKC Event Search, read the host club's premium list, and...
GuideTraining a duck dog to be calm in the blind
Teach a solid sit and stay at home, give the dog a set spot, then add the blind, decoys, calls and delays a little at a time. Release only on cue, so the dog learns...
Start with the topic closest to your dog. Puppy owners tend to begin with timing, owners of grown dogs with training length and cost, and anyone heading to a hunt test with marks, blinds and steadiness. Every guide lists the sources it draws on, and anything about your own dog is a conversation for Richard Gebhart.
How to use the guides
Each guide stands alone. The general information comes from published sources such as the AKC, Ducks Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl, and each page links the ones it used. Where Richard Gebhart's own background applies, such as the Rex Carr retriever basics he learned under Billy Sargenti, the guide says so in a short line and no more.
Season dates, bird-release rules and equipment rules change, so the guides point you to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for the current word instead of repeating it.
Sources (2)
- Hastings Island Hunting Preserve: hihp.com/royal-gun-dogs-dog-training/ (checked October 27, 2026)
- American Kennel Club: akc.org/sports/retrievers/hunting-tests/join/ (checked October 27, 2026)
Your trainer
Richard Gebhart has trained dogs professionally since 2002, learned the Rex Carr method for Retriever Basics under Billy Sargenti, and has run and qualified at an AKC Master National.
Meet RichardRelated
Where Richard trains
Hastings Island Hunting Preserve, 7758 Hastings Island Rd, near Rio Vista in Solano County. Call before you drive out.
DirectionsDo the guides replace talking to a trainer?
No. They explain the ideas so your questions get sharper. Call Richard about your own dog, since age, breed and background change the plan.
Book a consult
Get your dog ready for next season.
Richard books by phone. Call, text, or leave your details and he will call you back.
(530) 341-4496- 4.9 12 Google reviews
- Training since 2002