How much does gun dog training cost?

Price pages for retriever and bird dog trainers look alike at first glance and differ a lot underneath. A monthly rate can include board and daily training, or it can leave out food, live birds and conditioning. This guide shows what four trainers published, one in California and three out of state, so you can read any quote with the right questions in mind. These are other businesses' rates, shown as a reference point only.

What other trainers publish

The table lists public figures read on October 27, 2026. The $1,600 top of the range is Texas Duck Dogs' $1,500 plus its $100 monthly charge for non-Labrador breeds. Each business sets its own terms and may have changed them since.

Rates also move with the dog. One program lists an extra $100 a month for non-Labrador breeds and older dogs, and another raises its puppy program price after six months and again after one year of age.

What changes the number

Three things move the price most: the dog's age and starting point, how many months the work takes, and what the monthly rate covers.

Utah Bird Dog Training lists food as an optional $75 a month and live birds for upland work at about $450. RAVE Retrievers lists a $100 food and medication charge when it supplies them, a $50 travel fee for vet visits and a signed contract. These details matter more than the headline number when you compare two trainers.

Add-ons exist too: conditioning, tracking and trainer-watched play are priced on top at one business. A plan that looks cheaper may simply have fewer pieces included.

Questions to ask before you book

Ask what the monthly figure covers: board, daily training, birds, food and health care. Ask how long the plan is expected to run and what happens if the dog needs more time. Ask whether a deposit holds your spot and how it is applied.

Ask what you will do afterward. A dog that comes home trained still has to work for you, and lessons for the handler are part of how that goes. Richard trains handlers alongside their dogs, one-on-one or in group lessons, and you can read how that works on the handler lessons page.

• What is included each month, and what costs extra
• Expected length of the plan and what happens if more time helps
• Deposit, payment schedule and contract terms
• Updates while the dog is away
• Handler lessons when the dog comes home

Reading a quote fairly

Two quotes with the same monthly figure can be far apart in value. Count the months the plan is expected to take, add anything listed separately, and ask what the trainer does when a dog needs more time. Then think about what the money buys at home: a dog that hunts well for its owner, not just for the trainer. That is why many owners weigh a plan that includes time with the handler as part of the price.

Where Richard fits

Richard Gebhart has trained dogs professionally since 2002, from field trial and hunt test retrievers to everyday hunting dogs and home companions. Owners bring dogs from across California for board-and-train. His programs are priced by the week, as of October 2026: Puppy Camp runs 2 to 3 weeks at $450 a week including birds, boarding, food and training six days a week; the Basic Waterfowl Program runs 10 to 16 weeks and the Advanced Waterfowl Program 4 to 12 weeks, both at $325 a week; Formal Gun Dog Training runs 8 to 12 weeks at $325 a week plus birds. He sets which program fits and where in its length your dog is likely to land. See how long retriever training takes for the time side of the cost.