Wild West Bird Dogs
WWBD is a smaller facility in Western Colorado. We are focused on allowing dogs to reach their full genetic potential. Our facility provides a more catered experience for each dog allowing for a low stress, enjoyable environment that allows them to learn. Allowing dogs to be dogs, and not just sit in kennels for most of the day. We specialize in upland hunting dogs, NAVHDA (North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association) testing, & NSTRA (National Shoot to Retrieve Association) trials.
A day in the life at WWBD… Our day starts early, coming out of the crates for some yard time to stretch, water, etc. Our Johnny house quail are released at this time. Each dog is taken out for a short obedience session, before going on a walk in quail country. The anticipation & excitement of the walk allows us to get the attention of the puppy & keeps them in a good mood for the session. Good behavior is marked and rewarded in this phase.
Each dog is then walked in the bird field, where they are allowed to handle birds, exactly how they are genetically intended to. A pointed bird is handled in a way to stoke the fire. Mishaps are ignored or corrected as needed – this time is utilized as a learning experience. Afterward, it’s back to the crate to “soak it all in.” Time for a short rest, then it’s free kennel time for a while with a “yard” session with other dogs, then back to the kennel.
Afternoons are for drills, water introductions, gunfire introductions, and back up to nap. Evenings are our famous “free walks” on GPS with a person either walking or on a side by side. This is where dogs are encouraged to be dogs –run around, pee on stuff, sniff things, & generally have fun. However, all walks are in wild chukar country, so the bird-savvy ones may just find something to learn on.
One of the things that sets our program apart from other kennels & training programs, is that we allow dogs out alone, in small groups, or large groups, while letting them be a puppy in our everyday life. They learn to entertain themselves, walk by our sides, or chill on a place board depending on the situation. During this time, we are teaching dogs about home life and bonding with their people. We are teaching them how to interact properly in different household situations.
"A mans ego is a heavy burden for a dog to carry."– Wild West Bird Dogs –
Bobby Brown
"A Dog Man Through And Through."
Growing up in a small town in Eastern Nebraska, I was blessed to be able to walk to hunt pheasant and quail. Being from a non-hunting family, a birddog was out of the question; but friends and neighbors had Viszlas, German Shorthair Pointers, and of course, Labrador Retrievers and Springers. I was lucky enough to see all of these dogs work on birds.
Moving to Western Colorado in 2013 only opened up more and more opportunities for birds in varying terrain. As I bought my own dog, I began to spend many afternoons with a professional trainer. I was able to learn hands on from pointing labs, versatile dogs, and even some protection dogs. From there, I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time with several professional retriever & pointer trainers.
