Companion Gun Dog Training
Custom built companions that fit your sporting lifestyle, in the field and around town.
We specialize in Companion Gun Dog Training — a comprehensive program built for hunters who want a driven, reliable field partner that’s also calm, obedient, and polite in town. You only get so many days in the field, and on the water. You've got to make the most of them. The rest of the year your dog needs to fit seamlessly into everyday life. This isn’t just traditional obedience, retrieving, or upland field work. It’s a complete lifestyle program for gun dogs designed to build harmony between your hunting life and your home life.
Our Companion Gun Dog Training Program builds a calm companion around town, and a polished predator on the hunt.
Stop undesirable behaviors in public and at home
Build handler focus and neutrality toward distractions
Enjoy restaurants, parks, and travel with your dog
Endless drive in pursuit of game
Disciplined tracking for big game recovery
Non-slip retrieve for upland and waterfowl
Bold searching to produce more game for the gun
Cooperation and control to hunt with and for you
Responsive and responsible behavior in all environments
This program utilizes a flexible framework, expertly curated to the specific needs of you and your dog. We guide you every step of the way no matter what your goals are. We specialize in versatile hunting breeds, their unique balance of skill sets, and the common challenges their owners face. You can have it all, in balance, and on demand:
💥 Disciplined tracking for big game recovery
💥 Non-slip retrieve for upland and waterfowl
💥 Bold searching to produce more game for the gun
💥 Cooperation and control to hunt with and for you
💥 Polite and well mannered everywhere else
And we can get all this done with a tactful approach that's free from harsh methods. The results speak for themselves. We passed a dog at the NAVHDA Invitational, and earned a Prize 1 VGP, in the same year and on our first attempts in both. We don't do "trial and error". We get it right, the first time.
This program isn't right for you if:
⛔ You're allergic to effort
⛔ You think your dog is a couch ornament
⛔ You are looking for a quick fix or magical outcome
⛔ You think good intentions outweigh real results
⛔ You have trouble committing to a plan, even when it's working
This program is right for you if:
✅ You love seeing your effort help your dog succeed
✅ You know dogs thrive with education, exercise, and enrichment
✅ You know training is a process, not a one time event
✅ You care about results more than ideology
✅ You want someone to make sense of all the training noise
The Iron Oak Difference
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PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
At Iron Oak, you’ll only work with, and your dog will only be handled by, Nate and Gretchen. We have over two decades of combined training experience and have learned from some of the best trainers, of all disciplines, in the world. We blend traditional gun dog training with things we’ve learned from behavior modification, dog sport, and working dog disciplines.
This avant-garde approach to training gun dogs helps us prevent and resolve problems, balance companion and hunting dog skill sets, and bring the best out in dogs, in ways that others cannot. Every decision we make places your dog’s development, safety, and welfare at the forefront.
Many training outfits are owned by excellent trainers that may not work with your dog. They hire low skill, high turnover employees to do the training and take a high volume of dogs who may only get worked a few times a week to maximize profits.
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REAL RESULTS
We train to objective, third party standards of performance so that you know exactly what results you can expect. This clear understanding of the tasks your dog will be able to perform, and under what conditions, protects our brand and your investment. Whether you have a pointing, flushing, retrieving, or versatile breed, we’ll work with you to clearly define standards for your dog’s training to ensure that we’re meeting your needs.
We utilize the AKC Family Dog Program for our obedience standards, and the hunt test program of your choosing for field work standards.
We take an agile approach to your dog’s development, checking in with you often to set short and long term priorities and make sure we’re on the same page. Board + Train programs include weekly progress reports and bi-weekly check in sessions. Private Coaching programs begin every session with review and end with planning and deliverables for the next session.
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ALL INCLUSIVE
Training your dog is a process, not an event. Because of this, we feel obligated to provide ongoing support as you continue to develop your dog’s skills and your relationship with them.
We take the guesswork out by providing you with a curated professional equipment package customized for your dog. We include premium tier access to the Dog Skool online community for continuing discussion and education. You’ll also find our classroom there where we’re building out online courses to ensure you never have to take notes or struggle to remember how to do things.
When you enroll in one of our training programs, we guarantee your dog will meet our training standards or we’ll keep working with you until they do. We’re here for the long haul with support for the skills taught in your training program, for the life of your dog.
Companion Gun Dog Training Programs
Our Companion Gun Dog Training Programs are appropriate for all sporting breeds including retrievers, flushers, pointers, and versatile hunting dogs. We work with you directly to determine appropriate outcomes for your dog based on their genetics and your hunting, testing, and trialing goals.
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The Started Program lays the foundation for all future success. This program focuses on producing a monster in the field with manners at home.
Obedience: Our program begins by developing a clear communication system for all future learning. Then we teach basic obedience skills to the Canine Good Citizen standard, and finish it up with remote collar training for off leash safety and reliability.Lifestyle: We address house manners, polite interactions, and loading/unloading from the vehicle. We also develop routines that increase predictability, and teach acceptance of grooming and veterinary procedures.
Field Work: We utilize our proven methods to build desire for game, staunch pointing or hard flushing, introduce your dog to gunfire, and begin nurturing their breed specific natural abilities.
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The Seasoned Program builds upon our Started Program by enhancing obedience and lifestyle skills while developing critical field work skill sets.
Obedience: We blend more obedience into field environments for increased control and cooperation on the hunt. Around town, we improve impulse control around distractions as we prepare your dog to meet the Community Canine standard.Lifestyle: At this level we begin to incorporate additional life skills such as entering and exiting small watercraft, riding in atvs, and calmly ignoring dogs and people in small group settings. Your dog travels with us daily to practice ancillary skills required to take them hiking, camping, and on vacations.
Field Work: We utilize our proven methods to formalize your dog’s retrieve, formalize handling in the field, and increase obedience in the presence of game.
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The Finished Program instills the required skill sets for a polished companion gun dog that is the envy of your hunt camp and neighborhood.
Obedience: Dogs completing this program have polished on and off leash obedience skills in the field, around town, and at home. The end result is a go-anywhere-do-anything hunting companion that you never need to leave at home.Lifestyle: Public access training ensures a dog that can handle any environment with confidence, poise and neutrality. We focus on busy, high traffic environments for stability that meets the Urban Canine training standard.
Field Work: We utilize our proven methods to teach advanced steadiness, retrieving, and tracking skills. These behaviors are stylized to meet your hunting or hunt test goals.
The Iron Oak Process
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1. Consultation
Schedule a phone consultation to discuss your training goals and behavioral concerns, as well as our programs and client expectations. Our training system is flexible so we can meet your individualized needs.
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2. Program Selection
Select a training program and format. In Board + Train, we train your dog and then teach you how to use the training. In Private Coaching, we coach you through the training and handling. Both options include our All Inclusive benefits.
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3. Training
We train until we meet the standards outlined in your training program. 1-on-1 Coaching requires homework to be completed between lessons. Board + Train includes pre and post stay lessons, plus biweekly handler lessons while your dog is with us.
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4. Support
Once you’re training program is complete, you’ll keep access to our Dog Skool online community for ongoing skill development and troubleshooting. We’re also happy to schedule a virtual or in-person sessions if necessary.
No perceptive shooting man needs to be told to cherish a dog with the gift of a good nose, for dog work, together with the mysteries of scent, add up to enchantment on an autumn afternoon.
George Bird Evans