Coldwater Cockers are developed in a manner that produces a dog who knows his job and is happy to work within the parameters of a day’s hunt or comfortably perform in competitive arenas. Our approach is to provide each dog with what it needs at the time it needs it. We alter our program to the pupil and go at the speed that will give each the best chance to be successful. At Coldwater, we have invested heavily in facilities and grounds that allow us to take this approach.
We follow a balanced, parallel approach for developing hunting dogs. Our approach focuses on bringing out the natural abilities of bird finding and hunting while using a progression-based systematic approach to develop trained responses. We teach your dog how to learn and reward effort. In doing so, your dog is charged with using intelligence to make good decisions rather than simply complying with a command. The dogs learn through giving effort and trying that it is ok to make mistakes. The effort to try again in the face of the mistake is critical and needs to be developed as this is what allows us to teach the dog how to accomplish what might seem to be impossible. A confident dog that responds to its handler even in the face of adversity or distraction is the result of this approach.
To develop dogs in a progression-based approach, the successful teacher must understand how to simplify tasks to achieve a training objective. At Coldwater, this sets us apart. We have the experience to understand what is going on with different types of dogs at different stages and adjust the drill or the approach to achieve the learning objective. We work with our clients so that they develop an understanding of their dog, the methodology used to train their dog, and the things that they can do over the lifetime of their dog to make them a successful team. It’s a thoughtfully laid out plan that starts with fundamentals. When a dog/owner team is developed the right way, frustrations are replaced with trust, confidence, and joy! We trust our dogs, and they trust us. Upon such a relationship you and your dog become a team that can accomplish your competitive goals, impress your hunting buddies, and create memories along the way that will never be forgotten!
We will maintain a small kennel load to protect the time each dog receives from us. At all stages of development, your dog will receive balanced doses of field work with birds, technical training/yardwork, and exercise. We prefer to begin your dog’s development at 8 weeks old, but we understand the desire to personally socialize the puppy for the first few months. We pride ourselves in clean kennels, proper care, and mentally balanced dogs. We seek clients who wish to be deeply involved with the training process. If you yearn to become a better handler, finish more trials, or more fully understand how to connect with your dog, we are here to help.
