We got a new GSP puppy 3 months ago and am looking for some recommendations on good dog trainers here in Texas. We previously had a GSP for 9 years (back before kids) but haven't had the time we would like to dedicate to this pups training. She has great temperament and want to her to thrive with good training.

I have searched the Outdoor Board but have not had any luck with my searching skills. We are looking for Obedience training but would not be against some gun/retrieving training.

Thank you!

We took our Vizsla to Anderson Ranch Gun Dogs in Olney, TX. They had her for about 5 months and I've been very pleased with how my dog turned out.

Where are you located?

We live in New Braunfels

You are going to want to find someone nearby so you can visit frequently while your pup is in training. My recommendation is near lake Conroe, so likely too far away. GL!

In our case, Olney is nowhere near where we're from: Conroe/The Woodlands. It turned out just fine not seeing her for the five months. I don't dispute it would have been better to pick a trainer closer to home, but finding folks that feel comfortable training Vizslas was not easy. Anderson seemed to specialize in Labs and GSPs.

Michael Clark with Crystal Mountain Kennels in Lampasas. He trained my dogs sire (GSP), my dog (GSP), and several other GSP owners that I know. For general obedience and off leash training its hard to beat. She will only be gone 4-6 weeks and will come back a trained dog. You will go meet with him on a Saturday/Sunday after she is done training and Michael will spend several hours with you both, teaching you commands and how to continue/retain her training.

He can be a little difficult to get ahold of because he is the owner/operator, but if you leave a voicemail he will get back to you same day.


ETA: lets see a picture of the pup.

Roddy Best
Best Retrievers

My fiance is a pro trainer. He does obedience, basic gun dog and all the way up to Master National competitions. We are in Blanco and have a brand new climate controlled kennel!
Justin Drake with Drake Sporting Dogs.

Thank you everyone, I will be calling around this week. I will let the board know what direction we end up going.

Picture of the pup at 12 weeks, I need to get some updated pictures but she is always on the move!

Muzzleblast said:

---

Roddy Best
Best Retrievers

---

We got our black lab from Best Retrievers as well. Great group of people.

We live in NB and had talked to Best Retrievers several times about buying labs and training labs. Several friends used them. Had planned to send our black lab to them when we got her but between Covid and job loss it just didn't happen. Jesus Christ looking back with her now I would have spent our life savings on getting her trained. They are great people.

* just to mention we didn't get our lab from them due to the fact they have sporting labs that want to work. We went the lazy English lab route.

I highly, highly recommend Mike and Kari Enmon, and Dobbin Dog Ranch. It's the cleanest, most comfortable boarding kennel I can imagine, and the off leash training results are amazing. It might be the best run business that I've seen. They were recommended by friends in Houston, and did not disappoint.

We picked up our 8 month old bullmastiff several weeks ago, and he is amazing. We started the training (~2-3 weeks duration) with the selfish reason of getting better control of our dog. Not that he was poorly behaved, but he was a GIANT (125 lbs) puppy. I didn't realize, until we got him back, how much it would improve his quality of life forever.

I take him to the park daily, off leash, and have total control. Winston runs all over the place, and comes back when I call. He obeys commands at great distance. The freedom that this offers him is something that I wish I could have given my previous dogs.

I'm happy to answer any questions, but Mike is an Aggie. Just call him.

Dobbin Dog Ranch

My four-year-old Vizsla has only been on a leash a few times in her entire life. Once we got her back from the trainers, I walk her with her e-collar on and she'll get three to four doors ahead of me but will come back to me if I tone her. It's a huge advantage not having to leash the dog. If I walk her a mile, she'll end up running two because she's free to move around as she pleases. If she sees a car approaching, she'll run back to me and sit and wait for it to pass before she'll move ahead.

I doubt these peculiarities came from training, but I'm not going to complain. In four years she has only pooped and peed on a walk once. It's like she prefers to do her business in her own backyard and will not go anywhere else. She'll do it when we're upland hunting, but only after lots of water and several hours later in the field.

When she walks, if she sees another person or another dog, she'll completely cross to the other side of the street to avoid them. Once she's gotten past them, she'll return to the other side of the street. She will also not bark when she sees another dog or person on a walk. She'll bark her head off inside the house, but outside, you won't hear a peep out of her.

Once again, not sure how much of these peculiarities can be attributed to Anderson Gun Dogs, but we're very pleased with the results that we're certain came from their training.

Oak Creek Retrievers in Hearne. Great people