The thrust of HFK’s education and special event program is to teach clients how to care for, prepare their dogs for training, and maintain them following training. We will also provide educational field days to advance the knowledge of retriever owners, particularly our clients and prospective clients. Agendas will provide for a combination of hands-on training with participants’ dogs and instructional seminars. Single-day and weekend events will be offered during the spring and early fall and will be geared toward optimizing the take-home benefits for the attendees. 

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With a personal touch, our clients will be updated on a regular basis through e-mails and videos reporting on their dog’s progress and what is coming up next. Our trainers also work one-on-one to train owners in the same topics their retrievers are learning. It is equally important for a dog’s master to have full knowledge of the hand signals and commands that instruct a retriever in the field. Not only will clients have the chance to learn during short one-on-one meetings with trainers, but HFK offers full weekends to fully develop these skills. Learn more about these courses in our Education & Special Events tab.

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Event Weekends will invite our clients to come stay at the famed Habitat Flats home lodge in Sumner, MO from Friday - Sunday. Mornings and evenings will be spent with your dogs and trainers, while the afternoon agendas shall vary. Delicious lunches at the lodge followed by seminars and one-on-one discussions with trainers. These will be intensive opportunities for our dog owners to become familiar with the progress their dog is making, how to properly handle your dog in the field hunting, and how to carry on the training principles at home. HFK will be bringing in nationally known resources to contribute to the training team during these weekends. 

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OUR PROMISE:

The objective of HFK’s training program is to develop the ideal hunting retriever. The products of HFK’s highly structured training regime will be obedient, well-mannered, steady, focused, and well-conditioned. Their marking and handling abilities will be honed to the limit of their individual aptitudes. A unique feature of our program is that we seek out our clients’ visions, preferences, and hunting style(s), and train their dogs with them in mind. Training at all experience levels is offered, from basic obedience to advanced field-trial set ups. Client dogs will be worked six days each week.