# How to locate or form a training group



## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

I understand that some people have difficulty in finding a training group. You can only do so much alone and the training group becomes a necessity. I have listed some ideas.

1) Try your own breed club to find interested members.
2) Try contacting other breed clubs to see if they have a training group.
3) Try contacting a field trial club in the area to join their training group.
4) Ask to speak at a meeting of a Rod and Gun club on the training of retrievers. Offer to help form a training group for interested members.
5) Set up a field table with a signup list at a hunting and fishing expo.
6) Go to a hunt test and speak to some people and let them know that you are looking to form a group.
7) We have an AKC Canine Education Event in my area. I set up a field table with decoys and other gear and do a retrieving demo. As soon as someone looks my way I start talking (a gift that I inherited from my mother).
8) Work your dog at a shooting preserve. Talk to other dog handlers and make a connection to join their group or form a new one.
9) Hang a poster at a shooting preserve asking for interested people.
10) You have a pro? Maybe he can help you.
11) See if you can set up a field table at any kind of dog show. We do this and set up video for viewing.
12) Be creative. I am friends with 3 pointing dog people. We help each other out. (These are NAVHDA people and their dogs have to get into the water. They welcome my input.)
13) Advertise.
14) When I spot anyone who looks like they have a working retriever, I start talking. (My gift of gab again.) Maybe there is potential for a training partner.

If I think of more ways, I will post them. I hope that others have some ideas to add to this list.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

This is a terrific idea for a thread with some terrific advice.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Thank you tippykayak. I have gotten the feeling that many people are looking for a training group.


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

I got started by showing up at the local HRC training day. The second monthly practice I joined the club and the third month I volunteered at a Hunt Test week-end. 

HRC Hunting Retriever Clubs Directory


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

great advice, GDGLI! You're right, a lot of us are looking for training groups. I am lucky I at least have one great training partner, but a group would still be great.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

gdgli said:


> Thank you tippykayak. I have gotten the feeling that many people are looking for a training group.


I just wanted to bump this again by saying that even people who aren't looking could benefit a lot by starting to look. Training groups can be great not just for hunt and field but for working on formal obedience, agility, and even companion/therapy skills. 

My training buddies (Sunrise and Boomer's Dawn) are awesome people I met through my breeder and this forum. When Gus died, Sunrise very kindly contacted me through Comet's breeder since she owns Comet's brother, and she invited me to a training session. That was like 08, and we've trained on and off together since then.

So I got really lucky by having an amazing group fall in my lap, and I'd recommend seeking out a group to just about anybody, especially if you can find people more experienced than you are. Sharon and Dawn both have lots of experience as well as that giving Golden spirit, and they've been amazing about sharing their expertise. I've learned at least as much from them in our informal time as I have in formal classes.

So here's to getting together with our Goldens to become better trainers and to have fun working our dogs! I think there are a lot of people out there like me who want to do more with their dogs but need some mentorship in order to get some momentum.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

I got together with a woman who has a master/finished level dog and a new pup thinking we could work the young dogs. She invited another then I invited a couple more. It worked for a few weeks, but then life started getting in the way. The only down side was with the exception of one, we were all newbies. Blind leading the blind. The person with experience only came twice. 

I like the suggestions. 

We belong to a golden club, and an HRC club, and we plan to join another that is more affiliated with the trainer we are now working with next year. So hopefully more opportunities will show up for us. 

The hard part is people who work. Most groups meet during the day.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

It is probably best if you have even one person who is more experienced than others. I am extremely fortunate as our training leader is an old time field trialer and someone who was in on the beginning hunt test movement. Outside of that, if I had a group of all newbies (including me) with equal skill level, I would make sure that I kept my sessions simple and had a very definite "lesson plan" every time I went out. And then occasionally hook up with an experienced training group no matter the distance. I once traveled about 3 hours to train with a field trial group.

I might add we have a terrific resource on this forum and that is Evan.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

It is Springtime and time to get more training. I thought that I would bump this.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

15) contact your breeder. Many breeders are quite active in a variety of training venues. I was lucky enough that my puppy's breeder put the littermates owners in touch with the field chair from our GR club. We formed a training group with the field chair and are having a great time. And now we are members of the GR club too. Without my breeder I would have been lost. Here's to great breeders out there!!!


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

I joined Obedience classes with that in mind - trying to find others interested in field training. So far no luck. One of the agility trainers owns golden retrievers but she is also not into the field stuff. If Rose's hips, joints and heart will be good for agility I guess we can go towards that venue and see where the chips may fall later on. Meanwhile we will be field training at home, at the cabin and at the pond.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

I would like to revive this thread. It is springtime and there may be new people looking at this forum.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

gdgli said:


> I would like to revive this thread. It is springtime and there may be new people looking at this forum.


There are! Thank you! I am just starting to read and learn. Longtime forum member - but this is my first venture into this section. I just want to read and get a feel for it. I have found a great field trainer - but for now, we can only work privately. Eventually, maybe we'll join one of his groups (right now, it's my work schedule getting in the way).


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Sweet Girl said:


> There are! Thank you! I am just starting to read and learn. Longtime forum member - but this is my first venture into this section. I just want to read and get a feel for it. I have found a great field trainer - but for now, we can only work privately. Eventually, maybe we'll join one of his groups (right now, it's my work schedule getting in the way).


My advice is to watch a couple of training groups if you can and remember that you will always be learning.


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