Huntsmith Foundation Basics Seminar with Ronnie Smith Register now to make sure you have a spot!
April 6-7, 2024 -- Hosted by Gun Dog Supply at Prairie Wildlife in West Point, MS
Get MUCH better at training your dog
Get a FREE KID'S TICKET (ages 10-16) with your reservation ($395.00 value)
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SEMINAR OVERVIEW
Ronnie Smith, co-founder of the HuntSmith Bird Dog Seminars and owner of Ronnie Smith Kennels, will be in West Point, MS on April 6-7, 2024, to present his internationally famous bird-dog training seminar for all breeds of pointing, flushing, and retrieving dogs.
The two-day Foundation Seminar will be held at Prairie Wildlife in West Point, MS. Sessions will begin at 8:00 am and continue until 4:00 pm with a break for lunch.
This is a hands-on fieldwork instructional weekend to which you bring your own dog(s).
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
The Foundation Seminar teaches the concepts and methods of basic training for all dogs -- field, show, or pet -- in a simple hands-on format, then moves on to cover yard and field training, preventing and correcting faults, bird work, natural and force retrieving, and the nuts and bolts of using the Command Lead, the check cord, the whoa post, and the electronic collar.
From puppyhood through the basics of being a bird dog, all the foundation skills you and your dog will need can be found here. You will be trained to train your dog with Ronnie's guidance. Each technique is first presented to the group and then practiced individually in the field by you and your dog. Opportunity for individual counseling ensures you master each step before moving on to more advanced work. If you're looking for a better relationship with your dog both at home and in the field, you've come to the right place.
The Smiths' skills with difficult dogs bring whistles of admiration. Owners finish the seminar satisfied that they, too, can have a mannerly pet and a disciplined field performer without raising their voices, striking, kicking, or shaking their dogs.
The Foundation Seminar is $395.00 per student. This seminar is limited to a maximum of 30 students. As reservations are limited and strictly on a first-come, first-served basis, contact Steve Snell at (800) 624-6378 for further information.
Full payment is required to reserve a slot in the seminar.
YOU CAN BRING YOUR KID FOR FREE! (ages 10-16) This is a perfect opportunity to get your kid involved in the outdoors, get your kid interested in dogs, AND build the right foundation for training dogs for the rest of their lives.
YOUR SATISFACTION IS GUARANTEED
The seminar is unconditionally guaranteed. If you don't feel that you obtained your money's worth, then it will be fully refunded.
TRAVEL INFO
Prairie Wildlife is in West Point, Mississippi, close to Starkville and Columbus. It is about 2 1/2 hours from Jackson, MS, Memphis, or Birmingham.
Prairie Wildlife
3990 Old Vinton Rd
West Point, MS 39773
Phone (662) 494-5858
Food and lodging is available at Prairie Wildlife. Visit prairiewildlife.com
for details
Easygoing and fun to learn from, Ronnie is an effective teacher, whether the pupil is human or canine. However, working with bird dogs remains Ronnie's main passion and focus. Ronnie grew up involved with his father's bird dog training operation. As soon as he was big enough, he began tending to dogs and cleaning kennels. Ronnie spent many days in his youth at field trials with his dad, either riding his pony in the gallery or hanging back with the dogs listening to other trainers "talk dog."
Ronnie's first lessons in dog training came from his dad. He trained his first dog professionally at 14 years old. To this day he continues to draw from and build upon the principles that his father taught him. Ronnie took over his father's operation in 1982 and continues to build the business today.
Main Dog Training Foundation:
You will learn how to teach your dog to come to you on command, how to go with you, and how to be still. You will also learn quartering (moving from side to side). Master teaching these commands: COME, HEEL, WHOA, or SIT/STAY.
Working With Birds:
Work your dog on a check cord in the field, moving your dog into bird scent with planted pigeons. Learn how to teach your dog to stop on detecting scent and how to stay steady to the flush.
Whoa Post:
Learn how to teach your dog to stand still (pointing breeds) or sit still (flushing/retrieving breeds) using the whoa post.
Putting it All Together:
We will take all the things we have learned and put it all together so you can get your dog on the right track.
WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING TO THE SEMINAR
Your Dog (if you can't bring your dog, ask Steve to borrow one of his 17 dogs)
Lawn Chair (a must for discussions and demonstrations)
Gloves (good fitting leather gloves for check cord work, also a must)
Rain Gear (seminar continues regardless of weather)
Walking boots
Rubber boots for damp conditions
Pans for water and feed
Flat Leather Collar*
Check Cord*
Lead Rope*
*Will be available for sale at the seminar if you don't have one
DON'T HAVE THE GEAR YOU NEED FOR THE SEMINAR?
We have put together a Foundation Seminar Participants' Kit that includes a leather D-end dog collar, a 20 ft. firm lay rope check cord, and the Delmar Smith Wonder Lead at a discounted price. Order now, and we'll have it waiting for you when you arrive at the Seminar!
With over 60 years of experience guiding, trialing, and training, Rick and Ronnie Smith believe "you have to think like a dog to successfully train a dog."
This natural approach to training is effective with all dogs, no matter the discipline or breed. The Smith's focus and passion happens to be upland bird dogs. Their life's work has been based on a love and respect for bird dogs and they are dedicated to understanding natural canine instincts and psychology.
The training system developed by the Smiths enables people at all levels of proficiency and knowledge to have a better bird dog and to build a better relationship with their bird dog.
Whether you are looking for a companion dog that you can take hunting on the weekends or a field trial champion, this training format will benefit you. Start with the Foundation Level and follow the Smith's training steps to a confident finished bird dog.
Rick Smith believes everyone is capable of training their own bird dog. He has dedicated himself to helping people achieve this goal by refining the system his father, Delmar Smith, started decades ago. With Rick's and Ronnie's updated methods, the "Silent Command System" was created.
Drawing on generations of family background in bird dog training, Rick and his cousin, Ronnie Smith, have trained thousands of dog owners worldwide. They believe in a strong foundation of basics which are covered in the original and highly popular Foundation Seminar. This builds on the language and instincts our dogs already have and teaches dog owners how to understand the way dogs think and react without bringing human emotions into the training process.
As dogs and owners progress to the next stages of training, Team Huntsmith has added new seminars to encourage progress and give graduates of the basic seminar new challenges. The methods are proven, both in the field and in competition. Rick has compiled an enviable record including 3 National Championships, 7 US Open Championships, 6 International Championships, and well over 100 All-Age firsts. Some of the records he set still stand today, years after retiring from competition!
In the field, both Rick and Ronnie put their methods to work, guiding on the Mariposa Ranch in South Texas. Rick is a breeder as well, raising fine Brittany pups that are pleasing owners all around the globe. Ronnie Smith is a well-respected trainer and field trial judge.
He maintains his public training kennel in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Ronnie's excellent training and teaching skills combined with his sense of humor make him a favorite at seminars.
"We are dedicated to helping each and every individual at every seminar. The classes are fun, entertaining, and full of information. From problem dogs to complete beginners, there is something for every person and every dog no matter what breed, age, or hunting style."
The foundation seminar is about the people, not about the dogs. We are going to show you the steps to go through to get a good foundation under your dog, meaning they understand what they are supposed to do with birds, how they are supposed to react to you, what you are asking of them, and learning that you are the Alpha.
In the seminar, the dogs are there so we can understand what we are talking about. I will demonstrate, then we will talk about it, and then we will get up and practice it. The seminar is a hands-on seminar.
But remember, the seminar is for the people, not the dogs. The dogs do benefit from it, but it is for the people. When you become proficient with knowing what to do, your dog will become proficient. If you go out to work your dog and you are confused, your dog is going to be confused. So we are teaching you how to train your dog.
Do you want to get your kids into working with dogs?
I'm proud to announce that Gun Dog Supply will be hosting our 15th annual Huntsmith Foundation Seminar with Ronnie Smith on April 6-7, and I REALLY want you to be there.
For this seminar, bring yourself AND your dog. Imagine how much better your dog will be after a day in the field where world-class professional dog trainer Ronnie Smith trains YOU how to train YOUR dog!
Plus, over the years, I've had enough people say to me, "Hey, can I bring my kid?" that I realized this is a great opportunity for parents, so sign up today and YOU CAN BRING YOUR KID FOR FREE! (ages 10-16)
It's a perfect opportunity to get your kid involved in the outdoors, get your kid interested in dogs, AND build the right foundation for training dogs for the rest of their lives.
BACKSTORY: My entire bird dog life has been tied pretty hard to the Smith Family. My Dad, WC Snell, bought my first bird dog from Rick in 1979. She was a Brittany out of Rick's Perry's Rustic Prince. "Dee" was my world and I followed her after quail for 10 years. My Dad liked her so much that he bought a male off a similar breeding a year later. "Magic" was a mighty fine dog, and ended up going back to Rick for training and did pretty well on the trial circuit.
In 1984 my Dad hosted a Delmar Smith Seminar. Mr. Delmar is one of those folks that once you meet him, you will never forget. I was too young to really appreciate the seminar but I tried to learn as much as I could. Most of the bird dogs that we had when I was a teenager were out of Rick's bloodlines. They were all really nice dogs.
In 2001, we bred a litter of pointers off my "Em" dog and I kept a pup named "Ruby." I had been reading Rick's articles on e-collar training for a while and I felt I needed to see it for myself. In 2002 Ruby and I went to San Antonio, TX to attend a Foundation Seminar. It was an amazing trip and it changed the way I train my dogs. I watched Rick take Ruby from the Whoa Post and transition to the ecollar around her belly in about 15 minutes. She was stopping on command shortly after that. This was a dog that didn't know how to stop and had no interest in learning. It was amazing to watch.
Sam and Brandy in 2009
Rick still breeds the same bloodline from his field trial days. What's really, really cool is that Sam and I were both 10 years old when we got our first bird dogs from Rick.
I first met Ronnie on a hunting trip at the Mariposa in Falfurrias, TX, in the winter of 2005. The Mariposa is where Rick and Ronnie spend the winter guiding quail hunts. It's a pretty amazing place. I doubt I am the typical customer, seeing how I was more interested in seeing the kennel and learning about particular dogs and their training. Ronnie invited me to come to his Advanced Seminar in Oklahoma later that year. I learned more about ecollars and how to train with them in that 4-day trip than ever before.
While Rick and Ronnie are best known as bird dog trainers, their seminar is built around working with retrievers and flushing dogs. If you have any questions about the seminar, drop me an email or give me a call at (800) 624-6378.
GUN DOG SUPPLY - "Serving Hunting & Field Dog Owners Nationally Since 1972."
Order online via Secure Server or call 1-800-624-6378 to order! GDS Warehouse, 17645 U.S. Highway 82, Mathiston, Mississippi, 39752 USA.
He maintains his public training kennel in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Ronnie's excellent training and teaching skills combined with his sense of humor make him a favorite at seminars.
