BlackFoot K9

04/12/2025

Something about a yellow dog on an overcast day … 🥰

Pathfinder’s Fish N Chips, SH “Raglan”

04/12/2025

Throwback Thursday to a puppy pick-up day for some lucky BlackFoot pups and their new family members the first time they met!

Hard to believe these pups are now grown ups! Looking forward to this part of the journey again with new families and new puppies in 2026!

04/12/2025

What's all the BARKING about at BlackFoot!?

‼️Board & Train Promotional Dates‼️ Reserve your pup's spot TODAY! Space is LIMITED

04/12/2025

🐾🦆‼️ SPRING RETRIEVER WORKSHOP IS SCHEDULED!!
JOIN US MAY 1 - 3 2026!

📍 Hemingway SC.

** PREVIOUS ATTENDEES GET A $50 DISCOUNT ****

LEAN MORE / REGISTER TODAY:
https://www.blackfootkennels.com/dog-training/retriever-field-training

TOPICS WE WILL BE COVERING THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND:
*These are not in order... Syllabus and more specific format to follow.

👉 How to create a shaped retrieve using positive reinforcement.

👉 When and why to add pressure to training. How much pressure is needed and keeping the balance.

👉 No-No Drills
👉 The benefit of training 2 sided heeling
👉 Goal Post Lining
👉 E collar conditioning
👉 3 - 5 Hand Casting (platform usage / phasing out / building difficulty)
👉 Shaping the retrieve
👉 The importance of having and BEING a great bird boy! How and when to help, communicate with the line, and how to throw marks.
👉 The importance of Force Fetch and how to recognize behavior change to ensure use of least aversive pressure.
👉 Steadiness
👉 Honoring

👉 Push Pull & Wagon Wheel combo drill.
👉 Teaching and maintaining clean Whistle sits (from toys in the back yard to 250+ yard consistency)
👉 Bucket blinds (how and why)
👉 Walk up blinds (how and why)
👉 Essential Puppy foundation work and balancing the live / work lifestyle for the different life stages.
👉 Holding blind etiquette
👉 Setting and maintaining a consistency in your behaviors
👉 Developing and editing your training program .. step by step
👉 Poison bird introduction and mastering.
👉 How to recognize and introduce environmental FACTORS
👉 Eyes vs. Nose work in the field
👉 Wingers and launching systems vs. helpers and gunners in the field.
👉 Obedience in the field vs. obedience at home



INCLUDED:

All Day cooler beverages and snacks

Written Take home materials

Use of birds while on site

​Official AKC Hunt Test Rule Book

02/12/2025

Say hello to Ruby!

Ruby is a seven month old full of energy chocolate lab whose owners have done a great job with her foundation training, but she’s here to sharpen up some skills and work on a few of those adolescent quirks that take a lot of consistency to get past .

Ruby will be staying with us for two weeks and I’m so excited to document her progress. I can’t believe the changes in her leash skills after just three sessions!

02/12/2025

6 months old … and 2.5 years old. Working on the same skill. “HOLD”

1) it certainly is easier to teach new behaviors with young puppies, especially those who have a sound foundation using positive reinforcement.

2) That being said, certainly doesn’t mean it is impossible to teach an older dog who has never had formal basics.

At 2.5 years old,  I’m not sure that Oakley will be able to achieve the more advanced concept training required of a senior or master level hunt test dog but that doesn’t mean that we’re not going to put in full effort and give her the patience and time that she deserves as part of our team.

I am on day two for both dogs, teaching them the formal “hold” command. Both dogs are doing great but in different ways.

Whiskey has had a lot of practice with delivering to hand in terms of a shaped retrieve that we started when he was about seven weeks old, so this behavior is a little more natural for him, Oakley’s intelligence Drive and genetic make up is proving that she’s a smart girl and she is very eager to please. I’m so excited about helping her learn what she’s capable of becoming!

29/11/2025

Sawtooth Oaks “Oakley”

No filters. She is just this stunning … but we didn’t choose her for that amazing fox red color. Her temperament and pedigree is just what we love to have as part of our BlackFoot pack. Good looking doesn’t hurt 😉

27/11/2025

Big congrats to Mary & Roger B ! Their boy Roadie just earned his first MH pass!

BlackFoots Travlin Man

bugs X raglan

27/11/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from the BlackFoot Family!

Today I am thankful for my husband’s delicious homemade bread, and our very well behaved butcher-block height K9 who waited patiently for a little bite. 😂

Remember that too many table treats can be harmful for your dogs! A teeny nibble might not hurt, but play close attention to guests who may be tempted to be over generous with the table scraps. Lean white meat turkey (no skin / no gravy etc… ) would be the safest treat to be honest .. id prefer the dark meat, served with mashed potatoes, gravy, and lots of butter on MY plate anyway lol. 😂

26/11/2025

Board and Train Special Dates Available !!!

JANUARY ** Jan 4th - 18 2026

FEBRUARY ** Feb 8 - 22 2026

MARCH ** March 1st - 15th 2026



𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐨𝐠 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐬:

🐾 2 weeks of overnight boarding at our country paradise for dogs: a clean, safe, and happy environment for your dog to be comfortable, play, relax, and ... LEARN!



🐾 DAILY one on one private training sessions for your dog in addition to the benefits of consistent structure and "Mico- Manners" sessions all day.



🐾 Private updates from your dog's training sessions (photos and short videos) sent via Whatsapp for your to monitor, watch, and review during his/her stay.



🐾 1 off-site training field trip day to the Lake City boardwalk & park to take their training skills on the road and practice in a social setting.



🐾 A Private lesson at time of pick up with you and your dog so that you can continue to practice and build your skills together 𝐀𝐒 𝐀 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 after you get back home.



🐾 Our complete detailed written training "book" with workbook pages for you to reference for your continued training.



Total package price Value: $1,480

🚨𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑 = $𝟏𝟑𝟎𝟎

23/11/2025

Now accepting applications for our exciting all yellow litter planned for Spring 2026.

You won't find a more unique outcross pedigree than the Norman X Raglan pairing.

American show dog with sport level drive, meets some talented hunt test/agility and obedience proven dogs .. the horizontal pedigree doesn't speak enough for the pair .. offspring of both Raglan and Norman are SHINING in many sports so far. Let's throw in a splash of some accomplished British import blood for good measure.... a touch of sensitivity to balance all that work ethic & drive!

We have carefully selected Norman as a BlackFoot stud as we feel his structure and temperament will be a wonderful compliment to our breeding plans based on Raglan's pups from her last litters. This *may* be Raglan's final breeding .. at this time TBD. We may have plans for one more but that depends on timing, and we are not guaranteeing that she will be producing any more pups after this litter with Norman.

What we expect:
* Larger sized but not "over-sized"
* GREAT looking heads.
* Thicker bone structure but not too overdone for sport! Looking for a sound solid sized agility dog? This could be it!
* Temperment to make your heart melt. Go crush a hunt test or agility course in the morning and get home to snuggle on the couch in the evening.
* Brains and biddability. Both Raglan and Norman are active working dogs who are cooperative and easily trained. These pups should be "newbie" dog sport friendly yet, have the drive and fire to become high level competitors.

To learn more about BlackFoot and complete a puppy application please visit the website here: https://www.blackfootkennels.com/labrador-puppies

** While experienced working homes take priority, we love welcoming new trainer / handlers into the BlackFoot family with the understanding they will be getting a high drive dog with a need for training and lifelong enrichment.

22/11/2025