Puppy Jump Start Academy

PUPPY JUMP START ACADEMY

Puppies 6 Weeks to 6 Months of Age - Bred & Trained for Field & Family

WE ARE CURRENTLY TAKING RESERVATIONS
FOR THE SPRING 2012 GRADUATING CLASS.
CONTACT US TO RESERVE YOURS!

Finding a puppy with a great pedigree is only the first step in attaining your future gun dog.
Pedigree alone does not guarantee every puppy in the litter will become a great companion in the field.
Our Jump Start Academy takes the guess work out of investing in a puppy.
You will know before you get your pup, whether he can become a good gundog or not.
Our Jump Start Academy assures that every potential gun dog has successfully been introduced
to the three key elements which make or break a gun dog:

Water, gunfire and a natural retrieve.

SEE JUMP START ACADEMY PUPS IN ACTION ON OUR
YOUTUBE CHANNEL

RETRIEVING... IT'S WHAT THEY LIVE FOR!
Long before they're weaned, our pups begin retrieving, gunfire & water 'games'.
Our gentle, yet insistent training methods make the pup's job fun & rewarding.
The result is an ingrained skill, passion and drive that will last a lifetime!
Iron Spike Daisy Dukes A' Shootin - "Shooter"
Black female (3/25/2010) An adorable pup with an incredible zest for life, she has only two speeds.... full bore and dead stop!

Pups Water Retrieving at 11 Weeks Old

Iron Spike's Muddy Creek Hunter - Call Name: Creek Iron Spike's Honk'n Tonk Hunter - Call Name: Honk

6 week old pups retrieving to hand...

Iron Spike's Muddy Creek Hunter - "Creek"
Chocolate female (3/25/2010) Creek loves the water and retrieving. She stayed in and splashed around, playing with us on her first visit to the pond when she was 10 weeks old. By 11 weeks of age, she was going in after her first water retrieves.

Iron Spike's Scoutin Calamity Jane - "Scout"
Black female (3/25/2010)This little gal is truly a water dog! She can't get enough of the ponds and was so comfortable in the water from the get-go. She just enjoys herself and takes it all in stride.

Iron Spike Yeller's Stackin Quacks - "Quackers"
Yellow female (3/25/2010) Another pup that loves the water! This adorable little girl can't get enough of fun in the water or our attention. She also loves to retrieve, has tons of drive, energy and competitiveness. Quackers is going to make a great gun dog!

Iron Spike Sergeant's Aerial Assault - "Bomber"
Chocolate male (3/25/2010) Always up to something or into something, this pup is all "go". Full of confidence, daring & gusto, he is just so much fun to work with! He's also a very affectionate boy!

About Our Breeding & Training Program

Our Successful Jump Start Academy program begins with the right selection of genetics. We breed high quality hunting dogs that are not only free of genetic defects and weaknesses, but which possess mental and temperament characteristics that are conducive to developing a good gun dog and great family citizen.

We drew our original pool of genetics from dogs we observed working in the field in various situations and being hunted over by various people. Over time, using the same criteria for selection, we developed a gene pool for our breeding program that consistently produces pups which have:

1) A high retrieving drive;

2) A love for the water;

3) A natural delivery to hand;

4) A cooperative, tractable temperament;

5) A soft mouth & generous muzzle (sometimes with 'duck bars' on the gum line);

6) A calm, focused mind with a good memory and strong desire to learn;

7) Natural game-seeking initiative supported by a good nose;

8) A sensitivity to correction and strong desire to please.

In addition, many of our pups have a natural tendency to point. They are usually very birdy. They are stout & sturdy.

Our training methods take into consideration, each individual pup's temperament, strengths and weaknesses, then we adapt the training to leverage the pup's greatest strengths and build up areas where he is weak, in order to develop pup into a confident, capable gun dog. Because we practice a training method which is based on natural canine & pack behavior, we do not force fetch our pups in order to attain a delivery to hand. We also do not rely heavily on high tech equipment such as e-collars, though we neither shun nor disapprove of these techniques, tools and tactics. We simply prefer to show prospective puppy purchasers just how far well-selected genetics can take a prospective hunting dog.

We believe a well-bred gun dog should have the intelligence, focus and temperament which facilitate training - and this is the cornerstone of our breeding program. Not every hunter is an expert dog trainer - and we believe he shouldn't need to be. Nor should he be forced to take his pup to a trainer in order to teach it basic skills or keep it under control. By having our pups demonstrate at a very early age, what they can do without a high amount of intervention, high tech equipment or intensive training techniques, we are allowing prospective puppy purchasers to see the basic foundation upon which their future gun dog can be built. We feel this is an honest, open approach to dog breeding and training and takes into account the needs of the average gun dog owner. Our goal is to bring integrity and quality to the Labrador Retriever breeding program.

Thank you for visiting our website. Feel free to contact us to learn more about our puppies and our training methods.