Welcome

According to my wife, my hobby or affliction as she calls it, is training bird dogs. I do not sell puppies. Occasionally, I offer a finished dog or two for sale. They will be advertised as they come available.
lately I am not having to advertise them, which suits me just fine.
In mid 2026 I retire from my "real" job. A move to somewhere in Eastern Oklahoma, build dog pens, hopefully for the last time. Then I start raising my own litters.
After buying puppies from others and training them to sell I have come to the conclusion that I am better off raising my own litters.
I intend to hunt as much as I can get away with and run in a few field trials each year, both walking and horseback.
I may branch into some limited guiding of wild bird hunts. As long as I can handle off horse back.
Along with spending time with my wife, this pretty much constitutes my "retirement" plan. Should keep me fairly busy until I am ready for a rocking chair.
I have no interest in training for the public. I have a bit in the past. I have been guarded of my amateur status for field trials.
I define a finished dog as.
Steady to Wing, Shot and Fall.
Retrieve to hand.
I prefer to encourage a natural retrieve, but will force break when needed. I wont breed a bird dog that does not show a natural inclination to fetch.
Honor another dogs point.
A dog not trained to this level is not finished.
Quite often dogs lacking this level of training for whatever reason are referred to as "started".
If you are looking for a "started" dog. I cant help you. I sell finished dogs.
LOTS of folks exist that will eagerly fall all over themselves to sell you a "started" dog. Please contact them.
The tools I use are simple for my training. Carded feral pigeons that I trap, and sweat equity working dogs on a check cord. No barrels, boards or fishing poles. And I never ever say the word whoa to a dog.
I am not a salesman. So I take videos and post them in public on You Tube, Facebook and here. I have nothing to hide. I show it warts and all. I call it the no bull method of sales.
I do have a Facebook page that I post training progress, updates, and my thoughts on dog training occasionally.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560822600806
I will always be grateful to Bill Gibbons, Bill West, Maurice Lindley and Mike Jones.
An old, but good video of Bill West explains the training concept I use.
Bill West
Thank you for looking.
Idylwyld Bird Dogs
D. Chilson




