Nevada bird dog training · I-15
Bird Dog Training for Las Vegas & Nevada Hunters
Vegas is six hours up the interstate.
Most of our Nevada dogs come from the Las Vegas valley. You get on I-15 and stay on it — through St. George, then into Payson. One drive down, a couple months of real work, one drive home.
Not a Vegas kennel
Nevada Dogs. Trained at Our Utah Facility.
We don’t have a second location in Nevada. Our training facility is in Payson, Utah, and Nevada hunters still send dogs because our programs are designed for extended stays. Boarding is included. Hunting-dog programs often involve multiple months of training depending on the dog and the owner’s goals, while our obedience-only program is a two-month board-and-train stay. That makes the drive from Nevada much more practical than traveling back and forth for weekly lessons.
We train retrievers, pointing dogs, upland hunting dogs, duck dogs, and companion dogs coming strictly for obedience training.
Our hunting-dog programs are built for the field, while our two-month obedience program focuses on creating a dog that is easier to live with and more reliable around everyday distractions.
The goal in either program isn’t simply a dog that performs well for the trainer. At pickup, we spend time teaching the owner how to use and maintain the same system at home.
The drive
Straight up I-15
Las Vegas to our kennel in Payson is about six hours in normal traffic. You rarely leave the I-15 corridor: Mesquite, St. George, then north through Utah to Payson.
Standard drop-off and pickup are Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM. Morning or early afternoon is ideal because it gives us time to get your dog settled and still have part of the training day.
If a weekday is impossible, weekend drop-off is $100 and weekend pickup is $200. Some Las Vegas families choose that option rather than taking two additional weekdays off work.
Reno and northern Nevada are a much longer drive, but we’ve still had owners make it when they’re looking for a full professional training program. Because hunting-dog stays are often multiple months — and obedience is a two-month board-and-train — you’re making one trip down and one trip home, not commuting for weekly lessons.
Approximate drive times
- Las Vegas → Payson about 6 hours
- Mesquite → Payson about 4½ hours
- St. George → Payson about 3½ hours
Obedience training
Six hours can still make sense for two months of training.
Not every Nevada dog that comes to Utah Bird Dog Training is here to hunt.
Our obedience-only program is a two-month board-and-train stay for owners who want better manners, more reliable recall, stronger off-leash control, and a dog that listens when the environment gets distracting.
Depending on the dog, training may include:
- Heel
- Sit
- Down
- Place
- Recall
- Leash manners
- Off-leash reliability
- Impulse control
- Household manners
- Distraction work
- E-collar conditioning when appropriate
For a Las Vegas owner, driving six hours for a weekly obedience lesson wouldn’t make sense.
Driving once for drop-off, leaving the dog for a full two-month program, and returning once for pickup is a very different proposition.
Because boarding is included and the program is $1,250 per month, some out-of-state owners find the overall program competitive enough to justify the drive.
The stay
$1,250 a month, boarding included
Training is $1,250 per month and boarding is included.
Our obedience-only program is two months long. Hunting-dog programs vary in length depending on the dog’s previous training and the owner’s goals.
For Nevada families comparing board-and-train programs, the combination of professional daily training, boarding included, and a defined two-month obedience program can make the trip to Utah worth considering.
Food is additional at $75 per month for Purina Pro Plan Sport, or owners may provide their own food. Live-bird costs vary by training program and are billed separately when needed. A $100 deposit is applied toward the first month of training.
You don’t need to travel back and forth during your dog’s stay. We send a photo and short training update about every other week. At pickup, plan on spending an hour or two with us. We’ll work the dog with you, explain the commands and handling system, and make sure the drive home isn’t a mystery.
Winter training
Hunting season showed you the holes. Winter is when we fix them.
By the end of hunting season, most owners know exactly what needs work.
Maybe your retriever breaks before being sent, ignores the whistle, struggles with blind retrieves, or won’t consistently bring birds back. Maybe your pointing dog bumps birds, needs more bird exposure, or isn’t steady enough in the field.
December through February can be one of the best times to send a hunting dog to professional training. You’re giving up less hunting time while your dog gets consistent daily work, and you still have spring and summer to maintain what we’ve built before next season.
For Nevada hunters, that can mean making the drive to Utah once after hunting season and bringing home a much more capable dog before next fall.
Winter training isn’t limited to hunting dogs.
If you’re dealing with pulling on leash, unreliable recall, poor household manners, or a dog that only listens when nothing interesting is happening, December through February can also be a practical time to use our two-month obedience program.
For Las Vegas-area owners, that can mean one winter trip to Payson for drop-off, two months of consistent daily training, and one trip back for pickup.
Questions
Nevada Bird Dog Training FAQs
Do you train dogs from Las Vegas?
Yes. Our facility is in Payson, Utah, but we regularly work with hunting dogs whose owners travel from outside Utah. Las Vegas is roughly six hours away via I-15, which makes the trip practical for a hunting dog staying several months, or for a companion dog in our two-month obedience program.
How long will my dog stay?
It depends on the program. Hunting-dog length varies with the dog’s age, previous training, temperament, and the owner’s goals, and many complete hunting-dog programs require multiple months. Our obedience-only program is two months / approximately eight weeks. We’ll help you determine a realistic training plan before your dog arrives.
Is boarding included in training?
Yes. Boarding is included in the $1,250 monthly training tuition. Food and live birds, when needed for the program, are additional.
Do I need to visit during training?
No. We send a photo and short update approximately every other week. At pickup, we’ll work with you and your dog so you understand the commands, expectations, and handling system before going home.
Can I drop my dog off on a weekend?
Weekday drop-off and pickup are preferred. If a weekday is impossible, weekend appointments may be available for an additional fee. Current weekend drop-off is $100 and weekend pickup is $200.
Do you train Nevada dogs that aren’t hunting dogs?
Yes. Our two-month obedience-only board-and-train program is available for companion dogs as well as hunting dogs.
How long is the obedience program?
The obedience-only program is approximately eight weeks / two months. Hunting-dog programs vary depending on the dog’s age, previous training, temperament, and training goals.
What does the obedience program work on?
Depending on the dog, training may include heel, sit, down, place, recall, leash manners, off-leash reliability, impulse control, household manners, distraction work, and e-collar conditioning when appropriate. More detail is on Obedience Training.
Is it practical to come from Las Vegas for obedience training?
For some owners, yes. Las Vegas is approximately six hours from our Payson facility. Because the obedience program is a two-month board-and-train stay, owners generally make one trip for drop-off and one trip for pickup rather than traveling back and forth for weekly lessons.