Avery Creek Retrievers

Training is structured in four tiers: Puppy Head Start (8–20 weeks), Basics (foundation obedience, gunfire exposure, force fetch, collar conditioning), Transition (blind retrieves, multiple marks, handling drills), and Advanced (complex marking and blind retrieves for finished-level hunt tests). Obedience program teaches five basic commands with lead or check cord work. Owners are invited to train with their dogs and receive hands-on instruction.

Pricing Summary

Monthly training fee includes boarding, food, birds, heartworm and flea/tick preventatives, and veterinary wellness checks. Obedience training for puppies is offered at $900 for 8 weeks. Specific pricing for hunt test programs is not listed publicly; clients are encouraged to contact for details.

Policies

Visits, drop-offs, and pick-ups are not available on Sundays unless arranged in advance. No appointments are scheduled before 2:00 PM on Sundays. Clients must schedule visits in advance by phone or email.

Avery Creek Retrievers is a family-run, full-time retriever training kennel located in Shelby, North Carolina, specializing in gun dog and hunt test training for retrievers. They offer systematic, building-block training programs for puppies, adolescents, and adult dogs, covering basics, transition, and advanced levels for AKC and HRC hunt tests. Owners are encouraged to participate in training sessions and visit the kennel to observe or train alongside the trainer. The kennel includes boarding, food, birds, and monthly preventative care in their monthly fee, with a mobile vet visiting monthly for wellness checks. They also offer an obedience program for companion dogs and a Puppy Head Start for puppies 8–20 weeks old. The facility is situated on a 100+ acre farm with access to training ponds and fields across North and South Carolina.

Billy Mosley, the owner and trainer, has been training retrievers for over two decades, with extensive experience in titling dogs at all levels of hunt tests. He emphasizes individualized training based on each dog’s personality and prioritizes the dog’s well-being, safety, and health. He also educates owners on how to maintain training at home, ensuring long-term success.

Accomplishments

Billy Mosley has trained and titled multiple dogs at all levels of AKC and HRC hunt tests, including Hunting Retriever Champion (HRCH) and Master Hunter (MH) titles. He has been training for over 20 years and is known for producing top-performing competition retrievers.

How to Get Started!

Prospective clients are encouraged to contact the kennel by phone or email to schedule a visit and observe a training day. A consultation is required before enrolling a dog in any program.