Salty Dog Farms

Salty Dog Farms offers two main types of training: Dog Obedience Training and Problem Solving for companion dogs, and Hunting Dog Training Programs for Retrievers.

For obedience, options include private training sessions tailored to individual needs and a guaranteed Board & Train program. The Board & Train program teaches basic behaviors in a home environment using gentle methods, with owners attending a 90-minute end-of-training lesson.

For hunting dogs, programs are tailored to match the gun dog’s abilities and owner goals, whether for upland game hunting, waterfowl hunting, or hunt test competition. Training includes land and water concepts like quartering a field, delivering birds to hand, sit to flush, working with decoys, and being steady in a duck blind or boat. The competition program is based on techniques from top professionals. Individual coaching sessions or group training for owners and their hunting dogs are also available.

Pricing Summary

The board & train program is guaranteed. If further training is needed after an in-person appointment, no training charges will apply, but a boarding fee will apply on a per night basis if the dog overnights at the facility.

Policies

The Board & Train program is guaranteed. If a client experiences a loss of training, telephone behavior consultations are free for the life of the dog. If a phone call doesn’t resolve the problem, a no-charge appointment can be booked at the facility. If an in-person appointment does not resolve the issue, the dog can be brought back for further training at no charge, though a boarding fee will apply if the dog overnights. The guarantee covers all obedience training issues originally established when booking the dog.

Salty Dog Farms, led by trainer Larry Sonntag, offers dog obedience and hunting dog training programs. Larry has over 30 years of experience and provides reliable training programs designed to achieve fast and lasting results for dogs of all breeds and ages.

The business emphasizes a “ForceFree™” approach, using gentle methods with no force, yelling, harsh handling, leash jerking, or bribes, while also incorporating “barely perceptible remote collar markers.” They offer both private lessons and a guaranteed board & train program for obedience, and tailored gun dog training for retrievers and flushing dogs for upland game and waterfowl hunting, as well as competition.

Salty Dog Farms operates from a licensed game farm on 90 acres with over 12 acres of training ponds, providing a wide range of field situations for training. They also have access to other training areas to further polish a dog’s abilities. The facility ensures dogs are introduced to live birds and gunshot daily for hunting training.

Larry Sonntag is a certified ForceFree™ and TMD dog trainer, and a certified practitioner of NLP. He is a member of the Professional Retriever Trainers Association (PRTA) and International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP). His dogs successfully compete in AKC hunt tests. Salty Dog Farms also offers individual coaching sessions or group training for owners and their hunting dogs.

Accomplishments

Larry Sonntag has 30 years of experience in dog training. He is a Certified ForceFree™ Dog Trainer and a TMD dog trainer. He is also a certified practitioner of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming). Larry is a member of the Professional Retriever Trainers Association (PRTA) and the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP). His dogs successfully compete in AKC hunt tests at beginning and advanced levels. Larry also coaches and gives seminars for trainers and brings 20 years of sales and sales training experience to his business.

How to Get Started!

To get started, contact Larry by phone or email to arrange a free demonstration. This demonstration provides an opportunity to see the facility and observe the training with their dogs. Larry will also work with the client’s dog to provide a better idea of what can be achieved.