Start To Finish Gun Dog Training
Ranked #15 in Colorado Springs and #51 in Colorado
Service area: Black Forest area of Colorado Springs
Service Overview
Types of Dog Training
- Working Dog
- Competition / Agility
- Family Dog
Specialty Focus Areas
- Basic Obedience
- Puppy Training
- Recall
Training Formats Offered
- Private Facility
- Board and Train
Program Formats
- Intensive Program
- Ongoing Weekly
Types of Dogs
- Sporting
Age of Dogs Trained
- Puppy (<1 year)
- Adolescent (1-2 years)
- Adult (2-8 years)
- Senior (8+ years)
Dog Training Methodology
Methods:
- ✓ Balanced Training
- ✓ Positive with Some Corrections
Equipment:
- ✓ E-Collars
Start to Finish Bird Dog Training offers programs to prepare dogs for hunting waterfowl and upland birds. Training typically takes three months and can be customized. Dogs are exposed to various hunting situations on their training grounds, which include different cover, terrain, and ponds for water retrieves. All dogs are collar conditioned, gun broke, and taught to be steady on birds, using live birds as an essential component. They also offer a force fetch program to ensure reliable retrieves. Year-round tune-ups are available for dogs that have completed the initial training.
Pricing & Policies
Pricing Summary
Puppies are $1,200. Training involves a very reasonable monthly investment.
Testimonials
“Mark, I’ve been wanting to let you know how pleased I am with Sage. If you remember, 4 years ago, I contacted you about buying a puppy and you didn’t have any at the time. You recommended a breeding you had done out of Bart and Schatzie. I am so pleased with Sage. She is all I wanted and more. …so much more of a dog than I even hoped for. You told me about how well Bart had done for you and that Schatzie had been one of the easiest dogs you had ever trained. That combination was exactly what I needed. Sage has the range and drive needed for NSTRA trials and she was super easy to train by a guy who had almost no experience. With just advice and training I have her in a good place. No credit to me. A week ago, she won her first NSTRA event and this past weekend just for fun, I ran her in a AKC Hunt test for the senior hunter and her average score for 4 qualifying runs was over 9.3. One run she scored all 10’s. All the judges were very impressed that such a hard running hunting dog had the control she has. Thank you Sir ..you set me up with exactly the dog of a lifetime for me. She’s also my best friend and a perfect pet. Thank you Mark, -Chuck”
– Chuck Pedersen
“Awesome Trainers! Mark Sr. and Mark Jr. are two of the best I have ever worked with. Read how Tim’s Liewelin Setter Jazz came out of her gun dog training looking like a pro.”
– Tim Fox
“I purchased a puppy from Mark Pace, Jr several years ago. Little did I know what a world class pup this was; you certainly wouldn’t have known it from the price. A few years later, I took her to a trainer for some help and was shocked to hear what a quality dog she was and have him go on and on about her breeding. Recently, I contacted Mark Pace, Sr for a “finished” gun dog and was again overwhelmed at the quality for the price. Grace is the most perfectly trained hunting partner I could imagine and the “Marks” are professional and kind and offer 100% support to everyone they come in contact with. I trust them explicitly and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them as trainers or to recommend a pup from their kennel to anyone. Their skill in working with the dogs is only exceeded by their goodness as human beings. Needless to say after all this rambling, they’re the best!!”
– Lois Deitrich
About the Trainer
Start to Finish Bird Dog Training is an expert resource for training gun dogs for hunting waterfowl and upland birds. Their goal is to help owners have an enjoyable recreation time in the field with their pointing or flushing dogs. They train all types of bird dog breeds, including German Shorthair Pointers, English Pointers, English Setters, Brittany Spaniels, and Labrador Retrievers.
They offer a training program for young dogs that focuses on building obedience and hunting skills simultaneously, exposing them to live birds. Each dog in their program will be collar conditioned, gun broke, and steady on birds. They also provide a force fetch training program to ensure dogs hold retrieves all the way to the owner.
The business also breeds AKC German Shorthair Pointers from Champion Black Forest Bloodlines, known for their success in the field and as top-notch hunting dogs. They occasionally have “Started Dogs” available for those looking to bypass the puppy stage.
Accomplishments
The business is run by Mark Pace Sr. and Mark Jr. Their dog, Black Forest Bart, is a 3x Champion and Rocky Mountain NSTRA Hall of Fame Dog, winning Rocky Mountain NSTRA High Point and the Regional Championship in 2012. Bart has sired many champions. Other champion dogs from their Black Forest German Shorthair bloodlines include Black Forest Sage (1x Ch), Black Forest Brodie (4x Ch), Black Forest Jewell (3x Ch), Black Forest Star (2x Ch), Black Forest Rooster Finn (1x Ch), and Black Forest Five O’Clock Miller Tym (2x Ch). They have a consistent and long record of performance in breeding and training top-notch hunting dogs.
How to Get Started!
To get started, dog owners can call to inquire about future litters, stud services, or training. They can also contact Mark Pace Sr. via phone or email for additional information on training or to reserve a puppy. The business is happy to keep clients on file or update them when new litters or started dogs become available.
Contact Information
Associations
- AKC
- Accredited
Misc Features
- wheelchair accessible parking
Other Services Offered
- Dog breeder
- Kennel