See all the Training Programs to pick the one best for your needs. 

About John Luttrell

Luttrell Kennels is the premiere gun dog training facility in South Dakota. John Luttrell has been a professional dog trainer since 1995 and has set up everything here with your dog’s training potential and well-being in mind. We are located in Clark, South Dakota, the heart of the Central Flyway and pheasant haven. This training environment ensures that your dog has seen all kinds of different fields, sloughs, shelter belts, and ponds and will be ready for your favorite hunting spot.

Retriever Training

The retriever training program begins with the proper introduction to birds and guns. This includes flushing, marking, and water retrieves (when weather permits.) The association between a gunshot and a bird falling and the subsequent retrieve are also made during the Intro program. This is an important plateau for a retriever puppy to achieve to become a gun dog.

Building a solid foundation of the basics is the next step. Obedience, manners, force-fetching, and collar conditioning are what make up this foundation. This training is a must whether you’re looking for an upland and/or waterfowl dog or preparing to run retriever hunt tests. With this technical training, we mesh the dog’s natural abilities to produce a finished hunting partner for the field. The experiences working with birds in hunting or test situations bring it all together.

Advanced training to teach handling builds on top of your retriever’s solid basics. It takes the teamwork between the dog and handler to the next level. Having a dog that can do blind retrieves is a real treat and a must for the hardcore waterfowler. Handler training is a big part of the process. Your skills as a handler have a direct correlation to the performance of your dog. Your time spent here will give you the confidence, knowledge, and experience to get the most out of your retriever.​

Dog Training Programs at Luttrell Kennels​​

Pointer Training

Young pointers introduction to birds and guns is similar to the retrievers, with a significant difference - to create point and retrieve.  The program shows the young pointer that there is an order to the hunt: search-point-gunshot-retrieve.  

The foundation training of basics include obedience, manners, collar conditioning, force fetching, and “whoa” breaking.  These basics along with bird work complete your hunting partner. 

Handler training completes the program so you and your dog work as a team. 

Winter Training Trip​

​​​Every February John takes dogs down south out of the snow to open water to train for eight weeks.  The headquarters for the trip is a duck hunting camp near Walnut Ridge, Arkansas.  This trip allows dogs to progress during a time in South Dakota that the winter prevents quality training.  The dogs on this trip have a real head start for the summer training and hunt test season

HRC/AKC Retriever Hunt Tests

We will be running a full schedule of HRC and AKC Retriever hunt tests this season. Whatever your motivation is to have your dog run hunt tests, our program is designed to help you reach your goals.

Dogs for Sale

We occasionally have a started and finished dogs for sale.  All of our labs have very nice pedigrees from proven bloodlines.  They are all force fetched, collar conditioned, and have had plenty of bird work in training.  The started Labs (9-14 month old) are ready to hit the field and contribute right away.  The finished dogs will do blind retrieves, multiple marks and usually have hunting experience. 

We have about two litters of puppies a year. See Puppies for more information. 

Check the Labs for Sale page for pictures, video, and complete pedigrees.