# NEWBIE References wanted for a trainer in Orange County,Ca



## ImBoardMan (Aug 7, 2012)

Hello,

I am new to the forum and was wondering if anyone could recommend a trainer in Orange County Ca. I have a 17 week old female. I have been working with her daily. walks nicely on leash, knows sit,stay,wait, down and working on recall off leash. also working on stand.


I would like to have her pass the CGC (Canine Good Citizen) test and become a service dog. I would also like her to take part in agility courses and possibly compete once she is old enough. Im am a college student and would love to teach her to hunt but since a lot of trainers are so rediculously expensive I'm not sure if I will be able to afford it.

recommendations appreciated 

Thank you in advance,
Dave

Quorra at 9 weeks.


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Welcome to the forum ImBoardMan. from the UK.  

Quorra is a real cutie. There are quite a few forum members in California so I am sure one of those will be abloe to help you and suggest a good trainer.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

She looks precious.


ImBoardMan said:


> Im am a college student and would love to teach her to hunt but since a lot of trainers are so rediculously expensive I'm not sure if I will be able to afford it.


Not being able to afford something does not mean its over priced. You need to look at the full picture. What they need to train a dog correctly is not cheap. 
Speech over and welcome to the forum.


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## ImBoardMan (Aug 7, 2012)

TexasRed said:


> She looks precious.
> 
> 
> ImBoardMan said:
> ...


Im not saying that because I can't afford it that is over priced.

most of the adds I have found for dog trainers have advertised from 75-120+$ a hour which seems a little steep for basic obidence work IMO. especially when most of the trainers are not certified CGC testers or any other accreditation. I called a few of these adds and the trainers didn't even know what the CGC was.

Im not saying that it should be cheap, I understand the costs of equipment for hunting training is expensive and that is more justifiable, but the cost of supplies and equipment is very minimal for obedience training.

It might just be me but I feel 100$ an hour for a trainer that has no training other than personal experience is Ridiculous.


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## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

If you go onto the ACK CGC website, they have a list of trainers who can perform the test in your area. These would probably also be good trainers to get your little girl ready for the test. 

It sounds like you are doing an amazing job by yourself though. You may not need many sessions with a trainer. Training a dog correctly can involve a range of expenses. Some owners like to have very little involvement, some do it entirely by themselves.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I do know a CGC tester/trainer in Texas, I duck hunt with her. Rates can vary depending on where you live, and how good they are. One on one classes are more expensive than small group classes. 
From your earlier statement I thought you were referring to hunt/ FT trainers.


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## WillowyndRanch (Apr 3, 2012)

I understand your viewpoint - one of the major problems you're facing is that you're looking for someone in Orange County. Median cost of just a detatched house is 3/4 of a million dollars. If you are a trainer - try finding a location where you can train, house more than three dogs (good luck!), pay the annual licensing and permitting costs, *insurances, plural * and all the "stuff" that goes with it and I'd wager anyone doing this business there is looking at 1.5 Million plus investment.

It costs money to do business there - a lot of money. People need to charge appropriately to cover expenses and make some profit, or they won't stay in business. 

I would suggest looking up local kennel clubs and go for group training classes versus private sessions, or look outside the metro areas where most of the dog people end up anyway because they can't afford or find anywhere to operate in the County.


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

Petsmart has some decent basic obedience classes if you're looking for something affordable. The only issue with most large training programs is they have no clue how to deal with Vizslas. I say teach her yourself. You can find plenty of great training tips both on this forum and on YouTube.  We've taught our girl 99% of what she knows by training at home, at the park, or on hikes. If you're willing to put in the time and effort, you can do it yourself and save a lot of money!


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