About Valhalla Hunt Club & Kennels

What they offer

Valhalla Kennels and Gun Dogs is the training and boarding side of Valhalla Bijou Hunt Club, a family-owned upland bird club about 30 minutes east of Denver in Bennett. The kennel trains pointing and flushing gun dogs on the ranch's bird fields.

Training levels

Training is organized in three stages. Rookie Training, for pups 20 weeks and up, builds confidence around birds and guns, the recall and whistle, finding game and early retrieving. Seasoned Training, from six months, adds whoa for pointing dogs, sitting to the whistle for flushing dogs, quartering, pointing without chasing, honoring another dog's point and an introduction to water work. All Pro Training polishes steady to wing and shot and sit to the flush.

Ways to train

Monthly training includes kenneling, live birds and a private handling session for the owner at the end. Dogs boarding at the kennel can get daily training, private hourly sessions are available for any skill, and conditioning sessions keep dogs fit. The Gun Dog School of Excellence is a group class every Saturday morning where trainers introduce puppies and older dogs to guns, birds and commands; the site says puppies as young as 16 weeks are encouraged to attend. Reservations are recommended.