Seminar w/ Pro Dog Trainer Ryan Brasseaux
 

The Lake Charles Retriever Club would like to invite everyone to a seminar with professional retriever trainer Ryan Brasseaux on February 1st. Whether you compete in Field Trials, Hunt Tests, or just want a finished Gun Dog, you can all benefit from this seminar. Location will be in Morse, LA. Start time is 8 am. Price of admission and directions will be posted later. Hope to see everyone there.

what's the date?

It reads that it's Feb 1st.

thanks didn't see it

Keep us posted,thanks

Will do, and please spread the word

Ryan trained my Choclate Lab 12 years ago. Ryan is good at what he does. I just put my dog down this summer, he was 14 years old.

Ryans kennel is Native Sun Retrievers.

Just out of curiosity, what does a trainer have to do to be considered a professional?

Be very good at what he does, and is highly compensated for it.


Just like say a professional football or baseball player.


I know where this is coming from. ;)

Lol. I'm not trying to start another rock vs. ribbon dog thread and I'm honestly not doubting the mans dog training skills. Just wondering if there's any kind of certification or something to classify someone as a professional dog trainer.

OK, but you know the answer.

These guys credentials are in the awards the dogs they train win.

I heard about Ryan by word of mouth from some credible sources, trying to do the same here, and feel it necessary to keep it positive.

The best thing that ever happened for "my dog" was Ryan training him, and no my dog wasn't a field trial champion. He was a well disciplined hunting dog. Ryan can train a dog to suit the owners needs.

I know quite a few professional trainers. It's all they do. They compete in field trials the dogs they've trained to prove the quality of their training method. It's a difficult profession. Until your proven it's very difficult to keep enough dogs in your kennel to make a living. The more dogs the trainer has with titles the more attention they receive from people looking to have their dogs trained, the more than can charge. It's sort of a vicious cycle actually. The "best" trainers get to work with dogs from the "best" pedigrees and have the "best" opportunities to win titles. The people who can afford to purchase dogs from these pedigrees can also afford to have these dogs trained to whatever level they choose.

There are trainers who make 7 figure salaries out there and many more who do ok. It's a lot about what sort of a clientele you attract. Field testing can be a very expensive hobby for a dog owner. I personally enjoy watching a well trained dog work and take great pleasure in owning a dog with lots of ribbons. Due to my work, family, other interests and lack of training ability I can't train my dogs to this level. Not many people can. It requires working with the dog every single day. That is why I use a professional trainer.

But it's even more than just wanting a dog with lots of ribbons. I try to choose my dogs using the pedigree and all of the information available to me I can. Ultimately it's a crapshoot. You never know what the ability of a dog will be until they are trained. I love my dogs regardless of how many ribbons and titles they might have. But as an owner of a sporting dog I feel it is my responsibility to my dog to allow it to go as far in its abilities as it can. If I have a grand quality dog then I will support it all the way to the grand. If I have a dog that does not have the ability to be anything more than a family dog I'll love it the same. They are like my kids. I want to help them be as successful as they can possibly be. If your kid plays baseball and it's something they love you help them any way you can to be successful at the game. It's the same thing.

All it takes to be a professional dog trainer is to take money for training dogs, that's why there is such a huge disparity between dog trainers. The big difference is the program they follow and the hours they put in. I have been fairly heavy into dog training for coming up on 2.5 years and thanks to Raymond, I have upped my standards and my ability to handle a dog. I currently have a dog with Mark Smith with Southlake Kennels in LaPlace and I think he is one of the best in the game. In my observations I have yet to see a trainer that makes upwards of $500K much less $1MM (minus Mike Stewart of Wildrose due to his niche market) The hours they put in are very labor intensive and the amount of attention to detail is crazy. It's comprable to any other professional outdoor sport (fishing, hunting) excepet it is such a small market that there are very few large endorsments and your main source of revenue is client dogs.

Hate to burst your idea but there isn't a professional field trial/hunt test water dog trainer in America making 7 figures only training dogs. Lardy,farmer & Rorem don't make 7 figures combined and they have a waiting list. Lardy rarely handles dogs anymore and makes his off his DVDs and seminars, as does Rorem and Farmer. Being a professional dog trainer will Never make one rich, its the
Proverbial law of diminishing returns job; limit to how much even the best can charge, limit to how many can be trained successfully in a day, limit to $$ for capital equipment, limit to travel and grounds. There's a whole lot of expenses and labor involved before they make a dime. That's why many "B" list trainers went to the bomb dog companies 5 years ago... Pay and benefits.

Raymond, obviously I don't have your knowledge or experience in this industry. Nor do I pretend to. Any information I have on the success of different trainers is third, forth and fifth hand. I wasn't attempting to wow anyone with my knowledge only support my comment on the level that the most elite trainers can make it to. Income only being a measuring stick of success. I understand they don't make all their money from training and I'm sure a considerable amount of their income is likely a result from books, magazine articles, DVDs, personal appearances and selling dogs. All of are part of being professional trainers. That is my point. Success in any profession breed more success. That is what being a "professional" is all about. Do you think the people I work for had no other choice than to hire me? My past success is what sold me to them. I'm a professional at what I do.

Additionally, no successful trainer works alone. Once a certain level is reached they have to hire staff. Their name is the front door of the business.

Well said


"Go ahead, share your opinion! I won't cry"

Some of the trainers I'm speaking about are Chris Akins, James Farmer and Mike Lardy. Chris Akins is the 7 figure man I talking about. And if you know him and the way he is you know his deal.

I never intended my post to call you out on your experience with dogs or dog trainers. The best in the buisness are charging $750/month with a waiting list, it isn't difficult to to figure up how many dogs they have to train to make 7 figures. How much guys make training dogs as seen from the outside is rarely the way it looks on the inside. Chris is a good hunt test trainer and probably has a waiting list but like all of the others, can only put his hands on a limited amount of dogs daily and still maintain his standards. When his standards go down so do the number of clients he will have willing to shell out what equates to a car payment + per month. DVD & Seminars have been a great money making gig for trainers and have improved our skillz tremendously handling and training dogs. I believe we are mostly on the same page but like every profession, there is none that makes 100% profit.

Directions are as follows:

If coming from the West,


1. Head east on I-10 E






2. Take exit 64 for LA-26 toward Elton/Jennings



0.3 mi


3. Turn right onto LA-26 E/Elton Rd



0.9 mi


4. Turn left onto Shankland Ave



0.5 mi


5. Turn right onto N Cutting Ave



0.9 mi


6. Turn left onto Hwy 90 E/US-90 E/S Railroad AveContinue to follow Hwy 90 E/US-90 E




5.8 mi


7. Turn right onto LA-92 E/Mermentau Cove Rd



3.4 mi


8. Turn left onto LA-92 E/W Whitney St



5.1 mi


9. Turn right onto Istre Rd



0.3 mi


10. Turn right to stay on Istre RdDestination will be on the left, metal building with a sign that reads Satin Belle Kennels





427 ft


Istre Rd






If coming from the East,


1. Head west on I-10 W toward Exit 82






2. Take exit 76 for LA-91 toward Estherwood/Lota



0.2 mi


3. Turn left onto LA-91 S/Estherwood HwyContinue to follow LA-91 S




4.0 mi


4. Turn right onto Hwy 90 W/LA-91 S/US-90 W/Front AveContinue to follow Hwy 90 W/LA-91 S/US-90 W




2.2 mi


5. Turn left onto LA-91 S/S Crocker St/Par Rd 5-100Continue to follow LA-91 S




3.9 mi


6. Turn right onto LA-92 W/W Whitney St



1.0 mi


7. Turn left onto Istre Rd



0.3 mi


8. Turn right to stay on Istre Rd



427 ft


Istre Rd
Destination will be on the left, metal building with a sign that reads Satin Belle Kennels

If you Want to learn something about dog training this is your chance. Brasseaux is good at explaining the small parts that make them tick. Is there a fee to attend his seminar??? If here isn't, you better buy a lottree ticket cause you will be blown away.