At the kennel Steve has earned a nation-wide reputation in producing quality gun dogs and providing great upland hunting. Steve started training in 1979 training gun dogs of all kinds, for all situations. From “1985-89” Steve was the exclusive trainer for a large English Setter Kennel in North Dakota. Since then, pointing dogs have become a specialty of the Little Moran Kennels: Breeding and raising English Setters with an emphasis toward grouse dogs. Whole litters are kept and sold as started dogs allowing the new owner a chance to hunt over the new gun dog and choose the dog that best suits their needs. This also gives Little Moran a chance to learn more about complete litters and the individuals within the litter.

Presently Little Moran trains 20-25 dogs a year, this of course depends on each individual dog. Training time is devoted to dogs raised at the kennel as well as clients dogs from all over the country. The success and knowledge over these years have earned Steve a position with Purina PetFoods. Steve’s responsibility is creating sponsorships of some of the top field trailers throughout the country while attending field trials and seeing the best of the best both in dogs and handlers. As a trainer and pet food consultant Steve has conducted seminars throughout the Lower 48 and Alaska. Having the chance to see and learn from so many people and professional handlers has been a great experience making Steve a better trainer.

The training grounds are made up of the types of cover you’ll hunt your dog in. The importance of this is when your dog learns to find birds in all types of cover it makes them better and more confident. In Grouse habitat for example some dogs have a difficult time hunting thick cover however, while training in thick cover the dog learns birds can be found there giving them a reason to hunt the cover.

The first thing Steve looks at when evaluating the new dog is the instinct the dog was born with. Does it like birds? Does it show pointing instinct or natural retrieving ability? Bird desire and pointing can not be taught to the dog ,it must have the natural desire or there really is nothing to start with. In many cases Steve can tell in one session whether or not the dog has desire. If desire is shown the training can progress. If not you need to personally re-evaluate the dog and the situation. We will not waste your time or your money on a dog that shows no natural ability.

Does it like birds? Does it show pointing instinct or natural retrieving ability?

These are some of the things you need to know about your dog...