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Our many years of experience working with retrievers allows the opportunity to understand and enrich each by building training programs individually based on need with respect to the pace of their growth and abilities. The training program we have designed is based on the progress and success of one dog at a time. Our objective is to take each student accepted in our program as far as he or she can go with humane methods and techniques. We look to bring out the natural abilities of the dog and enhance them through the patience of education and technology of equipment.
Our goal is to return a confident, gratified and hardworking retriever that meets or exceeds expectations in the field and at home.
Our success is measured one dog at the time.
Our Training Programs ♦
Care
Considerations ♦ Experience ♦ Facilities
Our Training Programs
| Basic obedience/retrieving |
Intermediate training
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Advanced training
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 In this phase of training, we
aim to teach the dog basic obedience and retrieving concepts. A
retriever trained to this level will be a well behaved companion capable
of picking up simple marked retrieves and a nice addition to any family.
A strong foundation of obedience is taught and well rehearsed. |
 Increasing precision marking skills, including the introduction of multiple marks. In this phase, we also introduce dogs to handling and blind retrieves, remote sit and many other concepts they will encounter in expected hunting situations. At the close of this phase, you can expect to have a retriever that you'll be glad to take hunting with you and your buddies.
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 Hones the talents and skills the dog has learned by
improving precision and skill at manners, marking and handling. Introduces the dog to much more s/he might need in the field to become a
high quality hunter that you will be proud to take along with you and
your hunting partners in both waterfowl and upland hunting scenarios.
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 Advanced
training options can continue for our clients interested in testing and
competitive environments. Further advancement prepares the dog the skills at
levels that will are required in venues such as HRC Grand Hunts, AKC Master
Nationals, and events such as the Super Retriever Series, World Retriever
Championships, and other special events such as the Gueydan Duck Festival. A
dog trained at this level
is a jaw-dropper in the boat or blind with even the most avid hunters.
With all our training programs, we focus on working with the handler, owner and
the dog - to create a smooth transition from the training environment to the
field or hearth. We encourage you to spend time with your retriever while in
training. We appreciate the fact they are members of your family and best friend
in the blind.
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 Care Considerations
The level of service and care we offer each retriever is unsurpassed. We pay close attention to each dog and respond to medical and emotional needs. They are treated as a member of our family; kept clean, healthy and happy. We administer monthly preventative medications provided by the owner.
Dog food is provided by the client. We also can suggest supplementing your dog's
diet for special needs to improve overall health and performance.
We do not charge any special handling fees for hunt test entry on dogs we are
currently training; for us and your dog, it's just another day's training. We
continue our support to our dogs in training and their owners, helping them
learn to work together as a team, by hands on assistance with you, as a handler,
when you come out to work with your dog are prepare to take him/her home from
training for hunting season or another well deserved break.
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Experience
The Johnson's opened D-2 Kennels as a publically available facility in 2000, after many years of experience and success with their own hunting
retrievers and other hunting breeds. Over 50 years of hands on experience with
training and handling is shared between the Johnson team. Both are actively
involved in the retriever sporting world outside of just training, offering back
to the sport by volunteering as judges at all levels of hunt test events.
 They've proven a variety of students at many different levels, including
attainment of five (5) individual Grand Hunting Retriever Champions (GRHRCH)
titles. They limit the number of students accepted to assure that each dog gets
the individual attention it needs to progress at a rate set by the dog - NOT the
trainer. It takes a great ability to "read" a dog to understand how lessons and
concepts are being understood as applied. Lessons, investing the time in
teaching the retriever, are key to success.
In conjunction with gaining many years of experience with various dogs and
sporting breeds, the Johnsons have invested time in learning many things about
the health and well being of properly maintaining an emotionally happy and
enthusiastic retriever. They've invested hands on time with vets learning
several techniques to provide immediate emergency care. Grooming with
professional products and equipment are the standard for every retriever in
their care. Supplements are suggested and or administered for dogs that
might benefit from additional assistance with issues such as coat care.
Visit an event D-2 Kennels is attending and meet the Johnsons. Watch a few of
their dogs run, look at their dogs' general appearances and working attitudes;
you'll see where care and experience lends itself to every member of the D-2
family.
Photos by Mark Atwater of Upclose Photos
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Facilities
  
 We are located in rural areas of South Louisiana in Church Point. Our home, on-site, and kennels are located on 22 acres of prime training grounds
(click
to view aerial photo). Additionally, we have access to a variety of areas around the state in which we can duplicate almost any type of hunt and hunting environment.
We are blessed with a wealth of training areas being located in the heart of Sportman's Paradise. Our trainers and dogs are invited to join professional guide services in the area. This provides an ideal training for the advanced students and a great opportunity for them to be allowed some real hunting situations.
For special events, such as HRC Grands, we travel to the hosting region in
advance to prepare the dogs for similar terrain and other environmental factors,
such as weather considerations.
Our kennel structure is built to withstand any weather and all temperature considerations. We have 16 large runs inside the kennel building, designed with the latest technology: comfort, safety, security and sanitation in mind. In addition to the runs, we have a tack room, complete with grooming area.
We use the highest quality equipment in an effort to bridge the learning curve for our students. Our
Air Launch King focuses on helping a retriever improve marking skills. All the equipment one might need to prepare a dog, young or old, for what may lie ahead of the hunt, is on site and in action with our team - down to teaching your companion how to ride in the boat or on the four-wheeler to the blind.
Our custom built 16 hole Deerskin trailer is instrumental in safe, state of the art transportation of our retrievers to/from training grounds and hunt tests across the country. It is
also equipped for comfort considerations to act as a "home away from home" for
overnight stays. We
are trained to implement immediate emergency care.
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