Western Maine Gun Dog Training & Dog Boarding

The Hawksley family has been training bird dogs in the western mountains of Maine since the early 1980′s. Although Spruce Meadow Kennel was originally opened to train upland hunting dogs, we currently have a full-service boarding kennel and also offer dog day care for visitors to the area that wish to enjoy some of  the recreational opportunities that the Rangeley Lakes region has to offer.

When we started bird dog training we worked with mostly pointing breeds but over the years it seems we are working with as many retrieving and flushing breeds as pointing dogs. Virtually all of the dogs we train are family dogs first and hunting dogs second. For the most part folks want a comfortable, easy to handle dog that loves to work during the season and cuddle the rest of the time. Our training methods make a better pet while developing the dog’s natural instincts.

No harsh training methods are used and great effort is spent to bring out the natural abilities of each dog regardless of how great or limited those abilities may be. We believe that virtually any sporting dog can become a fun and useful hunting companion.

We believe that the bond between dog and master is a key element in a pleasant and successful bird hunting experience and we work to develop that bond.