Testimonials

I came to Wancket Retrievers because Wyatt had trained Gunner who is my dog's stud.  Wyatt also used to own Gunner as well.  When I first saw Gunner, he was the nicest dog I had ever seen.  Trained very well.  From that point I knew I would be sending my puppy to Wyatt.

I dropped Storm off with Wyatt after the six hour drive from Minnesota and I was kind of hestitant because I wasn't sure how Storm would take to the training.  I chose the alpha female of the litter and I had a hard time training her myself so I was unsure.  I arrived and saw the facilities and met Wyatt and Julie.  I knew she would be in great hands.

Wyatt kept me informed on the training and stated that she was taking to the training very well after the first week or so.  When I came to pick Storm up after the 3 months or so, I literally had tears in my 
eye's once I saw the difference.  I didn't think Storm was my dog.   She's a phenominal hunter.  She loves ducks and pheasants.  The goose hunting is next.  I finally have control over Storm and would recommend Wyatt and Julie to train any dog!  They are that good.

Thanks Julie and Wyatt for all that you did for me and Storm.  She truly is a joy to be around and is so fun to watch hunting!

Vallana Perrault

Wanckets Retrievers provided customized training & good care for our Labrador Retriever.  Not every dog responds to what might be considered standard training methods, and Wyatt Wancket was willing to take the time to try various methods until he found what worked for our dog.  My dog, Tina, required a trainer who could read her personality & was willing to be creative & flexible with his methods to suit her nature.

After a false start with another trainer, our dog failed to respond when she perceived too much pressure.  On the recommendation of the breeder, I went to Wanckets Retrievers and found Wyatt who is a committed trainer, and I am very happy with the results.  Due to her sensitive personality, Tina may not be cut out to be a field trial champion but she is obedient, a good hunter & the kind of dog one enjoyes having around the house.  I highly recommend Wyatt & Julie Wancket based on the success they had with our dog & the care they gave her.  Their facility has a large pond on site & a clean kennel with individual outside spaces for the dogs.

Chris F.
Chicago IL

I have known Wyatt over 10 years as a trainer & fellow dog handler, & always found him to be very knowledgeable in regard to his approach in retriever development.  As a Field Rep & judge for HRC, I have judged dogs that Wyatt has handled numerous times.  He has always had dogs that are prepared & has exhibited a high level of competence when handling dogs in competition.

I was so impressed with Wyatt's own dog Gunner, I purchased a puppy out of him four years ago.  Our dog, Pearl, has proven to be a wonderful dog both in competition & hunting.  She has obtained four titles from UKC including her Hunting Retriever Championship & Upland Hunting Championship.  She has completed half of her requirements to obtain her Grand Hunting Retriever Championship & has obtained her Master Hunting Title, going 7 for 7 in Master Hunts & qualifying for the Master National in 2007.  She was completely amateur trained & is a pleasure at home & on the road.

I highly recommend Wyatt as a trainer & as a friend.  He is always willing to help & or just talk retrievers.

Mike B.
Davenport IA

At Wanckets Retrievers, I feel like myself & my three dogs are treated as family.  Wyatt allows the dogs to have fun & be dogs. No matter what type of training you are looking for, from basic obedience, gun dog, hunt test, or even field trail, Wyatt does a great job with them all.  He will find your dogs right niche. Having spent numerous weekends in Atkinson training & traveling with Wyatt & Julie, running hunt tests, I have gained a great deal of respect & trust for them.  I know how much they care about my dogs, after all, they are dog people.

Adam P.
Valparaiso, IN

I've had the pleasure of sending my high energy, mischievous, but  overly sensitive black Labrador Retriever to Wyatt & Julie Wancket.   Little did they know they were getting a six month old puppy with a mind of her own.  Over a short time a training, the difference in my dog was amazing.  She was very obedient & happy.  I knew that my dog was very sensitive & would need extra tender loving care & I knew Wyatt & Julie would provide her with that.  So, not only was she getting the love that she needed, she was also getting the skills needed to pass her hunt tests.  I am very proud of her & I have the Wanckets to thank for that.

Sheila F.
Chicago IL

We made the decision to take our 3 year old male chocolate Labrador retriever, Duke, to Wanckets Retrievers after many failed attempts to train him in obedience & basic waterfowl retrieving at home.  We were discouraged to say the least, but certain that Duke had the ability to not only be an obedient family pet, but an outstanding retriever. We met with Wyatt & discussed our expectations for our dog.  Wyatt had to start at the very beginning with Duke in terms of training, Duke seemed to barely even understand his own name.

Duke spent only a few months at Wanckets Retrievers learning the fundamentals of obedience & gun dog training prior to the start of duck season. The result of those months was, for a lack of a better word--REMARKABLE.  Duke came home a different dog.  His behavior was outstanding & best of all was his amazing retrieving ability. After enjoying the season with our "brand new" dog, we decided to send him back to Wanckets Retrievers for even more gun dog work, including casting & whistle training.

Thank you Wyatt & Wanckets Retrievers for bringing out the dog that we always wanted & knew that Duke could be!

Jason B.
Annawan IL

I had the privilege of meeting Wyatt in 1997 as one of the founding fathers of the Quad Cities local UKC dog club, Mississippi Valley Hunting Retriever Club.

Wyatt impressed me right away with his ability to read the different personalities of dogs, male or female, laid back or high energy, he could read them all.  He used that trait to further the dog's natural desires to do what was required & complete the training task correctly.

He solidified that belief to me when he helped train my personal dog WR HRCH Abraham Herbert Peal SH CD in preparation for a QAA field trial.

I did not win due to a personal handling error, but I did receive two very nice compliments from the judges about my dog due to Wyatt's great help & training tips.

Mike P.
Geneseo IL

I took Barkley to Wanckets Retrievers from a referral by Scott Dewey of Rock River Retrievers, he was 9 weeks old. After a routine puppy visit to the vet, I received a call from the vet saying that I had a very sick puppy.  I was told, as well as Wyatt & Julie, that he had picked up an infection (life threatening) prior to him going to Wanckets Retrievers.  After several weeks of medication & TLC, Wyatt & Julie nursed him back to health.  The time they put into this sick little boy was unbelievable.

Now back on his feet, Wyatt's non aggressive young dog program is the best I've ever seen.  At 7 months old Barkley was force fetched, collar conditioned, three hand casting, marking great & forced to the pile.  Barkley is now 2 years old & has Derby points.

Their on site training facility is the best around & I would recommend Wanckets Retrievers for any of your training needs.

Nate L.
Sioux Falls, SD

Meeting Wyatt & his training friends happened by accident, buying Max wasn't.  It turned out the be one of the best investments as a hunter & a guide I've ever done.  I'm not the easiest person to convince when it comes to buying a new dog & even harder when it comes to buying a puppy that has never been hunting before.  Being a duck guide for many years, the need for a high powered, manageable dog is a must.  So when Wyatt said he had an eight week old pup that showed lots of potential, I was skeptical to say the least.

Wyatt & his friends were doing some training around Warrensburg MO that week, so I took the time to go & observe their training tactics & set ups before I was going to commit to buying an unproven puppy.  I was very impressed, it wasn't pressure they used but praise, I liked that fact.  Again, as a guide, too much pressure on a young dog can ruin him forever.  After spending a few hours watching Wyatt train several clients dogs that day, I bought Max.  He told me that Max would be ready to hunt that fall, I didn't believe that at the time, boy was I wrong.

After several months of summer training Wyatt & Julie called me.  They asked if I had time to come to their house & watch Max train & spend some time learning their commands....basically teaching me how to handle Max.  Not every trainer trains the same way or uses the same commands.  So learning hand jesters & the tone of your voice is an important part of the owners training as well as the dogs.  This is what impressed me the most about Wyatt & Julie.  That Saturday, they spent as much time training me as they did training Max.  Prior to me leaving that day, we made plans for Max for the next few months, what I wanted them to work on with him & trying to get him passed in some hunt tests.

After another two weeks, Wyatt called me.  Af first I was a little worried maybe something was wrong with Max.  On the contrary.  He told me he thought Max could pass a seasoned hunt test, I said I thought he had to go through started first.  Wyatt replied, that would be a waste of your money & Max's time.  He was way past started.  He was right, Max passed the first time.

That was the summer of 2006.  Wyatt delivered Max back to me that fall.  I hunted him all winter.  Max was only nine months old.  He retrieved over 300 ducks that winter and over 800 the next fall.  Not bad for a dog under two years old.

I honestly believe that Wyatt & Julie Wancket are one of the best couples that you could ask for to train & love your retriever.  They truly spend quality time with your pet, not just to train.  They use only the best equipment & have very good training grounds.  Not to mention the kennels, top notch.  They will definitely be my choice when it comes time for my next retriever.

If you have any doubts about what I've said, feel free to call me.  I am a true believer in their techniques & training abilities.

Good luck & good hunting.

Billy D.
Centerview MO

In October 2003, our black lab Kenzie was killed in an illegal trap while retrieving ducks.  My son Ed, 14 at the time was devastated that he could not save his dog.  Too make things even more difficult, my wife had passed away from cancer a few months earlier.  We needed a lab.  I put on a piece of paper what I wanted in a lab.  The wish list was put into the hands of field trial trainers nation wide.  In May, I 
received a call from a trainer.  I bought Gunner from Wyatt Wancket.  
I picked up Gunner in Spirit Lake, WI.  The trainer explained he knew Gunner from field trials, hunt test, etc. He also stated Gunner was the finest dog in the northern half of MN.  I fished & hunted for a living, I am a fishing & hunting bum.  Everything he said about Gunner sounded too good to be true.  He said he would take the dog back if I was not satisfied.  I paid alot of money for the dog, it's the best money I have ever spent.  Gunner is the finest dog I have ever been around.  Guys I hunt with six months out of the year in the US and around the world have never seen a dog like Gunner.  We played around 
some informal field trials, Gunner was indeed the best in Minnesota.  
Gunner is gentle, loving, & the best trained dog around.  When birds or dummies are around, Gunner is at a different level, intense is an under statement.  He always wants to please, always wants too do whats right. Gunner was doing triples at 500 yards.

Last year in South Dakota, we went hunting snow geese.  The first bird knocked down fell 250 yards away over a hill, through corn, over woods & through a swamp.  I released Gunner & got out of my blind to assist the dog.  I had not taken five steps & Gunner was coming back.  A blind retrieve my hunting friends stated was worth the price of the trip!  We had not been doing long range training for two years.  This is something Gunner never forgets how to do.  Gunner is a true athlete, tail always wagging.  To own a dog that is loving, smart, gentle, highly trained is a dream.  If I could design the perfect dog, it would be Gun.

Gunner has a five month old son, Buck, who is now in training at Wanckets Retrievers.  I would recommend them to anyone looking for an outstanding gun dog. Their training facility is remarkable.  Thanks Wyatt & Julie Wancket.

Jerry A.
Virginia MN

Its been a very special experience and rewarding in so many ways!Deacon is a great example of your capabilities.I can recall Deacon as a young nine month old pup when he arrived at Wancket Retrievers.He was a talented puppy with very little structure.Over the next year, I watched Deacon become a retriever and mature into a Champion.I remember the long days of training and hard work that you put towards Deacon's development.I'm also very thankful for the many hours you gave to me as a handler and owner.You taught us a lot about the big picture of finishing a retriever and the balance that is required to be successful in this business.It was truly a team effort (trainer, owners and Deacon) throughout the entire process.

The testing was another rewarding journey for us.I enjoyed watching you & Deacon team up and proudly display your abilities. It required a special dog and talented trainer to take Deacon from a 9 month old puppy into his first hunt test at 18 months.I can recall Deacon being the youngest dog running at the HRCH level on a regular basis.Deacon earned his HRCH that summer and gave me one of the best hunting years of my life.Deacon was successful in every hunt situation that we tackled (waterfowl and upland). The followingspring Deacon earned his Master Hunter title at 3 years of age.Deacon, again one of the youngest dogs at the competition, kept giving and rising to each challenge!Again, I was so proud to have one of the top running dogs and best gun dogs!Deacon never missed a mark running eight Master Hunt test that summer.Hard to believe, when you consider the difficult testing.Awesome!

Deacon has created his own fan club over the years in the field and testing.I get invited to hunts just so people can watch a superior gun-dog work.He has given so many people great hunting memories.He has a strong desire to retrieve, hunt, train, and please!He is truly the perfect gun dog.I always give Wancket Retrievers much of the credit for Deacons success.People are so amazed with his abilities and handsome appearance.If someone wants to max out a dogs potential, I strongly suggest they visit your kennels.I will continue to use your services for my finish level labs and I will also strongly advise my Mud Creek Retriever clients to use your services for advance dog work and hunt testing. As you know, Deacon has now moved into another journey in his retriever legacy.The last three years he has become a Champion stud dog for us at Mud Creek Retrievers.He has proven once again, that he is a complete retriever.His many puppies are now displaying his superior marking and handling skills.When Deacon is not producing champion puppies, he is still my primary hunting companion! We are so very proud of Deacon and look forward to the years ahead with him and the little Deacons at work!

Great Job Wancket Retrievers!

Sincerely,
Ted and Valerie V.

When my hunting dog, Raven, was 11 and I knew his hunting days would be limited, I began looking for a puppy with good hunting lines and a trainer for the pup.  Because my dog and I had hunted with Jerry and his lab Gunner (trained by Wyatt), I contacted Wyatt on Jerry’s recommendation.  I was looking for a started dog that would also be our family “friend” and companion.  I immediately knew that Wyatt was the trainer I wanted.  He helped me make arrangements to purchase a puppy he felt would meet my needs and he and Julie literally chose the pup for us since we live in northern Minnesota .  My wife and I first met Max after he had been with Wyatt and Julie for two months.  He was beautiful, lively and full of potential.  We were so impressed with Wancket’s training facilities.  Everything was orderly and clean and Wyatt did a great job explaining to us how he would be working with Max over the next several months.  We enjoyed hearing regular reports from Wyatt about Max’s progress. 

I traveled to Illinois to get Max when he was 8 months old.  He adjusted well to our home and to our older dog.  Max is super healthy, strong, athletic and beautiful.  He learns quickly, he wants to please and he has the sweetest personality.  He walks perfectly on a leash and will retrieve as many bumpers as I’m willing to throw for him.  He has never shown any aggression toward a person or another dog.  He is extremely well socialized.

I met Wyatt at the Atkinson Casey's in July 2009. My 11 year old Lab had died the month before. Wyatt was pulling his dog trailer so I introduced myself and talked as we pumped gas into our vehicles. I expressed an interest in acquiring a pup the spring of 2010. He said that if I were interested that he could help me find a pup as well as train it. I've hunted pheasants since the age of 12. The fall of 2009 was the first one since age 14 that I had not had a hunting dog. I had always wanted to have a professionally trained dog.

With people I have always relied on my first impression. That weekend I told Vicki that I had found a trainer. Now I just needed a puppy. 

I asked around about Wyatt.  He came highly recommended by several employees and acquaintances in the area. I checked the internet, talked with friends, contacted several breeders searching for a pup. In February I called Wyatt. We visited at his place and talked dogs. Wyatt's methods seemed to be what I was looking for in a trainer. Positive reinforcement and praise combined with daily repetition.

Wyatt introduced me to Mike File of Barn Ridge Kennels. I stopped at Barn Ridge Kennels to look at pups in February. Wyatt spoke highly of a six week old litter of Mike's.   Jo File handed me Gabby that day.   The little girl was the queen of the litter. She took nothing from anyone. She challenged and won the toys from the larger males in the litter. Though I had not planned to buy a pup until spring I brought Vicki back on Saturday and took Gabby home.

Wyatt gave me guidance in puppy training once I had Gabby. I followed his directions in working daily with her.   We visited the kennels and training grounds as Gabby grew. At the age of four months I took Gabby to Wancket's Retrievers to begin serious training. Her progress from day one was impressive. By six months of age Gabby was retrieving through cattails and other obstacles. She loves water and retrieving. Now at ten months she responds to whistle, voice, and hand signals. This fall I will have the pleasure of watching Gabby perform chasing pheasants and maybe even a few ducks.

My goal was to have a well trained gun dog and loyal companion. Gabby fills that bill and then some. Wyatt not only trained Gabby but he trained me in how to work and train her.   Wyatt and Julie Wancket treat the pups and adult dogs as if they were their own. The kennel is always clean, the dogs happy, and eager to perform. I recommend Wancket's Retrievers to anyone whether you want a loyal gun dog or a hunter retriever champion. Wyatt will bring out the best in your pup or adult dog. I am very fortunate to have met Wyatt that day in Atkinson.

Vince M. Malta, IL

Last year I contacted Wyatt while I was living in Georgia and asked if he would be interested in training me on how to train my brand new Labrador puppy, Jack. I did not want to leave Jack with a trainer because I wanted him to grow up in the home with the kids and also I wanted to learn how to train Jack myself as I thought it would complement my hunting habit. I moved to the Quad Cities in June and started training Jack with Wyatt in August.

Balance is the best word to describe my experience with Wyatt during our day training sessions over the past year. He was quick to take on the challenge of training me how to train Jack to be a fantastic gun dog. Wyatt balanced instructing ME on how to train Jack, with showing ME how to train Jack, and lastly coached ME while I was training Jack. This formula took me beyond the many books I’ve read on how to train a gun dog. Wyatt was able to read both mine and Jack’s personalities and present us both with solutions to break through many if not all of the training obstacles that I had previously faced. In one training session Wyatt showed me how to bring Jack to a perfect heel, a basic obedience skill, but a skill that had eluded me with my previous Lab and had eluded me with Jack. This past season Jack at less than a year old and with only roughly 4 months of training with Wyatt retrieved every bird, whether it was from a boat on Devils Lake in North Dakota, on land in a Pheasant field in Montana, or in a slue at Princeton, Iowa, Jack performed remarkably. Most of my friends are astonished at how well trained Jack is. Normally I just need to show them a round of three hand casting and they think Jack is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Jack and I both look forward to completing some hunt tests this spring under the tutelage of Wyatt. I owe Jack’s success in training and during his first hunting season and my confidence while handling Jack to Wyatt. I recommend Wyatt for day training to all of my gun dog owning friends. He not only knows how to train dogs, but also how to train humans… He has perfected train the trainer.

Jason