At Nosam Kennels, we occasionally offer started dogs—young dogs that have undergone foundational training and are well on their way to becoming excellent bird dogs and family companions. This allows us to evaluate our breedings and how the dogs perform in the field. We may also use this process as a tool to narrow down our choice between two puppies. Additionally, it provides us with the opportunity to place dogs in more hunting homes where the owners may not have the experience, tools, or access to birds needed to train a puppy themselves. These dogs are not intended to be solely pets—they are working dogs and must go to homes where they can live as companions, in homes where they will also be used for hunting. Our program provides an opportunity for those who want to hunt but may lack the resources or experience to train a dog from scratch.

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These dogs are typically between 6 months and 1 year old and have been carefully raised and trained in our program. Whether you're a hunter looking for a dog that’s ready to hit the field or a family wanting a more mature dog with some manners in place, a started dog may be the perfect fit. A started dog is no longer a puppy, but not fully finished.  These dogs are ready to take hunting, but will still need some training. 

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Started dogs will be selected from our litters based on having the highest drive, a reasonable off-switch to comfortably live indoors as companions, and a strong willingness to please. These are not cull dogs; these puppies demonstrate strong potential and desire, and they are carefully selected with intention for this program from day one. 

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Our started dogs typically have training that includes:

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• Basic obedience: sit, here/recall, place, kennel

• Crate training & manners

• Exposure to birds (pigeons, quail, etc.)

• Intro to gunfire, fieldwork, and water

• Dog door or kennel run familiarity

• Ability to pass AKC JH OR NAVHDA NA test (Some dogs may be titled before sold). If a dog is sold untitled, we will offer an incentive for all buyers to earn money back through titling their dog. 

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We do not start dogs for pet homes. We welcome responsible pet homes to purchase puppies; however, those seeking a companion only will need to take their puppy home and commit to raising and training it themselves. Our started dogs are trained specifically for hunting and are placed only with homes that intend to hunt with them. Keeping puppies to train as pets does not support the goals of our breeding program. It doesn’t allow us to evaluate field potential or further our bloodlines. Every started dog represents an opportunity to develop and title a working hunting dog — placing one in a pet-only home limits that potential and takes the spot of a dog that could be advancing our program in the field. This also diverts valuable time and resources away from training and proving our bloodlines in the field. Our focus is on developing dogs that enhance the breed through performance, not just companionship

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Our starter dogs are limited and offered on a selective basis.  We raise and train with care, and only a handful of dogs are available each year to ensure the highest quality of training and care. If you're interested in a started dog, we recommend reaching out early or joining our notification list. Contact us to learn about current or upcoming availability, pricing, or to discuss what you’re looking for in a trained dog. The breed will vary depending on what we decide to keep from our litters to start. These dogs will be exclusively bred by Nosam. 

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While our puppies are $3,000, started dogs are priced higher to reflect:

• Training time and consistency invested

• Bird cost and conditioning in live fieldwork

• Titles (if offered, price will reflect)

• Our professional expertise in development

• Reduced effort and risk for you as the buyer

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