We sent our 1 year old lab "Beau" to hightest for their 6 weeks obedience training program. We had a neighbor who highly recommended them to us (their dog was in their hunting program). We were easily able to coordinate Beau's pick up and drop off date with Teal over email and phone calls. We live about 3 hours away, but all the drives to see his training were worth it. In the 6 week program there are a list of basic commands that they will train, but I loved that the trainers took the time to listen/note the specific concerns we had for Beau. Our main concerns were jumping when greeting people, staying on place, and off leash recall. Beau's first week at Hightest was an adjustment for him. Our usually highly food motivated Beau began to refuse to eat. Hightest immediately notified us, and explained how this typically happens after a dogs owner leaves, but that they were giving him different food to encourage him to eat again. He continued to go on a hunger strike, but hightest continually keep in touch, gave him weight gainer, and weighed him consistently to make sure he didn't drop any lbs. Though our first training session was two weeks away, they invited and encouraged us to come visit him after the first week. We got to see what he was working on, and he began to eat again! The training sessions included in the 6 week program were amazing. Jenna was our trainer for two of the sessions and she is AMAZING! She was very knowledgeable about dog training and knew all of Beau's quirks. She is also great at explaining their training techniques and teaching owners how to properly handle their dog. You can tell each person who works there knows each dog well, and loves what they do! After our first training session I was confident that Beau was in great care with the trainers and staff! Great things about hightest: everyone who works there is super friendly, it is extremely clean, climate controlled for the dogs, you can text or call at anytime for updates, private property so parking is no issue. Beau has now been home for about 2 weeks and it has made a world of a difference. He can walk in heel and doesn't pull on walks (he was a crazy puller), no longer jumps to great people, assumed sit and down, place for long periods of time, and can be recalled off leash. We can now eat dinner and watch tv with him by our side. Though he is now well trained, he still has his silly, goofy , lovable personality. We will definitely come back if we ever go out of town or want to do an extra training refresh!! Overall, I can't recommend hightest enough! If you have been thinking about sending your dog to training -do it! It's the best investment we have made for him. read more

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Well cared, came home tired, happy and clean! Fed them as I requested. Will return when needed.

We enrolled Amber in their 2 week hunting introduction. We have seen a huge transformation in Amber's training. Some of the huge improvements that I have noticed is water retrieves, excitement on gunshots and heeling. Jenna, the nice young lady that trained with us at our 1pm appointment was very nice, well educated on training and a pleasure to train with. It was obvious to us that Jenna is very dedicated to training. We appreciated that she bent down and hugged/loved on our dog. We have golden retrievers that can been needy dogs, but we love that about this breed! Thank you Jenna!! read more

Hightest Kennels - Amber - Pet Training Near Me - Oroville, California

We booked Sandy for the 2 week intro to hunting course. Sandy is the second dog we have booked at Hightest Kennels. We are amazed at how much progress she has made!! She can now fetch, swim, do water retrieves, excited at gunshots, heel and down. Brianna was our trainer and she is amazing! She breaths training confidence. I really valued the feedback we got from her while handling our dog after it was demonstrated to us. Hands off when they jump as holding them down is a form of praise just by touch. Solid advice Brianna!!! We deeply appreciate you loving on Sandy in between training sessions! Thank you so much Brianna!! Hightest Kennels for life! read more

Hightest Kennels - Pet Training Near Me - Oroville, California

Bought a yellow lab pup and six months later started having problems. The condition is most likely hereditary but the owners had enough wiggle room to not pay for the pup. Hi Test showed honor and refunded the full price of the dog, which is now a solid hunter. We're all passionate about gun dogs and when something goes wrong, we look for someone to blame. Hunting dogs are like hunting itself-- you pay your money, you take your chances...... Steve Taylor read more

We brought our 14 month old Lab pup to Hightest for the 6 week obedience training. After the 6 weeks he is the same dog but a better version of the same dog. He is able to control his puppy energy now and focus even with a lot of distractions. He was able to pass the Canine Good Citizen test after being there- something he definitely wouldn't have been able to do prior. He is also now obedient while off leash! Every time we went there to visit he was so happy to see us but he was also happy to go back inside to the kennels. They also didn't mind us calling for updates regularly and they were able to text us updates and pictures of his progress as well! They treated our guy like their own and we will definitely consider sending him there for boarding if we go on any dog free vacations in the future. Thanks Hightest! read more

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In June 2018, I dropped my dog off...Sarge...while I went on vacation with my family. HOWEVER, this is not the reason for my review. We were evacuated from our homes for over a week due to the Camp Fire. Hightest took Sarge in without a doubt. Today I saw Sarge happy as can be and ready to come home. This kennel was taking care of the community in ways I can't describe. The facility is top notch, with incredible people working there. I will continue to bring my dog, Sarge, to Hightest Kennels for any situation. I have recommended them to all of my family over the holidays. I extend that recommendation to you as well. Thank you to the faculty at Hightest Kennels. You make the community of Butte County what it is today. read more

Hightest Kennels - Sarge - Pet Training Near Me - Oroville, California

Hightest is our go to place for dog training. We sent our male yellow lab here for puppy head start training in 2006. It made a big difference in his learning and obedience over the next 12 years. We loved the work Hightest did, so we purchased another male yellow lab from them in June 2018. At this same time, they were changing over the ownership and we cannot day enough about the amazing staff and new ownership. The new owner, Teal, greeted us personally and the staff walked us through the facility and we got to meet both the dam and sire. We sent our lab back for both puppy head start gun dog and then six week obedience training. While he was in the puppy head start gun dog training, bailey treated him with compassion but also helped him progress that allowed us to walk him off lead as 5 month old. When we took him back for obedience training, our dog didn't take to kennel life well, the staff brought him in the office, allowed him to sleep on his crate there, put him on a special diet and gave him the best care that he would get outside of our home. We did three training sessions with Mary Carmen and you can see the love she has for the animals in her care. She was firm and helped him learn, but also taught him more respect. The difference is measurable. Visit the Hightest website, learn about the new ownership and take a trip to the kennel. Meet the staff, educate yourself on what you want and how you want to train your dog and be a part of the training. The staff let's you be part of the training and allows you to call and just check in on your dog while they are there. The team is caring and compassionate, but also great trainers who are dedicated to what they do. The facility is impressive and clean. read more

We brought our 6 month old yellow lab pup to Hightest Kennels for obedience. We did the 6 week course. At each of 3 training sessions it was an amazing transformation. She was the same dog but able to process and ignore the craziness in her head so she could focus and follow direction. She came home with her same personality....and all her memories but she was controlled and manageable . We have committed to practice and reputation but now can trust our pup. Macy did great with Brianna and Jana and we are Thankful to them for giving us the tools to be successful Hightest was the best decision we made and I do this review after 30 days of being back home. Proven and tested read more

We dropped our 6 month old lab off for 2 weeks for intro to hunting and puppy training. When we picked him up we immediately noticed wounds on his front legs. The trainer (who looked about 16 years old) said all the dogs have wounds from licking their legs. I suspect it is from being left on a concrete floor for 23 hours a day. My dog was taken out maybe twice a day for training. Besides that he was in the kennel. I asked the staff if he had socialization with other dogs and they said he did not. My dog had a hard time walking the first 24 hours he got home. My son asked, "Why is he walking like that. What is wrong with him". I said he must have forgotten how to walk from being in a small kennel for so long. When I dropped my dog off I asked that they work on "off" as my dog tends to jump on people. The first thing my dog did when he saw me was jump up onto me. I was so disappointed. He was able to retrieve a duck from the pond and follow commands like heel and sit when the choke chain was yanked very hard. Thankfully, he is back to his old self but the wounds on his leg are not healing. This picture is 8 days after pick up. I will be taking him to our vet for a check up. Pros-The facility is well maintained and in a rural area. Staff is nice. Reasonably priced but you get what you pay for. read more

Hightest Kennels - Photo taken 8 days after leaving kennel. not healing - Pet Training Near Me - Oroville, California

I am very happy with the result so far with my 4 month black lab I brought in for the head start puppy training program. While Echo has some of the basic commands down, HTK was able to really refine them and now she is quiet obedient. She is now very good walking on heel and while she still does have a tendency to get overexcited when greeting people and other dogs, I can calm her down much faster and get her to pay attention to me quicker. I also appreciate the water work they did with her, she really loves the water, especially the retrieval aspects and I am glad they were able to make her feel comfortable with it. They were pretty good about keeping me up to date with her progress and sending me pics of her training. When I came to pick her up, the trainer (Mary) showed me how to continue the training but I could also see that Echo liked her alot and listened to her quite well, so I know that she was treated well. Staff was always helpful and friendly I feel it was a worthwhile expense to get her the focused training she needed and hoping that I will be able to continue her progress! read more

Five Stars- we've been taking our 'children' Chesapeake Bay Retrievers to Hightest Kennels for 5 years, 2 to 3 times each year. Alice and the entire team, treat us like family. They take the time to truly get to know the personalities and special needs of Molly, Chase, and Bristol. If you want to get away and need a place to kennel you family dog or are like my husband and I your 4 leg children, take advantage of all the great thing Hightest has to offer. read more

This place is amazing! We have two dogs that are both over 100lbs and recently had a baby. In preparation for the new arrival we brought them in for the 6 week obedience training. I cannot tell you how much they improved in that time. We have had them back for a week now and have been working with them to reinforce the training and they are so responsive. We used to have a lot of difficulty when we had people over because the dogs would get so worked up and excited both when people arrived and when they left. Today we had people over and it was a completely different situation after their training. They were excited but so much easier to manage and calmed down very quickly. In addition to the dogs behavior being so much better, everyone we worked with at Hightest was really friendly and helpful. They kept great watch over our pups and took great care of them while they were there. I would highly recommend bringing your dogs here, it was well worth it!! read more

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I would give them 0 out of 5 if that were possible. I gave Hightest a visit before deciding to go through with their training. Everything seemed to look fine, so I dropped my dog off at their facility for a 6-week obedience program. Two weeks into the training, I received a phone call from one of the owners stating that they had brought my dog to their veterinarian. Apparently, she wasn't eating. The trainer noticed that she wasn't herself on Friday, but decided to wait until Monday to do something. Well, it turned out that she developed a serious case of pneumonia. I brought her to my veterinarian immediately. My doctor said it was one of the worst cases of pneumonia that she has seen in a long time. After several weeks of medication and having spent $1,000 in vet bills, she was back to being healthy. Hightest will NOT pay for any medical bills even though your dog is under their care. Do yourself a favor, and find a reputable trainer. read more

Hightest has been one of the most positive and professional all-around service vendor to date. Our first dog was a rescue that had no formal training, and was left to die on the street. We took him in to our home, and put Montana in the obedience program shortly thereafter. After six weeks he was such a fantastic dog to be around and own. We placed him into a family that love him dearly to this date. Hightest gave him the postive start to his new life and probably saved his life from misery. Hightest also trained my hunting dog Max and they did a fantastic job. Max was full of energy, and they maintained his enthusiasm while making sure he knew what to do, and most importantly not to break on the gun. After the three month program he quickly got his HT JH title and now hunts full time at the duck club. Most importantly, whenever I go on long trips Hightest is the first location that I would send my dogs. They are worth the six hour round trip because I know my dogs will have fun, retrieve, and be treated like a family member. I have also bought a dog from them, and she is now running Field Trials and competiting with the top dogs on the west coast. Hightest will always be tops in my books for the premium dog location in California. Loren read more

I have gone to Hightest for Labrador puppies for decades, and I cannot recommend them highly enough. Hightest pups are not only born with an extraordinary retrieving desire, but they are also the calmest and friendliest labs you can imagine. I wouldn't dream of trusting anyone but Debra when adding a new canine member to my family. I have also used Hightest for training, and again I couldn't be happier. I have trained a couple gun dogs myself over the years, but I've never been able to match the amazing results of John, Ole, and staff. I've seen them work magic even with particularly willful dogs -- whether or not you like to hunt, your quality of life with a dog can be dramatically improved by the professional training Hightest is able to impart in only a few short months. Perhaps the best service provided at Hightest is the boarding. I travel fairly frequently for business, and if my family goes with me then there's nobody home to take care of the dogs. We've used other boarders before, but we've felt badly about the dogs being cooped up for days in tiny kennels, with only cursory attention from the staff. Hightest is a whole new ballgame. I think the dogs are happier at Hightest than they are at home! Hightest's facility is unmatched, with fields to run in, ponds to jump in, and dedicated staff members to make sure the dogs are well looked after while I'm away. Five stars, without hesitation. read more

New ownership and they are awesome! I think the negative reviews are from old owners We just had Jack, our husky/shepherd mix there for the six week basic obedience course and it went great. He is a family pet not a working dog but we need our big dogs to be under control off leash. After training performed he extremely well and they were also very gentle and caring with him. About 13 yrs ago, under previous ownership, we had our Golden there and he came back pretty stressed out and I think they were too heavy on the shock collar and too firm. I was hesitant to use them again but heard from friends about the new ownership and their philosophy. The new owners are fantastic. I recommend them highly and still bring my dog for kenneling. read more

We have just purchased our 3rd Lab from Hightest and love the people, facilities and especially the dogs! The best hunting dogs I have ever owned! read more

Hightest Kennels - Pet Training Near Me - Oroville, California

We had our Poodle obedience trained at Hightest Kennels. It is a wonderful facility and we plan on boarding him there when we travel. The staff is great and very accommodating. The dog minds me extremely well. So his training took hold. We recommend this facility to anyone needing their dog trained. The new ownership is a breath of fresh air. read more

This review is long overdue.. I've been utilizing the boarding services here at Hightest for a year now. The staff is extremely pleasant here, very welcoming, and entirely trustworthy. I've boarded my dog Athena here for day trips, and week long trips as well. She is always SO excited when I tell her we're "going to camp." They ensure the animals are well taken care of, and they always give her so much love and praise when we arrive. In one instance my dog came back to me with a very minor abrasion (it was her own fault, she's manic in the kennel at times) they were VERY thoughtful to check in with me and made sure she was alright!! I recommend their boarding services and just know my dog is always taken care of at their well-kept facility. read more

I'm just back from a two week vacation and missed our Lab Merlin tremendously. I've never left him that long anywhere and normally leave him with family when we have to be away. So many places I checked out required dogs be "fixed" but Merlin is an intact male. We took him to Hightest and they were so kind. They walked me through their grounds and showed me where Merlin would be staying which was a nice roomy and clean kennel building. I had the opportunity to meet with their head trainer, Chandler, who wanted to be sure she understood what we wanted to focus on for training while Merlin was with them. I signed him up for daily obedience and the big pond walk each day. They agreed to feed him his food which I brought along. I was out of the country and called to check in 3-4 times while away and Alice was great. She read the notes to me from his lessons and daily activities and even got the trainer Lindsay who was working with Merlin on the phone to talk with me. I felt reassured and comfortable that Merlin was in good care. When I came to get him, they took the time to demonstrate and work with me on what Merlin's training exercises entailed so I could practice at home. Merlin was happy and healthy and clean - he smelled fresh like the great outdoors he was enjoying while away. He bounced right back into his routine here at home and I'm forever grateful to Hightest for their great care of him. Thank you Hightest. We will return to you when and if we need to leave him in your wonderful care. read more

I bought a pup from Hightest back on February 28, 2015. I drove from Las Vegas to Oroville to pick up the pup. I was getting the last male in the litter. When I got there, a young woman in the office went to get the pup. When she brought him to me just outside the office his whole snout was covered with small scabs. She told me it was from the puppies playing and biting each other. I knew that was a lie. I spent some time with the pup outside and went into the office. Hightest's trainer was behind the counter and he told me, "the puppy has puppy acne", another lie. When I got back to Vegas I went to my Vet. He knew what it was immediately. He told me that the mother must have been covered in bugs, and when she nursed the pups, the bugs got on the pup's nose and chewed it up. Hightest claims it has the cleanest whelping cages of any breeders but obviously that's another lie. As his snout healed it left it badly scarred. I get asked all the time what happened at Hunt Tests. If you do businees with these guys beware they have no integrity. See pictures. read more

Hightest Kennels - Puppy nose the day I picked him up at Hightest - Pet Training Near Me - Oroville, California

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Although we did not get the desired result from our dog in the head start gun dog program, we were definitely impressed by the staff and facilities. We brought our chocolate lab here in hopes of having a dog to take hunting with us, but unfortunately he did not take well to the training. He did come back with a better respect for me, and we have not given up on him. I still work with him a lot and home and still have hopes of him being a hunting dog. I would absolutely recommend Hightest to anyone looking for training or for a puppy. We may still bring him back for the obedience training in the future. read more

My mom has a large Shepherd mix, and this dog was so insane and hyper he actually broke her arm once. We tried relentlessly to talk her into rehoming him with someone like a younger male who has the energy and strength to train him. She took him in to Highest and they did so well I almost cried. Legitimately. I'm a sap, but this is a completely different dog. He's so mellow, he listens incredibly well, he heels with such prescision I want to put him on YouTube. And he was so happy there. He absolutely loved the redhead (so sorry, I forgot her name but she's adorable and he was smitten with her). It was awesome. So impressive! Absolutely incredible. And their kennel rates are fantastic. read more

We have acquired a wonderful chocolate Lab from High Test. After patiently waiting for months, our turn arrived and we selected a beautiful, happy, and good natured boy. High Test's excellent staff is very communicative and took the time to make sure that we would care for our new pup properly. And they helped us select a dog whose character and behavior fits with what we want. The relatively new owners have great knowledge and know how to train and care for the dogs they breed on the lovely 80 acre 'spread' in the Northern Sacramento Valley near Oroville. Though they specialize in training hunting dogs, we sought only for a good natured family dog and we are completely satisfied. At the 4 and a half month mark, we took him back to High Test for two weeks of Puppy Obedience training. It is clear that his natural puppy - related over exuberance and mild biting has been curbed and he responds to a number of basic commands almost unfailingly. Nothing but good things to say about our experience with High Test, their staff, their leadership and the treatment of the dogs they breed or for whom they care. Brian, Oakland, CA read more

We have two High Test black Lab from different breedings (about 6 months apart). Unfortunately, we discovered that one suffers from an inoperable liver shunt where only 30% of his blood gets filtered by his liver. High Test gave us another male puppy (due to the California Lemon Law for pet breeders) and that dog has developed epilepsy. Both require daily medication and special diet. The first pup can't hunt due to his inability to process protein and subsequent inherent weakness and the second pup can only hunt for an hour or so because any more exertion causes him to have grand mal seizures. We love both dogs immensely but can't in good conscience recommend this breeder to anyone. read more

We have two beautiful dogs from Hightest. Both are very sweet natured and incredibly smart. Our male is now 3 years old and a great bird dog. He is full of energy and drive and loves going to the blind or field. Our female is 2 months old and is just a real love bug. We have left our male at Hightest twice - once for a few weeks while we traveled and another time for 3 months for their training program. The staff at Hightest is so caring and treated our dog very well. They trained him so well - we were just amazed. It's quite a drive to take our pups there to stay but we couldn't think of anywhere else we would trust! The staff is well trained and very professional. The owner, Debra, is always available and shares her knowledge of dogs freely. We are very grateful to Hightest for their breeding practices and for producing our very special fur babies! read more

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I brought my dog here for obedience school and now for boarding. I trust them to take care of my dog while I'm away and am glad that they offer to brush up my dogs obedience skills read more

WHAT A TOOL!!! I just called to set up gun dog training and was greeted by a grumpy hello. I asked if this was High test Kennels and the male stated "Maybe" as if very annoyed. I said well I'm looking for a dog trainer, is this you? Then he hung up on me. Great way to do business!!!! That's thousands of dollars that will go elsewhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you read this and learn from your unprofessional attitude. I would not want my dog treated that way for sure. read more

My yellow lab was trained for obedience and hunting. I ended up with everything I wished for. He is healthy, obedient and trained so well. I wish I could give them more than a five star. Thank you thank you thank you Larry P. read more

We have trained (Hunting/Gun training) both male dogs (labs - Onyx and Mudd) at High Test. For both dogs, the staff was accommodating in directing us to the website where vaccination requirements are noted. This allowed us to confirm with our vet the required vaccinations before we made the drive. They allowed us to bring blankets, but did not allow us to bring toys due to the ability of my dog to choke on a piece or another dog. High Test returned our dogs highly trained and we were thrilled with the level of retention as long as we stayed consistent in our homework and application. The staff was always professional and friendly which was much appreciated when leaving a loved one in their care. In fact, loved them so much that I placed my female (lab - Eire) and she is doing Obedience school right now. Cant wait to report on Eire's progress.... read more

I wish I never trusted this kennel with my 1 1/2 yr old intact male lab. Our trusted Foothill Boarding did not have room for our last minute vacation. Sure everyone was nice when we dropped our low key lab off- 4 days later while waiting in office to pick him up they ask if he is dog aggressive. NO he is not- doesn't even bark back at neighbors dogs. I think odd she asks while a little male lab is cowering at her side. She comments that lab is and had a minor run in with our dog while on walk. She leaves office and Alice brings out our happy lab who trots to car and loads up. We get home and find cuts on hind leg and he's not interested in eating or playing- I'm thinking he missed us but no as upon further inspection he has a sensitive to touch back... sensitive because he has scabs and wounds along both sides of his spine! They never should have walked a dog aggressive lab with mine and they should have been honest about the extent of the attack. I will NEVER go back and don't want anyone else to suffer like we have. read more

Hightest came highly recommended to me from many of my friends. Before I chose to have my puppy Houston trained by them, I made numerous visits to the facility. I can personly say that every visit was very positive and the staff at Hightest were all great! They are very knowledgeable and professional and The facility was nice and clean. Houston spent two weeks in Hightests headstart program and when I would call and check on him they would give me the full rundown on his training and progression. I picked him up today and was very pleased with the training he had received. I really want to " Thank you " Ty, Andrew, Ole, Ole jr., and Christy for all your hard work. You can bet you will see me again for the next step of training! Kristine read more

I love dogs and once owned a purebred. I had an opportunity to visit their facility and was very impressed with the friendly staff, cleanliness, and overall layout of the center. The staff are professional and dedicated to the animals. read more

I thought I did all the best research in finding the perfect hunting partner in March of 2015. Looking back now and reading and hearing more and more from people who have bought dogs from there or did the training there it is such a horrible place. Cabela is my dogs name and at 2 years old she was diagnosed with extreme hip dysplasia from UC Davis pet hospital. They told me one of her hips they couldn't even give a score to how bad it was. I was heart broken. Cabela is the most sweet and smart dog, but limps everyday and is in pain, which kills me so this is why I felt the need to now write this review to help other people understand not to do business with these people. There refund policy is an absolute disgrace. Give back my sweet girl I have loved and bonded since I bought her in 2015!? Not even close to an option, but my only option now is to do a $4,000 surgery to replace both hips :/. read more

Seeing how big this kennel, is I was a bit nervous that my 7.5 month old chocolate lab might not get enough daily training, but don't be fooled. After our six week training session, Titus came home as a well behaved dog. On Hightest property, he obeyed every command at the gentle hand of the trainers. Once he got home, just as owner, Teal Knapp told us, he tried some of his old habits. Putting what Teal and the other trainers taught my family during our training sessions, we stuck to it and Titus now obeys us with ease. During weekly phone calls to the kennels, I would add another layer of issues we had with the our pup and every one of them was addressed. No more consisting barking outside, no more pulling on the lead, no more running off when he's off leash, no more voluntarily getting off his place, and no more jumping on the counters for food. Watching the trainers take the dogs out to the fields and work them made me think this kennel is a playground for these working dogs. My dog is going back when we go on our family vacations and I feel happy and secure knowing he will be well loved and cared for. read more

Filling this out for our boxer, Rocky, who just loves the care and attention he receives whenever he gets to stay at Doggy Camp with these amazing people! We live in Chico and do not mind the 45-minute drive to Hightest to drop off or pick up Rocky - his excitement as we get close and when we arrive is clear. We wouldn't leave Rocky anywhere else read more

We are 3 weeks into the 6 week Obedience course and just went up today to do a check in and training session. Our dog has shown marked improvement in such a short time! He demonstrated much more restraint and better manners. He is obeying commands on leash and will be moving beyond that. He's not perfect, but it is clear that he understands the training and is a more stable dog overall. Our trainer really understands the dog and has really gotten to know him. The facility is immaculate, the staff are experienced and friendly, and only halfway through and our dog has improved. I will be sending all future puppies here! read more

It's an amazing place - dog heaven. We just picked up our dog from Hightest in September '15 after thinking about buying a lab puppy for years. We went to see the puppies when they were just 4 weeks old. The place is clean - very clean - the people are the best. Friendly and knowledgeable. There is no better combination. Their facilities are top-notch run by true dog people - or better yet - true lab-people. It is true - you pick up the puppies when they are 6+ weeks old. That concerned me a little as we read puppies should not go home until they are 8 weeks old - but so far so good. Does 1.5 weeks really add that much to the puppy's "dog to dog" socialization skills? This place is breeding highly intelligent and athletic hunting dogs. We won't hunt him - but we wanted an active, easy to train, high-quality pet. I know we will get that from a Hightest puppy. Finn is a fun-loving - good looking - sweat heart... who loves his crate and was fairly house broken after 2 weeks in our house (although he is a little bitey - but we are working on that.) read more

I was extremely naive, self-admitted, outright ignorant about dog boarding/kenneling. When I asked my groomer for a recommendation, she said a few of her clients use Hightest regularly. I went online and the Hightest website sells their boarding as "a vacation for your dog". Maybe if you leave your dog home alone for long periods of time in their own waste without attention or exercise, Hightest may seem like a retreat to them. Actually, they might just feel right at home. Boarding: I used them over a weekend, Sat-Sun and strongly suspect that my dog was left in a filthy cell (run) for well over 12 hours, so any dog that has been properly trained and will not mess their den, will be miserable being boarded this way. My favorite part was picking her up, she's filthy, sad and mess all around her, and the Hightest employee pretends not to see it, even when I made a direct comment, his reply, "oh that must have just happened", really, because some of the poo had completely dried over ?!? Weeks later, the thought of having left her there is still saddening. Our princess is a member of our family, she is also a very good girl and an excellent "trained retriever", also no electric collar needed or ever even considered. Training: The fact that Hightest is using electric collars widespread on such an excellent working breed like Labs is horrific, they (Hightest) are contributing to bad temperament of a breed that was created to work for us and in unison with us. With greeders like Hightest, a breed that has been nearly perfected over the last three hundred years is being dumbed down (ruined) and may never be able to evolve into problem solving/working breed that would otherwise be real competition for Collies. Hightest will not get another dollar from me to fund their destruction of this wonderful breed or to operate their dog storage facility. Other than the comment about her cell being messed, I made no mention of anything else to Hightest, they are seemingly confident about all of their practices and take extraordinary pride in their business. If you care about the Labrador Retriever breed do not use Hightest, do not buy a dog from them, six week olds will not have the manners that only mom and the litter can teach, you would then take him back for training, only to have him jolted into executing commands. Positive reinforcement works best, but it is very time consuming for the first year. A year is a a small investment for someone you will share 10-13 years of your life with. read more