Profile/Accomplishments
Forrest for the Three C's SH
"FORREST"
Please allow me to introduce myself by giving you a biography of myself to date.

I have been training retrievers since 1974 for fieldwork.  I trained my first dog to be Qualified All-Age in Field Trials in the U.S. and Canada when I was just 14 years old!  I became interested in training dogs by being exposed to it by my parents (Van Lee Labradors) who have bred retrievers for fieldwork since the late 1960's.  They not only bred Labradors for fieldwork, but they were also competitive with their dogs in AKC and CKC Field Trials while I was growing up. It was my parents who taught me the beginnings of training retrievers.

After learning as much as possible from my parents and their training partners I pursued training with different people, both professional and amateurs.  By doing this I was able to gain more knowledge and experience.  I continue this practice, even today, to keep learning and improving.  The sharing of information is invaluable.

In 1980 I had the opportunity to become an Assistant to a Professional Field Trial Trainer in California, Dana Brown Istre.  I worked with Dana and her husband, Grady, for a little over a year assisting in the training of many dogs who were FC's and/or AFC's or who later gained those titles.  This is where I learned the "basics" of the e-collar program and had the opportunity to train with people like Rex Carr, Jim Dobbs, Judy Aycock, Patti and Rick Roberts and many other successful "dog people".

I have trained many different breeds of dogs for obedience and have trained numerous retrievers for hunting.  I now continue to train some dogs for obedience, but my primary training is for clients who hunt their companions on waterfowl and upland game.  I encourage my clients to get involved in AKC or NAHRA Hunt Tests and handling their own dogs at the events, however, I do enjoy running Hunt Tests and offer my services to handle your dog if that is preferred.

I enjoy teaching dogs the skills needed for an obedient, well-mannered companion whether they enjoy hunting or if they want to participate in AKC and/or NAHRA Hunt Tests.  Training the dog is only half the "team"- having the dog work and perform with his or her owner is what, I believe, makes the training complete.

I have TITLED numerous dogs in all 3 stakes of the AKC Hunt Test program.  I qualified four (4) dogs for the 1999 Master National and passed three (3) of them in the 1999 Master National; qualified and passed one (1) in the 2000 Master National; qualified and passed one (1) in the 2004 Master National, Van Lee's Travel'in Man which put him in the Master National Hall of Fame.  I also train my own dogs for AKC Field Trials and have made three (3) dogs Qualified All-Age.

I truly enjoy what I do and believe that maintaining a dog's attitude is an important factor during training.  Although this is work for the dogs and work to train them, it must also be fun and enjoyable for the owner, trainer and the retriever!
Tammy Adsitt
Van Lee's Travel'in Man MNH QAA
"CRUIZE"
Renee Adsitt-Pettey
Van Lee's Hot Shot MH
"SKEETER"
Since I was eight years old, I have enjoyed working dogs with my mother, Tammy, training retrievers for hunting and all-breed obedience.  I began training a started dog, Lazer, to run at the Junior level of AKC Hunt Tests when I was just 9 years old.  Lazer had a lot of the basic training when I "took over" but I enjoyed training and working him.  I learned a lot while achieving his AKC Junior Title.

Excited and anxious to move on, I continued training and working with Lazer.  In the spring - following earning his JH title - we both were ready to continue training for the Senior level.  This involved  teaching him double retrieves, steadiness, sitting on a whistle blast and hand signals.  I trained Lazer for the Senior Tests and titled him. I continued working with my mom by assisting in training and handling other dogs in training to gain experience and improve my training and handling skills;  this was also beneficial for the dogs we had in training by "listening" to another person.

While titling Lazer and training/handling other dogs I was invited to participate in ESPN's Great Outdoor Games Big Air Competition held in July of 2000! 
I trained and competed in this competition with Lazer. He had to jump off the dock and the jump was measured from the end of the dock to where the dog's back legs touched the water.  The dog that had the farthest jump (Biggest Air) won!!  In the end we came in 7th place, I was the youngest handler at only 12 years old, I am so fortunate for the experience and proud of Lazer while learning how to train for this event.

For a couple of years I didn't have a dog to run in hunt tests but I continued training dogs with my mom in a "bird boy" capacity.  In July 2001 I got my first dog, Skeeter.  I trained Skeeter as much as I could while working with my mom that fall and winter. We wanted to be ready for spring AKC Hunt Tests. In the spring of 2002 Skeeter and I ran the Junior Level and titled that summer.  As I did all of the training on him, it was a great accomplishment for us as a team.  In 2004 Skeeter earned his Senior title and in 2006 he became a Master Hunter.
I hunted pheasants, ducks and geese with Skeeter.

In May of 2005 I was promoted from bird boy to Assistant Dog Trainer taking direction from my mom and working with all the dogs.  

We are now training partners.  I have TITLED numerous dogs in all stakes of the AKC Hunt Test Program.  I qualified and passed the 2011 Master National with one dog, qualified and passed the 2013 Master National with two dogs and qualified and passed the 2014 Master National with one dog which put "Maze" and I in the Master National Hall of Fame. "Maze" also won the Qualifying Stake in AKC Field Trials in Jan 2012.  I enjoy teaching dogs the skills necessary  to become enjoyable hunting companions and progressing them from young pups to "working retrievers"!

I have also trained several dogs in "basic obedience" they have become "good citizens" and are pleasant to have around.

I thoroughly enjoy training dogs and running Hunt Tests. My family and I now live in Chaumont, NY which is the northern portion of the state.  My daughter, Nikki and I train here and my mom, Tammy, travels to our area so we are still able to all train together.  I purchased property in Western NY which is being developed as another training area as well as training on the property we've always trained on in Western NY.

My daughter, Nikki, is now involved in training with us - that's 3 generations training together! Nikki and I travel to Western NY to train with my mom. Traveling to different areas to train is great for the dogs. They experience different fields/cover and all kinds of water.  While doing what they love -                                     Retrieving!!!!

It is great to train the dogs and see them progress from day to day - I can truly say "I love my job"!!!