RSK is the lifeblood of a duo of dog trainers (Ronnie Smith & Susanna Love) located in northern Osage County, Oklahoma. Together with our kiddos, Gage & Reagan, we live a life full of purpose…taking care of and training bird dogs.
We would love to share our experiences and dog training stories with you here on FB!
“There is joy in every moment with a bird dog. Seek that joy, cultivate an appreciation of what each individual bird dog is, and enjoy how marvelous a relationship with a bird dog can be. You will be hooked on bird dogs forever. The journey of training never ends.”
RSK was begun in 1956 by bird dog legend Ronnie Smith Sr. in Big Cabin, Oklahoma after Ronnie Sr. and his brother, Delmar Smith, realized they had a driving passion for, not just animals, but bird dogs in particular. The brothers independently began training professionally and competing in field trials as young men. Delmar discovered a knack for working with Brittanys and quickly found himself creating new records in the Brittany field trial world. Ronnie Sr. focused more on pointers and gun dog training. Sadly, at the height of Ronnie Sr’s. career, cancer suddenly took his life. The void left by his father’s passing brought Ronnie Smith Jr. home to take over the business and begin training professionally at the old homestead in 1982.
Ronnie (Jr.) has trained bird dogs professionally for 44 years and has traveled widely holding training seminars for over 30 years. He has guided wild bird hunts and managed hunting guiding operations on prestigious properties, such as the King Ranch, 6666 Ranch, and Mariposa Ranch. For many years Ronnie has been invited by Purina to speak on bird dog training topics at events such as Pheasant Fest.
After Ronnie and Susanna Love married, they joined forces working together, training bird dogs, and striving to further develop the well-respected Smith Training Method. Since the two began training together they have created a unique bird dog training apprenticeship program, published a training book in conjunction with Reid Bryant and Orvis, and built a first-class bird dog training facility on their new approx. 400-acre property in Osage County, Oklahoma.
The duo accepts 2-3 classes of training dogs a year at RSK. They continue to guide hunts at the 6666 Ranch in Guthrie, Tx, and the King Ranch in Kingsville, Tx using an array of client dogs and the family’s mix of pointers, Brittanys, springers, and one lab. The RSK line of Brittanys, which they continue to breed, goes back to the first dogs that Delmar Smith won championships with.
RSK is one of the few kennels in the country to have been under continual family ownership for over 50 years.
