Adrian Jackson - Breaking Points: How Training Methods Connect Troubled Youth and Bird Dogs

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Adrian Jackson shares his extraordinary dual career as a championship bird dog trainer and youth mentor at Cal Farley's Boys Ranch in Texas. His insights reveal the surprising parallels between training high-performance field trial dogs and helping at-risk youth overcome trauma and build successful lives.

• Vice President of Home Life at Cal Farley's Boys Ranch for nearly 29 years, overseeing care for 116 children with capacity for 430
• Cal Farley's is privately funded with an independent school district on campus, taking children ages 5-16 from across the United States
• Won multiple national field trial championships with dogs including Poker Straight Flash, Nemaha Butterfly, and Poker Straight Jet Star
• Judges national championships across many breeds including Brittanys, German Shorthairs, English Setters and Pointers
• Discovered parallels between dog training and youth care through understanding the "survival brain" response in both
• Both disciplines require sequential training, predictable routines, and patience for development
• Co-authored chapters in three New York Times bestselling books in the Impact Influence series
• Currently writing "A Purpose Driven Youth Care Worker" about maintaining focus while working with challenging youth
• Runs Poker Straight Kennel providing training services with regular video updates for clients through social media
• Emphasizes the importance of patience in developing both dogs and young people, warning against culling promising talent too early

Please visit calfarley.org to learn more about the Boys Ranch program or contact Adrian through Poker Straight Kennel on Facebook.

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