Training

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If I have a guiding principle in the realm of training dogs; it’s that it’s far more a process of…»

The author with her 2-year-old golden retriever

Ever had your eye wiped by someone else’s dog? You don’t want to, believe me. It’s humiliating! It almost happened…»

German pointing dog

Why bother testing puppies? You might say, “Those tests look so easy I don’t see the benefit; seems like a…»

Pheasant in field

You’ve got a good dog. He stays focused and understands what’s going on,” said Sal Roseland, owner of R&R Pheasant…»

Dog and pups

Behavior problems avoided are problems that don’t need to be fixed. In the case of dogs, most behavior problems are…»

Gun dog

How well your dog travels will make a big difference in how well he hunts once you get to where…»

Black lab

Problem: I trained my black Labrador retriever for hunt trials for three years. He did very well for the first…»

Dog with decoy

Many gun dog owners confuse the focus regarding steadying a dog, mistakenly believing that steadying is all about the flushing…»

Four labs

Strictly speaking, the term “release command” is an oxymoron. A dog is either on command or has been released from…»

Steady your Dog

Many retrievers have a natural instinct to break their heel or steady position once a bird is in the air…»

Watering your dogs frequently during warm-weather hunts is essential.

In many parts of the country, one thing you can count on for opening day of the bird season is…»

Shelter Dog

A lost dog could be more quickly found in California if Senate Bill 702 becomes a reality in California. According…»

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“Whoa” is perhaps the most important command that your gun dog will learn. Here’s a training process designed to help…»

Here the author lines his Chessie in a visual aid pattern blind

The blind retrieve has three parts: lining, in which the handler initially sends his dog toward the downed bird; stopping,…»

Water on the outside of a dog is a key factor in avoiding heat stress because a wet canine is usually a cool canine. Thoroughly soak the fur and rub water into and through the coat to ensure skin contact. For dogs on the edge of heat stress, pour water on its tongue (especially if the dog won’t or can’t drink), ears, throat, belly, groin, and back.

1. Always carry plenty of dog water in your vehicle and in your hunting vest, no matter what the apparent…»

Don't get upset if your young gun dog puppy traps or grabs a bird. It's bound to happen sooner or later, and it doesn't mean he won't develop his pointing instinct.

My favorite bumper sticker, which I keep threatening to post above the door to my office, reads: Earth First! We’ll…»

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Thanks to a question posted on our Facebook page, we decided to offer some quick tips for giving your dog…»

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POINTING BREEDS “When the temperature gets above about 65 degrees,” Roger Buddin of Big Country Kennel said, “you should start…»

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Remote-training technology: a boon for your toolbox. Here are our 2011 Gun Dog e-collar reviews.

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Life comes at a pup from all directions in its first year. It’s fun and exciting but sometimes intimidating–a time…»

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Your best friend is getting older and whines terribly each time you leave home without him. But do you really…»

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Force breaking isn’t always fun, but it works. Do you really need to force break your dog? I don’t have…»

A properly trained, well-conditioned hunting dog is the greatest attribute for the modern hunter—shotgun included.

Imagine, for a moment, that you’re sitting on your recliner just before nodding off. It’s early fall, the nights are…»

If your dog takes to the water, then swimming is a great option for conditioning. Water work cuts down on the worry of heat exhaustion, is low-impact on joints and builds cardio quickly.

  If your plan is to simply hunt your dog into shape this fall, it might be time to consider…»

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Field trainers will be able to release and shoot domestically raised birds year-round when they’re training hunting dogs and raptors…»

Lyle Steinman and "Jack" are champions again...

Golden, CO — Third time isn’t a charm if you’re talking about winning the Super Retriever Series Crown Championship and…»

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by John McGonigle These three qualities are the key to instilling good habits. Congratulations! You selected and brought home your…»

Pointers have long set the gold standard for pointing dog performance in North America.

by Dave Carty When I was asked to gun for a pointing dog trial two summers ago, I eventually wound…»

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by James B. Spencer By “multiple dogs” I mean two dogs that belong, one each, to two hunters. If you…»

Late Season Pheasants

Gun Dog editors hunt behind pointing dogs in Iowa.

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Q (Question): We had a German wirehaired pointer puppy 15 months ago that died of parvovirus within a week after…»

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There’s a school of thought among certain old-time dog trainers that it’s best to let a young dog mature for…»

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Bird release traps are invaluable gun dog training tools for a variety of scenarios. Here are six different ways you can use them.

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A rookie learns the basics of gun dog training from pro Rick Smith of HuntSmith dog training.

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A new gun dog puppy is a huge responsibility, and it’s not short term.

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Your dogs aren’t perfect? Neither are mine…

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Sixteen different top gun dog breeders chime in with their puppy selection tips…

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Pointers can become great pheasant dogs, but it won’t happen overnight.

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Three different breeders chime in with insight and tips on acquiring a trained gun dog.

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Retrieving is an essential task, and one for which spaniels are ideally suited.

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A soothing voice and calm demeanor are key to bringing dogs under control.

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Helping your retriever handle those “mega marks.”

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The latest training techniques for retrievers.

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The latest training techniques for pointing breeds.

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The latest training techniques for spaniels.

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Mistaking one for the other can have tragic results.

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Too many early retrieves can bore pup.

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Relating anecdotes with legendary retriever trainers…

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What’s the optimum temperature range in which to work your dog?

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Keeping Tabs on Our Hunting and Contest Dogs