I stopped training and trialing professionally in 2005, around the time I sold my kennel in upstate New York. Without dogs to keep track of every day, I began to split my year between New York’s Hudson Valley and Coastal Florida. Though I continue to travel and attend spaniel events all over the country, I guess it’s fair to say that I am a snowbird. I just don’t like the cold, gray winter anymore, which means the time I spend in the northeast centers around the summer months, when I spend the bulk of every day helping my friend Dan Lussen as he trains flushing dogs for hunting and competition. Though the focus in each session is to build the skills needed by a working flusher, Danny and I also spend a great deal of time focused on conditioning dogs for the coming season. A dog that enters the season out of shape will not perform and may be more susceptible to injury. Fitness, and a focus on fitness conditioning during each training session, is critical throughout the months leading up to the Fall season.

Unfortunately, summers in the northeast can be tricky for working dogs from a weather perspective. For the bulk of the summer training season, heat and humidity put significant limitations on how, when, and for how long a trainer can work dogs each day. Sporting dogs—those with a high prey or retrieve drive in particular—simply don’t self-monitor well. Therefore, it becomes the trainer’s job to get the dog into hunting shape, while also establishing conditions and a training environment that ensures the health and safety of the dog. In this installment of the Flush column, we will explore some measures that make effective training and conditioning possible, even when the summer heat sets in.

Preparing Your Dog for Summer Conditioning

There are certain steps that a trainer can take to make sure that a dog is physically set up for a successful summer training and conditioning regime. By physically, I mean that the following measures can be taken to ensure that the dog’s body is prepared to cope with the stresses of a hot working environment.

First, we always like to clip our spaniels before and during the heat of summer. Pay close attention to hidden spots: clip the ears and tail, behind the ears, and under the armpits. A close haircut serves several functions, most obviously reducing the insulative value of the coat, which lets the dog shed heat more quickly. Additionally, our training fields are full of burrs and other grabby plant matter that tends to get caught in long coats. Knots, mats, and tangled-up foreign bodies can all cause discomfort and irritation for a dog, which can create bigger problems if left unattended. A short coat all but eliminates these issues. Finally, New York in the summer is overrun with ticks. Though we use pharmaceutical preventatives, we also like to go over a dog regularly to brush off any ticks that have hitched a ride during a stint in the field. A short coat allows us to brush off ticks easily, and to identify and remove any ticks that may have become embedded.

The second measure I use to boost the resilience of the dog’s physical body is to decrease food intake. Summer training and conditioning sessions are typically short. Additionally, the dog is not burning excess calories to maintain body temperature during the hot summer months. Though I keep working dogs on a diet of high-quality food, with a 30/20 protein to fat ratio, in the summer, I make it a point to reduce the volume. A dog that carries less weight stays cooler through the summer and suffers less joint strain. Summer is a time to make sure a dog is lean, and dialing back caloric intake is a safe way to do so.

Finally, I put supplemental electrolytes in my dog’s water throughout the summer training season. In high-heat working environments, electrolyte balance can be impacted; so boosting electrolytes a bit is never a bad decision. There are several brands available, and a small amount in the water bottles and bulk containers goes a long way to ensuring that a working dog performs safely and well in the heat.

Water is Key for Heat Training

When working on summer conditioning and training, it is important to consider that though fitness is key, it must be built safely and efficiently. Thoughtful setup of the training field can help you work through training/conditioning sessions safely and effectively even when it’s hot.

The first step I take in setting up a good summer conditioning environment is to keep the cover low. In New York, we mow the training field regularly to ensure that the cover never grows over knee height. When a dog is battling high, thick cover in the heat, he will wear out more quickly. If you want to create training/conditioning sessions that last long enough to be effective, eliminate the obstacle of high cover.

Additionally, scatter a few livestock troughs through the training field, and keep them filled with clean water. Remember, dogs don’t sweat, so they cannot cool by evaporation in the same way people can. When a dog gets wet, not only does the cooling effect of water help to lower their core temperature, but evaporation off wet skin/hair helps to do the same. When a dog can jump in and drink water regularly throughout a training/conditioning session, they can safely put in more work, realizing a higher degree of fitness in the process. Easy access to water troughs in the training field should be a high priority throughout summer training.

Summer Conditioning Considerations

With the physical needs of the dog attended to, and the environment set up for success, we can plan conditioning/training sessions that work well in hot conditions. Personally, I don’t find “roading” spaniels or flushers the best use of time. Rather, I like to incorporate conditioning into short training sessions planned thoughtfully throughout the day. With a little bit of strategy, a dog can learn and gain fitness at the same time.

The first consideration when working in the heat of summer is to use the long days to your advantage. Train in the cool of early morning and late afternoon. When the sun is at a low angle, field work can often take place quite safely, particularly in a well-set-up field. Moreover, in the dewy, early morning, moisture in the cover will help keep the dog cool. With that, do bird work early and late, and keep the sessions short if the air temp remains high.

Second, make the most of water drills. Swimming is great exercise for a flushing dog, as the resistance offered by water is great for building muscle; the exercise is also low impact, and the environment is inherently cool. Build training exercises to incorporate water by adding a water retrieve to the drill. Work on place training beside the water by putting the dog on a place board, throwing a bumper into the water, then releasing the dog for a retrieve. Practice water retrieves with both bumpers and wing-clipped birds, varying the distance the dog must run to reach the water, or the distance of the retrieve. In essence, most any standard training exercise can be implemented in a water environment or have a water element incorporated. Adding water to the mix opens up countless training opportunities. Get creative, sit down before the summer training begins and build out some exercises with water as a component.

As a rule, I don’t differentiate between training and conditioning through the heat of summer. Rather, I consider conditioning as I plan out my training and maximize the daily lessons to ensure fitness by summer’s end. Recognizing that heat is the greatest challenge in summer, I adjust the environment, the dog’s diet and grooming, and the lesson plans to make training safe, productive, and efficient. With a bit of planning, a flushing dog can approach the season in prime condition for success!