Hunting Dog Training 101: A Guide for Training the Perfect Hunting Dog

Training a hunting dog is a rewarding journey that requires patience, consistency, and a clear strategy. Whether you’re starting with a young pup or honing the skills of an experienced dog, understanding the fundamentals of hunting dog training can make all the difference. In this guide, we’ll cover essential training techniques and tips to help your dog develop the obedience, endurance, and specialized skills needed for success in the field. Get ready to build a stronger bond with your canine companion and prepare them for a lifetime of rewarding hunting experiences. My goal is to help new owners of hunting dogs find success in training them to hunt waterfowl, upland birds, or even small game. I’m not a professional dog trainer, and I don’t pretend to be. But I’ve had the privilege of hunting behind many breeds of dogs around the world for more than two decades and of working with professional trainers and breeders who have all taught me a great deal.

Plus, I’ve had my own versatile gun dogs and pudelpointers for the past eight years, and I have trained them myself. I’ve also helped train several dogs of other breeds.

Since the pandemic, many people have invested in hunting dogs. I call it an investment because that’s what it is, in both your time and your money. Dogs typically are with us for more than a decade, and they can cost quite a bit. Some of the budget spent on a dog is planned, like food and annual visits to the vet. Other unforeseen costs, such as emergency surgeries, can run into thousands of dollars.

In this article, we will take you through the following chapters (feel free to click to skip ahead):

• Considerations for your first pup

• Hunting Dog Gear

• Potty training your hunting dog

• Sit, stay, come

• Crate Training

• Reading your dog’s body language

• Eye Contact

• Bonding & Planning Fun Together

• Traveling With a Hunting Dog

• Water Training Your Hunting Dog

• Shed Hunting

• Your dog’s first hunt

• Your dog’s first duck hunt

Some Considerations

This is not an advanced column for providing advice on attaining picture-perfect points and high scores on intense field tests. This information is for people who want a hunting dog that will obey commands, maintain composure, behave around other dogs and people, and point, flush, track, trail and retrieve. The overall goal is to help you shape a dog to fit your hunting needs.

When the time comes for you to bring a dog into your life, be honest with yourself in knowing what your needs and interests are. Also, figure out how much time you can realistically give to your dog each day and how your family may be involved. Here are some questions you may want to ask yourself:

• Do you want a dog that stays outside in a kennel at night or one that sleeps on your bed?
• Do you mind a dog that sheds, or do you want one that’s more hypoallergenic?
• Are you seeking a dog that’s of average intelligence and lovable or one that’s so smart it can read your mind and all it wants to do is hunt?

Time is Important

If you work long hours and have little time to devote to raising a puppy, now may not be the time to get one. If you live in the city or where you can’t get your dog out multiple times day, then it may not be the right time for a high-energy hunting dog.

The biggest disservice you can do to a hunting dog is to not have it hunt often, or worse, fail to get it outside every single day to develop its instincts and to bond with you and nature.

If you can’t get the dog out regularly or don’t intend to hunt more than a few weekends a year, then consider a house dog, not a hunting dog.  Gun dogs are bred to hunt, and some will literally go crazy if they can’t do that.

I hear from hunters all the time that their dogs don’t mind, are overweight, or don’t listen when afield. A dog’s misbehavior isn’t their fault; they simply want to do what they think is expected of them. A good gun dog will be a better hunter than any human, and if they’re not given the chance to develop, they won’t be happy and you’ll only be frustrated.

What’s Easy, What’s Not

Training a puppy is easy. The hard part is consistently devoting 15 minutes a day to that puppy‘s training and even more time to playing with it. If that time is split into three short sessions during morning, mid-day and evening, you’ll be amazed at how simple training can be. In fact, once your pup catches on, six minutes of training per day during the puppy stage will produce impressive results. Before getting a puppy, though, make sure you have this kind of time to devote to it.

When it comes to getting the most out of your gun dog, having time is everything. Make sure you can devote sufficient time to proper training, that you live in a place that allows the proper raising of a pup, and that you have a safe, roomy place to train each day. Also, be prepared to spend even more time playing with the pup than actually training it, since this is how that all- important bond forms. Once you know you can meet these needs, go ahead and get a pup and start enjoying some of the best days of your life.

All About Gear

Dog gear that’s worth it – selecting gear can be challenging and you can get lost. Whether it’s a reliable piece of training gear for hunting adventures or a high-quality accessory for everyday use, I’ve compiled a list of dog products that stand out for their durability, quality, and performance. Each item has been tested extensively—some for years—and has proven to hold up through every adventure. From rugged dog bowls to versatile vests, here are the top choices that any dog-loving friend or family member would appreciate

YETI Rambler & Boomer Bowl (click to buy)

Five years ago I got one YETI Boomer Dog Bowl. I was so impressed with how durable and easy it was to clean–along with how clean it stayed–that I got a bowl for my other dog. Today we have six Boomer Dog Bowls: one for each dog for feeding inside, one for water on the front and back porch, and two that stay in the truck year-round for training, hunting, drinking and eating. I’ve tried many dog bowls over the years and the Boomers are in a class by themselves. They’ve been through extreme conditions and held up great, even the rubber bottom is in perfect condition despite being covered in dust, used in gravel, dirt, snow, ice and mud many times over the years. The inside of the bowls are as slick and clean as when I first bought them.
A great fit with the Boomer Bowl is the YETI 1/2 Gallon Rambler. I simply got tired of plastic water jugs spilling in the back of my truck when driving through rough terrain. When a five gallon jug punctured and leaked all over my extra clothes, boots and backpack, I’d had enough. I got the Rambler and haven’t looked back. It holds more than enough water for me and my dogs for a day of hunting or training, and it’s rugged and stands up to my less-than-stellar driving on rough backroads.

Momarsh Versa-Vest (click to buy)

Honestly, I almost threw away this vest right after I got it. Then I took a deep breath, read the directions, watched a brief YouTube video on how to customize the Momarsh Versa-Vest and the rest is history. I got this vest for Kona, my big male pudelpointer who tips the scales to 65 lbs. He’s long-legged, deep-chested and narrow at the waist. He’s thin-skinned and muscular, too, which means it’s a challenge to find a dog vest that truly fits him and keeps him warm during duck season. With its six points of multi-directional velcro fastening points I was able to adjust the vest to securely fit Kona’s unique build. This is the second duck season he’s hunted in it and there’s been no rubbing under the legs, chest or neck. The rubberized chest panel is sturdy and does its job protecting against thick brush, submerged sticks, ice, and more. The paracord handle and metal leash loop are sturdy and well-placed. The 5mm rubberized Neoprene and water-repellent coated poly fabric keeps your dog warm and helps them float in water. The best thing is that it can be adjusted anytime to fit your dog’s body, even as it ages over the years. I liked it so much, I got one for my 45 lb. female pudelpointer, too.

NutriSource Freeze-Dried Treats (click to buy)

Used as a treat, topper, even a complete meal, this high-protein option is available in bite sizes or sliders. I’ve been a fan of NutriSource Pet Foods’ high protein line, which is ideal for my two lean and very active gun dogs. When NutriSource offered the formula in a freeze-dried option, I was excited. It’s so lean that animal ingredients provide at least 90% of the protein ingredients in the freeze-dried bites and sliders. High in nutrients and flavor, my dogs love all three options; beef & lamb, chicken & duck, turkey & venison. If providing the freeze-dried option as a complete meal, I like adding bone broth, goat milk or water to it to soften it up and add further health benefits. It’s supplemented with NVGEN, that is designed to optimize the microbiome necessary for full utilization of a high animal protein diet. No matter when I feed it to my dogs, they think it’s the best treat ever. And like all NutriSource dog foods I feed, it’s high protein, so you actually can feed less, which means meal for meal, and you save money.

Heyday Tagalong Food & Water Dog Stations (click to buy)

Earlier this year, Heyday Outdoor introduced their Tagalong Food 3G and Tagalong Water 3G stations for dogs. Each self-contained station stores 3 gallons, making them ideal for road trips or to keep in the truck and feed and water your dog after a day in the field. A creative, easy-to-stow, carry-and-use design makes the feeding and watering process quick, simple, and clean. During duck season, when we’re hunting four to five days a week, I just keep both the food and water bins in the trucks, refilling them when needed. This makes for easy planning and handling and saves time.

MTM’s Mule Mobile Gear Crate (click to buy)

I always seek the most sensible option to store and carry all my dog training gear. The MTM Mule is an affordable, mid-range gearbox that’s durable, functional, and easy to handle. The Mule is MTMs largest crate that handles everything from big bumpers to bird launchers, vests to first aid kits, and even water bottles, dog food bowls, and treats. Efficient handles and recessed wheels make maneuvering around the shop and in the back of the truck easy. The Mule is divided into three compartments of various sizes and heights. The roomy lift-out tray rides at either end of crate with additional space below for shallow items. Tie-down points, four no-break snap latches, padlock tabs and a water-resistant O-ring seal keep gear safe, dry and ready to go. High-impact, polypropylene construction. Outside Dimensions: 43.5” x 14.7” x 11.5” (tall); holds 75 lbs. of gear. Made in the U.S.A.

Dressing Up

My wife and I have been married for 33 years, and have always had a lap dog. Growing up, she always had small dogs. Of course, like many young girls, she loved dressing up her dogs. She even dressed up our lapdogs on holidays. When we brought gun dogs into the family, I told her the dress-up days would not carry-over to our pudelpointers.

Then, and rather quickly, things changed. Before I knew it, at nine weeks of age, some pups were wearing pullovers. It was winter, and these were pups we were training for people. The pups were noticeably cold when outside, and there’s no doubt that dressing them up in warm clothes helped keep them comfortable, whereby allowing us to spend our basic training time, more efficiently.

Our latest dog, Kona, was very leery of things moving around him when he was a puppy. At four months of age, when I started hunting quail with him and running him through Scotch broom and vine maple thickets, he was sometimes apprehensive. My wife had the idea of sewing loose pieces of material to a dog vest, and running him in fields. Kona didn’t like it at first, but it worked. On the next hunt, a few days after wearing his vest with moving parts, Kona did great, focusing on the birds, not the brush moving around him.

We also dressed Kona up as a puppy to get him used to wearing hunting vests later in life, both for waterfowl and upland birds. One day, at five months of age, he got tangled up with a big, mature male dog. His wounds didn’t require stitches, just ointment and bandages. But the bandages were in a bad spot and wouldn’t stay on. One bite was on the front of the chest, the other on the underside of a front leg. We had to shave the wound areas and apply ointment, and Kona kept wanting to lick them. Putting a snug shirt on Kona kept the bandages in place, preventing him from licking and further irritating the areas, and they quickly healed up. Dress up days took on a different form when that happened.

When Echo, my then four year old pudelpointer, didn’t do well on a pheasant hunt, I couldn’t understand why. The brand new vest fit her well and was easy to see, but she just didn’t like it. She’d never shied away from vests before. It took me a while to figure out the vest was very noisy when Echo moved through dry habitat. She didn’t like that. I took it off, replaced it with her old, familiar vest, and she instantly started hunting like her usual self.

Once home, I washed the vest to soften it up, and trained with Echo wearing it in short and medium grass habitats. She did great, so we continued our training in thicker, taller cover. Soon we were hunting in the tall, dry brush, where she excelled as if nothing had ever happened. My mistake was not practicing with the new vest before going on an actual hunt. This is where having dress-up days when they’re pups, will enhance a dog’s ability to adapt to various vests they’ll wear throughout their hunting life.

The fact Echo grew up wearing clothes since she was a puppy, helped make her vest-wearing experiences, simple. My wife even gets the dogs Halloween costumes, which may not fit the mold of what most gun dog owners would consider manly, but I don’t mind them wearing them as it keeps them conditioned to new things. Not only that, it’s mentally stimulating, which I appreciated. The more moving parts there are on these costumes, the better. This gets the dogs used to wearing vests, working around moving brush, even retrieving big birds like geese and fall turkeys, which have necks, wings and tails that flail all over the place.

While many gun dog owners may not consider dressing up their dogs, there is value to such action. Whether helping heal wounds, or getting your gun dog used to wearing neoprene waterfowl vests or synthetic upland vests, dress-up days will make the transitions smoother.

Puppy clothes can be bought or made at home. My wife made our pups clothes from baby clothes she saved from when our sons were little. Now, as adults, both of our dogs wear all sorts of hunting vests with ease and confidence.

Nine to 10 weeks of age isn’t too early to introduce your puppy to clothes. Don’t make a big deal of it, and don’t laugh or be loud if the dog reacts out of character as this can scar them. When introducing clothes and hunting vests to your dog, make sure to keep the experience fun and positive, as it will pay dividends for the rest of your dog’s hunting life.

A hunting dog vest is a specialized item.

Each hunting dog and each hunting dog owner has their personal preference as to what constitutes the best performing hunting vest. Sometimes you put a hunting vest on a dog, and they immediately take a dislike to it. Their ears droop, they hunch over and won’t move. In some cases, hunting vests that cause immediate discomfort can be trimmed or fitted to customize. Other times there’s nothing that can be done; the hunting dog simply doesn’t like it.

Then there are our personal preferences, the owners of our beloved canine hunting partners. Some of us require heavily insulated vests that help a dog perform in severe cold and wet conditions. Some of us want a thick vest that aids in floatation. Others want a good all-around vest that guards against thorns and sharp objects.

Following is a look at some of the hunting industry’s top dog vests for waterfowl hunting. It’s important to differentiate between upland dog hunting vests and waterfowl hunting vests for dogs and versatile gun dogs, alike. Thus, this focus is on the top waterfowl vests for hunting dogs that I’ve used or seen in action.

I have two versatile gun dogs. Both are pudelpointers that I hunt everything with, from ducks to geese, forest grouse and quail to chukar, pheasant, squirrels and deer and elk antler sheds. Pudelpointers are a deep-chested, narrow-waisted versatile gun dog breed and can be challenging to find a waterfowl hunting vest for. Their hair varies from thick to thin, and some pudelpointers have long coats while others are slick coated. Pudelpointers are very active dogs, loving to stretch their legs whenever they can. Yet, a well-trained pudelpointer will sit all day in a duck blind, watching for birds to drop into the decoys. These are all points I take into consideration when looking for the ideal hunting vest for my versatile gun dogs.

 This past hunting season I started using a MOmarsh Versa-Vest with one of my pudelpointers. I liked it so much, I immediately got a Versa-Vest for my second pudelpointer. At the time of this writing both dogs had worn the Versa-Vest on over 50 duck hunts, and they still have 25+ hunts left this season. I’ve used a lot of hunting vests on pudelpointers over the past decade, and so far the Versa-Vest is my favorite. The best part is my dogs love them. The Versa-Vest is adjustable throughout the life of your dog, thanks to six strategically placed points of Velcro adjustability. It’s also easy to adjust as your dog loses and gains weight with the changing seasons. Due to the ability to custom-fit the Versa-Vest to your hunting dog, there’s no rubbing under the legs, no sagging around the leg holes or back, and it’s easy to get snug around the neck. The 5mm of rubberized neoprene keeps them warm on cold days, gives added buoyancy which is invaluable on long water retrieves or when bringing back a big goose. The chest plate protects against sticks, noxious seeds and thorns, and the back handle comes in handy. Once fitted, there’s no need to adjust any Velcro, simply use the easy-to-manage big zipper to take it off and put it on. It’s simple, fast, safe, and my dogs often spend five or more hours a day in them with no issues. You can also get blaze orange outer covers that Velcro on to each side of the Versa-Vest for upland bird and small game hunting. My pudelpointers are lean, one weighing 44 pounds, the other 72 pounds. Two buddies liked what they saw in this vest, and each got them for their labs, one of which was a lean 50 pounder, the other a big 85 pounder. The Versa-Vests fit them both perfectly.

I’m also a big fan of Browning’s Neoprene Dog Vest. Browning’s Neoprene 5mm Dog Vest is built for active hunting dogs. The dog vest is very flexible, easy to trim and simple to manage. It allows great freedom of movement for dogs on the go, and the thick neoprene is great for added warmth and protection. I used this vest for over 5 years and was very happy with it. In fact, I still carry a Browning Neoprene Dog Vest as a backup for each of my hunting dogs. With my dogs going on over 100 waterfowl hunts a year, I replaced this vest each season. But thanks to a great price point, it made the decision painless. Easy to trim, fit, put on and take off, this dog vest is just plain comfortable. I’ve seen the Browning Dog Vest on a range of Labs, and they’re great. One of the best bangs for the buck in the world of hunting dog vests.

Alps Outdoorz Top Flight Dog Vest is another affordable option that delivers consistent performance. I liked this vest on early season field hunts with my dogs, but when we started hitting the water that was laden with noxious seeds, I needed a vest that was tighter in the legs, neck and was longer in the body to fit my lanky pudelpointers. I really like the two easy lift handle options–one on each side of the vest–that make it simple to help your dog whenever needed. And the two flotation pads on each side did offer more buoyancy for my lean dogs. This is a great summertime training vest in water, be it for conditioning or retrieving. I ended up giving my Top Flight vest to a buddy with a medium sized golden lab. He trimmed it to fit and has been using it ever since.

I’ve tried a number of other hunting dog vests over the years, but with the specific build of my pudelpointers, not all served the purposes I was looking for. That said, the following is a look at some of the top-performing hunting dog vests for Labs that I’ve seen in action.

Tanglefree is a steadfast name in the waterfowl industry, and everyone I know who runs their dog vests loves them. Tanglefree has multiple options when it comes to dog vests for waterfowl hunting, and the one I’ve seen in action the most is their Flight Series Dog Vest. I’ve seen these in action from prairie potholes to flooded timber, big rivers, coastal lakes and sheetwater. These vests fit well, take a beating and hold up to the challenges they’re put through.

Dive Bomb Industries makes more than decoys, blinds and accessories. They make a top performing dog vest that immediately caught my attention on a goose hunt in Canada amid sharp, stiff stubble. Two buddies each ran Labs with the Dive Bomb Adjustable Dog Vests. At first look the Adjustable Dog Vest looks stiff and strong, but once you see a dog move in it you realize it’s flexible and resilient. I know of owners of versatile gun dogs who run this vest on their skinny waisted dogs and love them. Multiple points of adjustment allow for a custom fit, and the flexible dual-lined neoprene adds strength and buoyancy. The cordura edging and strategic Velcro areas optimize comfort. I’ve seen the Dive Bomb Adjustable Dog Vest withstand a great deal of punishment and it impressed me.

A vest that caught my attention this past season was one my hunting partner picked up. I’d never seen or heard of it, and when he insisted I come on a hunt in skinny water surrounded by massive groves of blackberry briars, just to see how the vest performed, I thought he’d lost his mind. This is a place we usually avoid hunting, or when we do hunt it, shoot selectively so ducks don’t fall in the dense tangle of sharp thorns, as there’s no way to get them, even with a dog. Enter Field Armor’s Waterfowl Dog Vest. The first wigeon my buddy, Austin Crowson, dumped in the massive tangle of thorns, made me wince when his 42-pound Lab dove in after it. “Just wait,” he smiled. I watched in disbelief as the little Lab weaved its way through the sharp thorns, disappeared into the dark tangle, and came back with the bird. This happened many times that day, and on more hunts throughout the season. Crowson said it’s the best dog vest he’s ever owned, and he lives for waterfowl hunting. The vest still looked like new at the end of the season, and the best part, his dog never incurred an injury and always seemed comfortable in it. This is one hunting dog vest I’ll be looking into next season for my hunting dogs, as the custom fit design and armor-like materials are nothing short of revolutionary. Field Armor also offers an Upland Dog Vest I’m eager to try.

While there are more dog vests out there made specifically for waterfowl hunting, these are ones I’ve personally used or seen in action, thus can speak to. Like you, I’m the owner of a hunting dog and rely on helpful information from fellow hunters to help me find the best performing gear, and that only comes with spending time afield, testing gear and making sure it works.

Potty Training Your Hunting Dog

In the last issue, the first installment of Gun Dog Training, we looked at several points to consider before getting a pup. Once you do that, and the pup is home, the training starts. While we’ll take a more extensive look at training in another issue, let’s first break down the very important task of potty training your pup.

Potty training begins the day you bring your pup home. Actually, it starts before you bring the pup home. Being prepared to successfully potty train a pup begins with having strategically placed kennels and pens near to doors to provide for quick access. It also starts by having one door being with a direct connection to the outdoors, where the dog will learn to go when it needs to go potty.

TWO KENNELS

I like having two kennels in the house when potty training. One is placed near the door where the pup will exit to go potty. The other is placed on a table or bench near my bed, where the new pup sleeps at night. I want the bedtime kennel at eye level, so the pup feels comfortable, but also where I can keep an eye on it throughout the night. This is not only a good way to monitor when the pup needs to go potty, it also establishes sleep patterns and fosters bonding.

A seven-or eight-week old puppy plays hard, then crashes. Before it falls asleep, take it out to go potty. When the pup is sleeping, never wake it up to go potty, however. But as soon at the pup awakens, get it out the door. Decide on a potty command that everyone in the family uses. You want your dog to learn how urinate on command. “Go potty” is our command, and all three of our dogs respond to it.

For the first week or two, you should physically carry the puppy outside once it’s taken from the kennel, placing it where you want it to potty. Once the pup estab- lishes a place to potty, it will keep going to that same spot. Carrying it out of the house ensures that it won’t stop to urinate inside the house.

After a couple weeks, when the pup awakens from a nap in the daytime kennel positioned near the door, let it walk outside on its own to go potty. This act will help it learn that when it has to potty, it should go to the door and walk to the established site.

Be sure to reward your pup with praise and petting when this happens. At this young age, physical contact is a big part of developing a bond between you and your dog, and positive reinforcement is the key to quick potty training. Some folks like rewarding with treats; I’m more for rewarding with praise.

KEEP PUP NEAR

During the day, I like placing a pup in a pen in my office. This gets it used to sleeping in a different place, allows me to keep an eye on it, develops bonding and when it wakes up, I can immediately get it outside to potty.

When the puppy is awake, take it outside to potty every 20-40 minutes. Male pups have to potty more frequently than females do, so every 20 minutes is not an overkill. Calling them to the door in the middle of playtime is a good way to teach them to go to the door when they have to potty. It’s also the start of teaching them the command to “Come.”

For the first week or so, at night when the pup is sleeping in the bedside kennel, take it out as soon as it begins to stir. Every two to three hours is typical. This will teach your pup that it’s not okay to potty in the kennel and it also helps develop the trust that you can be counted on.

I’ve had female pups be fully potty trained at three months of age, while males can take up to five months. After a few weeks of going potty out the same door of the house, start changing things up. Begin taking the pup out different doors and having it potty in different places, and even on different surfaces.

You don’t want a dog that always has to potty only on grass. Having a pup that will potty on gravel, sawdust, river rock, dirt and even pavement ensures that as it matures, it will potty on command, wherever you want it to.

LIMIT NIGHT WATER

After a pup is about a month of age, and in order to prevent accidents, don’t give the pup water two to three hours before bedtime. As a growing pup, they need water, but just limit it at nighttime.

Once the pup gets comfortable with going potty as soon as it gets outside, start carrying it to where you’ll eventually want it to relieve itself as an adult, usually further from the house. This will prevent the pup from doing its business next to a sidewalk and killing the grass. It’s nothing for a dog to go 50 yards or more before going potty, but you have to teach them that, early. As they mature and you teach them verbal commands and hand signals, you’ll be able to direct them to exactly where you want them to potty, at whatever distance.

Before you bring that pup home, have a potty-training plan in place. Be patient and positive, and don’t scold a pup for any accidents it has in the house for the first month or so. If you catch it in the act, sternly say “No,” pick it up and carry it outside to finish its business. Accidents will happen. Positive reinforcement will result in better, quicker results than negative actions since these can stress a pup and inflict uncertainty, along with a lack of respect for its humans.

Sit, Stay, Come

Teaching a puppy restraint is considered by many dog owners and trainers to be the most important element of raising a gun dog. But when should you start?

I like bringing a puppy home at seven weeks of age (Things to consider for your first pup). For the first week, the focus is on getting the pup used to its new home. Let it explore inside and out, using its nose and eyes to take it all in. Potty and crate training (read our article on potty training here) begin immediately, and playtime is very important in order to develop a strong bond.

At eight weeks of age, I like teaching a dog about restraint. Introducing the sit, stay and come commands can start at this time. Some dogs may vary in terms of how they respond, but most pups are ready for structure, and using bits of food to help direct them can expedite the learning process.

Pups are usually most teachable right after a nap and before going down for a nap. As soon as the pup wakes up in the morning, put a leash on it and carry it outside to potty. When opening the kennel door, do so calmly and slowly, since you don’t want them busting out of a crate, ever. Have some of the pup’s food in one hand, as you’ll start teaching it to sit as soon as it potties. This is the only time in a dog’s life I use treats to train.

With a little treat in hand, take the leash in the same hand and lift it, saying sit in a calm voice while showing a flat, open palm with the other hand. Do this with the hand about a foot from the pup’s nose. If you have to gently push on the pup’s hind end to get it to sit, that’s fine.

If the pup is reluctant to sit, forget about the hand signal right now. Instead, put the food in one hand, holding the leash in the other. Lift the leash to pull up on the dog’s head and simultaneously push the food in a closed hand, into the pup’s nose. The pup will smell and want to eat the food. With the pup’s focus being on the food, it now sits quickly and naturally as the food is forced closely to it. Calmly repeat the sit command when doing this. When the pup sits, praise it and say its name, repeatedly. Like: “Good boy Kona, good boy…good boy.” At the same time, give it a few kibbles of food.

Next, walk a few steps with the pup on a lead and repeat the process, ending with praise, petting the pup, and giving it a few more pieces of kibble once it sits.

Repeat until the kibble is gone, keeping the session short, no longer than two minutes.

Repeat the process every time the pup wakes up from a nap, about seven or eight times a day. Consistency is the key here, so don’t start it in the morning, go to work and expect the pup to respond to the same way nine hours later. Begin this training on the weekend, when you have a full day or two to consistently teach the pup. At the end of the day, you’ll have about 15 minutes of total teaching time in, and you’ll be amazed how quickly the pup will learn. By the end of day one, the last pup I trained was sitting 80% of the time just on the sit command alone, with no food prompt or lifting of the leash.

The next morning, progress from sit to stay. Once the pup is sitting, with the food in your hand, calmly repeat, stay. Holding the same open hand that was used as a visual cue to get the dog to sit will make it stay.

Visual and auditory commands are important to teach at this time, as the pup will soon be responding to each, individually. That is something that will be a big benefit when hunting and you are directing the dog at a long distance where it can’t hear you.

Sit and stay are almost one command and some trainers don’t feel a need to teach stay, which is fine.

The two can become differentiated as more advanced training takes place, but that’s up to the individual trainer and what verbal cues and hand signals are being used to communicate with your dog.

To teach the pup to stay, once it is sitting, hold the flat hand a foot from its nose and say stay. Now, hold the pup there for between one to three seconds. Before the pup breaks, take your open hand and quickly drop it to your side, saying the word come. So, the sequence sounds like this: “Sit…sit…stay…stay…stay…stay…come!” Saying the pup’s name before the sit command and before the come command will help develop name recognition.

When the pup comes to you, praise it, rub its ears and give it some kibble.

I like teaching the come command after we’ve played for a while, as the pup is tired and will naturally sit and stay easier, but it’s still eager to play. It associates coming to you as an opportunity to play. Eventually, you won’t even need kibble to entice it to come, as the pup’s reward is playing with you and pleasing you, not eating.

By day three, your pup will likely be sitting, staying, and coming to you on command. This is the day to introduce a whistle. With the pup staying, give the come command by dropping the open hand to your side and simultaneously blowing twice on a whistle.

There’s no need for a verbal come command as the pup will have learned the hand command. By the end of the day, the pup will likely be coming to the whistle prompt, alone.

A pup’s brain is like a sponge at two months of age. Keep the training fun, praise the dog and do not reprimand it. If the pup isn’t progressing the way you want, take more time. Evaluate what you’re doing to make sure your teaching is consistent and positive, and your communication is clear and concise. Do things right and it’s amazing how quickly a puppy can learn.

Note: To watch some basic dog training video tips by Scott Haugen, visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott’s adventures on Instagram and Facebook.

Crate Training Your Hunting Dog

First Step in Teaching Discipline

Crate training a puppy is one of the first steps—and one of the most important ones—in teaching a pup about discipline. Teaching discipline starts as soon as you bring the pup home at seven or eight weeks of age. The key to successfully crate training a puppy is consistency, patience, and a positive attitude.

Since the pup is away from its littler mates for the first time, that situation will require some adjustment. Crates are a new environment for your pup, and you will want to make the crate a place of comfort for them, not a place of punishment.

First Days

When picking up your pup from the breeder, take a towel or soft blanket to rub on its litter mates. Letting your pup smell the towel on its journey home, and once at home, will allow it to transition into its new home while having the familiarity of its littermates’ smells for comfort.

Before bringing your pup home, decide if it will sleep inside the house or outside. If sleeping inside the house, consider having three crates in place. Have a crate for outside the house, one inside the house nearest the door where you’ll be doing potty training, and if the pup sleeps indoors, another one in the room the puppy will sleep in.

If the pup will sleep inside with you, place a crate in the bedroom at eye level so the pup can see you throughout the night. This will allow you to comfort it by poking your fingers into the crate. This step will also help in potty training communication.

Having a crate by the door where you’ll be doing the potty training at ideal. The pup can take a nap there during the day, and the second it wakens, it can be quickly let out to potty. When outside with the pup, you don’t want it wandering out of sight, so having a crate to quickly place the pup in helps in maintaining control.

If the pup will eventually sleep outside as it grows, be sure to have a kennel or run with a proper doghouse in place. Having a crate to put your pup in now will help with this later transition.

Introduce the Car

Now is also the time to start crate training your puppy in a car. When driving anywhere, even if just a quick run to the post office or corner market, put the pup in a crate and take it with you.

Eventually, you’ll be taking the dog hunting on extended road trips, so now is the time to introduce it to the crate and all the activity that comes with road travel. If the pup is afraid, put the crate in the passenger seat with the door facing you so it can see you.

If the dog is afraid of the car and the road noise, have someone ride with your pup in the back seat, where they can hold and comfort it. These are all new experiences for the pup, so be patient and use common sense. This is a time to teach them, not scold them. Be sure to never leave a pup in an enclosed car in warm or extremely cold weather.

You want your pup to always associate the crates as a happy place. Never reprimand them and toss them in a crate. If they are uncontrollably yapping in a crate, avoid hollering at them and hitting the crate. Instead, try to calm them with your voice, reassuring them all is okay. For the first week or so, pups may only be in the crate for a few minutes at a time for several times a day. Most pups will calm down and get used to this new place within a few days. Find a rugged, safe chew toy the pup can keep busy with, as this will help in making crating a positive experience.

The goal is to get the pup entering and exiting the crate, under control. You want the pup walking into the crate on command, and this can take up to a few months or more to achieve. Then again, some pups pick it up in a matter of days.

Exiting Calmly

When letting the pup out of the crate, avoid talking to it in a high voice and getting it all excited. You want the pup to calmly and slowly exit the crate, under control. When opening the crate door, talk calmly to the pup, put a hand in front of its nose and as it emerges, rub its ears, neck, back, and rump. This will keep the dog calm and wanting to be touched, rather than letting it shoot out of the crate to run off and play. A lot of injuries happen when pups burst from their crate; these are injuries that can easily be avoided.

When putting the crate in elevated places like a car or the back of a truck, make sure the pup is under control when you open the door. If the pup bolts out of the crate uncontrollably, serious injury can be incurred. It can happen quickly, so always practice caution.

Crates should be a place of sanctuary and security for your pup. We use crates during family mealtimes and when we have a house full of guests. As a pup gets older it will enter and exit the crate on its own. My dogs are now six and eight years old and they enter and leave their crates on their own multiple times a day. A pup will learn that a crate is the best place for it to escape and rest. It’s a learned behavior that should be taught to pups at a young age.

Reading Body Language

One of the most important teaching tools a gun-dog owner has is his or her awareness. Being aware of your pup, what it is doing, what its eyes and body language are saying and being able to respond immediately to the situation in a positive or constructive fashion is important. It’s called recognizing a teachable moment, and it goes a long way in not only training your pup but in also making you a better trainer.

A pup’s brain is like a sponge, so the optimal learning window is relatively brief at this time. Behavioral habits and socialization skills are built within the first four months. Once you have the basic commands down and the pup is responding to them, you can continue progressing in your training.

For the first few months, keep training sessions short. Play a lot with your pup, both inside the house and outside. Get them into as many different environments as possible and have them around as many people as you can. Getting your eight- to 10-week-old pup around a half-dozen people a day—of all ages, sizes and ethnic backgrounds—is ideal. Avoid taking pups to dog parks, since you don’t want them coming into contact with dogs that may not be up-to-date on vaccinations or that may be overly aggressive at the sight of a puppy.

While I’ll spend a few hours a day playing with a pup, my actual training time consists of only about six to eight minutes. That time is broken into three sessions. When I’m training, I want the pup’s full attention and I don’t teach it something unless I have that. Time is valuable, and so is consistency when it comes to formal training. You’re the boss and the one who should always be in control, so make sure the pup knows that.

There’s a saying among many dog trainers that a cheap dog is an expensive dog to train, so keep that in mind when investing in a pup. What this means is that quality bloodlines are best when it comes to training hunting dogs. The more diluted the bloodline, the more stubborn, resistant and reluctant a pup can be to train. A dog’s lack of performance and willingness to please will quickly show on a hunt.

A lot of trainers will also tell you that before they even start training a dog, they spend a lot of time fixing it. This is because owners don’t spend time with their pups to build bonds and properly teach them the way they should. If the basic commands are not taught early, starting at seven or eight weeks of age, then it’s going to be challenging for anyone to teach restraint and disciplined commands as your pup grows.

Persistence, patience and socialization are keys to getting your pup into a consistent learning mode. Spending time with a pup gets it bonding with you, and that’s a must in order to effectively teach it as a pup matures. The more time you spend with your pup, even playing or cuddling on the couch, the more you’ll learn about it.

Watch your pup closely and get to know its behaviors as you continue teaching it. I never attempt to teach pups anything unless their eyes are on me and their ears are back or perked up. If their head is tilted slightly forward with their ears down, they are not focused on me. They are thinking of something else, like wanting food, wanting to run, or wanting to play with something in sight that may be distracting them. It’s up to you to get the pup’s full attention before trying to teach it anything. Trust your gut and react quickly to a dog’s immediate demeanor.

Short, simple verbal commands and consistent eye contact is all it takes to get a pup to watch you closely. Stay positive with your facial expressions and voice, making the learning experience fun for the dog. Be careful not to get too negative or overbearing or the pup won’t respect you and will tune you out. That certainly won’t help it reach its optimal level of performance.

By four months of age, pups are already reading your eyes, body language, voice inflection and facial cues. They know when you furrow your brows that they’ve done something wrong and could be in trouble. They can see a smile in your eyes, and their tails will start wagging and they’ll want to please you even more. They can read a smile and raised eyebrows, and know all is good. When a dog can predict your temperament, and you treat it well, it will be eager to please you. Then, it becomes easy to train during any teachable moment that arises.

By being consistent and communicating with your dog, you’re on the way to gaining its trust and respect. Puppies are smart. They just have to be taught the basics at an early age. By maintaining a calm, positive approach, a consistent training schedule, and capitalizing on teachable moments, you’ll be shaping a hunting companion that will provide memories you’ll never forget.

The Importance of Eye Contact in Dog Training

Key Strategies for Effective Communication with your Hunting Dog

“Your dogs are just sitting there, staring at you with such intensity?” noted a man I was teaching about how I trained my dogs to track birds. My dogs, Echo (5) and Kona (2) at the time, both pudelpointers, sat exactly where instructed, just as they’d been doing since they were 10 weeks old. Both dogs knew we were in training mode, and they were eagerly awaiting the next set of instructions. Actually, Echo and Kona were trying to read my eyes to see what my next action would be, which would key them in as to what their next command was going to be. In other words, their drive to please me was so intense, they were trying to anticipate what to do before I instructed them.

Eye contact is an important training tool you can develop. A dog that’s been trained to watch your eyes will actually be able to read your mind through your eyes, eagerly trying to please you before you even tell it what to do. The man I was coaching how to train dogs, was blown away by this, but when I explained what was happening, it made perfect sense to him.

The man I was working with was a dentist and had three high school and college age children. “When you were raising your kids, or when you talk to your patients and you need to tell them something important, what’s the first thing you do?” I asked. “Well, I make sure I have their attention before talking,” the man came back. “And you affirm that by eye contact, right?” I responded. He smiled as the lightbulb turned on.

The gentleman was new to dog training and didn’t understand the high level of intelligence a hunting dog from a quality bloodline possesses. Nor did he realize their drive to please their master.

I was a science teacher for over a decade before getting into the outdoor industry full time, 24 years ago. My wife and I have two sons in their 20s. Eye contact is the focal point of establishing clear communication in our marriage, with our children, even with our dogs.

Eye contact starts the moment you bring a puppy home. The easiest way we’ve found to get a puppy to look at you is by holding a small piece of kibble by your eye while giving the command, “look at me.” You want the puppy to look into your eyes before giving the next command. Whatever command you give should maintain the same positive inflection every time, for the life of the dog. And every family member should communicate the same way, with the same words and tone, in order for the dog to understand what’s expected.

If family members have a hand in training the pup, make sure everyone is on the same page. Not only is it important to give directions using the exact same words, but to also deliver them in a consistent manner and with the same exact tone. It’s best to establish control of the pup through eye contact before giving any directives. By holding a treat next to your eye, teach the pup to look into your eye as soon as you get it home, as this will calm the pup and establish that you’re the one in control. Quickly, the pup will learn that another command like “sit” or “come” is quick to follow. From there, they’ll be looking to please you as other commands come.

When training, no matter how bright the sun is shining, I never wear sun glasses. If wearing a hat, make sure the brim is up so the dog can see your eyes. Most dogs are so tuned in to reading your thoughts through your eyes, covering your eyes will only confuse them and make it harder for them to read you. They’ll be able to sense if you’re happy, sad, mad or frustrated, all through simply looking at your eyes, without a word being said.

As training sessions progress into retrieving, tracking, hand signal training, and more, you’ll see your puppy wanting to make eye contact with you as soon as possible. If a puppy respects you, it will want to please you, and this will lead to a dog that’s willing to work hard to make you happy.

When your pup does well, praise it, and be sure to look into it’s eyes and offer a smile, even a treat. Often, no words are needed, as they can see the sincerity in your eyes. This look of approval, alone, is often all it takes to praise a pup and keep it motivated. If you’re into rewarding dogs by giving them a treat, this can help maintain their focus and build their motivation to please you.

From eight weeks of age throughout your dog’s entire life, eye contact will be one of the most important tools of communication you’ll rely on. Start early, use it every day, and be consistent. When a pup respects you, it’ll do anything to please you, even to the point of reading your mind and knowing what your next move will be, before you make it.

Bonding & Planning Fun Together

Summer vacation is finally here, and with it comes warm weather and a burning desire to get outside. Wherever you go this summer, take your dog with you when possible.

Just like you, dogs enjoy being out and experiencing new things. The more settings and situations you can get them in, the more well-rounded, happy and disciplined your gun dog will be. And the sooner in their life you can do this, the better it is for both of you.

Socializing your gun dog pup is one of the most important things you can offer it. Remember, hunting dogs are intelligent and they need mental stimulation. Take your dog on walks in the park, to the beach, on mountain trails and even around town. The more environments your dog can be in, the less stressed it will be when it encounters new settings and people on future hunting trips.

Meeting people on hiking trails, at the beach and in the park is a great way to socialize your dog. Most folks love meeting dogs, especially puppies, so the more people your pup comes into contact with, the better.

When your pup meets strangers, be prepared for the situation. Have your pup on a leash and control it. If you’re on remote trails, having it on a long check cord is fine. Look ahead to see what other people and their dogs are doing. If someone is letting their dog run wildly, bring your dog in close to you and get control of it. You should be ready to pick your dog up if the other dog turns on it. Unfortunately, not all dogs are friendly and want to play; some are looking for a fight.

Avoid letting your puppy run toward or jump up on strangers. It’s best to have the pup sit at your feet and let the stranger approach you slowly. It’s good if the approaching person is calm and extends an outstretched hand, not acting overly excited in either voice or physical actions. It’s best if the person can make eye contact and smile at the pup since dogs acutely read people’s expressions. The same goes for you when meeting someone else’s pup.

As the stranger gets near to greet your dog, encourage the person to stay standing rather than kneeling to the level of the dog. This will help ensure the dog maintains its composure and doesn’t get overly excited and jump up on the stranger. Consistency is key in this training process, and this is when you teach a dog that it’s not okay to jump up on people, no matter how excited they are or how cute that may seem.

Summer is also a great time to expose your pup to water. The further into summer we get, the warmer the water will be, so take advantage of that situation. Regularly taking your pup to ponds, lakes, creeks and rivers, and even to the beach, will help get it used to the many forms of water it may encounter come hunting season. Make sure the water is clean and free of algae.

If your dog is reluctant to get in the water, having a bumper to get the dog excited can help. For this, set aside the dog’s favorite bumper, as they will recognize it and desire it more. Some dogs get particularly excited over duck and goose training dummies, and this can be just the ticket for getting them inspired about water entry in unfamiliar places.

If your pup is young and entering water for the first time, you may need to get in the water with it. Whether that is in a swimming pool, lake, or river, your presence in the water sends the message that all is safe. The more fun you can have the swimming experience, the more likely your pup will join you in the water.

If your pup avoids getting into cold water, perhaps a heated outdoor swimming pool is where you’ll need to start. In this situation, hold the pup and support it when it swims. Playing with a bumper in the pool can divert attention from getting wet and wanting to retrieve and interact with you. This is where praise is important, so reward your pup and have fun. The hope is the pup will be so focused on retrieving or playing with you that it will forget about the uncomfortable feeling of being wet.

Swimming is not only fun, it’s also one of the best workouts a dog can get. It’s also low impact, an aspect that will greatly aid in keeping an aging dog in shape. If the dog will swim by you, hop into a canoe or onto a paddle board and let the pup swim alongside. If the dog gets cold or if it needs a rest, take a break sooner rather than later. Don’t push too hard, since you want the experience to be positive and you’ll want your pup wanting more.

The key to successful summer training sessions and introducing your gun dog pup to new things is keeping it fun. Just like kids who are on summer break, dogs want to have fun, too.

The more experiences you can introduce to your dog, and the more people it can meet, the tighter the bond will become between the two of you. Summer is a great time to brighten your dog’s world, all while having fun, instilling discipline, and developing consistent communication. And with the whole summer ahead, there’s a lot of fun to look forward to.

Traveling With a Hunting Dog

It’s August, and now is a good time to finalize road trips you’ll soon be taking with your gun dog. Just like you, your hunting dog needs to have all the gear, food and first aid supplies ready for travel.

If you are traveling to other states or Canada, make sure your dog is up to date on rabies and any other vaccinations that may be required or recommended. If you’re hunting in Canada, you’ll need a current health certificate that is issued by your vet.

You’ll also want to be sure to get a first aid kit ready for your dog. It should include all medications, plus bandages, tape, gauze and ear/eye ointments the dog might need. Don’t forget to include anti-inflammatory, joint, and pain relief medicines.

Before hitting the road, make a list of veterinary clinics in the areas where you’ll be traveling. Check for locations that are open after normal work hours and on weekends, since that is when most hunting takes place. Keep the phone numbers of those locations easily accessible so you can immediately contact the clinic when you’re in the field should an emergency develop. If your dog tangles with a porcupine, tears a pad or requires immediate attention, you don’t want to waste valuable time searching for a pet hospital.

If your dog travels in a kennel, make sure the kennel is firmly secured so it doesn’t slide around on the bed of your truck. I find that a Gunner kennel is hard to beat. Taking a blanket or sheet to put on hotel beds and furniture is handy since it will help keep those surfaces clean. You’ll also want to take along a supply of grubby towels for the dogs, especially for times when it’s wet and muddy where you’re hunting.

Don’t forget to take food and water bowls. I’ve been using Yeti’s Boomer Bowls since they first came out.  The stainless-steel bowl is the most durable one I’ve used, and it is ideal for rugged road travel. The non-slip bottom is perfect, and the bowl is easy to clean. It’s also a nice bowl to use for water since it helps keep the water cool. Both of my dogs have these bowls, and I’ve never had to replace them. Be sure that you also take along plenty of water for your dog.

When you’re traveling with dog food, I suggest using the new Gunner Food Crate to keep it fresh (whether in the original bag or just in the crate).  I’ve been using the 30-pound crate for six months, and I love it. It’s tough and portable, and it’s also water-, dust- and odor-proof. It also fends off moisture, UV light, rancid conditions and potential mold. It is constructed with a nylon lid, a draw-style lockable latch and elevated rubber feet. The Food Crate 30 protects dog food from adverse temperatures, too, which helps reduce the potential risk of bacteria contaminating your dog food.

If you’re a fan of treats, I find great choices for the road include freeze-dried foods (for use in the field) and raw or canned foods that can be used as toppers. Freeze-dried foods don’t leave oil in your pockets and are a great protein source. Food toppers offer a fun, healthy change for your dog’s diet. Large cow bones, gambrel tendons, and bully sticks are good to bring on road trips, too. Your dog will thank you.

If you have a selection of leashes and collars for your dog, bring them along. I have a one-foot leash I like using when walking in populated areas and around other dogs where immediate obedience is a must. I use a three-foot leash in small areas, and an eight-foot leash in open areas where I can give the dog a bit more freedom while still maintaining control.

Some of my buddies keep a short, four-inch-long rope on their dog’s collars, or you can get a tab leash. These are short leashes that are great for quick control of your dog, be it in the field, walking them through public parking areas as you head into or out of a hunting area, or escorting them into a vet’s office.

It’s a good idea to bring an extra collar along as well. I like collars with a built-in reflective strip. They allow me to see the collar in the dark with I shine my flashlight beam at them. I have my collars custom-engraved with the word “reward” on it, along with three phone numbers: my cell number, my wife’s cell number and our home phone number. Do not engrave your dog’s name on any collar as you don’t want someone picking them up and knowing their name. This is how many dogs come to be successfully stolen. If a dog is lost, you want someone to call so you can get your dog back and pay them for their efforts.

Finally, don’t forget dog vests, your E-collar, remote control and charger, as well as a hairbrush and nail clippers. Nail clippers are a great tool to trim splitting nails. A brush might be needed multiple times a day to remove noxious seeds.

When you plan your gun dog’s travel list, it’s likely to be longer than you may have expected. This truly shows the importance of being organized when you pack for the field so you don’t forget something. Your dog is your hunting partner, and it needs you to make sure they have everything it needs when it hits the road with you in hunting season.

Water Training Your Hunting Dog

The dog days of summer mean plenty of sunshine and high temperatures. It’s the perfect time to raise the bar for water training your dog in preparation for the hunting season. Once your dog is comfortable retrieving bumpers in calm water, increase the challenges. Prior to hunting season, you want your dog to be able to confidently navigate a range of conditions and situations, and in order to do this, they need practice.

A good starting point is in tall grass, especially with a pup who’ll be hunting for the first time this season. Grass that’s growing in water can tangle in a dog’s feet and feel uncomfortable at first. By tossing the bumper on to the edge of the tall grass, the dog can get a feeling for what it’s going to be like swimming through floating grass. As the dog gets comfortable with the sparse grass on the edge, toss the bumper into thicker grass. This progression is fast for some dogs, slower for others, so closely gauge your dog’s demeanor.  Sometimes grass grows several feet tall, meaning the dog won’t be able to touch bottom. Conversely, thick grass close to shore may be sprouting from a muddy bottom, even firm ground. Being able to subject the dog to retrieving in grassy conditions with varied bottoms will help it get used to what it’s going to potentially encounter on the hunt.

If planning on hunting waterfowl in deep lakes or rivers, practice retrieves in these settings. Tossing a bumper into deep water will get your dog swimming strong, and in shape. In fact, swimming is one of the best ways to get your dog in hunting shape and keep excess weight off.

If hunting in rivers where there’s a current, slowly introduce your dog to this. River currents can be dangerous and claim the lives of dogs every year. When it comes time to introduce your dog to retrieving in currents, start in mild-flowing creeks, canals, or small streams. Using a neoprene dog vest during training if you’ll be using it also during hunting is a good idea as it gets the dog used to the feel of it, and it adds buoyancy. Don’t start in currents that swiftly sweep the bumper away and carry the dog 50 yards downstream before it can make the retrieve. Instead, toss the bumper into a gentle current where the dog can easily mark the moving bumper, hear your voice commands and maintain eye contact with you for reassurance.

As the dog grows comfortable with simple retrieves in moving water, progress to bigger currents. Here, the dog may rely on hand signals from you to help guide it to a bumper it loses sight of it. Waves in rapids, even on windy days on a lake, can cover a bumper or a bird. It’s easy for you to see a bumper or bird while standing on shore, but remember, a dog’s eyes are only a couple inches above the water, and they may need help marking.

Not long ago a buddy and I hunted a river bottom for pheasant and quail. He didn’t duck hunt. I did. Over half the birds we shot fell in the river and my dog couldn’t get on them fast enough. My buddy’s dog was very reluctant to retrieve in the water for the simple fact he’d done very little training in that situation. Even if you strictly hunt upland birds, your dog needs to be trained to retrieve in water.

Another good practice session is training on shorelines laden in sticks, logs and debris. Often times on bird hunts we find ourselves on shorelines that are thick with debris that’s been blown in, be it from erosion, fires or winter ice storms. These are good places to introduce your dog to prior to the hunt, as the obstacles can loom large to them. Start simple and be sure to keep it safe. Set up your dog for success, right away. The quicker they succeed, the more confident they become, the faster and more effectively they retrieve. If your dog is struggling, you may need to get in with it and be playful to make it fun. Don’t force it, as your dog’s safety is the number one priority.

Tossing a bumper into brush growing at water’s edge is also a good idea. When hunting wood ducks or mallards in the timber, cripples can quickly escape into thick shoreline cover. Teaching your dog how to negotiate and plow through such obstacles is essential.

Finally, if you have two dogs you plan on hunting with at the same time, train them, together. Even if you have a dog and your hunting partner has a dog that you intend to hunt together, practice together and get your commands lined out. The dogs should get to know one another and establish a relationship. I’ve seen a number of hunts turn bad when one dog suddenly tries to establish dominance over another dog. Driven dogs can be very possessive when it comes to not only retrieving birds, but also pleasing their master.

With the hottest days of summer upon us, now’s the time to get your dog some intense water training. It’s time well spent and will get your dog in shape for the upcoming season.

Shed Hunting With Your Dog

The old logging road on which my dogs and I walked was no longer drivable. It was covered in grass and clover, bordered by Scotch broom on one side, timber on the other. It was the perfect habitat for the mountain quail we were hunting.

Echo, my three year old pudelpointer, took the lead. Nose to the ground she worked hard, 40 yards ahead. By her side was Kona, my three month old pudelpointer. Echo had been on numerous hunts and was proving a good mentor to Kona.

As Echo moved forward, Kona stopped and went on point. He held, looking into a tiny clearing along the side of the road. Figuring he saw a squirrel or songbird, I kept approaching. Then Kona pounced out of sight, appearing seconds later with a bleached shed antler.

Kona’s giraffe-like legs, big paws and floppy ears speedily whirled in every direction, as he couldn’t get the shed to me fast enough. I praised him and tossed the shed out for a short retrieve. Kona was immediately on it. We repeated the fetch, then I praised him and put the shed in my pack. It was a moment I’ll never forget, Kona’s first shed.

I trained both of my dogs to locate bleached shed antlers. I also taught them to sniff out fresh sheds, something we weren’t going to find on this October outing. In this case, I wanted to reward Kona for finding the shed, and we did that through a quick game of fetch, rubbing his hears and praising him. I put the shed away when Kona still desired it. I didn’t let him chew on it, engage in tug of war or let him run off in a possessive manner. I wanted him to give up the antler while excited and let him know he did good.

With spring shed hunting upon us, when taking your pup out on its first shed hunt, make the effort to guarantee success. Training a dog to hunt sheds is far different than hunting them, as actual finds can be hours, if not days apart. But you still want to instill success in order to let the pup know what they’re supposed to be doing, and doing it right.

Just because you’re shed hunting with a dog, don’t expect miracles. Dogs can’t find sheds that aren’t there. Hunting in areas you know bucks to be in January through March, when dropping their antlers, will obviously boost success rates. The same goes for elk which are dropping their antlers from late February into mid-April.

If your pup hasn’t found any sheds after an hour or two of looking, plant one or two. Prior to leaving home, slip a couple sheds into your pack. Be sure and wash them and handle them with rubber gloves to eliminate your scent. I like roughing them up with abrasive paper to enhance the smell of fresh bone so the pup can detect it.

When the pup is in the brush, searching, take a shed from your pack and toss it into a place where the pup will find it. Ideally, this is into a headwind where the dog can smell it prior to seeing it. Make sure to toss out the shed when the pup can’t see you. Wearing a rubber glove when doing this will keep the oils from your hand getting on the shed, which the pup will surely smell.

Planting sheds, even when hunting for them, keeps pups optimistic and educates them as to what it is they are looking for. It’s not an overkill to do this a few times a morning when you’re not finding any sheds.

You can also plant old, bleached sheds for the pup to find. Again, handle them with rubber gloves to mask your scent. When the dog is working a brushy draw or timber, out of sight, toss the bleached shed as far as you can, into an open place where you can see it. Sometimes I’ll have my dog sit, and I’ll walk 75 yards ahead, out of sight, plant the bleached shed, then call my dog. From there, the search is on.

Encourage the pup to work the area where the bleached shed is laying. If the pup can’t find it, guide the pup to it by hand and whistle signals. I’ve had my dogs retrieve many bleached sheds that I guided them to in this way. Keep in mind that when a dog is sniffing for sheds, their eyes are only inches off the ground, so they can’t see what we can. For this reason, be sure to position the white shed where they can see it. Bleached sheds carry little or no odor, and are located and fetched by sight, meaning the dog has to initially see them, not smell them. By guiding pups to bleached sheds, they’ll learn to trust what you’re communicating to them while simultaneously learning what to look for, and sight-recognition is a big part of shed hunting success.

If you’re not finding as many shed antlers as you’d hoped this spring and summer, take the time to teach your dog what to look for by planting sheds. Besides, practice makes perfect and the more success a pup has, the more they’ll learn and the greater their desire to find sheds will be.

The First Hunt

It was my first hunt in eastern Oregon with my dog, Echo. She was eight months old. By now, she had two months of hunting in western Oregon behind her, but the terrain and habitat we hunted in the Umatilla Valley of eastern Oregon was different than anything she’d experienced. Here, it was dry and rocky with lots of different grasses.

The valley was laden with pheasant and valley quail, and we found chukars higher in the hills. There were plenty of ducks on the river, which we jump shot and Echo retrieved. We had a good hunt, and I learned a lot about taking my pup to a new place for the first time.

Whether you’re embarking upon your pup’s first hunt or heading to a new destination this season, there are certain things to consider.

Echo is a pudelpointer with a medium-length coat. Before the hunt I plucked the long hair from inside her ears in order to prevent grass seeds from getting caught and potentially burrowing in deeper. I started plucking her ear hair when she was a puppy, so she was used to it. It’s something I still do every few weeks, and she’s nine years old now.

If you have trouble grabbing the hair inside the ear canal, get a hemostat. With this you can grab the hair and twirl it around the end of the hemostat, just as you’d twirl spaghetti on to a fork. The hair should pull out as you roll it tight, but if not, give it a quick tug.

Seeds that have the potential of burrowing, like foxtail, can do severe damage to a dog, especially if they get deep into the ear canal. They’ll also enter the body through the foot and burrow into muscles and joints.

When hunting or training in areas where foxtail seeds are present, regularly check the dog’s eyes, nose and mouth for the seeds, along with the paws and belly. Remove these barbed, needle-sharp seeds, immediately, no matter where on the dog they may be. If one burrows into the dog, get it to a vet within five days. If it doesn’t look like the seed is going to fester out, it may need to be surgically removed and your pup put on antibiotics. With the country’s dry conditions, harmful grass seeds are at an all-time high in many regions.

If it’s long, you’ll want to trim the hair between the toes and pads of your dog. Not only can foxtail seeds get caught and burrow into the webbing between the toes, but any seed can get caught in the long hair and ball- up, making it uncomfortable on your dog. It can actually wear on the skin between the pads to the point your pup might not be able to hunt.

Echo has long hair, and due to seeds collecting in her coat on the first morning of our dry country hunt, I put a vest on her the next outing. The vest was fluorescent orange and was noisy. She didn’t like it, and was a totally different dog with it on. She was reluctant to move through any cover, for the sound annoyed her. After an hour of frustration, I removed the vest and she hunted great. I should have done more training with the vest on, prior to her hunting in it.

Many dogs don’t want to take a water break, no matter how hot it is. In hot, dry conditions commonly associated with early season hunts, be sure to make them drink. If your dog is so driven that all it wants to do is hunt, make it stop and sit by your side. Grab the loose skin on the outside corner of the mouth and pull it away from the jaw, then insert the end of the bottle into that pocket and pour away. Your dog will have to drink.

You’ll also want to wet down your dog on hot days to keep their body temperature from getting too high. But don’t just dump water on your dog’s back and call it good because the coats of some dogs will actually trap the water which holds in more heat and can lead to hyperthermia. Instead, get their feet and legs wet, splash water between their legs, in the armpits, and on the belly, and pour and rub some behind their ears; you can rub water on the inside of the ears, too. Getting water to the places where the hair is thin helps quickly cool a dog.

Any time you run across water on hot, early season hunts, make your dog take a break. Make sure the water is fresh and not stagnant. If there’s little or no water where you’re hunting, take plenty along for your dog.

Dogs are like humans in that they need to stay hydrated. The harder the dog works and the hotter it is, the more water they need. Be on constant alert for signs of heat heat exhaustion, like heavy panting and a relaxed tongue hanging out of the mouth.

Taking a hair brush into the field isn’t a bad idea. If your dog gets into a thicket of seeds, it’s much quicker brushing them out or using a razor brush to cut them out, than pulling them by hand. You may need to shave your dog before hunting season.

If hunting in dry, rocky terrain, take along dog boots, especially if your dog’s pads aren’t toughened up. If a dog’s feet split open, they are out of commission, period.

Having some ointment to apply to open wounds is a must, as is taking an antiseptic spray. I also carry eye drops, for if they get an allergic reaction, I want to be ready.

With the height of bird season upon us, head afield prepared. Be sure to have all the gear you and your pup need for a fun, safe, successful season.

Duck Hunting

Though waterfowl season throughout the country has been underway for a few weeks, November marks the start of the best hunting. Cold days, rainy weather, and migrating ducks and geese means the hunting is only going to get better as the season goes on. With the changing conditions, make sure your pup is ready for the hunt.

If this is the first season of waterfowl hunting with your pup, make certain you’re doing all you can to ensure the dog’s safety and comfort. When hunting waterfowl from a blind, having a platform for the dog to stand on is important. A platform allows the dog to stand all day, out of the water, and stay dry. Forcing a dog to stand in the water all day can be very cold and unhealthy, especially if there are any open wounds or cuts on the feet.

Platforms also keep your dog dry and comfortable, allowing them to be an active part of the hunt by marking approaching ducks and geese. Start this early in life and in a few years they’ll be spotting more birds than you, which is one of the greatest joys of waterfowl hunting with a dog.

There are dog stands that attach to trees, folding dog stands that can stand in shallow water, and stands with covers on them which act as a blind for your dog. It’s a good idea to do some work with your pup before the hunt so it knows its place and what the purpose of the stand or blind, serves.

If hunting on dry ground, dog blinds are a good idea. If it’s a permanent ground blind you’re hunting from, you can build a box frame for the dog and line it with straw or a mat to keep the dog warm. Be sure that whatever you put in the blind for the dog to sit or lay on, allows water to drain. You don’t want the dog coming in soaking wet on every retrieve and have to lay in water.

A dog vest is also essential for keeping a dog warm on cold days. I like neoprene as it insulates and adds lift, making it easier for the dog to swim long distances and retrieve bigger birds. A vest with a handle on the back is nice in case you have to lift the dog into a boat, blind, or help it up a muddy bank.

Make sure the vest fits your dog’s body type and size. My dogs are both pudelpointers and are big in the shoulders and chest, small in the hind quarters, and I found a Browning neoprene vest fits them, best. I went through a half-dozen brands to find the one that fit right and didn’t rub them raw under the legs and chest.

Before the hunt be sure to run your dog with the vest on. Make sure it fits right, and if needed, trim places where it’s rubbing, usually behind the shoulders and between the legs and underside of the chest. If hunting amid cattails, rushes, and thick reeds, having a dog vest with a sturdy, yet flexible chest plate is great for helping break through these messes, and it guards them from getting cut. A chest plate also helps protect dogs when busting through ice later in the season.

On the morning of the hunt I never feed my dogs. I take their food in the truck and don’t give it to them until after the hunt, as I want no food in their stomachs when hunting. Stomach twist is a very real and a deadly threat, I know, Kona, my male pudelpointer experienced it when he was four years old. Fortunately we were home and could get him to a vet right away where he underwent an emergency surgery that saved him. Had it happened in the field he would have been dead before I could reach help.

If hunting on dry ground where dogs don’t have access to water, take drinking water for them. Make sure your dog drinks no matter how cold it is outside. Dogs lose a lot of moisture just by breathing and they expend a lot of energy running and swimming. Just like you, dogs must stay hydrated when afield. If they won’t drink make them. Take a squirt style water bottle, grab the corner of the dog’s lip, pull it away from the corner or the jaw, insert the bottle and squeeze water into the pocket. They have to drink it.

If hunting in fields or areas of tall grass and weeds, it’s a good idea to take a fine-toothed brush along if you own a dog with long hair. You don’t want to get seeds or burs matted into the wet hide, especially under the dog vest, so combing or even cutting them out is a good move. This can be done when there’s a lull in the action.

As winter continues to approach, along with the ducks and geese, make sure your dog is comfortable and safe. With the best days of the season still ahead, you want your dog in top physical condition so you’ll be able to enjoy each and every hunt together.