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Training Tips

Here's how we make the most of each hunt
Training Tips

Categories:

Advanced, Basic, Hound, Puppy, Upland, Waterfowl

Hunter giving water to an english setterHunter giving water to an english setter

Avoiding and Dealing with Heat Emergencies

by The SportDOG Staff

Take some time to understand the many factors that can lead to a heat emergency, prepare for your outings to avoid such an emergency, and then have an action plan in place to deal with the Big 3: heat stress, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Dog runing through tall grassDog runing through tall grass

Think Smart when it Comes to Summer Training

by Shawn Kinkelaar

The list of things you can work on with your pointing dog during the summer months to prepare for the upcoming hunting season is plenty long. In addition to training and/or revisiting things from the last hunting season that need improvement, this is also a time to keep up with...

Mid-Season Tune-Ups for Your RetrieverMid-Season Tune-Ups for Your Retriever

Mid-Season Tune-Ups for Your Retriever

by Tom Dokken

Hunting season! Time for all your summer training and hard work to pay off. Thankfully, your waterfowl dog is now perfectly behaved and executes every command and retrieve with precision, right? Wait, you’re saying that’s not true? That’s OK. I’m mostly kidding because the truth is that none of our...

A Great Summertime Water Drill for RetrieversA Great Summertime Water Drill for Retrievers

A Great Summertime Water Drill for Retrievers

by Chris Akin

If you have a young retriever and you’re looking for a great summertime training exercise, I’ve got one that’s super-simple but is also productive and educational for both you and your dog. The drill I’m going to describe is pretty basic as a “de-cheating” method, but it actually accomplishes much more...

pointer on leash standing next to handlerpointer on leash standing next to handler

How to Avoid Hot-Weather Trouble

by LTC Jim Morehouse

I would hope that most hunters understand how important it is to keep their dogs in shape year-round. You certainly can’t let your dog lie around all summer and then expect it to put in full days when hunting season opens this fall. However, training and exercising your dog year-round does...

two black lab puppies in the water next to man stand in water holding pigeontwo black lab puppies in the water next to man stand in water holding pigeon

The RIGHT Way to Introduce Your Retriever Pup to Water

by Lyle Steinman

My method for introducing a young dog to water is tied to my expectation that that dog comes from a line of retrievers that absolutely thrive on the challenge of water work, whether it’s during a hunt test, field trial or waterfowl hunting. Start with good genetics. Do your pup’s...

Off-Season Tune-Ups for a Better FallOff-Season Tune-Ups for a Better Fall

Off-Season Tune-Ups for a Better Fall

by Tom Dokken

Sometimes during hunting season our dogs “get away with stuff,” for lack of a better description. This happens to everyone because, let’s face it, when the hunting is good, stopping to work on training isn’t top of mind. After all, bird seasons only last for a few short weeks or...

yellow lab laying down behind fence flagsyellow lab laying down behind fence flags

6 Tips for Containment System Training

by Charlie Jurney

Judging by the number of homes whose yards are decorated with white pet containment training flags these days, it seems that in-ground fencing has gone mainstream. It’s great that dog owners are taking responsibility for keeping their pets from wandering. While the basics of setting up and training a dog...

man sitting on ground looking at TEK handheld screen. Vast land in front of himman sitting on ground looking at TEK handheld screen. Vast land in front of him

Using the TEK 2.0 in the Big, Wide Open

by Ben Garcia

Hunting with English setters, English Pointers and Brittany spaniels provides me with a lot of variety in my bird hunting. I want my dogs to cover lots and lots of ground, so I really let them stretch the horizon. While some of them work more closely than others, I’m confident...

Two hunting hound dogs barking up a tree at night with handler following behind with a headlamp on.Two hunting hound dogs barking up a tree at night with handler following behind with a headlamp on.

3 Reasons to Use TEK 2.0 for Coon Hunting

by Kim Bishop

Keeping tabs on my Treeing Walkers in the mountains of North Carolina is a tall task. It’s really challenging terrain from the standpoint of both navigating through it and also being able to hear my dogs when they’re on a track or treed. One of the perks of being a...

man sitting in vast wilderness looking at TEK 2.0 handheld screenman sitting in vast wilderness looking at TEK 2.0 handheld screen

TEK 2.0: Utilizing the Trip Computer

by Matt Mates

If you’ve paid attention to the reviews for the TEK 2.0 system from SportDOG Brand®, you know that hunters are really impressed with the mapping feature. Count me as one of them. While a lot of hunters and dog handlers rely on the screen’s information to help them locate a...

two beagles wearing GPS collars running through fieldtwo beagles wearing GPS collars running through field

TEK 2.0: Voice Feature

by Jeffrey Wood

The SportDOG Brand TEK 2.0 e-collar and tracking unit has turned out to be a fantastic addition to my training tools. I train my Mountain Curs hard year round. During the hottest summer days, I train first thing in the morning, and then again in the evening. I’ve been using...

Draathar wearing GPS collar on red strap with cloudy background.Draathar wearing GPS collar on red strap with cloudy background.

5 Tips for TEK 2.0

by Aaron Robinson

When it comes to choosing an e-collar you must consider several key factors before deciding which unit is ideal for you. First, consider your canine hunting companion. Is your dog close working, or a “horizon chaser”? Second, what is your primary hunting species? For example, are you a hunter who likes...

Controlling Multiple DogsControlling Multiple Dogs

Controlling Multiple Dogs

by The SportDOG Staff

One of the questions I am asked most is, "how do you control so many hounds at once?" Well that's easy: you need a good multiple dog training system like the SportDOG Brand® HoundHunter® 3225 with 2 mile range. Then you need to know each of your hounds individually. Hounds...

Gun Shy Dogs Can BlossomGun Shy Dogs Can Blossom

Gun Shy Dogs Can Blossom

by The SportDOG Staff

Every dog training book will preach that you must be so very careful when introducing a young dog to the sight, and especially the sound of a shotgun, but rarely will they tell you how to cure a gun shy dog. Some dog training veterans simply will not try. It...

Draathar running through snowDraathar running through snow

Rigors of a Tough Hunting Season

by The SportDOG Staff

During the 2009-2010 hunting season, most of us endured our most interesting upland season in quite some time. The entire country experienced unique weather conditions this fall and winter. Hard winters often turn most of our thoughts and concerns towards, "how are the birds going to make it"? A question...

AUTHORS

Dave has been training dogs with SportDOG Brand® remote trainers for over 6 years. He has trained numerous labs for upland and waterfowl hunting.Dave has been training dogs with SportDOG Brand® remote trainers for over 6 years. He has trained numerous labs for upland and waterfowl hunting.

David Siple

1 article

Dave has been training dogs with SportDOG Brand® remote trainers for over 6 years. He has trained numerous labs for upland and waterfowl hunting.

Shawn Kinkelaar was born and raised in the town of Effingham in central Illinois. Kinkelaar grew up hunting quail and pheasant over pointing dogs with his grandfather and uncle. He began field trialing in the early 1980s and in the late 1980s he began working for and with several of...Shawn Kinkelaar was born and raised in the town of Effingham in central Illinois. Kinkelaar grew up hunting quail and pheasant over pointing dogs with his grandfather and uncle. He began field trialing in the early 1980s and in the late 1980s he began working for and with several of...

Shawn Kinkelaar

3 articles

Shawn Kinkelaar was born and raised in the town of Effingham in central Illinois. Kinkelaar grew up hunting quail and pheasant over pointing dogs with his grandfather and uncle. He began field trialing in the early 1980s and in the late 1980s he began working for and with several of...

Born and raised in the mountains of western North Carolina, Kim Bishop, along with his wife Kirsten, own K&K Kennels. Kim has been competition hunting with hounds since the age of 18, has made four UKC and three AKC World appearances, and has many titles under his belt, including four...Born and raised in the mountains of western North Carolina, Kim Bishop, along with his wife Kirsten, own K&K Kennels. Kim has been competition hunting with hounds since the age of 18, has made four UKC and three AKC World appearances, and has many titles under his belt, including four...

Kim Bishop

2 articles

Born and raised in the mountains of western North Carolina, Kim Bishop, along with his wife Kirsten, own K&K Kennels. Kim has been competition hunting with hounds since the age of 18, has made four UKC and three AKC World appearances, and has many titles under his belt, including four...

Owning Labrador Retrievers since the age of 9 has given Lynne a rare opportunity. She learned to listen to her dogs. They have taught her more than she has taught them, and to think any differently would be an error on her part, according to Lynne.
	
	She has had the pleasure...Owning Labrador Retrievers since the age of 9 has given Lynne a rare opportunity. She learned to listen to her dogs. They have taught her more than she has taught them, and to think any differently would be an error on her part, according to Lynne.
	
	She has had the pleasure...

Lynne Frady

2 articles

Owning Labrador Retrievers since the age of 9 has given Lynne a rare opportunity. She learned to listen to her dogs. They have taught her more than she has taught them, and to think any differently would be an error on her part, according to Lynne. She has had the pleasure...


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