Patrick Flanagan
Scottsdale, AZ
Background
I grew up with a few bird dogs. 2 nice little Brittney Spaniels and a few very athletic German Shorthaired Pointers. After I got out of the Navy I wanted to start hunting the uplands again, but birds were scarce and my readiness for a dog was not in the near future. Until ... I met Kansas. I found work out in west Kansas and started hunting with the locals on the weekends. Flushing Labs ... I loved it. Birds were back, but I needed a dog - a pointing dog. A GSP. That was fall of 2008 and now I run 6 dogs and hunt them hard. From the northern timbers of Minnesota to the Mexican border of Arizona locking on coveys of Mearns, Scaled and Gambels quail. With stops in between the dogs learn to adjust from weary ruffs to running roosters and then picking scents from large canyons. I love this life. The dogs do to.
I first tried SportDOG Brand collars after meeting some people in the field trial/horseback community. They introduced me to the TEK 1.0, and I saw how I could know where a dog is and how he is working without him actually being visible to the eye. The majority of our hunts are in tight cover or sharp cuts and canyons. Although, we want the dogs to work for the customer it is not always the best for finding birds in lots of ground.
Last season I upgraded to the TEK 2.0. I was quickly running multiple dogs at once. I was calm in handling three or even four in any cover southwest of the Mississippi. In the grouse woods I will still run two but feel confident I can multitask my controls to keep the dog in solid standing position while we make the approach.
Why I Use SportDOG Brand
What I enjoy most about the SportDOG Brand is the people that use these products.
I can't count during my travels how many times I've been stopped, flagged down or just pulled aside by SportDOG Brand users keen to tell me their great yarns and that they feel confident in their choice.
I want to be the best guide I can be for any hunter spending their time and money. I'm only going to use products that get there!
Favourite Products
TEK 2.0 and UplandHunter 1875
Other Senior Prostaff
Ethan Kimmince
Ethan began his career in the zoo-keeping industry, spending nine years as a tiger handler at Australia Zoo. His expertise extends beyond big cats, having worked in Canada with bears, wolves, and cougars. After leaving the zoo world, he founded Wolf Within Dog Training, applying his deep understanding of animal behaviour, operant conditioning, and training science. In just five years, Wolf Within has become one of Queensland’s top-rated dog training companies, renowned for helping owners build stronger, more harmonious relationships with their beloved pets.
Ben Garcia
Ben Garcia reckons there's one secret to dog training: "Know where you're headed and where you want your dog to end up." Ben reckons that goal is crucial to developing your best mate in the field. With this in mind, Ben treats every dog as an individual,...
Mitch Watson
Mitch is a highly experienced dog trainer with over 20 years in the industry. A former Police Dog Handler and ex-RSPCA Inspector specialising in animal cruelty investigations, he has dedicated more than a decade to domestic dog training. His expertise spans security dogs, assistance dogs, and therapy dogs, earning him recognition as a preferred trainer for numerous dog rescue organisations.
