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

Training Your Retriever for Double Duty
by Charlie Jurney
If you own a waterfowl dog, chances are that sooner or later you’re going to ask it to perform upland duty. It might be a pheasant hunt as a sideline to your Dakota duck hunt, or maybe an afternoon of quail hunting after a morning goose hunt. Most retrievers handle...

Watch for Displacement Behavior
by Charlie Jurney
No matter what breed of dog you’re training, at some point the dog will try any number of tricks to avoid giving up its alpha position. Yawning, scratching, sniffing, head shaking and licking are all ways in which your dog will attempt to delay performing a command. Your dog may...

When Your Dog Should Enter the Hunt
by The SportDOG Staff
Young dogs take a while to develop into the hunting or field trial champion you want. Your knowledge that the pup you chose is from proven hunting stock is just the beginning. I have been spoiled. During hunting and field trial seasons, I have always had older, veteran dogs to rely...

Understanding Hunting Dog Ear Infections
by The SportDOG Staff
Most hunting dog breeds have flop ears. This drooping ear flap contributes to a high incidence of ear infections because it decreases air circulation and traps bacteria, fungi and debris in the ear. The flop ear also makes it slightly more difficult for the owner to see ear problems promptly. Contributing...

Understanding Canine Influenza
by The SportDOG Staff
If you have been watching the news lately or reading metropolitan newspapers, you may have noticed articles about a “new” flu outbreak in dogs. In some sections of the country, veterinarians are reporting a near-panic situation around this canine flu news. Here are the facts. Canine Influenza Virus is a relatively...

Straight Talk About Protein for Hunting Dogs
by The SportDOG Staff
As I travel across the country attending field trials, visiting kennels and hunting, I get a lot of questions about dog food for some reason. One topic that stimulates many questions is protein quality and protein’s role in dog nutrition. Protein is required by the body for two reasons: To provide...

Poor Performance in Bird Dogs
by The SportDOG Staff
Your bird dog has been a strong, eager hunter with lots of pizzazz and snap, but now he has lost that snap, speed and stamina. He still eats well, is bright and alert and has normal bowel movements. Have you over-trained the dog or is it poor nutrition, heartworms or...

Training Your Retriever for Double Duty
by Charlie Jurney
If you've got a waterfowl dog, odds are that at some point you'll want it to do some upland work. Could be a pheasant hunt as a bit of a side gig to your Dakota duck hunt, or perhaps an arvo of quail hunting after a morning goose hunt. Most retrievers cope...

Training Pointing Dogs with Birds - Part 1
by LTC Jim Morehouse
When SportDOG® asked me to write training articles on some of the aspects of training pointing dogs to handle birds, it seemed like a pretty easy task. As a full-time trainer and quail guide in Arizona, pointing dogs and birds are my passion. However, as I started to write about...

Make Your Upland Retriever Crazy for Feathers
by Tom Dokken
There’s nothing better than a hard-charging flushing dog that is absolutely crazy for birds. But how do you make sure your young retriever will turn out like that? Here are the steps I use. You can introduce your retriever to feathers when he is very young, say up to 12 weeks....

Training Pointing Dogs with Birds - Part 4
by LTC Jim Morehouse
In Part Three of this series I explained how to work on more advanced steadiness exercises using live birds. Now I’m going to finish by giving you my thoughts on how to deal with running birds. I’ve mentioned that when you start using live birds, you always try to work your...

Training Pointing Dogs with Birds - Part 2
by LTC Jim Morehouse
In Part One of this series I explained why “Whoa” is the most important command in pointing dog training. Now I’ll explain the next step I take toward tying “Whoa” and live birds together. I want to give my young dogs plenty of experience with finding live birds. One, it’s fun....

Training Pointing Dogs with Birds - Part 3
by LTC Jim Morehouse
In Part Two of this series I outlined my method for tying in the “Whoa” command with live birds. Now it’s time to get into the some more advanced live-bird work. Everything I’m explaining here still involves using a 15-foot lead or check cord. I don’t introduce the electronic collar...

5 Reasons to Own a Hunting Dog
by The SportDOG Staff
If you already own a hunting dog you know there are a million reasons to do so. If it's a decision you've been debating, we've pooled our TOP 5 REASONS why should go ahead and pull the trigger bring home that pup. Health – Ever heard the expression “if your dog’s...

How In-Ground Fences Help with Hunting Dogs
by The SportDOG Staff
In-Ground containment fences are becoming more and more popular among dog owners, and for good reason: they allow your dog to enjoy freedom in the yard without the expense, hassle, and eye sore of a fence. On their own those are great reasons to consider a fence, but these containment...

Hunting with Kids
by The SportDOG Staff
Hunting with kids is an entirely different animal. There are two very important things we must all remember. First, it’s all about the kids, not you. Second, no matter how mature you think a kid is, they do not think like an adult. Let’s look at the first one; it’s...
