Training Tips
Here's how we make the most of each hunt
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...
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...
Making the Case for E-Collar Simplicity
by Chris Akin
Depending on your background, your opinion about using an electronic training collar probably falls into one of three categories: 1) You think the modern e-collar is the greatest tool ever invented; 2) You think the evil “shock” collar has no place in dog training; or 3) You are afraid to...
What you MUST Understand About Dog Containment Systems and E-Collar Training
by Tom Dokken
Just like modern e-collars, the newest in-ground fencing systems, also known as containment systems, have improved life for dogs and their owners. A containment system helps keep your dogs from wandering out of the yard, which is great for their safety and your own peace of mind. A containment system can...
Finding Your Dog's “Just Right” E-Collar Level
by The SportDOG Staff
Many times, for a new hunting dog owner who’s just purchased their first remote trainer, there’s an urge to strap on the collar right away and start pressing buttons. Some novice trainers mistakenly think that a modern e-collar is a magic remote control, in which dogs instantly and robotically obey...
Choosing the Right E-Collar
by Tom Dokken
Here is a list of the SportDOG® e-collar systems we will be discussing in this remote trainer guide: SportDOG SD-825X remote trainer SportDOG SD-1225X remote trainer SportDOG SD-1825X remote trainer Purchasing your first SportDOG® Brand remote training collar or upgrading from an older model isn’t particularly difficult, but it does require some thought about...
How To Effectively Communicate With Your Dog
by The SportDOG Staff
The reality with dogs is that they don’t speak English. They don’t speak French or Latin or Spanish. Dogs are associators. Dogs learn to associate human words with actions and events and therefore you can absolutely communicate effectively and clearly with your dog - both verbally and non-verbally. Below, we’ll discuss...
5 Dog Training Tactics to Beat the Summer Heat
by The SportDOG Staff
With year-round training comes the task of training in hot weather. SportDOG® ProStaff members and professional trainers Lynne Frady, of Super Dog Obedience & Gun Dog Training, and Billy Mosley, of Avery Creek Retrievers, offer their best tips for dog owners to keep hunting dogs safe and cool during hot...
The All-In-One Tool Every Dog Owner Needs
by The SportDOG Staff
We know there are several tools available to help with training. From e-collars, to In-Ground Fence™ systems, and bark collars … it takes a lot of tools to train and manage a dog. The below scenarios further illustrate just how many tools it can take for proper training. 1) Boundary Training -...
5 Mistakes to Avoid When Training Your Gun Dog
by The SportDOG Staff
The best thing about the years that SportDOG® employees and our ProStaffers have spent training dogs is that we've made mistakes. We preach the value of mistakes because you’ll learn from them even more than your successes, but there's no reason you can't learn from ours, too. These are 5...
Dog Training: When the Trainer Becomes the Trainee
by The SportDOG Staff
In the gun dog world, I often hear people say, “I trained that dog.” But, is that statement really true? Have you ever considered the fact that maybe the dog you just “trained” actually trained you? Here are two instances, when you have become the trainee. 1) SMART DOGS At some point...
What's Your Sport Dog Saying To You?
by The SportDOG Staff
Although our hunting dogs can’t talk with us, they do give cues that we can interpret. These are simple signs, that any dog owner can learn to read and understand. Signs Your Dog Is Nervous During Training A nervous or timid dog will make mistakes. If you notice any of the cues...
Why One Hunting Dog Isn't Enough
by The SportDOG Staff
Do you ever stop and look around your house, and think, "man, I have a lot of dogs?" It's OK. Upland hunters and waterfowlers are always acquiring more. We need more shotguns, more shells to pump through them, more floating decoys, more field decoys. Boats, motors, leases, land access …...
Gun Dog Training: 3 Things Your Puppy Should Learn
by The SportDOG Staff
If you’re reading this article, you probably own, have owned, or are thinking about owning a gun dog puppy. To train your puppy to be a retrieving machine, here are three things that are crucial to teach it from day one. 1) Socialize, Socialize, Socialize Your home is unfamiliar to your new...
5 Must-Read Safety Tips for Working Your Dog in the Winter
by The SportDOG Staff
Keep your training sessions with your dog quick and efficient to stave off cabin fever, while keeping your dog safe in inclement weather. For those of you caught in the polar vortex, you know it can limit your time out with your dog. The freezing cold temperatures can make it tempting...
Waterfowl Gear Checklist
by The SportDOG Staff
Each year, thousands of hunters prepare for the upcoming waterfowl seasons. From cleaning neglected decoys, to getting a retriever in shape, the chance to have a productive waterfowl season begins by properly gearing up. Here is a rundown of what just about any hunter will need when going afield this...
AUTHORS
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.
Craig Leair
1 article
With ten years of training experience specializing in German Shorthairs and yellow Labs, Craig currently works as a guide and lives on a 750-acre game preserve that raises over 40,000 pheasants, chukars and Huns annually. Wern Valley Sportsman Club allows him to constantly train dogs in a bird-rich environment, resulting...
Tom Keer
6 articles
Tom Keer is an award-winning writer, columnist and blogger who regularly writes for over a dozen outdoor magazines. He owns The Keer Group, a full-service, outdoor marketing company and hunts and fishes with his wife and children. Don't hold it against him, but he's a setter guy. Visit him at...
Chris Akin
9 articles
Chris has spent most of his life duck hunting or training in the field. Over the years, his program evolved into one of the most accomplished hunt test programs in the country. Webb Footed Kennels, Inc. has produced more than 350 Hunting Retriever Champions, 175 Master Hunters, and 35 Grand...
