Education

Moving into your puppy’s sixth month, you should notice a dramatic change in your dog’s ability to learn and progress through training. Most dogs show some maturity at six-months of age and all the work you have done up to this point (assuming you have done the work in the previous posts) should start coming […]

Many people start their search with good intentions. They want to find a good quality pup that will serve as a hunting companion as well as a family dog. However, somewhere along the way they end up just picking up a cute puppy that the family could not resist.

The first few months of a puppy’s life are so important, and yet many people get so caught up in the cuteness of these bundles of fur that they disregard any training until the dog is much older.

In the market for a new hunting dog? Here is what you need to know. In the market for a new gun dog or duck dog? You may be considering all your options. Those options include getting a puppy and starting from scratch, or buying a started dog that has a little training under his […]

Selecting a whistle for your hunting or sporting dog – what to consider If you are looking for a whistle for training your hunting or gun dog, you may be shocked at how many options there are. It can be confusing, especially if you have never trained using a whistle. In this post I will […]

If you want a hunting dog but your family wants a pet, you will be relieved to know that you don’t have to choose! Your hunting dog can be a family pet and your family pet can be a hunting dog. My husband and I are professional retriever trainers and most of our client dogs […]

A well-trained hunting partner starts in your yard – not the blind In my last post, I discussed the basic retriever training tools you need to train your hunting or gun dog. Those basic training tools are important, but depending on how and where you hunt, there are many other aspects and equipment your retriever […]

If you plan on training your retriever for hunting, you may be wondering what equipment you will need. Here is the basic equipment you will need to start training your gun dog.

Professional retriever training – why it’s worth the investment Having your retriever professionally trained is a big deal. I understand. It’s a huge investment in time and money. Many of you consider your dog a part of the family, and rightfully so. This probably explains why clients balk when we explain how long our training […]

Your job, as a trainer, is to put your retriever in these situations in a training environment where they can learn how to deal with birds.

Train smarter with these tips! After a long cold winter, you may be excited to get outside and do some serious retriever training . Your retriever is probably excited for that too! Here are some pro tips for avoiding injuries while training your gun dog. It’s important to start slow It’s likely, for many of […]

A dog’s natural tendency is to take the easy route to a retrieve. Unfortunately, the easy route may not be the straightest or shortest route. And whenever your retriever veers from a straight line to the bird, their memory can be hampered regarding where the bird landed.

A drill for great pheasant hunting Hunt it up is a command we use to teach dogs to upland hunt. Having a retriever that can mark and run to where a downed pheasant or grouse lies is incredibly valuable. But having a dog that can hunt up a crippled bird or find the birds that […]