Education

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 […]

As professional retriever trainers, we are often asked, “Should I get a male or a female puppy for a hunting dog?” While I understand the question, this decision is often not as simple as it appears. There are many things to consider when deciding if you want a male or female hunting dog puppy. What […]

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.

A basic trained waterfowl dog can be a great asset when duck or goose hunting. But basic training has limitations. Most basic trained dogs have skills to mark a single duck or goose that you shoot down, swim or run out, pick it up and deliver it to you. But what if you shoot down […]

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. To many of you, 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.

Over the years I have seen many dogs with behavioral problems. I am a professional retriever trainer and most of the dogs that come to us for training have some type of behavioral problem. After working with the dog for a week or two, it is often evident that the dog is not the problem. […]

Hunting season is upon us! If you hunt with your retriever, there are some things you should do to prepare for the season. Here are 5 things you need to do now, to get your dog ready for the season. Condition and exercise your dog This is the number one thing I think most hunter’s […]

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. Avoid injuries by starting 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.

Professional guidance on a proper water introduction for hunting dogs If you have a Labrador, Golden or Chesapeake Bay retriever puppy, one thing you may have not even thought about is the need to introduce the pup to water. You may think these breeds will just swim naturally and love water, but that is not […]