Training Tips
Here's how we make the most of each hunt
Off-Season Tune-Ups for a Better Autumn
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 reckon the modern e-collar is the best thing since sliced bread; 2) You reckon the evil 'shock' collar's got no place in dog training; or 3) You're scared to...
6 Tips for a Top Snow Goose Hunt with Your Retriever
by Chris Akin
Snow goose hunting offers its own special kind of excitement in the realm of waterfowl hunting. Spring seasons, generous or no bag limits, the use of electronic callers and unplugged shotguns all contribute to a ripper time when you're fortunate enough to come across countless thousands of birds in your hunting area. Not...
Finding Your Dog's “Just Right” E-Collar Level
by The SportDOG Staff
Many times, for a new hunting dog owner who's just bought their first remote trainer, there's a temptation to chuck on the collar straight away and start pressing buttons. Some rookie trainers wrongly reckon that a modern e-collar is a magic remote control, where dogs instantly and robotically obey...
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...
The All-In-One Tool Every Dog Owner Needs
by The SportDOG Staff
We know there's a bunch of gear out there to help with training. From e-collars, to In-Ground Fence™ systems, and bark collars … you're gonna need a fair few tools to train and manage a dog. The scenarios below further show just how much gear you might need for proper training. 1) Boundary Training -...
5 Mistakes to Steer Clear of 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 go on about 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 have a yarn 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 stuff up. If you notice any of the cues...
Why One Hunting Dog Isn't Enough
by The SportDOG Staff
Do you ever stop and have a squiz around your house, and think, "bloody hell, I've got a heap of dogs?" It's all good. Upland hunters and waterfowlers are always snagging more. We need more shotguns, more shells to chuck through them, more floating decoys, more field decoys. Tinnies, 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) Socialise, Socialise, Socialise Your home is unfamiliar to your new...
5 Essential Safety Tips for Walking Your Dog in 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 dodgy 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...
3 Common Dog Training Mistakes To Avoid
by The SportDOG Staff
Training a hunting dog is a fun and enjoyable experience. If trained correctly, the results will be a dog that's a joy to take hunting and a valuable mate in the field. The SportDOG® Pro Staff weighs in on the three most common dog-training mistakes to avoid. Waiting Too Late...
5 Things to Remember When Training Your Hunting Dog
by The SportDOG Staff
Training your own gun dog can be one of the most rewarding and humbling experiences of any pet owner's life. The sense of pride and elation that one feels after their dog has learned a new command is only rivalled by the feelings of doubt and frustration after a training...
5 Training Tips to Beat the Summer Heat
by The SportDOG Staff
Keeping a hunting dog fit during the off season will give it the best shot at performing at its peak when the hunting season kicks off in the fall. The ongoing workouts will keep their paw pads tough, joints supple, weight proper, and maintain their endurance and stamina. To pull this off, training must...
