Training Tips
Here's how we make the most of each hunt
Season is Coming - A Checklist for Opening Day
by The SportDOG Staff
The most anticipated time of the year is upon us…Opening Day! As you and your mates plan the first big trip, it’s important to make sure you’re fully ready for what lies ahead. There’s nothing worse than getting out in the field and realising you’re missing equipment, something got...
Working with Different Dogs
by Tom Keer
I’m a setter bloke. I’ve owned Irish setters and English setters, and one day I’ll probably own a Gordon setter. I like the way they hunt with their heads held high, their energy, and their easy-going natures. Setters are fond of people, and even better than that they love having a job...
5 Ways to Improve Hunting Photos
by Tom Keer
Let me be honest: I'm not a professional photographer. Over the years I've been lucky to snap some good shots, but it's been the luck of the draw. As a writer I've been blessed to work with heaps of excellent photographers and they've kindly given me some constructive...
Training Your Hunting Dog to an In-Ground Fence
by The SportDOG Staff
In-Ground Fence™ containment systems have risen dramatically in popularity over the years, and there’s good reason. In-Ground Fence systems are safe and effective devices for keeping your dog in a safe area. Most dogs take to this very quickly, especially hunting dogs that are used to e-collar training. In fact,...
Shed Hunting: Help Your Dog Help You - Part 2
by The SportDOG Staff
In my last article I described the benefits of shed antler hunting in the off-season and how to get your dog started in this fun sport. Now let me go into more detail about how to teach your dog to efficiently hunt for sheds. A dog has three weapons to use...
Shed Hunting: Starting Your Dog Out the Right Way - Part 1
by The SportDOG Staff
It’s a real shame bird seasons only last a couple of months. It feels like autumn rocks up and brings the thrill of pheasant and duck shooting, but then before you blink, winter’s taken hold and all you can do is dream and wait for the next season. Thankfully there’s another...
Improve Your Dog Work by Hunting for a Different Species
by Tom Keer
If I were to look back on me bird hunting life, the overwhelming amount of me days in the field were spent chasing Ruffed grouse and woodcock. The focus of me attention has been in New England and Canada, and if I were to drill down even more New Hampshire...
From Shelter to Field: Tips on Training a Rescue Dog
by The SportDOG Staff
The New Year often brings with it new dogs. Many of you may be looking into adding a new addition to your family as we speak. A major question we get this time of year is “can a rescue dog make an adequate hunting dog”. The short answer is yes....
Skin Laceration Repair in the Field
by Shawn Kinkelaar
There's nothing better than being out in the bush during autumn with your bird dogs. The flutter of wings as a group of scaled quail bursts out from the sand sage can shake off the cholesterol from this morning's greasy diner brekkie. Gun smoke clears the air as the setter works through the tight five-stranded...
Tom Dokken's Top 10 Tips for Dog Training
by The SportDOG Staff
Senior ProStaffer Tom Dokken has forgotten more about dog training than most of us will ever know, so it'd be almost impossible to get everything in one place, but Tom shared some of his Top 10 Tips for dog training: 1. Never give a command you cannot enforce. If you do...
Proper Dental Care for Your Dog
by The SportDOG Staff
You put a lot into your dog’s health. Make sure you don’t mess up any of your good work by overlook a vital part of your dog’s wellness regimen: Dental Care. Dogs accumulate plaque and other germs just the same as humans do and these can pose serious health risks to...
Is Your Dog Ready for Opening Day?
by The SportDOG Staff
For many, opening day is just around the corner. While this is the day many of us have been waiting on for months, it’s important to not get so caught up in the anticipation that you forget to make sure you and your pup are fully prepared for your first...
Steadiness at Its Best
by Bradley Bradshaw
Ever been out in the bush with your mates, waiting in a hide, and just as it's getting light, a bunch of wild ducks swoop down into the decoys? You know if your dog bolts at 'em, the hunt's buggered. Righto, I'm gonna give you a training tip that'll help make...
Lyme Disease - Keeping You and Your Dog Safe in the Bush
by The SportDOG Staff
While there's nothing better than a day out bush with your dog, it does come with its risks. One of these is Lyme disease. Most every outdoorsman is familiar with this tick-transmitted disease, but what you might not be aware of is that it's on the rise...
The Golden Rules of Dog Training
by The SportDOG Staff
Dog training is an art blokes have been trying to perfect since the domestication of canines. There are about as many theories on dog training as there are on raising kids. Plenty of these theories work a treat and having a few choices lets you customise your training to your dog...
Leading the Pack
by The SportDOG Staff
Spring time is upon us (at least that’s what the weather people are telling us) which often means new puppies to train. As you start training your new little hunting mate, it’s important to remember that dogs are pack animals, and as such look for a leader. If it’s...
