Training Tips
Here's how we make the most of each hunt
The Ultimate SportDOG Guide: Choosing the Best E-Collar for Your Dog
by The SportDOG Staff
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to choose the best e-collar for training your dog, ensuring that when the time comes, you’re equipped with a tool that’s up to the task, no matter how tough the conditions.
Avoiding and Dealing with Heat Emergencies
by The SportDOG Staff
Take some time to understand the many factors that can lead to a heat emergency, prepare for your outings to avoid such an emergency, and then have an action plan in place to deal with the Big 3: heat stress, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
Summer Hazards – 5 Precautions for Your Hunting Dog
by The SportDOG Staff
Summertime means extra fun in the sun, but it also means some new dangers. These tips will help make sure you and your mate stay safe out in the bush: Increased Hydration – Warmer weather means increased chances of heat exhaustion for you and your dog. Even mild temperatures can pose...
Dealing with Hunting Dog Injuries
by The SportDOG Staff
Cuts are common in hunting dogs. Briars, barbed-wire, broken glass, or even sharp broken saplings can slice a dog’s skin as it hunts. Appropriate field care of wounds can decrease healing time and make the vet’s job much easier. Remember the watchwords: flush, fill and wrap. Flushing Fresh cuts may look quite...
When Your Dog Should Enter the Hunt
by The SportDOG Staff
Young dogs take a while to develop into the hunting or field trial champion you want. Your knowledge that the pup you chose is from proven hunting stock is just the beginning. I have been spoiled. During hunting and field trial seasons, I have always had older, veteran dogs to rely...
Spring Training for Beagles
by The SportDOG Staff
Spring's in the air, which means rabbit season's over in most parts of the country. So now what? I've got a kennel chockers with Beagle rabbit hounds and no hunting, making this the perfect time to give a bit more attention to those younger hounds. Spring is a...
Understanding Hunting Dog Ear Infections
by The SportDOG Staff
Most hunting dog breeds have floppy ears. This drooping ear flap contributes to a high incidence of ear infections because it decreases air circulation and traps bacteria, fungi and debris in the ear. The floppy ear also makes it a bit more difficult for the owner to spot ear problems straight away. Contributing...
Understanding Canine Influenza
by The SportDOG Staff
If you've been keeping an eye on the news lately or flicking through the city papers, you might've clocked stories about a 'new' flu outbreak in dogs. In some parts of the country, vets are reporting a near-panic situation about this dog flu news. Here are the facts. Canine Influenza Virus is a relatively...
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 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...
