Training Tips
Here's how we make the most of each hunt
All About Retriever Training Dummies
by Tom Dokken
Training dummies are a staple of a good retriever training program.
Duck Shooting is Great Prep for Waterfowl Season
by Tom Dokken
If you're training a young retriever for waterfowl hunting, it's a fair dinkum idea that dove hunting would be top-notch practice. Both need your dog to stay steady, keep an eye on the sky and spot where the birds fall. If a dove hunt is gonna be your dog's first true hunting experience, you'll find...
6 Travel Considerations for the Hunting Season
by Tom Dokken
One-day or weekend bird-hunting trips are nice if you're lucky to have good spots close to home, but for many hunters, long-distance, interstate trips are the norm. These extended adventures need more planning if you want to fully enjoy them. Here are some things to consider. Where...
How Tone and Vibe Can Improve Your Upland Bird Hunting
by Tom Dokken
A flushing dog that's trained to work at just the right distance ahead of hunters is a massive advantage in a pheasant field or grouse thicket. 'Just the right distance' changes with the terrain and personal preference, but I reckon we can all agree that anytime your dog puts...
Mid-Season Tune-Ups for Your Retriever
by Tom Dokken
Hunting season! Time for all your summer training and hard yakka to pay off. Thankfully, your waterfowl dog is now perfectly behaved and executes every command and retrieve with precision, right? Wait, you’re saying that’s not true? That’s OK. I’m mostly taking the mickey because the truth is that none of our...
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...
Retriever Training: The Transition to Water
by Tom Dokken
Retrievers love water, so you wouldn't reckon that transitioning from land retrieves to water retrieves would be hard. It isn't, as long as you follow a few simple guidelines. The key to a smooth introduction and continued improvement on water retrieves is to work in baby steps, just like you did...
What Does 'Socialising' Your Puppy Mean?
by Tom Dokken
You hear a lot about 'socialising' your puppy, but what does that mean and why is it important? Socialising is actually training. By that I mean that every time you're with your puppy he's learning something. You need to make sure he's learning what you want him to...
Make Your Upland Retriever Mad for Feathers
by Tom Dokken
There's nothing better than a hard-charging flushing dog that's absolutely crazy for birds. But how do you make sure your young retriever will turn out like that? Here are the steps I use. You can introduce your retriever to feathers when he is very young, say up to 12 weeks....
Building a Reliable Retriever
by Tom Dokken
A retriever that stays calm in a duck hide and focuses on watching birds drop is a joy to hunt with. In a perfect world, that's how all retrievers would carry on. While a steady retriever is something that most hunters want, the reality is that very few retrievers are truly...
Tom Dokken: Dedicated to the Dogs
by Tom Dokken
Looking back over my last 40 years as a professional dog trainer it seems like it was just yesterday. Although dog training has changed a lot over the years, the starting point remains the same. As a young high school kid, I remember the day that made me realise that I...
