Training Tips
Here's how we make the most of each hunt
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...
Where to Find a Dog with the Right Stuff - Part 3
by Charlie Jurney
I talked about getting the pick of the litter in Part 2 of this article series. Now you have to decide whether you want a started dog or a finished dog. So now you know what you’re looking for in a puppy, but what if you do not want to deal...
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...
Keeping the Fun in Retriever Training
by Charlie Jurney
Wouldn’t it be nice in the middle of a rough day if someone stopped by and said a few words that made all your worries disappear? Straight away your negative feelings would vanish and you’d be happy. Well, in retriever training, there’s something that can have that effect on...
Poor Performance in Bird Dogs
by The SportDOG Staff
Your bird dog's been a strong, keen hunter with heaps of pizzazz and snap, but now he's lost that snap, speed and stamina. He still eats well, is bright and alert and has normal bowel movements. Have you over-trained the dog or is it poor nutrition, heartworms 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...
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...
Pup’s First Hunt: Building Your Future
by Chris Akin
A puppy's first season, and more specifically, his first hunt, can be the most pivotal in his life as a gun dog. You only get one chance to make a first impression, and that impression can have a major impact on how a young dog is moulded into a hunting...
4 Good Reasons to Crate-Train Your Dog
by Rick Grant
One of the first things you should do when you get a new puppy is get him used to spending time in his crate, or portable kennel. If your dog lives in the house, the crate is a good place for him to be when you don’t want him underfoot....
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...
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...
Reward-Based Training for Labs
by Charlie Jurney
Imagine you go to work this week giving it your all to please the boss and make the company successful. During that time you forgot to return one phone call and rocked up five minutes late on Thursday due to a prang on the motorway. The rest of the week...
Where to Find a Dog with the Right Stuff - Part 1
by Charlie Jurney
Every time someone rings up to ask about finding a puppy, I get flashbacks to me first dog, Sam. I bought Sam off a mate who had a sporty keen hunting dog. He decided to breed his sheila to a real good-looking bloke whose ancestors found fame in the show...
Understand This Before you Train
by Charlie Jurney
Every animal on the planet has an alpha or beta relationship with every other animal. We usually reckon “beta” as submissive and beaten down, but in wild packs or herds, that's not how it goes. The beta dog in a mob of wild dogs is still quite happy and...
Getting Your Retriever in the Thick of Things
by Rick Grant
If you were gonna go pheasant hunting on a farm where you'd never been before, where would you start your search? You'd probably head for the thickest scrub 'cause you know that's where birds feel safest and therefore tend to hang out the most, right? Well, when you...
Introducing Your Retriever to Upland Hunting
by Rick Grant
One of the most common questions I'm asked when I'm doing training demos for SportDOG is this one: “How do I keep my retriever hunting within range?” Without a doubt, keeping your dog from getting too far ahead of you when he gets a whiff of a...
