Rigours of a Tough Hunting Season

Harsh winters frequently turn many of our thoughts and concerns towards, 'how are the birds going to manage'? A question I believe we ought to be more concerned with is lying next to us on the sofa or sleeping outside in the kennel. How did our dogs get on in these unusual conditions?

If you've hunted through a particularly harsh winter, it has taken its toll on your dog. Most upland dogs cover 3-6 times the distance we do per season. This wears dogs down over the year and it takes time for them to recuperate from these efforts.

With that in mind, I want you to rewind 9 months and ask yourself if you put a plan together to help your animal get through this season. Training your dogs goes so far beyond developing your new puppy. That is the fun part! Whether you are a one dog owner or have 10 in the kennel, you must work these animals.

They are athletes just like we see on TV. When people think of SportDOG Brand®, they usually think of E-training. SportDOG carries a wide variety of training tools to help dogs young and old.

Give your dog(s) a two-month break, but early this spring, I want you to consider getting the old man off the sofa and go out and do some bird work or endurance training. It’s good for both of you.

Some things that I consider essential are:

1. Conditioning- Exercising a dog is essential for muscle development, cardiovascular health, and overall stamina. You can exercise a dog alongside a bicycle, quad bike, horse, or simply by taking walks. Not only will it assist your dog in coping with a demanding season, but they will also exhibit more elegance and poise the fitter they become.

2. Garden Work- Even the old dogs tend to need a little touch up on this from time to time. Garden work brings so much more to the table than just being good at home. It will give you confidence that no matter the hunting situation, you know your dog will listen to you.

3. Bird Work- Not as much of a necessity with the more mature dogs, it is still good to fine-tune some flaws we see in the field. Nothing replaces hunting on wild birds, but this can be as close as we can get.

4. Bench Work- If you have a pointing breed, nothing is quite as breathtaking as style. Bench work reinforces style and class with confidence. It's always beneficial to put the dog on the bench and make him feel like a million pounds.

Keep working those dogs in the off-season, and I promise you that you'll have a more enjoyable hunting season with more birds in the bag, good-looking dogs and the good feeling that the dogs can handle what you put them through.

Always check your local and state regulations related to dog training and the use of game birds on private and public property.