Training Tips
Here's how we make the most of each hunt![Training Tips](/training-tips/training-tips.jpg)
![Setter running through tall grass.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/a636f7483ef514182de582ad08b4a810a1832455-1464x769.jpg?w=1464&h=769&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
Building a First Aid Kit
by The SportDOG Staff
My background is a bit different than many of the dog handlers on the SportDOG® ProStaff. I’m a tactical paramedic. I work with law enforcement and service dogs. In fact, I’ve never hunted with dogs. However, I’ve trained explosive-detection canines, and I specialize in cadaver dogs. Today, I teach canine...
![Setter on point wearing GPS collar](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/6d7b261bc3bf552c9ad74b4833aa5f70cc74a591-2000x2000.jpg?w=2000&h=2000&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
How You Helped Build TEK 2.0
by The SportDOG Staff
Hunting season is upon us. Excitement is high for the whole hunting community, but we’d bet no one is quite as pumped as we are about what’s coming this season. TEK 2.0 will be hitting retailers near you this season! It’s hard to fully express how excited we are about...
![English setter with a](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/f2df66cb215362b66075593251cb8741c0b756f2-891x1336.jpg?rect=0,162,783,1174&w=891&h=1336&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
Working with Different Dogs
by Tom Keer
I’m a setter man. I’ve owned Irish setters and English setters, and some day I’ll probably own a Gordon setter. I like the way they hunt with their heads held high, their energy, and their biddable natures. Setters like people, and even better than that they like having a job...
![Gear on a table including gloves, a gun, and e-collar](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/8c229962db581ccbbf3a437ed4b2ae8487b309b8-1200x1200.jpg?w=1200&h=1200&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
E-Collars: Finding the Right One and Using it Correctly
by Lynne Frady
I’m not sure if any other training tool stirs a debate like e-collars. Some people love them and others think they were made by the devil himself. This leaves many novices confused about what they’re getting into with an e-collar. After years of training and experience, I can officially tell...
![Black lab with deer antler in mouth walking next to man also holding deer antler](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/7044e2411493b5784d7aeb57d81e5db4b5ef77c8-2400x1260.jpg?w=2400&h=1260&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
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...
![Black lab returning through water with jumbo black and white dummy in mouth](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/969d505ee2be5903ad7df5c8a5122e35312c5948-2000x2000.jpg?w=2000&h=2000&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
Spring Training for Your Gun Dog
by The SportDOG Staff
The warm weather is upon us and the dogs are no longer content to spend time inside. It’s time to be working and getting ready for season. Polar vortexes may have limited your ability to be out this winter, so it’s very important to be out now enjoying the sunshine...
![Black lab returning with shed in mouth](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/6f3e2083c9364d5cca4bbf617721ed53330dbb69-2400x1260.jpg?w=2400&h=1260&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
Shed Hunting: Starting Your Dog Out the Right Way - Part 1
by The SportDOG Staff
It’s too bad bird seasons only last a few months. It seems like fall arrives and brings the excitement of pheasant and duck hunting, but then before you know it winter has set in and all you can do is dream and wait for the next season. Thankfully there’s another...
![Young boy pulling dummies out of gear bag](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/eb95c24803295e3ffbe75d8e2c4e5510b1e9b1f4-1428x1080.jpg?w=1428&h=1080&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
Handing Over the Reins...or Check Cords
by Tom Keer
Time marches on, we all know that. A new generation grabbing the reins is exciting and terrifying, all at the same time. There is a bittersweet part of handing over the reins, the transmitters, and the check cords. The bitter part is that it means that we’re getting older. The...
![Beagle being quiet while wearing bark collar.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/6ed0c396d766132c05af0d63ab78bd2e5b7a3848-5568x3712.jpg?w=5568&h=3712&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
Finding the Right NoBark Collar for Your Hunting Dog
by The SportDOG Staff
Our NoBark Collars are famous for helping teach your dog when to be silent, but how do you know which one is right for your gun dog? We offer three models of NoBark collars to allow you to pick the best solution for your dog. Below are some helpful tips...
![pigeon being launched out of launcher basket with man training dog in background](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/f83b99716946651de2ecd833308bef750f3933d1-400x300.jpg?w=400&h=300&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
What You Need to Know About the SportDOG Launcher
by The SportDOG Staff
We are proud to announce that the SportDOG Brand® Remote Launcher System is hitting stores near you. We have information about the latest in our dog training line on our website. Currently, these are not available for purchase directly from us, but they are hitting shelves at brick and mortar...
![yellow lab holding canvas dummy in mouth with trainer reaching down to grab it](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/b88a6d30ffe7b34d9a52b4a6087d3138e6678e61-1336x891.jpg?w=1336&h=891&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
Training Retrieve to Hand
by Ben Busby
We often lean on our ProStaff when we run into difficulty training. ProStaffer Ben Busby has provided insight on training the critical "Retrieve to Hand" in this week's blog. I have heard of different gun dog owners making the statement that their dogs have been retrieving but sometimes will stop short...
![Setter wearing e-collar with ruffed grouse in mouth](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/27e29835dc30d1edbcb43b89b3066d0f25a16ec6-4594x3280.jpg?rect=0,374,4057,2897&w=4594&h=3280&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
Making a Difference for the Grouse Population in North Dakota
by The SportDOG Staff
Susan Felege and her partners with the University of North Dakota received a SportDOG Brand Conservation Fund Grant in 2012 for their work in investigating the Nesting Ecology-Response to Gas and Oil Development in Western North Dakota. A year into the project, the team has learned a lot about nesting...
![Yellow lab puppy holding puppy dummy in mouth](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/4e62b1eb17c2ce1cd59c50fcc6da1a74f6be5629-1380x1080.jpg?w=1380&h=1080&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
Training Your Retriever to Dummies
by The SportDOG Staff
Training a retriever can be one of the most rewarding experiences any hunter can have. There are no secrets involved: just patience, repetition, perseverance, consistency and the ability to anticipate reaction. In short, the trainer needs to be just a little smarter than his pupil. This is not always as...
![Black lab running through grass while panting](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/46d58de8b0cd3b363cd45995e9fc4ee22ca06f09-4317x2882.jpg?w=4317&h=2882&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
Top 3 Tips for Keeping Your Dog Safe This Summer
by The SportDOG Staff
Summer is upon us, which means there’s even more reason to be out in nature with your pup. Whether you’re fishing, training, camping, hunting, or hiking, we have a few tips to keep in mind when bringing along your four-legged friend. These simple suggestions will make sure you and your...
![Setter on point in woods with hunter walking up behind](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/a7c7205c5d020b684d0c3f8d9b6863c09206f904-3400x4400.jpg?rect=25,1310,2216,2868&w=3400&h=4400&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
Habitat is Key
by Aaron Robinson
You’re likely aware of the famous phrase by Benjamin Franklin who stated, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Now to an upland bird enthusiast I would amend this to say, “Nothing is certain in the world of upland game, except changing weather”....
![Man putting e-collar on yellow lab](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/a4eb8d906435e2c28fab76d902d33a4b0ca6903e-2000x2000.jpg?w=2000&h=2000&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
Moving to E Collar Training - Video
by The SportDOG Staff
In this SportDOG Training Tip (originally aired on Pheasants Forever TV) SportDOG Brand Senior Pro Staffer Chris Akin walks you through transitioning your gun dog from a leash training program to an electronic collar dog training program. Chris makes this lesson simple and easy to follow. It can be applied...
AUTHORS
![Greg McGuffin has been professionally training hunting dogs for 8 years. 3 years ago he and his family sold their house in Tulsa, Oklahoma and decided to dive head first into Retriever Training. They now live on the 2,000 acre family ranch in south central Oklahoma where Greg, his wife,...](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/8974027c7e7a9022395ffd5eab961f00b4ffecd3-1084x1151.jpg?w=1084&h=1151&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
Greg McGuffin
1 article
Greg McGuffin has been professionally training hunting dogs for 8 years. 3 years ago he and his family sold their house in Tulsa, Oklahoma and decided to dive head first into Retriever Training. They now live on the 2,000 acre family ranch in south central Oklahoma where Greg, his wife,...
![Raised in the Finger Lakes area of New York State, Jim was involved in hunting and birddogs from an early age. Upon graduation from college, he joined the US Army in 1967. He served until 1989, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. After his retirement, Jim and his wife...](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/ecfa4e18064edb7b1ea226e01d1e208eae46f9da-366x366.jpg?w=366&h=366&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
LTC Jim Morehouse
6 articles
Raised in the Finger Lakes area of New York State, Jim was involved in hunting and birddogs from an early age. Upon graduation from college, he joined the US Army in 1967. He served until 1989, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. After his retirement, Jim and his wife...
![Aaron has a long history of dog training and upland bird hunting. His passion was so great he pursued a master’s degree in Wildlife Biology. He has an education in upland game ecology and management. He has presented numerous technical papers about upland birds. Aaron was a board member for...](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/cc219a1454db2f242b3bce5c78a10a5468b4c6f4-210x210.jpg?w=210&h=210&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
Aaron Robinson
3 articles
Aaron has a long history of dog training and upland bird hunting. His passion was so great he pursued a master’s degree in Wildlife Biology. He has an education in upland game ecology and management. He has presented numerous technical papers about upland birds. Aaron was a board member for...
![Jed started coon hunting with his brother and his friends when he was 7 years old. When he turned 16, he started competing in United Kennel Club (UKC) hunts. At 18, he started competing in Professional Kennel Club (PKC) hunts. He has numerous accomplishments in winning state championships, final fours,...](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/d075r9p6/production/f2f33952932eea06356525c615d3fe7b429262ec-148x139.jpg?w=148&h=139&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
Jed Finley
1 article
Jed started coon hunting with his brother and his friends when he was 7 years old. When he turned 16, he started competing in United Kennel Club (UKC) hunts. At 18, he started competing in Professional Kennel Club (PKC) hunts. He has numerous accomplishments in winning state championships, final fours,...
![Gear The Way You'd Design It](/images/gearthewayyouddesignit.png)