Discover Basic Gun Dog Training Insights

If you've ever seen a hunter with his dog, you know that the bond between them is very strong. The hunting dog listens and responds to every command quickly and precisely. This takes time to accomplish but is well worth it.

Hunting Retrievers: Certain retrievers, such as the Labrador and Nova Scotia Duck Tolling retrievers, have purposely been bred to be good gun dogs for hundreds of years, but that doesn't guarantee that they will be any easier to train now than they were then.

The Basic Commands: Instructions on a basic level, such as Whoa, No, Kennel, Sit and Come, are necessary for the dog to be completely familiar with. It is vital that your dog know and obey each of these commands before field training can commence. If your dog doesn't follow your commands when he is on a leash, he definitely would not obey when he is off his leash and running free. Do not try to train your dog at home; he needs a realistic situation out in the field.

Start Field Training: Your dog's field training can begin once he or she has been taught not to fear gun noise. Initiate the training by using a dummy. Beginning the process with a dummy is a great way to let your dog get the hang of what he is meant to do before he starts trying to retrieve birds.

Do Some Dummy Training: Select a dummy appropriate to your dog. Some are made of plastic or fabric, while others resemble game birds. Only when your dog can retrieve the dummy without shaking or damaging it can you begin to train with real birds.

Sometimes switching from the dummy to a real bird confuses or upsets the dog; just switch back to the dummy and add some feathers and streamers similar to the bird you are hunting and work with him for a few more days. A decoy streamer will copy the movement of a bird that is not quite dead, so that your dog will not be scared when he comes across the real thing.

Using Decoys: It is important that you transition to the real bird slowly if your dog seems to be afraid at first when retrieving it. You can use a stuffed duck or pheasant as a decoy dummy, by getting them from the taxidermist.