by
Ken M. Blomberg
If there’s a new pup in your life, or an older gun dog in need of a tune-up, now’s the time to decide what training route the two of you plan to take. Buying and bringing home a new dog is the easy part. If you’ve done your homework and purchased a well-bred dog from good hunting stock, the next step involves starting the training process.
Can you do it yourself, or should you consider the services of a professional trainer?
Most experienced handlers agree that training gun dogs is a commitment that shouldn’t be taken lightly. On the other hand, it isn’t rocket science. The bottom line is be prepared to devote enough time to develop your dog to its full potential.
So,
should you train your gun dog yourself, or hire a professional?
If
you’re considering hiring a professional gun dog trainer, put away your
checkbook until your pup matures. Not
all dogs learn at the same rate, but by the time they are eight, or nine months
old, they are ready for advanced training.
With few exceptions, most pro trainers won’t take in dogs until this
time. Socialization, basic training,
commands, play
training and early retrieving sessions can be done
by anyone with minimal time on his, or her hands. Short, ten-minute sessions, a couple of times a day, will do the
trick
Early
development of all gun dogs – pointers, retrievers and flushers – is basically
the same during the first few months of life.
Basic commands and play training, prior to
more advanced training, can be combined while you
build a strong bond with your new pup.
Commands should be kept to a minimum, regardless of breed. All puppies need to learn at this stage, is
their name and the commands NO and COME.
Names
selected for hunting dogs need to short and sweet. Single syllable names are best and two-syllable versions also
work well. Avoid names that sound like
commands.
Pups should associate the command NO with
unacceptable behavior. Early physical
restrain is associated with this command, comes up during the housebreaking
process and will later be reinforced with collars and check cords in the field. The command COME is quite easily introduced
to puppies during their first few months.
As they grow, this command needs to be reinforced with a check
cord. Remember, never give a command
you can’t enforce.
Play
training is often the stage that’s skipped by the average dog owner. Dog training book in hand, many
well-intentioned handlers skip to later chapters too soon. We must let pups develop at their own pace,
giving them exposure to the wonderful world of birds and hunting in a positive,
enjoyable manner. Introduction to the
field is something that should be done slowly and without much restraint. I let my young dogs drag a short, fifteen,
to twenty-foot check cord during their early runs in the field. This introduces them to the cord without
restraint. It’s also a great time to
fire that first .22 blank shot
over your pup when he’s chasing a meadowlark across
the field. Gunfire should always be
associated with something pleasurable.
Depending on your pup’s breed, introduction to the commands SIT, STAY,
DOWN for retrievers, WHOA, STAY for pointers and HUP, STAY for flushers begins
during the restraining command process.
More advanced training, like blind retrieves for retrievers, pointer
WHOA breaking, or flusher whistle-breaking takes place when they reach eight,
or nine months of age. This involves
equipment like choke collars, check cords, live birds, etc. Truly “finished” dogs aren’t developed until
they’re a year and a half old and have a hunting season under their belt.
Should
you find yourself up to your neck with problems, lack of know-how, or time, you
may want to consider utilizing the services of a professional trainer. Plan on investing much more than the
purchase price of your pup. Most
training programs involve months, not weeks of dog work. And running a profitable, quality gun dog
training kennel operation is an expensive endeavor. But you’ll find that the end result, in most cases, is a
hunting dog worth bragging about.
The
Badger state has a long history of some famous gun dog trainers and is
currently home for many fine full-time professionals. Three past Wisconsin trainers that come to mind with national
recognition include Dave Duffey (Bowler), Ray Sommers (Random Lake) and Orin Benson
(Eagle). Three active trainers I know
include Tom Waite of Dale Creek Kennels (Burlington), Tim Mader of Blue Grass
Kennels (Mayville) and Jim Zelienka of Badger Kennels (Coloma).
So, no
matter how you complete the process, a well-trained hunting dog will bring you
many years of pleasure in the uplands and marshes across our state. You owe it to yourself and your dog to bring
out the best in both of you.