Via the GunDog Facebook page, I found a series of videos on dog training put on the web by the folks at the magazine. Most seem to deal with aspects of retriever training, but there are some other useful tips for different types of gun dogs. There are also videos showcasing different types of breeds.
The actual URL link is rather long, so I shortened it:
Enjoy!
Jack the Brittany is doing very well these days, he is getting bigger by the day. Jack runs around the yard while I clean kennels and he loops continuously when he is out! A typical brittany puppy, so full of energy. He went to the vet earlier this week for his rabies and other vaccines. The vet pronounced him in excellent condition.
I have also been trying to teach him a little bit about the “whoa” command. When I return him to his kennel and there is bowl of food and a bucket of water for him, I take the opportunity to stop him at the gate (holding his collar) and when he stops moving, I say “whoa.” The idea is that he will hopefully start to associate the “whoa” with no movement. This is immediately followed by releasing his collar and giving the the command “kennel” which what I use to load my dogs into their crates in the truck or into the outdoor kennels at home. At this point, he is being rewarded by the release and then access to water and food in his home area. I have noticed that there is much less struggling and taking less time to get to the “no movement” part so maybe things are starting to sink in a bit. I don’t think this is going to replace more formal “whoa” training that will come later on, but perhaps it will make the process easier when the time comes. We shall see!
Jack also goes out to the national forest for exercise with the big dogs. He does quite well charging through the cover chasing after the big dogs. Jack is finding some range these days so I have been running him with a bell to keep up with his location since most of the ground cover is taller than he is! On outings like this, I am also looking for opportunities to give commands to the big dogs (they need practice too!) with the idea that Jack can see how it’s done. Jack has got a lot to learn!
