BY BOB AND GINNY RIEGE

For all dog owners: young, old, inexperienced, or well seasoned the process of picking a puppy should not be taken lightly. Choosing your hunting companion starts long before selecting an individual pup from a litter or a kennel. It is important to keep in mind that your dog needs will be when it reaches adulthood.

Any serious hunter would like to sit down, consider all the different types of hunting he does, and pick a breed of gun dog, which will perform well in each. Wouldn’t it be remarkable to have a dog that would hold tight on grouse, make that run happy rooster sit, and retrieve a mallard duck from the icy waters of “Lake Whatever”.

Well I’m sure that you guessed it, there is no such dog. You should determine what type of hunting that you do the most and the area that you live in. Will you be hunting upland game or waterfowl or both?

Other factors are very important to consider before you make that decision. For example, is your yard large or small? Larger breeds require more room than smaller ones. Will your dog be kenneled inside or outside? Outside kenneling can have special needs during extreme weather conditions, and some breeds are more hearty than others. Will you train your dog or seek professional training? How much time do you have for training? How quickly do you desire a finished gun dog?

Be sure to check out the sire and the dam if at all possible. Are these dogs similar in temperament, size and hunting ability? Are these the type of dog you think you could live with? Do you think these dogs will fit your family and surroundings? Avoid backyard breedings. Meaning, don’t buy a pup out of Bill’s springer who was bred with Sam’s male, who lives under the porch at the neighbor’s. Don’t fall for those cute puppies whelped by a golden retriever who bred a black Lab, even though they are registered. Ask why this breeding took place? Always check out the breeder. Most will be happy to answer any questions you might ask.

When you pick up your pup it is a good idea to have the Veterinarian examine it as soon as possible. Most good breeders suggest this as a rule of thumb. Whatever choice you make, don’t hesitate to shop around, ask questions and make a pest out of yourself. You will gain the respect of bona fide sporting dog people if you show that you’re genuinely concerned about the quality of pup you are about to purchase.

Understand that buying a pup is only the beginning of your relationship with the dog. Training is also something that you will have to commit to. Recognize the need for patience in dog training and remember that repetition is the secret to training success. Training a young dog should not be over 15 minutes. The student gets bored if the training period is too long. It is much more important to repeat the training each day rather than a lengthy session once in awhile.

Some simple tools you will want to have when you begin training. You’ll need a lead rope of half-inch nylon and a good snap at the end of the lead rope. You will also need a choke collar.

The four basic commands that you will want to teach your gundog are “whoa,” “come,” “sit and stay,” and “heel”. The first lesson I teach any dog is to heel, because it works in with teaching the animal to lead on a rope. A young dog just out of the kennel is going to be wild and might fight the lead. It might even take a week or so before he stops lunging at the lead. Take the dog on a short lead, about two to three feet long. Walk with the dog at your side and repeat the word “heel”. If the dog continues to lunge, I use a choke chain to restrain him at first. Any lunging causes the dog discomfort and he soon learns to pace himself.

Once the pup has learned to lead and to heel, he is ready for the command to “come”. This is a very simple process, place the dog on a long lead and tell him to “come”. If he ignores your command pull the lead toward you persuasively and repeat the command to “come” until the pup is at your feet. Remember to praise your dog every time he does what you ask of him. Release the dog and then repeat the command to “come”. He will soon learn to come when called without being pulled. Another method that we have used over the years is a dog training collar. It sends a tiny vibration to the dog to get their attention. If the dog still does not come you can use an electronic shock that tells the dog to stop and come.

One of the most difficult commands to teach your dog is the command to “whoa” or stop. This command is essential when in the field, many dogs think only of getting the bird, and forget about roads and farm machinery. This command can be taught with the use of an assistant. Place your dog on a long lead of about 15 feet. Then walk away from your dog as the assistant holds him in place. Walk about 10 feet from your dog and give the command to “whoa”. Allow your assistant to release the dog stopping him a couple feet short of you. I like to raise my hand and start to teach the dog hand signals. I believe that commands can be given in the field without the use of whistles or voice.

The commands of “sit and stay” are one of the last commands that I teach my dogs. If the dogs have mastered the previous commands this command will be easily taught. While the dog is in the heel position give him the command to “sit and stay”. I teach this by making the dog sit by pressing down on his hindquarters and an assistant with a rope just as when teaching the command “whoa”. The only difference is the posture of the dog on this command should not be in the standing position but in the sitting position. One of the best areas to teach a dog to do this is when walking him on a street. At every street corner have the dog sit and stay and then you proceed across the street. Release the dog when you have determined that no cars are coming and give the command to heel, this will insure that the dog associates walking, heeling and commands for sit and stay all in one process rather than three specific commands.

The thing to remember is that repetition and patience are the most important precepts of gun dog training. Dog training is a never ending process for the man who wants a polished performer. If you let a dog get by with a mistake because he is just a pup then the dog will continue to make the mistake. If you must correct the dog do it calmly and without emotion. After the dog has been corrected don’t forget to make up with him so he doesn’t resent the training.

All this will make it more likely that the dog you buy – whether your choice is solid or spotted, longhaired or short, large or otherwise – will live up to your expectation. Good luck and good hunting.