Training Tips
Here's how we make the most of each hunt
TEK 2.0: Voice Feature
by Jeffrey Wood
The SportDOG Brand TEK 2.0 e-collar and tracking unit has turned out to be a fantastic addition to my training tools. I train my Mountain Curs hard year round. During the hottest summer days, I train first thing in the morning, and then again in the evening. I’ve been using...
TEK 2.0 Improves Grouse Hunting Success
by The SportDOG Staff
The TEK 2.0 from SportDOG Brand® has turned out to be a real difference-maker in my grouse and woodcock guiding in northern Minnesota. I admit I wasn’t always a fan of using a tracking product, because to me it sounded like one more piece of equipment I’d have to maintain....
5 Tips for TEK 2.0
by Aaron Robinson
When it comes to choosing an e-collar you must consider several key factors before deciding which unit is ideal for you. First, consider your canine hunting companion. Is your dog close working, or a “horizon chaser”? Second, what is your primary hunting species? For example, are you a hunter who likes...
How to Match Your E-Collar to Your Hunting Conditions
by Tom Keer
One of my dogless hunting buddies lives in the city. He's the guy who has all the new gadgets. I kidded him about all his new toys and he tried to explain it like this; he said he’s an “early technology adaptor.” Say what? In my “bird hunter's English,” I...
Proper Introduction to the E-Collar
by Chris Akin
The e-collar is an amazing tool. It can fine-tune a dog, extend your control, and even save an animal’s life. But here’s the thing: You must understand what it is. It is not a magic bullet. I call it a polishing tool. It’s an enforcement tool and a distance minimizer. What...
Summer Hazards – 5 Precautions for your Hunting Dog
by The SportDOG Staff
Summertime means extra fun in the sun, but it also means some new dangers. These tips will help make sure you and your hunting partner stay safe in the field: Increased Hydration – Warmer weather means increased chanced of heat exhaustion for you and your dog. Even mild temperatures can pose...
SportDOG Brand® Launcher System Revolutionizes Retriever Training
by Charlie Jurney
Retriever training was changed forever with the introduction of “wingers” and other rubber-band-type devices that could fling dummies or birds from long distances, creating realistic, challenging marks. Now, SportDOG has raised the bar with a new remote launcher system that provides more efficiency and versatility than anything else on the...
Training Your Retriever for Double Duty
by Charlie Jurney
If you own a waterfowl dog, chances are that sooner or later you’re going to ask it to perform upland duty. It might be a pheasant hunt as a sideline to your Dakota duck hunt, or maybe an afternoon of quail hunting after a morning goose hunt. Most retrievers handle...
Keeping the Fun in Retriever Training
by Charlie Jurney
Wouldn’t it be nice in the middle of a rough day if someone stopped by and said a few words that made all your cares go away? Instantly your negative feelings would disappear and you’d be happy. Well, in retriever training, there is something that can have that effect on...
4 Good Reasons to Crate-Train Your Dog
by Rick Grant
One of the first things you should do when you get a new puppy is get him used to spending time in his crate, or portable kennel. If your dog lives in the house, the crate is a good place for him to be when you don’t want him underfoot....
Getting Your Retriever in the Thick of Things
by Rick Grant
If you were going to go pheasant hunting on a farm where you’d never been before, where would you start your search? You would probably head for the thickest cover because you know that’s where birds feel safest and therefore tend to hang out the most, right? Well, when you...
Pup’s First Hunt: Building Your Future
by Chris Akin
A puppy’s first season, and more specifically, his first hunt, can be the most pivotal in his life as a gun dog. You only get one chance to make a first impression, and that impression can have a major impact on how a young dog is molded into a hunting...
Poor Performance in Bird Dogs
by The SportDOG Staff
Your bird dog has been a strong, eager hunter with lots of pizzazz and snap, but now he has lost that snap, speed and stamina. He still eats well, is bright and alert and has normal bowel movements. Have you over-trained the dog or is it poor nutrition, heartworms or...
Where to Find a Dog with the Right Stuff - Part 2
by Charlie Jurney
In Part 1 of this article series, I discussed purchasing a puppy and considering bloodlines. Now we'll dig into the best breeder and how to pick the right litter. The most reasonable way to locate a well-bred puppy for yourself is by doing a great deal of research. Ask each breeder...
Where to Begin with Puppy Training
by SportDOG Staff
There are several different things that need to be done for and with a new puppy. First and foremost make sure all pup’s shots are on time and up to date. Find a local veterinarian and set up an appointment for your new companion. This is one of many places you...
Gun Shy Dogs Can Blossom
by The SportDOG Staff
Every dog training book will preach that you must be so very careful when introducing a young dog to the sight, and especially the sound of a shotgun, but rarely will they tell you how to cure a gun shy dog. Some dog training veterans simply will not try. It...
AUTHORS
Kim Bishop
2 articles
Born and raised in the mountains of western North Carolina, Kim Bishop, along with his wife Kirsten, own K&K Kennels. Kim has been competition hunting with hounds since the age of 18, has made four UKC and three AKC World appearances, and has many titles under his belt, including four...
Matt Mates
1 article
I’ve hunted upland game birds from North Dakota to Northern Maine, spending most of my time in my home state of Michigan. My love for pheasants dates back to my days as a youngster, first chasing them with our Labradors, German Shorthaired Pointers, or the occasional contact while running beagles...
Jeffrey Wood
1 article
Owner of Etehoma Creek Kennels, a kennel that offers a training program for squirrel/coon dogs from beginner to finished dogs, Jeffrey has been hunting tree dogs since he was 6 years old and has continued his passion for hunting for the last 32 years. He also competes in competition hunts...
Tom Dokken
14 articles
Dokken brings more than 45 years of retriever-training experience to the SportDOG team. He is well known as the inventor of Dokken’s Deadfowl Trainer, which has become standard equipment for retriever trainers everywhere. He is the owner of Dokken Dog Supply and Dokken’s Oak Ridge Kennels, the largest gun dog...
