Training Tips
Here's how we make the most of each hunt
Using the TEK 2.0 in the Big, Wide Open
by Ben Garcia
Hunting with English setters, English Pointers and Brittany spaniels provides me with a lot of variety in my bird hunting. I want my dogs to cover lots and lots of ground, so I really let them stretch the horizon. While some of them work more closely than others, I’m confident...
3 Reasons to Use TEK 2.0 for Coon Hunting
by Kim Bishop
Keeping tabs on my Treeing Walkers in the mountains of North Carolina is a tall task. It’s really challenging terrain from the standpoint of both navigating through it and also being able to hear my dogs when they’re on a track or treed. One of the perks of being a...
TEK 2.0: Utilizing the Trip Computer
by Matt Mates
If you’ve paid attention to the reviews for the TEK 2.0 system from SportDOG Brand®, you know that hunters are really impressed with the mapping feature. Count me as one of them. While a lot of hunters and dog handlers rely on the screen’s information to help them locate a...
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...
Training Your Retriever for Double Duty
by Charlie Jurney
If you've got a waterfowl dog, odds are that at some point you'll want it to do some upland work. Could be a pheasant hunt as a bit of a side gig to your Dakota duck hunt, or perhaps an arvo of quail hunting after a morning goose hunt. Most retrievers cope...
Understand This Before you Train
by Charlie Jurney
Every animal on the planet has an alpha or beta relationship with every other animal. We usually think of “beta” as submissive and beaten down, but in wild packs or herds, that is not the case. The beta dog in a pack of wild dogs is still quite happy and...
Where to Begin with Puppy Training
by The 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...
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...
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...
What Does “Socializing” Your Puppy Mean?
by Tom Dokken
You hear a lot about “socializing” your puppy, but what does that mean and why is it important? Socializing is actually training. By that I mean that every time you are with your puppy he is learning something. You need to make sure he’s learning what you want him to...
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...
