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Articles by Bob West The.
The Post-Hunt Tailgate Checkup for Gun Dogs
Dave Carty Do this quick exam at the end of each hunt. Bird dogs have a tough life. They plow through freezing waves to retrieve ducks, burrow through briars to roust out pheasants and rip themselves open on barbed wire. All of which they’re willing to do. But it’s up to you to see after their well-being, and an easy way to catch small problems before they develop into large ones is with a tailgate checkup.
How to Hunt Pheasants on Public Land with Map Apps
Tony J. Peterson Rooster Recon There are a couple things that dictate where you’ll find roosters this month, especially if you’re hunting public land. The first is geothermal cover. This might be cattails, a row of pine trees, or anything that blocks the wind and traps in a little extra heat. This type of cover also has the added benefit of extra protection from predators. The other thing is, well, predators.
Cocker Spaniel Versus Springer Spaniel for Hunting
Jerry Cacchio Photo Credit: Adam Tangsrud Two functional dogs—but which one fits your needs? As I’ve alluded to in previous installments of this column, my relationship with dogs has always centered around Springer spaniels. My personal dogs, and my trial dogs, were English springers—my reputation has been inextricably connected to that breed.
2019 Holiday Gift Guide
Gun Dog Staff - November 15, 2019 Looking for the perfect gift for that hard to buy for bird hunter in your life…or to add to your own personal wish-list? Look no further—we’ve got the must-have gear for you and your bird dogs. onX Hunt Looking to chase roosters on public land? Spot a covey of quail on private land and want to know who owns it so you can ask permission to hunt? The onX Hunt App is your go-to source.
Q&A: Losing Point
Ed Bailey - October 12, 2016 Problem My Drahthaar pup was about 9 months old when hunting season started. I had done some training, including working on her point. She worked great during the season. She would hold point till I flushed the bird and she even backed my 4-year-old Drahthaar. This spring I have a puppy test (JGHV) and so when I got a deal on planted pheasants I thought I could work on steadying her up. This is where the problem began.
Housebreaking: It's Not as Hard as It Seems
Dave Carty Ah, yes. You've bought a new puppy. Your little bundle of joy delights you every waking moment except one: when he does you-know-what on the floor of the living room. The solution to you-know-what is called housebreaking. Housebreaking isn't difficult. But to be fair, it's not a slam dunk, either. Some dogs—not many, but some—are trained in just a few weeks. Most require several months or more, and some may take longer than a year.
Blaser F16 GAME Intuition: Fit for a Female
Kali Parmley - October 28, 2019 Photo Credit: Mike Matthes The Blaser F16 GAME Intuition is a next-generation over/under designed to perform. Gypsy, a one-year-old wirehaired pointing griffon, stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes and nose were set on a spot at the edge of a row of pine trees. Her right leg bent at the elbow and her tail stood at attention. Trusting the young pointer, I quickly made my way to her. Pushing through tall switchgrass, I readied the Blaser F16 GAME Intuition I carried.
Steadiness Slippage: How to Keep Your Gun Dog from Breaking
Tom Dokken Photo Credit: Tony J. Peterson The immediate preseason is the last chance you've got to break the breaking habit. A lot of the bird-dog focus during the preseason is centered on physical conditioning. We want our retrievers to enter dove and duck season, and later a litany of upland seasons, in peak physical shape. This is a good goal, but it shouldn’t be the only thing you work on with your dog. Steadiness should be a priority as well.
Nutrition Guidelines for Your Gun Dogs
John Holcomb, DVM - May 08, 2018 Dietary needs of our gun dogs are affected by several basic factors. Age and activity are the most significant common variables. Other less common variables include reproduction, active disease processes and temperature extremes. We should never "cut corners" when feeding our gun dogs. As most people know, the main components of the diet include fat, protein, carbohydrates and micronutrients. Fats provide most of the energy component for the diet of dogs.
Hunting Older Dogs
Dave Carty - October 12, 2016 There's one thing you can count on about young dogs; sooner or later they turn into old dogs. But does old age mean your dog's hunting days are over? Not at all. As with people, if the body and heart are willing, there's no reason in the world he can't be hunted. But before you take him into the field in his 11th, 12th, or 13th seasons, you owe it to him to physically prepare him. If it's at all possible, continue to exercise him.
How To Pick The Perfect Flushing Pup
Gun Dog Online Staff Although I spent my childhood surrounded by flushing dogs, I did not get my own pup until I was in my early 20s. At that point my Uncle George decided that both he and I were ready to see just what I was capable of as an amateur trainer. George, who was always a salesman, had been offered the pick of a local litter of springers from one of his hunting buddies.
Boarding Dogs: 6 Things to Watch Out For
Dave Carty When leaving a pup behind, look for simple and clean facilities. Photo credit © CHIP LAUGHTON | WINDIGOIMAGES.COM Boarding your dog is always a bit stressful, but you can lower your stress level by finding the right kennel. Here are six things to watch out for when choosing a kennel that's just right for boarding your dog. Will My Dog Miss Me? That's what most people wonder when they drop their dog off at a boarding kennel.
First Aid for the Field Dog
Jeff Schuett, DVM, ABVP Photo Credit: Madelyn Root Knowing how to react in the field can mean the difference between life or death for your dog. “Are you kidding me?” I said exasperatedly to my twin brother and vet clinic partner, Randy.
Irish Red & White Setter: Older Than Guinness
M.J. Nelson Jerry Imprevento Photo Thorough, methodical, and unique - the Irish red and white setter is an intelligent, hard hunter that aims to please. In 1759, Arthur Guinness began brewing ales at the St. James Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland. One of his products, a dark beer with a white head, became the national drink of Ireland.
Use Real Birds to Complete Summer Dog Training
Tom Dokken (Photo by Tony J. Peterson) Real birds are the key to rounding out your retriever's education. Working with bumpers and dummies is a year-round affair for most of our dogs, but actual contact with live (or recently alive) birds isn’t. In fact, by the time you get into the summer your dog will probably not have had contact with the real thing in several months.
Today's Braque Francais
Jerry Thoms “Hey, look, Dad, there’s a German shorthaired pointer that looks just like our German shorthair, only smaller and calmer.”The speaker was Robby Benson as he toured the gun dog show during the 2018 Pheasant Fest in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. “Wait a second,” Robby said.
Puppy Food for Hunting Breeds
Tony J. Peterson Why your four-legged youngster need a specific formula Canine nutrition – at every stage of a dog’s life – is an often overlooked aspect of health and performance. As humans, we are hyperaware of what we should be eating ourselves, but not so much when it comes to our dogs. While we may not always go for lean protein and some green veggies, we at least know we should if we want to keep ourselves healthy.
Bird Dog Teamwork
Tony J. Peterson Train yourself to be in sync with your sporting dog, and you'll both benefit It was the golden hour, and the roosters were pouring out of the private agricultural fields to dig their way into the cattails for the night. The first bird that flushed off of Luna’s nose flew nearly right over my shoulder, so I had to spin around and burn through a few loads of 4s before he crumpled in the jungle.
5 Tips for Dealing with Puppy Energy
Tony J. Peterson - April 10, 2018 It's really easy to forget how much trouble puppies are. I know they are cute and no one is more of a sucker for a squishface Lab or golden than your's truly, but they are also a lot of work. And they can reach levels of annoyance that are almost unbearable.
Field Dog Protocol
John Gordon - February 13, 2018 North Dakota is the gateway of the Central Flyway, the first stop for migrating ducks and geese traveling south from Saskatchewan. Birds stopping here rely on rolling harvested corn fields to provide the high protein food source they need to continue their journey. This is field hunting at its best, and retrievers here must be prepared to face different challenges than in water.
Why the Labrador Is the World's Most Popular Bird Dog
Tony J. Peterson When choosing a hunting dog that can handle just about any situation from upland to waterfowl hunting, the trusty Lab is among the best. Labrador retrievers dominate market share when it comes to what hunters choose for the field and the duck blind - and for good reason. A lot of Americans make fun of Canada for producing two things we all should appreciate — maple syrup and hockey.
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