ROAD HUNTER
Hunting dogs need continual mental and physical stimulation, and changing workout locations, as well as training dummies, is a good place to start. Here, author Scott Haugen took one of his pudelpointers to the beach for a saltwater workout with a goose dummy.
SUMMER GUN DOG TRAINING TIPS
With fall coming up fast, here’s how to get your four-legged hunting partner in shape for bird seasons. STORY AND PHOTOS BY SCOTT HAUGEN
A
s we continue pushing through a global pandemic, many of us have discovered that not all things stemming from this disaster have been bad. For instance, last year marked a national high in gun dog sales. That means more people across the country are looking to hunt for their food, and they’ve invested in a canine companion to help. But just because you bought a dog
doesn’t mean hunting success will be automatic. The fact that you have invested in a hunting dog shows you’ve made the commitment to change the next 12 or so years of your life. It means you’re devoted to year-round training and changing your lifestyle. Whether you’re a new gun dog owner or a veteran, you have two months to get that dog in shape, as hunting season is fast approaching. Summer conditioning and reinforcement training are key to building a productive and healthy hunting dog and you want to take advantage of every moment.
During the summer months I work my pudelpointers, Echo and Kona, in a range of habitats, at least twice a day. My objective is to condition and train them in a variety of landscapes so they’re dialed in come hunting season. I work hard to keep them in top physical condition, and the change of habitat and ever-increasing demands I place on them keeps both dogs mentally sharp, too. HIT THE ROAD Jess Spradley, owner of Cabin Creek Gun Dogs (cabincreekgundogs.com) americanshootingjournal.com 115
