The joy of owning gun dogs

There’s nothing like hunting with a well-trained dog that understands its role, has drive and is eager to please. This Lab couldn’t get a mourning dove into the hands of its owner fast enough, so it could get back to hunting. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

THE JOY OF GUN DOGS

By Scott Haugen

This past bird season was a busy one. I went on over 100 hunts in multiple states for waterfowl, upland birds and other migratory birds. My pudelpointers went on most hunts with me, but I did have the opportunity to hunt with other dogs, too.

I love hunting different birds in different places with different people and seeing how their dogs work. The bond that a dog and their master share is, frankly, what motivates many of us to go hunting.

I went on a few hunts last season where there was no dog, and I didn’t like it. Walking across a field to pick up a goose or quail, or wading into a pond to fetch a duck, was lackluster compared to watching a dog work. Those hunts made me miss and appreciate hunting with my dogs even more.

SOME DOGS I GOT to hunt with were just happy to be out. They weren’t from top pedigrees, nor did they have awards to show from multiple competitions. They simply loved soaking up the heat of the morning sun, riding in the boat or walking across a field to start a hunt. They might nose through your gear bag hoping to find food scraps, and may not have been in the biggest rush to work, but they loved being afield and more importantly, being with their master. Their eyes, demeanor and wagging tail left no doubt about that.

I hunted with a few dogs that were simply outstanding. Well trained, driven, could mark multiple ducks dropped from a flock, would rapidly quarter a section of land to gain the scent of a quail covey – and kept up that pace all morning long. These dogs also had a love of being with their master and doing what they’re bred to do.

A few hunters would apologize before the hunt even began about faults their dog had, which we’d likely see displayed. I didn’t mind, and when it did happen, I offered

help to correct the problem. While midseason corrections can be tough, now that bird seasons are over, it’s the perfect time to give your dog a tuneup. Most of the concerns owners had were very simple fixes, like getting a dog to sit, stay and heal.

If your dog doesn’t hunt well with others, train with another dog. If your dog breaks at a shot, hold the dog while someone else shoots a gun at a distance, or fires a training dummy launcher, then release your dog. If your dog doesn’t hold a point as you approach, get that check cord out. If your dog doesn’t sit, go back to how you taught it to sit as a pup; it’ll remember.

The list of fixes goes on, and only you know what those are. Rest assured, there’s a remedy for everything; you just have to be disciplined to reteach the dog.

THE BEST DOGS I hunted with this season – and there were two or three that stand out – had very good relationships with their owners. They were constantly looking into their master’s eyes, trying to anticipate their next command so they could please them. The dogs trained with hand signals appeared most eager to please, always looking for directions so they could achieve the task at hand, then get back to hunting. back toward me (usually so I can stop them with one beep and deliver a hand signal because they were off track); and continuous beeps mean it’s an emergency (like they’re about to cross a road) and to get back to me as fast as possible. Dogs that are trained with hand signals, heavy eye contact and minimal verbal commands are simply a joy to hunt with.

With spring here and summer fast approaching, now is the time to tune up your dog so it hunts, performs and behaves how you envision. Keep training sessions fun and short, as you want the dog to enjoy the experience and keep wanting more. Before you know it, your dog will be doing what you want it to do. Then the next hunting season can’t get here soon enough. CS

Author Scott Haugen enjoyed a fun morning hunt with his pudelpointers Echo (left) and Kona, who worked well together to put up multiple coveys of valley quail. Hunting with hardworking, well-disciplined dogs is the reward of dedicated training. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

Verbal communication was very limited with these folks, too. They all used an e-collar, not for shocking, but for delivering beeps to communicate with their dog at a distance. I run e-collars on both of my dogs. One beep means to stop and look to me for direction; two beeps mean come

If you plan on hunting with two dogs, training with two dogs will alleviate a lot of potential problems and optimize your dogs’ performance. If you have only one dog, make it a point to train with a buddy and their dog. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

Editor’s note: Scott Haugen is a full-time writer. See his puppy training videos and learn more about his many books at scotthaugen.com and follow him on Instagram and Facebook.