Dog Training Tips

If you have a new hunting partner you’re prepping for the upcoming season, follow these tips to train a great hunting dog.

Start with the Basics

No matter how much drive your pup has, you won’t develop a solid duck dog if you don’t focus on obedience first. Teach your dog the basics such as sit, stay, and come before shifting to delayed retrieves only following your command. Bad habits are hard to break, so make sure your pup has these necessities down before moving on to more advanced work.

Introduce Water & Guns Early

Even retriever breeds can struggle with water if they aren’t exposed early. Start slowly by placing paws in a small amount of water, then gradually move up to dips in kiddie pools, and finally take them swimming in a nearby lake or pond. If you plan to hunt from a boat, get your dog out for a ride too.

After they’re comfortable with water, add gunfire to the mix. First, introduce other loud noises and let your pup see your shotgun — don’t fire it the first time. Once your dog gets comfortable with these sounds, you can take a single shot at a time to build up tolerance. Don’t take your pup to a gun range, even after it’s been exposed to the sound of gunfire. It could be incredibly dangerous to the dog and put its hearing at risk.

Use the Right Tools

The options for training aids can be overwhelming to dog-training newbies. While it might be tempting to rely on an electric collar to get your pup in line, this technology can do more harm than good when not used properly by an expert. Instead, focus on establishing discipline via commands — clickers and whistles can be helpful. When you’re ready to move on to retrieving, use soft dummies that can mimic birds and incorporate scent training to get in plenty of rounds of lifelike practice.

Training a dog duck takes time, dedication, and patience, but starting with these best practices will put your pup ahead of the game.