Dog Training – Page 2 – Sporting Road

Blue Grouse Hippies
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Blue Grouse Hippies

Jeff and I started hunting together for blue grouse over twenty years ago. We met as young lawyers starting out in the same courtrooms together. I saw Jeff sitting in front of the bar, waiting for his case to be called, and he was trying to hide an issue of Shooting Sportsman inside of his client's file. We starting talking and I found out his father, Roger Hill, wrote one of my favorite books, Fly Fishing the South Platte. Jeff went on to say this was a blessing and a curse, as his father was a retired nuclear physicist and that he never got to enjoy soccer and things like that on the weekends, as his father simply left every weekend day saying, "I am going fishing [or shooting] , do you want to come along?" There being no alternative except staying home alone, Jeff obliged and became a serious fly-tier, angler, and shooter of his own. We immediately started hunting together, a journey down the sporting road which lasted many years and which I hope will continue when he finds time away from his new family. His dog at the time was a hard-headed English Setter pup, which matched well in the field with my Britanny of field-trial lines who was on his first year afield. After many years of driving dirt roads and discovering dead ends on maps, we discovered the promised land of blue grouse together and promised to never divulge its location to any outsiders, or any other grouse covert we discovered together, for that matter, under threat of death or sending sultry clients to deal with such indiscretions. After one of our first days on the mountain in the shadows

By Sporting Road|October 3rd, 2011|Categories: Colorado, Cuisine, Dog Training, Recipes, Wingshooting|Comments Off

Epanuel Breton

I was worried that in recent years America's friendship the people of France had waned in light of U.S.'s war with Iraq. This caused the boycott of French fries in France or the re-naming of them as "Freedom Fries," among other headlines. But, my experiences in France, and even recent ones, have been evidence to the contrary. My French friends are lasting allies and even the passing stranger remains happy to help an American tourist, especially in the countryside where we like to spend most of our time. In addition to the French fries, which aren't really French, the French also gave us the Statue of Liberty and the French Brittany, the Epagnuel Breton, or Epanuel Breton. My friend, Andy Wayment writes, "Before the French Revolution, France was an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges in the aristocracy. Under this regime, land in France was owned mainly by a privileged few. This meant that hunting and fishing could only be enjoyed by the noblemen and their fortunate guests. Generally, the common man was not allowed to enjoy these sports. Legend has it that the Brittany was developed by the French peasants as the ideal poaching dog. As so aptly described by Michael McIntosh in A Feisty Little Pointing Dog, the Brittany was bred to be 'compact andbidable, close-working and quiet, the perfect accomplice for clandestine sport and the companion of choice among those whose favorite game was someone else's.' The landed nobles, with their big running pointers and setters, did not recognize these shaggy, tailless mongrels for what they were, bona fide hunting machines. Of course, this was all part of the ruse. Brittanys are pointers with the natural instinct to retrieve. Because of its noble history, the French Brittany was destined to arrive

By Sporting Road|September 24th, 2011|Categories: Dog Training, Wingshooting|Comments Off

New Posts

Please check out all my new posts...which are hidden under separate pages and therefore don't show up here. Kohlrabi Mardi Gras La Buche de Noel Noel House Wine Hungarian Partridge with Gin & Juniper Berries Pheasant Confit Four-legged Friends Gary Ruppel Rim Chung Friends from the Sporting Road Jim Fergus

By Sporting Road|September 22nd, 2011|Categories: Cuisine, Dog Training, Fishing, Fly Tying, Recipes, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Summertime Bird Dog Problems

Summertime is the season for bird dog training and we are working on whoa and other yard commands with our bird dogs. It’s also the season for grass seeds or grass awn infections. In our early years with Brittanys, grass seeds were a constant plaque and after several thousand dollars spent at my bird dog doc’s office, I have become something of an expert in grass seed infections in bird dogs. But now, we have learned several techniques for minimizing the risks of these infections. First, carry saline solution in your bird hunting kit. We buy big bottles from Costco, which you can find near the contact lens solutions. Every time the dogs return to the truck, rinse their eyes vigorously with the solution, by spraying it forcefully in the eye, while holding the lids open. You’ll be surprised at all the junk that comes out after a day in the field. Your hunting buddies will learn to tolerate this after a couple of times and most don’t put up any fuss. It works best if one person holds the lids open while the other sprays. Second, check the dogs over, especially between the paws, each night after hunting for seeds, ticks, and sores. Inspect the legs closely and remove all burrs and seeds, from anywhere they can be found. If these become embedded in the paw, they can migrate elsewhere and cause lots of problems. My bird dog doc has surgically removed them far from the sites of insertion, often migrating many inches away, just within days. Seek immediate veterinary assistance if you believe a seed is embedded and cannot be fully removed. Third, inspect the nose for seeds and if your dog is sneezing

By Sporting Road|August 2nd, 2011|Categories: Dog Training|Comments Off

Check Cords

Check cords should be made of 3/8" nylon and 20' in length with a bowline knot and a brass snap. They used to be available from only one gun dog supplier in the south and now this is the closest you will find to the correct stiffness from Cabella's. Gary Ruppel demonstrates his famous half-hitch, which is a trick used to acquaint foals with saddling, and it works great on bird dogs to change the point of contact from the collar to the flank. Gary uses it frequently in teaching heel, whoa, and other commands. I am always surprised at its effectiveness and the simple fact that few other trainers have learned this technique.

By Sporting Road|July 16th, 2011|Categories: Dog Training, Wingshooting|Comments Off

Breeding the Hunting Retreiver by Bill Tarrant Featuring Mike Gould

Here is great magazine article by Bill Tarrant featuring Mike Gould entitled, "Breeding the Hunting Retriever."

By Sporting Road|July 16th, 2011|Categories: Dog Training, Wingshooting|Comments Off

Mike Gould’s Whoa Post

This is the full article on the Whoa Post that we use, as described in this article by Bill Tarrant. Here's a brief summary: The Whoa Post: Teaching a Dog to Stand Still Perhaps the defining behavior of a bird dog is its ability to slam on the brakes and become motionless the instant it encounters bird scent. This instinctive stop is what separates a bird dog from other breeds and is a trait that has been carefully selected and refined over hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Very few dogs, however, possess a perfect point from the start. A reliable point is a behavior that must be shaped, developed, and reinforced until it becomes second nature. While there are many ways to teach a dog to stand still, years of experience and generations of training have convinced us that the Whoa Post is one of the clearest and most efficient methods available. We have used it successfully with thousands of dogs. The primary purpose of the Whoa Post is to teach the dog that pressure or a cue applied to the flank means stop and stand still. Through repetition, the dog develops a conditioned response to that cue. Although the Whoa Post can be used to address many other training issues and offers numerous additional benefits, its fundamental objective should never be forgotten: teaching the dog to stand still when cued. To begin Whoa Post training, select a suitable training area. Any open space with enough room to secure your dog to the post using a check cord and several wraps will work. Ideally, choose a location with minimal distractions—away from your bird pen and separate from the areas where you conduct bird

By Sporting Road|July 16th, 2011|Categories: Dog Training, Wingshooting|Comments Off