Let's Talk About Hunting Dogs

There are many different opinions of which breed makes the best for grouse or partridge hunting. There are magnificent pointers, setters and Brittany spaniels that are of such exceptional intelligence and ability that an ordinary man can hope for no more than one in a lifetime. Dogs exhibiting such astonishing intelligence are rare. The average individual of any pointing breed, exposed to pheasants and grouse alike, will soon find it necessary to crown a pheasant and to cover a great deal of ground in a short time. He tries similar tactics on grouse, and this proves disastrous, so you get a good performer on pheasants and woodcock and a mediocre stalker of pats.

Having investigated bloodlines and the local reputation of male and female, you should buy the dog you fancy the most, nurture him/her and pray that it will inherit the deep, intelligent eye, the unerring nose and genius of it's forebears. Natural selection is an onward and upward thing. If you are lucky you may have the makings of a champion, a gun dog that will make all previous performers look like fumblers. We all feel that way when a new puppy comes home, and one in a blue moon it comes true.

One of the best ways to train your new dog for hunting is with an electronic collar and using electronic stimulation and conditioning. Collar conditioning is basically a process of introducing and accustoming your hunting dog to e-collar corrections. It's done by using electrical enforcement with known obedience commands. You do not teach obedience with the e-collar. A dog that is not properly introduced to the e-collar may think that the electricity is coming from the environment or the spot they were standing. During collar conditioning the dog will learn that the correction is connected to the handler just as it knows that the leash and healing stick are connected to the handler. The dog should learn to avoid the pressure by swiftly performing the command by the trainer. The collar will be effective only when it is part of an overall program that emphasizes teaching in a positive environment.

The latest technology available in hunting dog e-collars would the Hawx Dog & Gun products. Whether you are a pointer trainer or a Labrador trainer, everybody realized that it wasn't practical to have your shot gun in hand, be paying attention to shooting grouse or partridge and trying to fumble for your e-collar transmitter to control your dog. With the Hawx Bluetooth technology you can mount a push button on your rifle, produce stimulation to control your dog and enjoy a successful hunt.

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