Training Hunting/ Sporting Dogs in Drive

I enjoy training the “sporting” hunting breeds, such as Spaniels, Setters, Retrievers, and Pointers. If the dog has any kind of prey drive, and is otherwise healthy and properly socialized, they are tremendous.

My primary approach, when training any dog, is to discover their best expression of prey and pack drives. I can then use motivation and those drives to make the most of that dog. I use very little correction in training any dog, and especially with dogs that have some talent.

I will stretch a dog as far as their talent allows… and as far as the owner will allow. What I mean by that is some owners carry baggage from previous training and are often too quick to resort to old methods of influence to crush the dogs. I counsel patience, however. The good dogs shine when you let them grow up normally and allow them to develop their talents. 

While I am not specifically a hunting dog trainer, I have laid the foundation for hunting dogs. For example, a few years ago I worked with a French pointer. The owner’s buddies wanted him to get an e-collar; I advised against that, and my recommendation paid off. We also never did work with birds, only hunting dummies. But when the owner took her hunting, she was spectacular. The work we did at home, which hunting dog trainers typically call “yard training”, was sufficient for her to work in a real hunting situation. The goal of the training wasn’t to make her into a hunting dog, but since I knew the husband wanted a dual use dog, we put in the necessary foundation.

I think the most underappreciated pet dogs are the Retrievers. They often get too much ham-handed pet dog training and never get to develop what they are capable of. Same with most of the pet Spaniels. Same with the Setters. I especially like Labs, great dogs. Goldens make excellent dogs, too. The Spaniels need an especially gentle hand, and same with the Setters. The talent can be there, but it has to be carefully curated. 

I wonder if many people realize what they have when they get one of the sporting breeds. If they were lucky enough, or purposeful enough, to get one with a good temperament, then so much can be done. They can be a joy to work with.