Tales and true stories about hunters, their dogs and the upland game and waterfowl they hunt.

The most efficient dog training book for retrievers hunting upland birds and waterfowl—from the author of Water Dog. This time-proven guide by legendary trainer Richard A. Wolters offers a step-by-step method for completely training your dog, resulting in a skilled hunting retriever by the time your pet is one year old. In Game Dog, you’ll discover: • How to choose a pup—what to look for, where to find the best • The five critical periods of a dog's mental development • Which retrievers are easier to train—males or females • How to get two dogs to work together • Why feeding time is more than food • How to teach your dog to track, quarter, and swim after game • How to get your dog to betray his instincts and obey your commands • Which tasks your dog must master to qualify as a hunter • And much more... Fully illustrated, Game Dog is an invaluable book for every hunter training a retriever and every pet owner who wants a better trained dog. “Wolters has produced a solid book that will be of great help to anyone training his retriever to work. He is an acknowledged master in the field and an excellent instructor.”—Dog Fancy

Breeding & Training Versatile Hunting Dogs for Hunting and Hunt Tests is the first book covering both breeding and training of your versatile dog for upland bird hunting, waterfowling, shed hunting, blood tracking, along with numerous human interest chapters. This book starts with the most insightful and complete explanation of what a quality breeding program involves: how to breed better dogs, how to achieve genetic diversity, selecting the best stud dog, reading a pedigree including the different breeding coefficients and how to use Hunt Test information to support breeding decisions. Bob's Cedarwood Pudelpointers (clients purchasing pups) have seen nearly 400 NAVHDA natural ability test entries across North America with a 90% success rate passing this test since he began his breeding program. Also, 175 NAVHDA utility test entries had a 74% success rate. Bob gives outstanding coverage of how to train your dog for any of the Hunt Test organizations offering natural ability tests as well as their utility tests. Of the 106 dogs Bob trained/handled in NAVHDA's natural ability test he earned 81 Prize 1s and of the 49 dogs trained/handled in utility he earned 15 Prize 1s with all dogs prizing. He has paid his dues in the testing arena and his record speaks for itself. A hunter who sees 80 to 100 days annually in the field supports his knowledge to training for hunting wild birds. This book gives excellent advice on training your dog for hunting. Bob covers chukar hunting tactics, waterfowling from a blind, duck searches, tracking wounded big game and off season shed hunting. You do not want to purchase a versatile pup or plan to test your pup in any of the offered hunt tests without reading this book.

Learn how to train your dog for hunting. Chuck's new approach will show you how to train your do to be an outstanding water retriever. Each instructive chapter has a detailed explanation of the training techniques, along with numerous illustrative photos.

Training Your Pointing Dog for Hunting and Home tells how to develop an obedient gun dog that is also an affectionate family companion, with training schedules and advice on everything from handling a newborn pup to teaching advanced field techniques and finely tuned pointing manners. The book presents a simplified, commonsense approach that can be used in its entirety or to troubleshoot individual aspects of your dog's education. Explains the importance of early obedience training and appropriate transition to the field, including tips for retrieving, quartering, sight pointing, and bird work. With proper care and handling, you can cultivate your pup's natural aptitudes and achieve a rewarding relationship with a healthy, happy gun dog. • Tells how to choose the right breed for your personality and hunting and includes training tips for housebreaking and basic living commands • Techniques for introducing the gun, achieving staunchness on point, and advanced field quartering and retrieving • Preventing problem behaviors of deer chasing, blinking, gun shyness, hardmouth, short stopping

With its combination of informative instruction and beautiful photography, this is the only training book you'll need to raise a great dog for home and field. Ronnie Smith Kennels provides trainers, owners, and dog handlers with the most refined, developed, and proven methodology for training a pointing dog. The Smith family has spent two generations working thousands of dogs through a stair-step method of replicable techniques that result in a bird dog that is well adjusted, confident, and driven to fulfill its potential. Training Bird Dogs with Ronnie Smith Kennels shares that tradition of excellence and insight with a broader public. A great bird dog is a combination of great genetics, optimal exposure to game, and proven training. This book provides clear, concise lessons that enable owners and trainers to see their dogs as individuals and maximize those individual talents. Yet the lessons go deeper too, illuminating frequent mistakes and the process for correcting them. Written with a keen understanding of how owners go astray, this book allows even a first-time owner the opportunity to work through the phases of training a bird dog. From developing a confident puppy to introducing live birds, this book is an essential reference for both bird dogs and their owners.

The perfect book for both beginning and experienced bird dog trainers.