Success is certainly not taught over night when it comes to bird hunting dogs. Many different commands are used to ensure that the dog performs at peak level and is always obedient. With so many different factors in the woods like wild animals and guns being used, commands are an essential staple in the life of a hunting dog and its owner.

The key to success is to start small and work your way up. It will take patience and lots of time, but in the end you and your furry friend will understand each other much better and have elaborate listening skills to make sure that both of you are performing to your full potential.

Simple commands such as sit, stay, and fetch are among some of the most important in the hunting world. If a dog will not stay in one spot, it could potentially cause disaster if it tries to run around while guns or being fired. Sitting is very important as the dog still needs to know who is in control between the two of you.

The dog understanding you are alpha is an incredibly vital part of your relationship. Learning stay is important for multiple reasons. Bird hunting is what these dogs were bred for, so their natural instincts will kick in and could put them in danger. If there is another animal around or guns being fired, they will do anything to do what they are bred for. Having the dog be able to stay in one spot ensures that you do not have to worry about your dog and they will do only as told by you.

If you want to keep track of your bird dog, purchasing a beeper collar is a very smart choice.

Hunters have been known to use bells on dogs in the past; this allowed them to know the approximate location of the dog. With the bell, you have to pick up on where you last heard the bell and move in that direction quickly before the flush of the bird.

Beeper collars come with a speaker, amplifier, and a battery. The collars beep as the dog hunts and will continue to sound even if the dog quits moving. The time between reports, the volume, and the type of sound for the beeper collar can all be adjusted to your liking. There is a hawk scream sound that will help freeze a running bird and a quail call that aids when it comes to spotting a covey of quail.

Since dog is a man’s best friend and a bird dog is so useful for hunters, you want to keep your dog safe. Using the beeper collar can save your dog’s life by helping you keep the dog away from a road or highway. The beeper collar also has a feature that will rattle when your bird dog is close to a snake. An electronic dog collar also helps ensure your dog avoids snakes by using a quick stimulation method.

There are many brands and types of beeper collars to choose from; this fact allows you to choose where certain components such as the speaker reside. If you have a bird dog, a beeper collar is a very handy, convenient, and safe piece of equipment to have.

There are many ways that you can train your bird hunting dog. The question is which way is the most successful. I have learned that the best and only way to train your bird hunting dog is to go through a qualified breeder. There are many reasons behind this.

Take your dog to a qualified breeder if you are looking to training him. This is so that you as the hunter, will know what you are getting. If you are getting an adult dog, this dog will be trained for bird hunter. That is what you should be looking for.

Training these bird dogs are very difficult and that is why a lot of people chose to hire a professional. This option is quite expensive, but you can feel confident that your dog is getting the right training that he needs. You as an owner can choose from either have the trainer train the dog in hunting techniques, or to just have the trainer train the dog on obedience. The first choice is the most expensive one but it will allow you as the hunter to get into the field with the dog. The second option is beneficial for having a dog that listens while hunting. This option is the cheapest but either way you will benefit off of either one.

Training bird hunting dogs are not as easy as it may sound. This is why many hunters choose to just pay the money and have their dogs trained professionally.

Along with other spaniel types, the English Cocker Spaniel was bred within the 14th century and originally used for hunting small game like quail, pheasant and rabbits. In fact, the term of the dog’s name is based upon the bird they were originally bred to hunt, the Eurasian Woodcock. The only factor that separates a Cocker Spaniel from other spaniel types is their weight. While all spaniels were bred as hunting dogs, each type was bred to perform a specific type of hunting function. It would make sense that the field spaniel would be used for catching some bigger game, while its smaller cousin was used for the smaller game.

English Cockers have a slightly different appearance than that of their American cousins. Their bodies are more squared than the American version. All Cocker Spaniels were used by royalty (as was the case with most dog breeds of the time), as hunting companions on both long trips and day ventures. As a bird dog, the English Cocker Spaniel exceeded all expectations of those who helped first raise it. English Cockers are hearty and robust dogs with much heart. In early times, when a Eurasian Woodcock was flushed out by the spaniels there was little chance of the bird escaping the hunter’s gun.

Cocker Spaniels have a very keen sense of smell and an incredible auditory ratio which is what makes them such a valuable asset in hunting. Most hunting is done through heavily wooded terrain and marsh, so obviously these two features are an essential part of the Cocker Spaniel’s tracking makeup. In this century these animals are still enjoyed immensely as both a family pet as well as a good hunting dog for many families.

The Irish Setter has long been known for its beautiful, sleek red coat. Their dominant head makes people looks twice, and their confidence is simply unmistakable. They possess an almost clown-like personality that will capture your heart. The Irish Setter was originally bred as a red and white colored breed, however once introduced in Ireland in the 19th century their stunning mahogany hair began to appear.

While this breed is a staple of all dog shows and captivates the eyes and hearts of people all over the world, it is rarely understood that Irish Setters are a very well bred hunting dog as well. Their energy and intelligence makes them a vision of perfection in a bird hunters eyes. Added in with their loving personality and beauty, it’s no wonder why Irish Setters are so highly thought of.

The Irish Setter originally began to make a name for itself in the 18th century all throughout Britain and the British Isles. This remarkable breed has some of the best breeding that has ever been known to the hunting world. The Irish Setter is a combination of Irish Water Spaniel, Irish Terrier, English Setter, Spaniel, Pointer, as well as a bit of Gordon Setter. They were originally introduced as a dog to help “set” the game, but quickly became adapted to gun fire.

They also developed the ability to point and flush and catch any birds. The Irish Setter is a breed that truly sits above the rest. Their extreme beauty, elegance, intelligence, and unbelievable hunting abilities make this dog a top pick for hunters all over the world.

When it comes to having a hunting dog, the sometimes hardest aspect of being able to train them to be the best is getting them to become comfortable around gun fire. There are many theories as to what an individual should do to make sure that your furry friend never becomes gun shy, but most can actually cause more harm than good. Making sure that your partner is as comfortable with hearing guns as you are with shooting them is an essential part of successful hunting. If you have a dog that puts its tail between it legs the second it hears you cock the gun, then there are going to be some major roadblocks in how well your day goes.

The biggest myth when it comes to making sure hunting dogs aren’t gun shy is that you have to expose them to gun shots at a very young age. This may make sense to some, but take into consideration the age of your dog and the amount of stress the sound of the gun shot causes. The best course of action is to expose them to all different types of noises from a very young age. Keep a radio playing in the background at all times, even if you’re not home. Keep the TV turned up loud, especially on those commercials with annoying noises. Last but not least, don’t be quiet around them. Stomp around, do whatever you can to make noise around them. That way, when you believe they’re ready to be taken out for a trial run, they are used to all kinds of sounds and surroundings.

Another large part of why exposing them to a gun at a very young age is bad because of the sight of the gun. If the first loud noise that a puppy hears is a gun, and it sees the object, it will process it as a scary item and will forever remember how frightening it is. This is why exposing puppies to all sorts of noises before gun shots is so essential to the well being of your dog. As long as you take it easy at first, your dog will be the best hunter around.

Choosing the best pointer dog for hunting can be a daunting task for even the most seasoned bird hunter. The dog will not only be your hunting partner but must also be able to work well with you and respond to your needs.

While most dogs are selected as pups and trained as they mature, some hunters prefer to choose a dog that has already been trained for the most part and is ready to go with little or no training. This is really a matter of personal preference and your style of hunting.

There are a lot of things to consider when choosing your new hunting partner; personality is high on the list. You must be able to control the dog while in the field as well as in your home environment. Also important to consider is the dog’s temperament since it will most likely be in the field with other hunters and their dogs.

Take the time to research the dog’s bloodline and the history of the breed. A swift decision can sometimes lead to missteps. It can sometimes be best to try to locate a pointer dog to purchase after the current hunting season has ended. If a hunter is considering breeding their dog they may wait until hunting season has ended. Another important fact to research is the health of the bloodline in general. Some breeds are prone to health issues that you may not encounter with other breeds.

Careful research will payoff in the long run.

The Gamin Astro gives you the exact location, the distance, the direction the dog is traveling (if they are moving), and what the dog is doing. Running, pointing, or sitting, it tells you what your dog is doing.

The idea of the Gamin Astro is for you and your dog to have a GPS system. The one that the dog wears picks up a signal from the satellites. The dogs GPS sends a radio signal to the owners GPS with its location.

The GPS in the owner’s hands knows where the owner is and where the dog is. So it pinpoints the location of the dog on the owners screen. That way the owner can see where they are, and where the dog is.

The Gamin Astro is silent; it does not make a sound and is better for you and your dog when going hunting. The System also tells you when your dog finds its prey, that way you need to go check on your dog constantly.

You can also put in a PIN onto the collar when you want people your hunting with able to track your dogs, or when you don’t want someone to be able to track them. The Astro can handle up to 10 dogs at one time. You can also track multiple dogs from multiple systems.

The Garmin Astro is used for bird dogs, and has many features hunters would love. The Gamin Astro is the right choice for any bird hunter and dog.

Choosing the right bird hunting dogs depends on many different variables including what type of terrain, and the specific type of bird you will be hunting. The obvious choice is that you want an experienced dog unless you enjoy the interaction of starting them young and training them yourself.

The type of bird hunting dogs fall into four distinct categories: raising that new puppy with absolutely no training, a young dog that has some preliminary training, hunting dogs that have been broken but no experience, and actual trained and experienced field dogs. Another aspect of the right training is to make sure that your dogs have experience around guns so they aren’t spooked.

Environment and terrain are also important aspects of finding the right dogs. To this end you must plan ahead when it comes to this. It should begin during early training. Will the dogs be used in all types of weather and terrain? The dog must be acclimatized to the elements they will be hunting in. If you plan on being a serious bird hunter you may need different dogs for different birds, weather, and terrain.

In order to prepare yourself for this exciting sport you must do your research into the specific dogs correct for what you expect. Although training is very essential, dogs have an innate sense of instinct depending on the breed. You want to be positive that you find the correct dog that has been trained or a pup you plan on training yourself.

One must be careful when buying a bird dog. There are four characteristics one must consider before deciding which dog to purchase. One must examine the history of the dog. The breeder must be responsible. Test your next best friend and hunting dog.

Dog history is very important. Good traits tend to run in the genes. If the parents are still alive try hard to get a look at them and if possible try and get to know them. See how obedient they are. Test their personality. You want a dog that has a mild temperament not one that is quick on the growl and attack.

Scrutinize the breeder. Ask a lot of questions. Look at the environment the dog was raised in. Inquire about anything that does not seem right. Ask to see all records that pertain to the dog’s health. Remember, this dog will be your hunting partner for some time to come. This sounds meticulous. You will find that the more research you do the better the partner you chose.

Test the dog’s personality. If you have a family a dog with a bad temper will be a bad idea to have in the house. Test him to see if he follows commands such as fetching. See how well he listens. If you know of a few tricks he does, have him do those tricks just to see how well he listens to you. Finally, if all of the above checks out, how drawn are you to the dog?