Hunting Dog Training Tips, Gun Dog Guides & Breed Advice

Practical, field-tested advice for hunters and their dogs. Learn how to train a hunting dog, start a bird dog puppy, run beagles on rabbits, get your coonhound treeing and choose the right breed for upland birds, waterfowl, coyote and bear. Whether you’re raising your first gun dog puppy or polishing a finished dog, you’ll find training plans, gear tips and buyer’s guides here.

Popular topics: Hunting Dog Training · Puppy Training · Bird Dog Training · Hound Training · Hunting Dog Breeds · Buying a Hunting Dog · Training Gear

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Close-up of a deer tick on a blade of grass

How to Deal with Ticks on Your Dog: Prevention, Removal and Tick-Borne Disease

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Everything hunting dog owners need to know about ticks on dogs: tick types, where and when they bite, safe removal, tick-borne disease warning signs and prevention.
Hunter giving water to a Labrador retriever on a warm day

How to Keep Your Dog Hydrated and Safe on Hot Early-Season Hunts

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How to keep your hunting dog hydrated on warm early-season hunts: prepare, water often, recognize heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and cool your dog safely.
Hunter checking over an English Setter in an autumn field after a hunt

How to Prevent and Treat Common Field Injuries in Hunting Dogs (Cuts, Burrs and Snake Encounters)

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Field first aid for hunting dogs: what to pack, and how to handle cut pads, torn ears, eye irritations, burrs, porcupine quills and snake encounters.
Breeder showing a Brittany puppy to a hunter and his son

How to Market Your Next Litter: Connecting with Serious Hunters Early

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How to market a litter of hunting dog puppies: list early, highlight performance and health clearances, screen buyers, take fair deposits and stay in touch.
German Shorthaired Pointer puppies exploring a pheasant wing

How to Socialize a Litter of Puppies Before They Go to Their New Homes

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How to socialize a litter of puppies before they go home: early handling, new sounds and surfaces, bird wing and scent exposure, and meeting new people.
Pregnant English Setter resting beside a whelping box

How to Prepare Your Dam for a Healthy Litter (From Conception to Whelping)

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How to prepare your dam for a healthy litter, from confirming pregnancy and prenatal nutrition to safe exercise, whelping box setup and knowing when labor starts.
German Shorthaired Pointer playing tug with its handler during training

Have Fun Training Your Dog: Keeping the Spark Alive in the Field and Yard

How to have fun training your dog: end every session on a high note, work play into technical drills and celebrate small wins to build a confident gun dog.
Brittany puppy playing in fresh snow

Buying a Pup During the Winter: Challenges, Benefits and Preparation

Buying a puppy in winter gives a hunting dog a head start on next season. The benefits, cold-weather housebreaking and safety tips, and indoor training ideas.
English Setter mother with her newborn puppies in a whelping box

Essential Breeding Tips for Healthy Litters: Health Testing, Pedigrees and Timing

Breeding tips for healthy litters of hunting dogs: health clearances, matching complementary pedigrees, progesterone timing and whelping preparation.
Yellow Lab puppy carrying a training dummy in a field

How to Introduce Your Young Pup to Gunfire (Without Ruining Their Drive)

How to introduce a puppy to gunfire the right way: start far away during play, step up from a cap gun to a shotgun, pair the shot with birds and avoid common mistakes.
Pointer trotting beside a bicycle on a gravel road during off-season conditioning

How to Condition Your Hunting Dog in the Off-Season for Peak Performance

Off-season conditioning for hunting dogs: build endurance with roading, harden paw pads on rough ground and adjust feed so your dog is fit for opening day.
How to housebreak your puppy

How to Housebreak Your New Puppy

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How to housebreak a puppy: a strict routine, close supervision and crate training, and rewarding success instead of punishing accidents.
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