Sporting Dog Training – Start Early and Take Your Time

Sporting Dog Training Should Start at Very Early Age

Sporting Dog Training should start at very early age, say when the puppy is just three or four months old. He shall have to be trained to be a social member which will ultimately translate into his becoming an excellent sporting dog. In other words he should be in the company of trainers, owners as well as admirers. His adaptability to new things will make him a better sporting dog.

He should be trained for strict obedience from early dates, preferably starting on a one on one basis and then progressing to group training. The tedious process of training calls for lots of patience. Never get upset during your training process, always stay as calm as possible. If you get frustrated, it’s time to take a break. Keep in mind that training takes time and dogs learn at different rates. You may be tempted to start using an Electronic Collar, however you will want to wait until the dog is about 6 months or older and has learned its commands on lead before transitioning to a remote training collar. The four commands that I feel are most important are – Sit, Here, Heel and No. These are the four basic most essential commands that your sporting dog should know in his training program.

The concentration training makes sure that the sporting dog is not distracted while on duty. And he should make progress straight back toward you on the command ‘here’.

Besides the basic hunting commands, depending on the nature, temperament and situations different additional commands could be taught. The behaviour patterns of all dogs are not same. His domicile, environment as well as duty structure shall have to be made clear to him through his training regimen.

Unlike popular belief, a sporting dog training program should include being raised up not in a pen but in a house to facilitate socialising. Not saying that they cannot be hunters living in a kennel, but they should have a balance of socialization in their lives. Another wrong concept is about food. The food a sporting dog gets should be controlled and balanced. If you think that only repeated commands, cajoling or shouting only produces results, it is time to revamp entire training session.

The sporting dog should be able to identify his master’s commands clearly. His smell faculty should be perfect. He should be trained to distinguish between gun shots, sound of games falling, and he should be having excellent vision.

Finally he should be given genuine praise as well as understand when he is doing something that is unwanted or conducts himself in an undesirable manner.

Again, keep in mind that sporting dog training is not a quick process and it takes time for dogs to completely understand what is being asked of them. If you have questions, or are unsure of what you are doing, contact a professional trainer for assistance.