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Whats in a name?
I will call this an information session for all of you gundog enthusiasts out there, however some of you will more than likely call it venting and complaining. But nevertheless, here is my story. This article is about duel registration for your gundog. Specifically duel registration with the AKC and the NAVHDA. I will share my story here today with all of you in hopes that you will not run into the same misfortune that I have recently when trying to accomplish this with my new male GSP. First off, just a little bit of back story to set the mood. I had been in search of the perfect male to add to my bloodline for quite sometime. I mean I really did a lot of research, spent hours combing the classifieds, and some real foot work looking for that special litter that contained my future superstar. You know the kind, the pup thats pedigree contains just the right balance of proven master hunters and versatile champions, he had to have the perfect markings, and his tail had to stand at attention like a soldier when he meant business. After forfeiture of a couple puppy deposits due to not getting exactly what I wanted, I had almost given up when a boring day at work and one more scroll thru Gundog Central yielded what I personally considered perfection out in eastern Iowa. I was on the phone straight away and an immediate trip to the post office after work with deposit in hand began the long wait and picking process and picture messages leading up to eight weeks later when my lovely bride would make the not so short journey to pick up our new champion prospect. He was a beautiful pup. Over the years I have had a bunch of good looking German Shorthaired pointers, but this little guy topped em all. Now after waiting for several weeks, of course I had already named him before I had even met him in person. So a quick visit to the AKC website is all it took, and it was official, my new pup had a new name.........or did he?
Mission: Condition
Is your favorite companion tuned up and ready for season?  Well, if  he, or she is not by now, chances are you are too late. When we neglect conditioning our gundog before the season opener, the results can make for what should have been a great hunt, turn out to be just a bad memory. Exercise during the off season is just as important to your dog, if not more important, than during season. Lets face it, life is a busy place and there is alot to worry about in the off season, like fishing, and spring turkey. But if you choose to leave ole fido in the kennel until season arrives, then throw him in the dog box, turn him out in the field, and expect the model hunting companion, then I promise you that you are going to be very disappointed. And, shame on you for doing it. Just like us, that dog has waited since last year for this day to come, and if in the months leading up to season you have not taken some time out of your busy schedule to exercise your dog and spend some time on the basics, then you have no one to blame but yourself when you cant talk at the end of opening day and your e collar is dead. Not to mention the fact that your buddies will probably not be calling you next weekend because of your dog busting birds all morning, and then burning out by the afternoon. So, spend some time with your gundog all year long, not just during hunting season. The benefits of a dog that has had the proper amount of exercise during the year will show great rewards during hunting season. Your dog will be more focused and ready to please. Just remember, the instincts are in the breeding, the rest is up to you. Happy hunting.
Go Slow When Introducing a Dog to Gunfire
Sometimes hunters are so eager to develop their new pup into a hunting dog that they rush things. With some training exercises, if you make a mistake and try to teach something too fast, you can fix the resulting problems by going back and starting over. In others cases, such as with introduction to gunfire, you don't get a second chance.
That Dog Can Hunt
Just to let all who are interested there is a new show on Pursuit Channel seen on both Direct and Dish networks.
Bending Drills Teach Dogs to Hunt Efficiently
A dog that searches for birds in a consistent pattern covers ground efficiently and hunts with confidence. Whether you're hunting quail, grouse or pheasants, the result is the same: more shooting opportunities.
Understanding Canine Influenza
If you have been watching the news lately or reading metropolitan newspapers, you may have noticed articles about a "new" flu outbreak in dogs. In some sections of the country, veterinarians are reporting a near-panic situation around this canine flu news. Here are the facts.
Training Your Retriever for Double Duty
If you own a waterfowl dog, chances are that sooner or later you're going to ask it to perform upland duty. It might be a pheasant hunt as a sideline to your Dakota duck hunt, or maybe an afternoon of quail hunting after a morning goose hunt. Most retrievers handle their second job pretty well. You can help your dog perform that job even better.
An American Tradition, Bought and Paid For
Yesterday was opening day of dove season here in Kansas, a day that for me and my shorthairs, could not have come any sooner. We live on a small farm here in Kansas, so a short walk out back is all the traveling we have to do to get down to business, so to speak. We did have some decent shooting in the morning, notice I say shooting. Thats because my disappointed dogs thought that my percentage of kills was rather low. There is nothing worse than the disappointment on their faces when you pull up and fire, but yet the bird keeps right on going. During the heat of the afternoon, I decided to tackle a few items off of my honey do list around the yard. As I worked outside I kept my Franchi 20 gauge leaned up against the picnic table close by, just in case a single or two happened by. I put the chores down in the late afternoon, picked up the shotgun, rounded up the dogs, and headed back to my spot to get down to what I hoped would be some better shooting on my part than I had accomplished earlier in the day. I would like to say that my aim was better in the afternoon than it was in the evening, but my dogs would call me a liar.
Choosing a Dog Box
If you are in the market for a dog box to haul your dogs to field trials and hunting, there are a number of decisions you
Better Training with Tri-Tronics
In their never ending desire to help our TRI-TRONICS' customers achieve more and better results, TRI-TRONICS has recruited John Wick to write a monthly web article. Nationally respected and trusted in the tree dog field as a breeder and trainer, John is known for his commonsense, yet innovative training tactics. Although tree dogs are his specialty, many of his philosophies and methods can be adapted to dogs of all types. We, at TRI-TRONICS, believe you and your dogs will benefit from his many years of experience and his sincere efforts to help all dogs and their trainers. ENJOY!
The Opener
This year I was blessed and duck season opened while I was home on leave from Iraq. Luckly, it also happened to be three weeks earlier than any date I can remember. As soon as I heard the news of the opener, I couldn't help but think of all the good days and the not so good days spent in the duck blind. I remembered hunts from the past, dogs I've hunted over and the friends I shared these experiences with. This one was sure to become one of those fond memories.
Caring for Your Senior Dog
Pets today are living longer thanks to improved nutrition and healthcare. In order to make sure your dog's senior years are as healthy and happy as possible, it is important to be aware of changes that can occur as dogs get older.
Breeding a Better Dog
A pair of wood ducks came screaming by as my dad and I folded the drake. Most likely my dad did the folding, but I tried to help with my single shot 20 gauge. He pulled our springer/lab cross and myself through the cattails and marsh grass searching for the drake.
