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Looking for a Pointer?
Few breeds have earned the reputation of the Pointer. Known for their speed, style, and natural bird-finding ability, Pointers have been a favorite among upland hunters for generations. Whether you are chasing quail across southern plantations, hunting prairie birds in the Midwest, or simply looking for an athletic companion with strong sporting instincts, the Pointer remains one of the most respected bird dogs in the field.
English Pointer or Pointer?
If you spend much time around bird dog folks, you'll eventually hear the breed referred to by two different names. Some people call them Pointers, while others insist on English Pointers. For newcomers to the sporting dog world, that can be confusing. Are they the same breed? Is one term more correct than the other?
How to Write Hunting Dog Ads That Actually Get Calls
A lot of folks think if they’ve got a good dog, it’ll sell no matter what.
How to Promote Your Hunting Dog Kennel
If you ask most kennel owners how they promote their dogs, you’ll hear the same answer: “I post them when they’re ready.” That approach might work once or twice, but it doesn’t build anything long-term. The kennels that consistently sell pups, build waiting lists, and stay relevant year after year take a different approach. They promote their kennel all the time, not just when they have something to sell.
How to Build a Kennel That Lasts
I’ve been running Gundog Central twenty years now, I’ve seen a lot of kennels come and go. I’ve seen new kennels shows up strong, produces a few litters, builds some buzz—and then quietly disappears. A few years later, nobody remembers the name.
Do you need a Gundog Central Kennel Account?
Most breeders only think about advertising when they have puppies on the ground. The most successful kennels think differently. They understand that reputation isn’t built in eight weeks — it’s built year-round. When someone begins searching for their next hunting companion, they rarely purchase from the first litter they see. They research. They compare bloodlines. They follow kennels for months, sometimes years, before making a decision. Maintaining a year-round kennel account on Gundog Central positions your program as established, professional, consistent, and invested. Instead of appearing only when there’s something to sell, you demonstrate that your kennel is committed to the long game.
Whats in a breeding contract
When it comes to purchasing a dog from a breeder, it's common practice for breeders to require buyers to sign a contract. While some buyers, especially first-timers, may initially find this step intrusive, it's crucial to understand that the contract serves a vital purpose.
A Broken Plate
After a long hiatus I have returned to a sport I loved for many years. As I turn my pups loose now and watch them sail across the south pasture, I reflect on the many turns in the road that placed me here.
The Smith Setter Celebration
It’s tough to beat the warm days and cool nights of Georgia in the Spring. The high heat and humidity, the kind that drives field trailers in droves to the Dakotas, the Rockies, or Canada, hasn’t yet hit. The sounds of songbirds float on the light-variable winds, while the thundering gobbles of Eastern wild turkeys echo through the fields and draws. Bird doggers hear them, but they’re really listening for the ‘poor Bob White’ whistle. Gentleman Bob has been an important part of life on the land off of Ben Hatcher Road for a long time.
Tall Timbers: Burning Down the House
I’ve heard of folks figuring out the price tag on costs to raise wild quail, but I don’t know of anyone who has kept track of the amount of time that goes into the breeding, training and developing of a championship gun dog. Both are significant. Take that dog number, multiply it by 55, and you’ll have one heck of a lot of hours all represented in the dogs that qualified to run across 28 braces in the February 2025 National Championship for Bird Dogs held at Ames Plantation. The first brace of this 126-year old Super Bowl caliber event commenced on February 10th . The final brace ran over two weeks later on February 27, and during that time weather conditions ranged from a soggy, below-freezing 22 degrees Fahrenheit day to a 75-degree Fahrenheit sweat lodge. If you don’t like the weather in Grand Junction then wait five minutes.
Meet Gen Next
Everyone loves puppies, but not everyone likes dogs. It’s unsurprising that the same holds true in the canine world. Many adult dogs don’t care that much for puppies, and some downright despise them. Making sure that the introduction is successful isn’t just important, it’s critical. That prevailing attitude means introductions to the new member of your string requires some thought and planning. After all, you only get one chance to make a good first impression.
C-C-C-Cold-Weather Canine Care
Our October and November waterfowl hunts weren’t anything to write about. Air temps north of us hovered between 70-and-82 degrees Fahrenheit, and with all of that open water those birds weren’t in a hurry to go anywhere. A bone-chilling cold snap rolled in just before Christmas, and it spanned half of the East Coast from Canada to Maryland. The season’s entire migration seemed to arrive all at once.
Read Your Dog
Just because a gun dog can’t speak doesn’t mean he’s not saying anything. Reading the dogs’ body language is key for elevating performance levels, so here are some things pro trainers look for when they cut loose their string.
My Invention
I have always been blessed with just the right amount of intelligence to get neck deep into something, but never enough intelligence to get out successfully. This was one of those occasions. It involves two bird dog bitches and a dummy, me.
Losing It
Harry Bain had been an all-age for-the-public pointing dog trainer-handler for thirty years. In that role he had lived in south Alabama, trained trial and hunting dog's mid-July through mid-September in North Dakota and traveled the major all-age trial circuit September through mid-March. Summers he had fished the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere until the last week of June when he readied for the trip north.
