Wow! We are entering the last month of the upland bird hunting season. As we get older, the calendar speeds up and our body slows down. Oh, how we wish we could reverse that process. No such luck!

Since January is traditionally the coldest month of the year, I thought it would be a good idea to discuss the effects of extreme cold and winter weather conditions, not only on our dogs, but us as well.

HYPOTHERMIA

It occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce heat. The normal range of body temperature in dogs is between 101 and 102.5 degrees F. In humans the range is 97.6 to 99.6 degrees F. When the body heat consistently falls below that range, hypothermia can occur. It can go from mild to severe depending on how far below the normal range.

Possible Causes:

•             Constant exposure to wind chill in freezing weather especially if raining or snowing

•             Exposure to cold or icy water conditions

Symptoms:

•             Shivering

•             Weakness

•             Stiffness

•             Stupor or incoherency

•             Unconsciousness or coma

Actions to Take:

•             Warm your dog or yourself up

•             Return to your vehicle

•             Build a fire to produce heat

•             Vigorously rub your dog all over with a dry towel

•             Wrap yourself and/or your dog in a blanket

Getting out of the cold or extreme conditions as quickly as possible is paramount. Hypothermia can cause damage to internal organs because adequate blood flow is not maintained.

Remember, your dog will keep on going no matter what the conditions may be. It is our responsibility to watch out for their safety.

Stop by again next month when we will discuss how and what to do during the off season. Until then, have a Happy New Year and a great 2020!

Regards,

We all love to see a dog that retrieves right to hand . . .

This month we are going to add retrieving to the Staunchness on Point training drill. It will be used as a reward when your dog executes staunchness on point without breaking point or creeping on point.

Set up the scenario as described in the last few months tips. Once the dog establishes point, release the bird, fire the starter pistol and keep the dog from chasing (on check cord). Then lead the dog 180 degrees away about 20 yards. Command WHOA and MARK, toss a frozen bird and then command the dog to fetch. I use the dog’s name as a release command. You can also use a whistle command as a release to retrieve.

Remember, do not give the retrieve reward if the dog falters in any way on staunchness. Soon your dogs will learn that in order to get their mouths on birds, they must be staunch on point.

This is a great drill to start training your dog to be steady to wing and shot. Please stop by again next month for another training tip. The upland bird hunting season is now underway. May it be a rewarding one for both you and your dog!

Regards,

This month we will start our series on field training pointing dogs. . .

We have come to the fifth and last lesson of the five lesson program featured in Paul Long’s book, “Training Pointing Dogs”. . .