This month we will start our series on field training pointing dogs. You now have completed the yard training 5 Lesson series. If you missed some or all of this program, you can go back the last 5 months (March through July) to learn or review this series. Your dog must be WHOA broke in order to proceed with the field training series.

We start our pointing dogs in field training with a simple FLY AWAY drill. Here we are teaching the dog that he cannot catch birds on the wing. The best birds for training in this program are pigeons. Either feral, or better yet, homing pigeons as they return to the loft and can be used multiple times. In either case this is an inexpensive way to teach your dog not to chase. Do not use pen raised quail or chukars for this drill as they tend to fly only a short distance or not at all which is counter productive to this part of the training.

Get yourself a bird bag with shoulder strap. Place several pigeons in the bag and send your dog out for a quartering drill in the field. As the dog is running along toss out a bird so the dog can see it. He/she will chase the bird and that is what we want. DO NOT COMMAND WHOA at this point. Re-call the dog (HERE or COME) in after the dog has chased for a while. Repeat the process until the dog only takes a couple steps or does not chase at all. Now he/she has learned they cannot catch a flushed bird! Repeat this drill several training sessions until the dog consistently stops and does not chase at all. This drill is important as he/she will learn to remain staunch on point sooner and will not have a tendency to “creep in” after establishing point.

You and your dog have a whole month to work on this. Then he/she will be ready for the next step, Staunchness on point.  See you again next month.

C J, Shawnee,&  Duchess

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

Dogs express their love in many ways; kisses all over the face, a wagging tail, and cuddles, lots of cuddles. We all love our pets, but many of us only see them when we come home from work or on weekends. This leaves very little time for us to express to them how we feel about them. Pet Appreciation Week is from June 2nd to June 8th and here are 5 ways to show your dog some extra affection!

1.  Take them to the dog park! Some dogs may be deprived of socialization which can cause them anxiety in other social situations. Relieving your pet of their built-up energy at a dog park may allow your pet to become more sociable and make new friends! You can find a list of reputable dog parks around you with a quick google search. For dog parks in the Denver area click here!

2. Bake them a doggy-friendly cake. Yes, a cake. Find recipes online for dog-safe cakes and mixes that you can buy premade! This will let your dog enjoy a delicious treat and allow you to bake with unlimited love for your pet. Check out this link for some good-looking dog-friendly cake recipes!

3. Learn how to better communicate with your dog in their own language. There are many resources online to teach pet owners how to better communicate with their pets. It can help bring you closer to your pet and possibly change some negative behaviors too! Check out “5 Ways To Tell Your Dogs You Love Them In Their Own Language”, for more tips on how you can communicate effectively with your pet.

4. Pamper your pet with a grooming. Being covered in fur can’t be easy, give your pet a bath and trim their nails. You might even feel better afterwards too! The American Humane Organization says that matted fur can be harmful to your pet’s health and even cause skin infections. Keeping your pet feeling fresh can help them feel loved and taken care of.

5. Finally, keep your pet healthy with a daily supplement to support their immune system and overall health! Daily Dog is a great example. Daily Dog has 21 key vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants. It is beef-flavored and can be given like a treat. To check out Daily Dog click here.

These 5 things can help you show your pet extra appreciation this week! For more information on keeping your dog healthy and active visit Zoomdog Supplements today!

Sources:

• (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/denver-parks-and-recreation/parks/city-parks/dog-parks.html

• Grooming Your Pet. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/grooming-your-pet/

• Daniels, E. (2018, February 08). 15 Dog Cake Recipes for Your Fur Baby. Retrieved from https://www.personalcreations.com/blog/dog-cake-recipes

• 5 Ways To Tell Your Dogs You Love Them In Their Own Language. (2017, July 02). Retrieved from https://iheartdogs.com/5-ways-to-tell-your-dogs-you-love-them-in-their-own-language/

This month we continue with Lesson #4 in WHOA training utilizing Paul Long’s system as described in his book, “Training Pointing Dogs”. . .

This month we continue our WHOA command training program with Lesson # 3 from Paul Long’s, “Training Pointing Dogs” . . .