Gun Dog Training Schools

Training a gun dog takes patience and determination, but if done right, it results in a loyal and valuable hunting companion. Gun dogs assist hunters by tracking, pointing out and retrieving game, such as ducks and quail. Common gun dog training programs usually consist of three stages: early training for puppies, intermediate programs for young dogs and custom programs for advanced dogs.

  1. Beginner

    • Gun dog training schools provide classes for dogs less than 8 months of age. Early puppy training focuses on the development of a young dog's natural instincts, ensuring its excitement about birds and its trust in and respect for the trainer. Trainers introduce basic commands, such as "sit," "down" and "come," and walking on a leash. Most schools expose puppies to a variety of outdoor training grounds, live birds and the sound of distant gunfire, with the aim of familiarizing the dog to different environments and situations commonly experienced while hunting in the field.

    Intermediate

    • For dogs 8 months of age or older, intermediate programs provide further training with guns, birds and off-leash leading in a variety of hunting environments. Depending on the school, the program introduces new techniques, including clicking devices for praise, electronic collar training and voice, hand and whistle commands. Trainers use positive reinforcement to encourage a young dog's natural abilities to point out and retrieve birds and other wild game. In the warmer months, the dog plays with and retrieves a ball or training dummy in shallow ponds or open marsh areas to build its confidence in the water.

    Advanced

    • Advanced gun dog training programs emphasize extensive exposure to birds and guns in both dry and wet conditions. They encourage the dog to stay quiet and motionless when it sees a bird or hears gunfire. The dog learns to swiftly locate, mark and retrieve birds that have been shot, and certain breeds learn to point out hidden birds detected by scent or sound. They learn the "hup," or sit, command and the "whoa" command, which helps keep a dog back from birds or dangerous areas in the field. At this stage, professional trainers help alleviate any bad habits, tailoring the training around the needs of the dog.

    Facilities

    • Gun dog training schools usually board the dogs for one to three months for each level of training. Nearing the end of the program, they invite the dog's owner to spend time at the facilities in order to transition the dog from trainer to owner. Training schools provide kennels, exercise yards and training fields that vary in size and quality. Typical training grounds range from small, publicly-owned parks and groves to tens, or even thousands, of acres of privately-owned bird habitat. For best results, choose a school with the same type of grounds that the dog will be hunting in.