v-dog blog

Insert Note from Dad:  My son, Connor, wrote the following short story for his 6th grade English class. The story was supposed to be about one of his favorite outdoor experiences. He wrote about a time we traveled to a little country town a couple hunting seasons ago close to the panhandle of...

 All of the versatile hunting dog tests that I have participated in or read about have a portion of their test that is dedicated to evaluating how well a young pup follows a scent trail. Some tests, such as those that are affiliated with the European clubs, often will evaluate this trait while...

I had some friends over to train dogs at my place the other day. We worked with a couple young pups who have an upcoming puppy test as well as with Cross Timber’s Apex who is preparing for her Utility Test coming up in October. Cross Timber’s Apex (aka Meeka) is being trained by her owner Brandon...

I often tell folks that they will do their pup a great service if they work to make their dog comfortable with water, birds and guns during the first 9-12 months of life. These things, as well as a lot of off-leash running and exploring in various fields of all types will provide a solid...

In this post, we will be discussing the intro of a young pup to birds. The intro of birds can usually be done with minimal caution with a fairly bold pup. However, it is still good to have a plan to follow as you often don’t really know how bold of a pup you have when they are so young. Upland...

Last post I discussed how to get your young pup swimming. During the early months after acquiring a pup there is much to consider as far as exposure goes. One of those things is establishing a strong desire to retrieve from land. Start with Sound Genetics             If you get a pup from a litter...