34 Nebraskaland • December 2021
Field Training
A pointer receives fi eld work, on this day with homing
pigeons, in Cass County. JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
Calandra McCool of Omaha holds a chocolate Labrador retriever. Allowing a pup to tag along on a hunt shows them the ropes
for future hunts. JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND
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Nothing can replace live action. After your dog
has completed solid obedience training, spend
time with them in the field. Too many people love
the idea of having a hunting dog, but they often
spend very few days in the field with them and can't
understand why the dog isn't doing what they want.
If you're going to invest in a gun dog, make sure you
invest time into shooting birds over them.
•
Your dog is going to screw up — a lot. Don't
feel embarrassed when this happens. I've seen
new dog owners be afraid to hunt dogs with others
because they don't want to ruin a hunt. Be prepared
for plenty of failure with your dog. These hunting
scenarios provide valuable training opportunities
for you down the line. One tip is to not carry a gun
for the first year if you have other hunters with you.
You can spend that time focusing on your pup.
•
Let your dog hunt. Man, I get worn out with
people who talk to their dogs all the time when
we're hunting, trying to do everything for them. Your
pup needs time to learn on their own and use their
nose and instincts to find birds. Enabling them will
only create a dog that is solely dependent on you
and that is cause for disaster in the long term.
