Until very recently, there was a strong conviction that gun dog training must be done by an expert trainer. Not anymore. You and anyone who feels like doing it, can do gun dog training today. There are a number of books and video training aids which can take you through a step-by-step method of the gun dog training process and the results are as great as if it was done by a professional dog trainer.

Hunting and Gun Dog Training

The majority of time, this type of training is used for hunting purposes. The dog learns to bolt and retrieve the shot prey as soon as the gun is fired, hence the name of gun dog training. The dog would be trained to retrieve the shot bird or animal and give it to the hunter. Though with proper training any dog would be able to perform this task, there are actually special breeds of dogs which are particularly used for this task, such as golden retriever, pointers, etc. who are by birth built for this task.

The needed training is long, intensive and very stressful for both the trainer and the dog. A lot of patience is required and a lot of positive reinforcement before the puppy can really act as good gun dog. Though it is important that you have a good breed for best results, there were many instances when the best gun dogs were from mixed breeds. The method, more than anything else, is important here. Novices would do good to have some expert guidance on hand initially lest they stress the dog too much in their anxiety to get the dog to perform well fast.

A Partner in Hunting

Those who are thinking of training their puppies as gun dogs by themselves need to keep in mind the fact that their dog is not just an animal but their hunting partner. Hence, they should be treated just as you would treat an individual. You will need to know its temperament, its strengths and weaknesses, and you need to have total commitment for achieving success.

The quality of the training is as important as the way you treat the dog while training. Too much stress will take the fun out of the retrieving game, and make the dog dull. In order to get the best out of the dog, it should be happy during the training and enjoy it thoroughly as a game first; then it will learn fast and use its full agility in its performance.