Sample Reading from:



Glade Run Press
$20.00
(copyrighted material 2003)

CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 
INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1
   PICKING A PUP AND GETTING STARTED
     Picking a Pup
        How to Pick a Pup: Gene Stewart
     Socializing
     Crate Training
     Early Table Training
     Amateurs' commentary

CHAPTER 2
   USING BIRDS FOR FIELD TRAINING
     Using Pigeons
        Planting Pigeons: Dave Walker
     Using Quail
        Planting Quail
     Amateurs' Commentary

CHAPTER 3
   INTRODUCING BIRDS AND GUNFIRE
     Introducing Birds
     Introducing Birds to a Young Pup
     Introducing Birds to an Older Pup Why Dogs point: Bill Gibbons
     Introducing Gunfire
   Introducing Gunfire Away from Birds: Gene Stewart
     Introducing Gunfire around Birds: Bill Gibbons
     Introducing the Shotgun
     Amateurs' Commentary

CHAPTER 4
   TRAINING DURING THE FIRST EIGHTEEN MONTHS
     Training Your Hunting Pup
       Providing Field Experience
       Building Dependence
       Taking Your Pup Hunting
     Training Your Field Trial Pup
       Learning about Horses
       Introducing the Stakeout Chain
       "Singing" and Using a Whistle
       Attending Your First Field Trial
     Teaching a Pattern: Tommy Tracy
       Patterning on Foot
       Patterning on Horseback
     Conditioning
       Conditioning the Hunting Dog: Gene Stewart
       Conditioning the Field Trial Dog: Tommy Tracy
     Amateurs' Commentary

CHAPTER 5
   BEGINNING YARD WORK
   Teaching "Whoa": Dave Walker
   Teaching "Here": Dave Walker
   Combining "Whoa" and "Here": Dave Walker
   Teaching "Heel": Ben Lorenson
   Barrel Training: Tommy Tracy
   Amateurs' Commentary

CHAPTER 6
   TRAINING WITH THE E-COLLAR
     Presenting the E-Collar
     Fitting the E-Collar on Your Dog
     Finding Your Dog's Level
     Using the Transmitter
   Using the E-Collar for Correction
     Introducing the E-Collar for the First Time: Bill Gibbons
     Doing Yard Work with the E-Collar
     Understanding the Stimulation:Ben Lorenson Using Two E-Collars: Gene Stewart
     Training Tips
   Using the E-collar for Attention
   Using the E-Collar for Avoidance
   Amateurs' Commentary

CHAPTER 7
   TEACHING STEADY-TO-WING-AND-SHOT
     Teaching Steady-to-Wing: Dave Walker
       The First and Second Weeks
       The Second and Third Weeks
       The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Weeks
       The Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Weeks
     Teaching Steady-to-Shot: Dave Walker
       The Seventh and Eighth Weeks
       The Eighth Week
       Shooting Birds
     Amateurs' Commentary

CHAPTER 8
   PROVIDING ADDITIONAL TRAINING
     Teaching Stop-to-Flush
       Stop-to-Flush: Gene Stewart
     Teaching Backing
       Backing: Jim Basham
     Teaching Retrieving
       Retrieving for Pups: Dave Walker
       Retrieving for the Adult Dog: Bill Gibbons Amateurs' Commentary

CHAPTER 9
   TALKING WITH PROFESSIONALS
     Solving Problems
       Aggression
       Blinking
       Deer Chasing
       Flagging
       Gun-Shyness
       Sitting or Lying Down on Point
       Trailing
     Training the Young Dog: Gene Stewart

CHAPTER 10
   REFLECTING
     "Japanese Tea Bowls and Bird Dogs"- Martha H. Greenlee
     "The Eyes Have It"-David A. Webb

APPENDIX A
   RESOURCES
     Bird Dog and Tack Supplies
     Bird Supplies
     Brittany Breeders and Events
     E-Collars
     Training Collars and Video Tapes

APPENDIX B
   RECALLING QUAIL
     The Electronic Call Bird
     Quail Feeders

APPENDIX C
   THE BRITTANY IN AMERICA
     Learning about the AKC Brittany standard The AKC Brittany Standard
       Registering Your Brittany
     Reading a Pedigree

APPENDIX D
   BIBLIOGRAPHY

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

INDEX

From Chapter 4 - Conditioning

CONDITIONING

The Brittany is a bird dog and an athlete, In order to perform in the field-hunting or field trial~a Brit - tany must be in excellent physical shape, Too often people expect their dogs to hunt half a day in temperatures that exceed 70° F. Do not hunt your dog in such weather unless he has been conditioned. If 'your dog is out of shape, begin gradually to condition him and don't have unrealistic expectations for an older dog,

In conditioning your dog, you must learn to "read" him-be sensitive to his needs. Being aware of your dog's needs is most important during hot weather. Be sure that you water him early and often. Depending on the weather conditions of your area, you may want to use electric clippers to shave his coat, or you may take him to a dog grooming shop and ask that he be given a "field cut" - a short cut appropriate to the weather conditions of the area.

Conditioning the Hunting Dog: Gene Stewart

To hunt birds, a hunting dog needs to be able to work in the uplands for several hours at a time, During the summer months before the fall bird season, Gene says that the best way to condition a dog is to "road " him - letting him pull in a harness that is attached to a moving vehicle (such as an ATV, bicycle, sled, and so forth) or to a horse, When Gene roads a dog, he starts with ten to fifteen-minute sessions, twice a week. At regular intervals he increases the conditioning sessions to every other day, Gradually, he increases the length of the sessions to thirty or forty minutes.

t If you do not have a vehicle or horse for roading i your dog, you can condition him by walking him in a roading harness on a check-cord and attaching a length of chain or cable to the roading harness. Use a chain only when you are roading on a smooth surface, such as level ground or a paved area. The chain should weigh about 5 lbs. , and the cable should weigh about 3 lbs. and be 8 to l0 ft. long. Because this additional weight increases the stress on your dog, you should reduce the time of the workout.

Conditioning the Field Trial Dog: Tommy Tracy

Tommy says that using the roading harness and cable are essential to properly conditioning a field trial dog. When he first starts a dog on a conditioning program, Tommy roads the dog with an ATV or with a horse.  He roads the dog for two short periods of time - five to ten minutes - every other day. He believes that it is important to vary these two times during the day-early morning and late evening one day and mid-morning and early afternoon the next day.

If you do not have an ATV or a horse, Tommy suggests, as does Gene Stewart, that you use cables for conditioning. He recommends using two cables, one on each side of the dog. In this way the muscles on both sides of the dog are equally conditioned. He also says that instead of walking, you can ride a bicycle to road him.

When preparing for a field trial-depending on weather conditions- Tommy suggests using the following conditioning process:

• Road from one to one-and-a-half hours every other day
• Vary the time of day for roading
• Lay-up (stop conditioning) two days before the trial.
• When conditioning in the summer, do not over- do it. Vary the conditioning with the temperature, do less conditioning during extremely hot weather.
• When you first start roading your dog, give him water within the first ten minutes. Subsequently, give him water as needed.

AMATEURS' COMMENTARY

Each Brittany pup is different from others, and although you can't change his basic nature, you can modify his behavior through training. A hunting dog should be dependent. If your pup becomes too independent, you can hide from him or take him to new grounds. A field trial dog should be more independent. You can build your pup's independence by running him on familiar grounds and following him. You teach teamwork to both types of dogs by encouraging them to depend on you and by varying the amount of dependency to fit your needs.

Prepare your Brittany for success by introducing him to the activities that he will participate in as an adult. Some of the activities may differ for the hunting pup and the field trial pup, but both types of pups should feel comfortable in their surroundings. The hunting pup must learn to bust through brush, and the field trial pup must get accustomed to being around horses. The sound of the beeper collar should excite both types of pups, and they should enjoy pulling the cable or roading in a harness. Remember to pay close attention to your pup's reactions. If you don't skip steps or move him along faster than he is able to go when you are training him, you will have a happy dog - one that enjoys his work and brings you pleasure.

Click HERE for a look at the back cover.

Updated 01/16/2004

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