This week we close out Jim Sorenson's story of chasing the upland slam in Part 3 originally released on 9/6/22. Ruffed Grouse Chukar Blue Grouse Spruce Grouse Sage Grouse Upland Slam Taxidermy Woodock Willow Ptarmigan Rock Ptarmigan Whitetail Ptarmigan Are Snipe and Rail being left out? Closing out Bella the 3rd dog The best and worst "behaved" bir…

Jared Warren of Southern State K9 returns in part 2 of the discussion on building and utilizing markers in your training. You also cant discuss markers without at least a working level of understanding when it comes to reward structures so we explore that topic as well. Watch Here! Think of it as training with Dopamine rather than training with rew…

This week we continue Jim Sorenson's story of chasing the upland slam in Part 2 originally released on 8/30/22. Where did the journey begin? Does a hunting journal help with being a better hunter? Hungarian Partridge (Huns) and Sharptail Grouse (Sharps) Prairie Chickens Pheasant Bobwhite Quail Mountain Quail Valley Quail Mearns Quail Gambel Quail S…

"I wish the dog could understand what I'm saying!" A very relatable request or wish that any dog trainer has probably uttered at some point or another. The truth is though, with the proper approach and consistency, you can get the dog to at least understand "yes" or "no" which does allows you to communicate more effectively with your dog. Jared War…

This week we start Jim Sorenson's story of chasing the Upland Slam that originally released on August 23, 2022. This upland slam series is unique in that Jim doesn't chase the slam for himself. Jim counts the upland slam for each individual dog. From Vizslas to German Shorthair Pointers Pheasant hunting with pointing dogs or flushing dogs? What is …

In this episode, we're joined by Ben Fretz from North Country Sporting Dogs to discuss the most common concerns in the dog training world. Whether you're a DIY trainer, a professional, or a dog owner who hires a trainer, one truth remains: every dog is unique and won't follow the same path. However, the pressure often mounts once a date is set on t…

You never know when an idea or passion may find you. This was the case for Kevin and his son while out on an early season Sharptail hunt. While stopping for a break and consuming products designed to help fuel their own hunt, they couldn't help but wonder why they didn't have anything to help fuel their dogs. Fast forward and they have now produced…

AKC conformation judge, Lonnie Carrol of Bear Hug Griffons, joins us to cover everything in the show dog world. Very often we hear the phrase "function over form" and Lonnie explains why it shouldn't be an either/or situation and we should be striving for both form AND function. Watch Here! What are conformation shows? The different classes and wha…

Accidents happen. Prices at the veterinary offices seem to be skyrocketing. How do we prepare for the scenario where we are weighing the well being of our beloved dog against whats right for our bank account and family? In this episode, we delve into the world of pet insurance—what it is, how it works, and why it might be right or wrong for you. Ti…

GDIY Profiles are bonus episodes that feature your average DIY dog trainer and hunter. All dog owners have a story of what got them involved and the main lessons learned along the way. Hearing numerous people’s stories along with their mistakes, helps promote the idea that WE ALL STARTED AT THE SAME PLACE! NAME: Nate Lecy BREED: Pudelpointer, Lab/A…

We heard about the patients journey through TPLO surgery last week. This week we talk with Veterinarian, Jay Brekke, as he goes through all of the advice and tips from the actual surgeons perspective. WATCH HERE Just how common is the CCL injury today? The odds of dealing with the injury and the underlying causes The knee certifications should be s…

One of my favorite things in the bird dog world is backing and honoring. Darryl Pernat came on the show in May of 2021 to break down his process on getting your dog to back reliably and consistently in the field! Why is backing important? "Backing" vs. "honoring" "Natural" vs. "developed" backers Better to start earlier or wait until after steadine…

It's something we all hope never happens to our dogs but, unfortunately, a CCL injury (equivalent to a human ACL) is more common than what you may think. When Cliff Hawkins' 3 year old Pudelpointer, Ruby, went down with the injury, he found the available information on how to navigate the situation very lacking. So he documented his experience and …

GDIY Profiles are bonus episodes that feature your average DIY dog trainer and hunter. All dog owners have a story of what got them involved and the main lessons learned along the way. Hearing numerous people’s stories along with their mistakes, helps promote the idea that WE ALL STARTED AT THE SAME PLACE! NAME: Lucas Felling BREED: Llewellin Sette…

Sometimes a bit help and extra hands go a long ways in helping you meet your goals with your dog. Chris Girard of the Green Valley Hunting & Retriever Club joins me to talk about the benefits as well as some of the challenges training groups can offer DIY trainers. Watch Here The history of GVHRC Accessing new potential hunters Group dynamics withi…

GDIY Profiles are bonus episodes that feature your average DIY dog trainer and hunter. All dog owners have a story of what got them involved and the main lessons learned along the way. Hearing numerous people’s stories along with their mistakes, helps promote the idea that WE ALL STARTED AT THE SAME PLACE! NAME: Ron Hunt BREED: Brittany LOCATION: B…

You should always jump at the opportunity when you get the chance to talk to someone in the upland space who has been chasing these birds for as long as Walt Lesser has! After all, he literally wrote the book on the Real Ryman Setter. It was a privilege to sit down with Walt in his home and hear his stores and what it was exactly that spoke to him …

Robb and Jim make their return to the podcast to recap and share their thoughts on our recent experience at Old Hemlock and the "Trouble with Bird Dogs" event put on by the Bird Dog Society. The purpose of the Troubles with Bird Dogs event The downward trend of bird numbers over decades Learning from history The experience of the historical propert…

You've at least heard George Bird Evans referenced at some point even if you've just barely dipped a toe in the upland hunting space. His words continue to inspire and motivate upland hunters even decades removed from his passing. Come and take a step back in time to catch a glimpse of what it was like for George, and his wife Kaye, living at the o…

A listener recently reached out asking for an episode talking about general advice when it comes to planning a hunting trip. It would be fun to revisit and provide an updated version of this subject but for now I thought it was worth revisiting episode 108 with Josh Flowers originally released on 9/21/21. Why test and train in the off season The be…

"Pick a method and stick with it!" Sure, thats sound advice. Especially for beginners. But for those of us that want to know why a particular method works or how to overcome and even prevent certain roadblocks or snags from appearing, simply focusing on the "HOW" may not be enough. Nate Czarnota of Iron Oak Dog Co. joins me to talk about the princi…

GDIY Profiles are bonus episodes that feature your average DIY dog trainer and hunter. All dog owners have a story of what got them involved and the main lessons learned along the way. Hearing numerous people’s stories along with their mistakes, helps promote the idea that WE ALL STARTED AT THE SAME PLACE! NAME: Ira Sherman BREED: German Wirehair P…

There are things that you may have thought were the primary reasons or benefits of getting into the gun dog world but, come to find out, there are other aspects that start to present themselves that make you realize theres a lot more to it. Perhaps its not all about the birds. Perhaps its not even just about the dog. Perhaps its about certain relat…

There have been countless guests and topics covered in episodes throughout the years that are truly invaluable and worth revisiting. Going through some of the back catalog and re-listening to some of the older episodes, I was honestly surprised at some of the information and details I have forgotten myself over the years. I wanted to try and highli…

One of the NAVHDA institutions, The Carters, joins me at the Eukanuba booth on the floor of Pheasant Fest. Blaine, Pattie, and Jason of Merrymeeting Kennels have been instrumental in bringing people into the bird dog space through their extremely active Yankee Chapter. We have a fun a conversation that covers a lot of insight and tips into not only…

GDIY Profiles are bonus episodes that feature your average DIY dog trainer and hunter. All dog owners have a story of what got them involved and the main lessons learned along the way. Hearing numerous people’s stories along with their mistakes, helps promote the idea that WE ALL STARTED AT THE SAME PLACE! NAME: Joe Davis BREED: German Shorthair Po…

Lee Howard of Mossy Pond Retrievers joins me on the floor of Pheasant Fest to go through the Super Retriever Series and what it actually takes to be competitive in that world! WATCH ON YOUTUBE What is the Super Retriever Series? There is a lot of handler involvement at that level The level of training required Is it realistic to compete for new peo…

GDIY Profiles are bonus episodes that feature your average DIY dog trainer and hunter. All dog owners have a story of what got them involved and the main lessons learned along the way. Hearing numerous people’s stories along with their mistakes, helps promote the idea that WE ALL STARTED AT THE SAME PLACE! NAME: Tyler Bachman BREED: German Shorthai…

There have been countless guests and topics covered in episodes throughout the years that are truly invaluable and worth revisiting. Going through some of the back catalog and re-listening to some of the older episodes, I was honestly surprised at some of the information and details I have forgotten myself over the years. I wanted to try and highli…

I'm back on the floor at Pheasant Fest where Jeremy Moore of Dogbone Hunter make his return to the show to have a wide ranging conversation. We hit on everything from place training to lack of trust causing impatience in handlers. Watch Here Is place training easy? Reward the impulse control Everything has to be incremental "Breaking" a dog. "Break…

GDIY Profiles are bonus episodes that feature your average DIY dog trainer and hunter. All dog owners have a story of what got them involved and the main lessons learned along the way. Hearing numerous people’s stories along with their mistakes, helps promote the idea that WE ALL STARTED AT THE SAME PLACE! NAME: Travis Gabel BREED: German Shorthair…

Some of the most informative and educational conversations I've had has come on the backend of a long training day with buddies. This was one of those discussions with my friends Randall Lykens and Tim Andrews. After running dogs all day we sat down for a hangout episode that covered A LOT of ground. Watch on YouTube Is there such thing as too much…

Back on the floor in the Eukanuba booth at Pheasant Fest, Jeremy Criscoe of Whistling Wings Kennel (Instagram: @whistlingwingskennel) joins me to talk about some great advice for everyone interested in dogs! You can WATCH on YouTube: https://2ly.link/1xXPy Best advice to someone new trying to find the right breeder Distance erodes control. Train cl…

Veterinarian Jay Brekke makes his return to the show to catch up on a number of things including our preference for prairie hunting or Ruffed Grouse hunting, late season Ptarmigan hunting, and our thoughts on the topic of dewclaws! Early vs late season hunting for Whitetail Ptarmigan The good, the bad, and the ugly on Dewclaws What about dogs with …

The first episode recorded from the Eukanuba booth on the floor at Pheasant Fest features Jared Moss of Best Gun Dogs. We cover a lot of topics and plenty of rabbit holes on this one. WATCH the episode on YouTube: https://2ly.link/1xQw0 Getting stared as a houndsman Why Jared switched from the Smith Method towards the West Method ALWAYS be learning…

I have recently started trialing within the National Shoot To Retrieve Association (NSTRA). After competing in the GA Regional trial, I sat down with the region president elect, Adam Langley, and region treasurer, Eric Walker to learn more about the game and their experiences participating over the years. You can also WATCH the episode on YouTube: …

Its officially spring time which means its that time of year to really dig in on the training plan for the year. When trying to figure out where to go and how to get there, be sure to use the right balance. Ethan Pippitt of Standing Stone Kennels returns this week to chat about finding the right balance in your training. A dog's experience moves a …

There have been countless guests and topics covered in episodes throughout the years that are truly invaluable and worth revisiting. Going through some of the back catalog and re-listening to some of the older episodes, I was honestly surprised at some of the information and details I have forgotten myself over the years. I wanted to try and highli…

Longtime waterfowl guide, Conner Gough of Great Lakes Guided Outdoors, joins me to talk what its like to be a dedicated hunting guide. We talk dogs, hunting stories, and what keeps him going when he's on day 300 of guiding clients for the year! What its like first starting to guide and mixing business with pleasure The dog requirements of waterfowl…

NAME: Brian Cooper BREED: Pudelpointer LOCATION: Northeast Pennsylvania TARGETS: Ruffed Grouse, Pheasant Release, Ducks, Squirrels FAVORITE EPISODE: Whoa Series and Force Fetch Series MISTAKE: An accidental puppy injury as well as too many expectations causing too much pressure. GDIY Profiles are bonus episodes that feature your average DIY dog tra…

Senior NAVHDA judge, Pete Wade, has judged over 1,600 dogs and passed 7 versatile champions within his own family at this point. He takes the time to share some of his stories and insights throughout the many years of being involved. Trying to test without Force Fetch. Starting with the correct genetics and picking the right puppy The progression o…

NAME: Nick Altavilla BREED: Small Munsterlander LOCATION: Maple Plain, MN TARGETS: Ruffed Grouse, Woodcock, Sharptail Grouse, Pheasant, Waterfowl FAVORITE EPISODE: Eps. 224 and 225 The Most Effective Grouse Dogs w/ Kyle Warren MISTAKE: Rushing to get the FIRST bird! GDIY Profiles are bonus episodes that feature your average DIY dog trainer and hunt…

Ken McKean joins me to talk about his experiences training his rescue Wirehair Pointing Griffons and finding the West Method. Habitual Griffon rescuer The West Method's "chain of command" Getting a young dog to range ahead Fun runs and balancing obedience The Griff club through the UKC - Presented By: Standing Stone Supply | Use Code: GDIY to save …

There are a few hobbies and interests that are fairly common within the Upland Community outside of just dogs. Jim Burris of the Bird Dog Society talks about his collection of literature, bourbon, and shotguns. The appeal of old literature to so many upland hunters and dog owners Old authors still inspiring and influencing from decades and generati…

Ben Baker of Griffin & Howe Gun Dogs joins us to talk about his preference and emphasis on obedience first before anything else. Even the most hardcore hunters' dogs spend more time not hunting than they do actually hunting. When not in the field and back in the house, having the dog with the off switch is pretty nice! Over obedience is a real thin…

Do you like your electronic collars? Your tracking collars? Do you think its right for houndsmen to be prevented from chasing mountain lions and bobcats? Do you think its silly to have the public vote on a measure that would outlaw lynx hunting even though they're already on the endangered species list and therefore its already illegal to hunt them…

NAME: Jeff Beck BREED: German Shorthair Pointer LOCATION: Louisville, OH TARGETS: Pheasant FAVORITE EPISODE: The Whoa Series (Ep. 183-188), Everything Pigeons (Ep. 136, 137), Ep. 239. Flipping The Switch MISTAKE: Expecting too much too soon. GDIY Profiles are bonus episodes that feature your average DIY dog trainer and hunter. All dog owners have a…

For most of us, dog training is a hobby. Something we are passionate about and enjoy doing but it's not a life or death activity for us. However, there are a few people in the world who truly depend on their dog's performance. Their dog's preparedness and training can truly have an impact on whether someone lives or dies. For these dogs and their h…

After one of the more enjoyable dog events I've been a part of in quite a while, I sat down with long time friend of the show, Grayson Guyer, and newer friend of the show, Jake Bartells, to recap the event and bat around ideas of why we thought it was so successful. The St Huberts trial was a completely different style of event than what we've all …

Hunting with a pointer/flusher combination seems like a match made in heaven! Guest, Steve Smith, initially thought the same thing. However, like everything in this gun dog world, context is king. After attempting it Steve realized that perhaps the combo wasn't as deadly as he was hoping. At least not in the environment and type of hunting he does.…