Copyright 2009, 126 pages, softcover, black and white photos and illustrations
By Martha H. Greenlee and David A. Webb.
The Brittany: Amateurs Training with Professionals will enable amateur pointing dog trainers to train hunting dogs that they will be proud of and field trial dogs that will win. While the emphasis is on the Brittany, this book will help people who train pointing dogs become better trainers. The information in this book emphasizes a step-by-step training process and focuses on logical progression of the steps.
This book has been more than ten years in the making. Soon after acquiring her first Brittany, Martha Greenlee began going to field trials -- observing professional dog trainers and discussing their teaching methods with them. She listened, took notes, went home, and began using this information to train her dogs for hunting and field trialing. Martha soon learned that some training methods worked better for her Brittanys than others.
At about the same time that Martha was training her first Brittany, Dave Webb was training his new Brittany pup. After reviewing all the extant publications on training pointing dogs, he found that most of the reference books for training pointing dogs were written by or about professionals who trained breeds other than the Brittany.
Martha and Dave began comparing notes and discussing the lack of information available for amateur Brittany trainers. They took their concerns to several dog training professionals, and, with their encouragement and support, Martha and Dave embarked on the process of compiling a Brittany training book. The core of information in this book was derived from observations and discussions with six professional trainers who actively handle Brittanys on the field trial circuit or specialize in training all the pointing breeds. The selection of these six trainers in no way devalues the contributions made by other great dog trainers to the body of knowledge of this sport. Martha and Dave chose these particular professionals because they are the ones with whom they have worked most closely, and their methods have been successfully used for training Brittanys for hunting and field trialing.
Contents
Chapter 1
Picking a Pup and Getting Started
Picking a Pup
How to Pick a Pup: Gene Stewart
Socializing
Crate Training
Early Table Training
Authors' Commentary
Chapter 2
Using Birds for Field Training
Training with Pigeons
How to Tether a Pigeon
Using Tethered Pigeons: Dave Walker
Using Bird Launchers: Maurice Lindley
Training with Quail
Planting Quail
Authors' Commentary
Chapter 3
Introducing Birds and Gunfire
Introducing Birds
Introducing Birds to a Young Pup
Picking Up a Pup After Bird Work
Introducing Birds to an Older Pup
Why Dogs Point: Bill Gibbons
Understanding Scent
Introducing Gunfire
Introducing Gunfire Away from Birds: Gene Stewart
Introducing Gunfire Around Birds: Bill Gibbons
Introducing the Shotgun
Authors' Commentary
Chapter 4
Training During the First Eighteen Months
Training Your Hunting Pup
Providing Field Experience
Building Dependence
Taking Your Pup Hunting
Hunting Safety
Training Your Field Trial Pup
Learning About Horses
Introducing the Stake Out Chain
"Singing" and Using a Whistle
Attending Your First Field Trial
Teaching a Pattern: Tommy Tracy
Introducing the Cable
Introducing the Beeper Collar
Patterning on Foot
Patterning on Horseback
Conditioning
Conditioning the Hunting Dog: Gene Stewart
Conditioning the Field Trial Dog: Tommy Tracy
Authors' Commentary
Chapter 5
Beginning Yard Work
The Training Collar
The Check-Cord
Teaching "Whoa": Dave Walker
Teaching "Here": Dave Walker
Combining "Whoa" and "Here": Dave Walker
Teaching "Heel": Ben Lorenson
Barrel Training: Tommy Tracy
Authors' Commentary
Chapter 6
Training With the E-Collar
Presenting the E-Collar
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
Authors' 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
Authors' Commentary
Chapter 8
Providing Additional Training
Teaching Stop-To-Flush
Stop-to-Flush: Maurice Lindley
Teaching Backing
Backing: Jim Basham
Teaching Retrieving
Retrieving for Pups: Dave Walker
Retrieving for the Adult Dog: Bill Gibbons
Authors' Commentary
Chapter 9
Talking With Professionals
Solving Problems
Aggression
Blinking
Deer Chasing
Flagging
Gun-Shyness
Sitting or Lying Down on Point
Trailing
Developing Your Young Dog: Maurice Lindley
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 Videotapes
Appendix B
Recalling Quail
The Electronic Call Bird
Quail Feeders
Pre-Releasing System for Quail
Appendix C
Scent - A Discussion of Game Birds and Bird Dogs
Game Bird Scent
Bird Dogs
Appendix D
The Brittany in America
Learning about the AKC Brittany Standard
The AKC Brittany Standard
Official Standard for the Brittany
Registering Your Brittany
Reading a Pedigree
Bibliography
Glossary of Terms
Index
 | "The authors have combined their decades of experience as amateur trainers and field trialers of Brittanys with the expertise of the country's top Brittany Pros to create an immensely useful guide for anyone who is seriously interested in working with these feisty little pointing dogs."
-Chris Cornell
Former Editor
CountrySport Pres... |
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