Puppy Boot Camp

By Kevin Lunzer

Firearms/Hunting - Lead Sales Associate

While enjoying the warm weather of summer, it's hard to plan for a hunting trip that might be months away. We spend our weekends at the lake and we know that it only takes a few days to prepare for a bird hunt. Unfortunately, this isn't the case if you're looking to get your dog in the field for the first time. Statistics have shown that most electronic dog collars are purchased the week before the waterfowl season opens, but introducing this to your dog too late in the year can ruin the season for both of you. 

When purchasing an electronic collar, do your homework first. Purchase your collar well in advance of the hunting season and consider the type of hunting you'll be doing. Match the collar to you and your dog. Many collars have different levels of vibrate and tone in addition to the various levels of electronic stimulation. These collars also come with recommendations for the size and weight of your dog. If you're strictly a waterfowl hunter you'll want to look for waterproof collars. For upland hunters, you may consider collars with a longer range. You may also look for options like a locator beeper or beacon light.

It was Easter Sunday 2013 when I came home with my new duck hunting partner, Vixen, a 7 week old yellow lab pup. I spent the first few months teaching her basic commands like "sit" and "stay." By mid summer she was coming to the gun club with me a few times a week. I never shot next to her, but we would spend hours listening to gunfire. She was also exposed to many other dogs while she was there. This is a critical step if you plan on hunting with other people and their dogs. Eventually we worked on retrieving. We started with a tennis ball or training dummy and graduated to frozen birds. I took her duck hunting at 8 months old. I didn't expect much from her, but merely wanted to expose her to the environment of the hunt itself.

As the season ended and winter set in, I purchased a Sportdog Wetland Hunter425 collar and we began training with it. I chose the Sportdog collar because it is very simple to set up, easy to use, and is expandable for up to 3 dogs, should I need it. The feature that I use the most is the vibrate setting. I rarely use any electronic stimulation, I merely use "vibrate" instead of yelling "Come Here!" I tap the vibrate button and Vixen returns to me every time. When we put the collar on, Vixen understands that this is a good thing and we will begin retrieving.

If you're an upland bird hunter, you may want to consider the Sportdog UplandHunter 1875. This collar features a 1 mile range and audible beeper that can be set in quiet, 5 second, and 10 second intervals. It is waterproof and submersible and has an "instant locate" feature with the touch of a button. This is a great feature when hunting in grass or heavy cover.

Obviously, the Wetland Hunter 425 and Upland Hunter 1875 may not have the features you're looking for, but with a little research, you'll find the one that does. At Joe's we carry a wide variety of Sportdog collars and we would be happy to help you find the one that is right for you and your dog.