Chuck Johnson’s book made its way to me as required reading when I put my deposit down for my wirehair at Bone Point Kennels last month. The majority of this 225 page primer on dog training is dedicated to reinforcing how to not screw up your bird dog in his first year. About a quarter of the book is dedicated to general training and bird dog stories, three quarters to upland, and a quarter to waterfowl. The majority of material is dedicated to the first 8 weeks to 8 months of the dogs life, perfect for a new dog owner like myself.
While I’ve read the book cover to cover, I plan to take Johnson’s advice from the book and re-read the relevant sections when I am in the thick of training this summer. The author details how to properly socialize your puppy in the most critical first 16 weeks of his life, including step by step instructions on gun, water, and bird introductions. The main thesis thereafter is to give the puppy his first year in the field. In the first of hunting the dog can do no wrong and should not be corrected, directed or reigned in, your only goal is get the dog on as many birds as possible to devlop their love and enthusiasm for hunting.
“In the beginning, your main goal is to train your dog, not to fill your game bag. You will be able to enjoy many days of full game bags and wonderful dog work if you take the time to develop your dog into the best he can be.”
The last third of the book is broken into sections that cover specific “finishing” lessons to turn your bird dog into a brag dog. Johnson has brief sections detailing how to whoa train, force fetch, advanced waterfowl retrieves, improve point steadiness, and more.
After reading Training the Versatile Hunting Dog I feel confident in the ethos and about my first year in the field. I feel less confident that I have all that I need for the finishing training, I will plan to join NAVHDA and seek out additional resources when the time comes for these lessons.
Overall, I found this book to be interesting and instructional. I especially enjoyed the chronicling of one of the author’s puppies, Camas, as he developed through his first year. I believe I will try to replicate this with my GWP pup by keeping a video journal of training progress and memorable moments. This could be a great keepsake and help me stay honest with my dog training. If anything, I’d say that Johnson’s book has leveled my first year field expectations and it has gotten me more excited at the prospect of picking up my new bird dog in a few short months.
Comments