This book has but one purpose - to help you train your sporting-type hunting dog to his maximum hunting potential. Sporting dogs are either spaniels, retrievers or pointers. Sporting dogs should be trained to produce game properly as specified by their breed and to retrieve all shot game. A dog properly trained to hunt is a good companion under all circumstances.

Anyone can train a dog provided that his willpower and mental toughness are stronger than those of the dog. This is not intended to imply that every person can train every dog since there is such a wide spectrum of each of these attributes in both people and dogs. If a true commitment is made to the task, most people can train most dogs in the sporting group. There are some dogs, fortunately very few, that cannot and should not be trained. These dogs are the excessively shy, the soft, the self-hunters and the uncooperative bolters; they are not worth your effort. These dogs are the dangerous fear-biters and over-aggressive dogs; they should not be tolerated.

There are as many ways to train a dog as there are dog trainers. Few, if any experienced trainers, will agree on the method to use for every step in the training of the complete dog. This book presents one method that strives to show the details that will allow you to control each step and to recognize when the dog has learned that step. While it is possible to train a dog for very limited work by yourself, it is virtually impossible to train a complete hunting dog alone. A complete hunting dog is steady to wing, shot and fall and will retrieve all shot game, marked or blind, dead or crippled, on land, in the marsh or on open water. One pair of eyes, ears, hands and feet are just not enough to accomplish this task. The method presented herein is based on training - correct repetitions with praise - not breaking - punishment for either forced or allowed mistakes. The dog has an innate desire to please and to cooperate with man. Our training system utilizes this desire to produce a happy, eager, trained dog. To take advantage of the strongest possible influence in training - praise - every task must be broken down into basic elements that can be controlled, and correct repetitions must be ensured. As each successful element is taught, the previous element becomes the control that guarantees correct performance. When a particular command, such as Whoa, has been correctly taught and learned, it becomes the control for teaching another task, such as steadiness. You will find a detailed sequence for each element that itemizes what the handler and the dog must do to ensure a correct repetition. Each sequence is followed by a series of questions to help you analyze the performance of both you and your dog.

Before you start training your dog, read the book through completely. Give it some thought and then read it a second time. Get a good understanding of how the work progresses and how the various basics are used to produce the finished dog. Use the book to analyze and assess your dog's training. Then start with the basics that will be needed to produce a finished trained dog.