The story of a bird dog's early years, showing how an owner selects a pup and finds a trainer
Tips on housebreaking, socialization, basic commands, field training, whistle training and ranging methods, types of training collars, using a check cord, release and fetch commands
Interviews and insights with longtime pointing-dog owners, trainers, and other experts
Author Joseph Healy brought his first bird dog home at ten weeks old but had no idea how to start grooming her to be a hunting companion. Conflicting advice from fellow dog owners and books that delved in-depth into the aspects of training an older dog led him to seek his own path. Healy shares his personal story of raising his pointer, Reilly, through their third hunting season, recording the process of training his dog, first by himself and then with a professional trainer so that he could learn how best to train a hunting dog. Entertaining and informative reading for all who want to own and train a great bird dog.