Dove, Dogs, and Shotguns

Enjoy the collection of Layla growing up set to Eric Clapton’s ‘Layla’.

• Save the Bob Whites   Texas' wild quail numbers continue to decline     Its sound is distant as it whistles out its name: Bob-White. but the sound is becoming increasingly muted as the quail population across the state decline.  "The landscape for quail has changed very significantly over the last 40 years," said Dale......
• TPWD seeking dove leases Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is seeking to lease some more dove land for its public land. Landowners interested can click HERE for more information or call 512/389-4505. This a great opportunity for farmers to make some short term cash. The state generally pays about $5 per acre of land......
• Judge takes away 9-year-old's shotgun The spokesman reported that a judge in Spokane, Washington ruled that a father is not allowed to give his 9-year-old a shotgun. The court was involved due to a divorce between the boy's parents. The mother filed for a restraining order on the shotgun, claiming the boy was too young......

Okay, it’s been almost two months since Layla’s last video. I’m no expert trainer, but I am one proud papa. She aims to please. Notice the distance has increased and she has graduated from a toy to a camo decoy.

I spend 15-20 minutes on training a day (or most days) and Layla does the rest. Positive reinforcement has worked well. She has been sitting since she was 7 weeks, retrieving since 8, and actually is hunting the decoy when she loses sight of it.

I think the next step will be using some scent on the decoy. I’ll keep you posted on how that goes. For now, I couldn’t ask for a better dog.

• 2009 Electric Collar Review An electric collar can be an effective tool when training your hunting dog. E-collars can be used to reinforce commands and keep your hunting dog from getting into a bad spot. Today's collars have many features and levels of stimulation to help control your dog in any situation. Remember, e-collars are only......
• Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-06-21 Using positive reinforcement training yo train your hunting dog. http://bit.ly/Zt81d # Tips on Starting Kids Out Hunting http://bit.ly/jdFYt # Just broke 100 followers, THANKS to everyone. # Good night tweeters # An interesting article on dreams http://bit.ly/dWX4Z # 96 pound catfish!! http://bit.ly/Q1ITZ # Just broke 200 followers, THANKS EVERYONE,......
• Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-06-21 Using positive reinforcement training yo train your hunting dog. http://bit.ly/Zt81d # Tips on Starting Kids Out Hunting http://bit.ly/jdFYt # Just broke 100 followers, THANKS to everyone. # Good night tweeters # An interesting article on dreams http://bit.ly/dWX4Z # 96 pound catfish!! http://bit.ly/Q1ITZ # Just broke 200 followers, THANKS EVERYONE,......

• Assist Weighted Golf Swing Trainer, right, 3LB User Reviews Send this to a friend Assist Weighted Golf Swing Trainer, right, 3LB Manufacturer: Gibas Golf Products, Inc. Customer Rating: List Price: $63.95 Sale Price: $69.95 Availibility: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Now Product Description The patented ASSIST, with its precision bent shaft, exaggerates the release......
• The Positive Reinforcement Training For Your New Puppy Psychologists have been promoting positive reinforcement as a way to change undesirable behavior to acceptable behavior in humans for some time. The method can be described simply as rewarding behavior that is considered acceptable and ignoring behavior that isn't acceptable. Animal trainers have learned lately that this same method......
• Sticking with Your Resolutions Why do we make New Year's resolutions? What's the purpose? Did you even bother making any resolutions, or did you refrain due to the associated pressure and oft resulting disappointment from trying to follow said resolutions and failing? We make resolutions because we want to move forward; we want to......

Since Layla came in my life, I’ve been told one hundred different ways to train her.

I’ve read articles on positive reinforcement training, clicker training (which is positive reinforcement training with a clicker), negative reinforcement training and everything in between. Hell, last night I read an article that recommended putting your dog in time out for mis-behaving. How does a person know what to do?

I’ve came to a realization, it’s not how you train, it is that you actually train. Whether you want to give your dog treats for good behavior or punish for bad, just do something.

Time is the key. I have four kids, a 50+ hour a week job, a blog, three other dogs, and now Layla. So I have my own time restrictions. It is just like anything though, if it is a priority to you , you will make the time. Here are some tips to finding more time with your puppy.

First of all, we are not talking about hours a day, in my opinion, thirty minutes of concentrated time with your dog will go a long way in the long run.

Get up a little earlier than the rest of your household on the weekends. My family sleeps in to around eight in the morning, so I’ve found getting up around seven is a great time to train. Layla is raring to go in the mornings and having a good hour before everyone is up to spend with her is priceless. I might mention that having a good plan on what you want to work on is vital to making the most of the time you have.

On days that I work, getting up earlier is not an option seeing how I’m off to work at 5:00 A.M., so I make the time as soon as I get home. I greet the family and Layla and we go outside for twenty to thirty minutes to train. My kids and wife usually come out with us so the training isn’t as focused but better than nothing.

Making the training a family affair really helps. If everyone gets to see Layla’s progress then it is easier for them to understand what it is I am doing. The kids are great with her, but it is as important to train them on how to interact with her as her with them. By teaching them to use the same commands and not letting them gorge her with treats, I have four extra trainers.

Layla is already making huge progress in becoming a well minded hunting dog. By following these simple steps, I’ve been able to find time in a very busy schedule and if I (the worst at budgeting time) can do it, so can you.

Dogs are like anything, the more time you put in to them, the more reward you get out of them. When you step out into the field, having put the training time in, and your dog is head and shoulders above the others around, you will have a sense of pride so big your hat won’t fit on your head.

• Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-06-21 Using positive reinforcement training yo train your hunting dog. http://bit.ly/Zt81d # Tips on Starting Kids Out Hunting http://bit.ly/jdFYt # Just broke 100 followers, THANKS to everyone. # Good night tweeters # An interesting article on dreams http://bit.ly/dWX4Z # 96 pound catfish!! http://bit.ly/Q1ITZ # Just broke 200 followers, THANKS EVERYONE,......
• Layla's Progress at 18 Weeks Okay, it's been almost two months since Layla's last video. I'm no expert trainer, but I am one proud papa. She aims to please. Notice the distance has increased and she has graduated from a toy to a camo decoy. I spend 15-20 minutes on training a day (or most......
• Humane Society Trying to Control Hunters In an article from West Virginia Outdoors News, the government in Kanawha County in conjunction with the humane society has passed an ordinance requiring hunting dogs to be be brought inside if the temperature outside is over 80 degrees or below 40 degrees. I mean really, how can an ordinance......

• 4 Things to Know about Pregnant Dogs [/caption]If you've never owned a pregnant dog before, the new challenges can seem a little bit overwhelming. Not only do you have the specter of a dog in your house, you have the added twist that your dog will be producing puppies within a short amount of time - and......
• Top Best 100 Incredibly Useful & Free iPhone Apps [/caption] by Joshua Johnson The best part of the iTunes App Store is that you don’t need to spend a single cent to fill your iPhone with amazing applications. There are tons of developers dishing out quality free applications daily. So in honor of cheapskates everywhere, this article features 100......
• Blogging Freedom Thank goodness for blogs! I mean really. It is the one place where a writer or any person with a desire for self-expression can establish their own guidelines. I am not saying it is OK to be vulgar or anything. But it is great that you are the boss. You......

Well, Layla’s growing like a weed. Already weighing in at 22 pounds.

I’ve been trying to mainly use positive reinforcement during all of her training, and believe me, she knows which behaviors call for a treat or other reward.

I try to reinforce basic commands at least twice a day, and fetching at least once a day. I think the progress in tremendous.

If you remember the first training video, it took like five takes to get her to bring the sock back correctly. I’m proud to say that today, it was only one take. Forgive the camera work, as I’m not the best producer (yet).

You can view Layla in action right here.

• Layla's Progress at 18 Weeks Okay, it's been almost two months since Layla's last video. I'm no expert trainer, but I am one proud papa. She aims to please. Notice the distance has increased and she has graduated from a toy to a camo decoy. I spend 15-20 minutes on training a day (or most......
• Training Time Since Layla came in my life, I've been told one hundred different ways to train her. I've read articles on positive reinforcement training, clicker training (which is positive reinforcement training with a clicker), negative reinforcement training and everything in between. Hell, last night I read an article that recommended putting your......
• Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-06-21 Using positive reinforcement training yo train your hunting dog. http://bit.ly/Zt81d # Tips on Starting Kids Out Hunting http://bit.ly/jdFYt # Just broke 100 followers, THANKS to everyone. # Good night tweeters # An interesting article on dreams http://bit.ly/dWX4Z # 96 pound catfish!! http://bit.ly/Q1ITZ # Just broke 200 followers, THANKS EVERYONE,......

• Reader Email Makes My Day Last week I got a nice email from a reader that went like this: I just wanted to email you and let you know I think your blog is great!  I just stumbled across it by clicking the link in a comment you made on MyDollarPlan (mainly because I was curious about the......
• Learn How to Speak 'Dog' [caption id="attachment_205" align="alignleft" width="240" caption="Talk Dog."][/caption]Because dogs work so well with humans and seem to give an understanding eye when it comes to our behaviors, we often forget how little dogs understand. Some people even suspect that their dogs believe themselves to be humans, part of the family! When it......
• How to Really Correct Your Dog [caption id="attachment_59" align="alignleft" width="205" caption="Correcting Behavior"][/caption] When it comes to dog training, perhaps the most overlooked aspect of working with a dog is understanding how to correct it. It takes more than simply knowing the right way to do something; you have to be able to "translate" what you know......

What exactly is positive reinforcement training?

According to expert dog trainer, Don Hanson, it is the practice of rewarding your dog with food or play for behaviors you want repeated. Hanson says that “rewarded behaviors tend to be repeated and unrewarded behaviors tend to be extinguished.”

By using using positive reinforcement your hunting dog will be performing certain behaviors in order to get a reward instead of to avoid being punished. Hanson says that the most effective negative punishment is “simply withdrawing your attention or the opportunity for a reward.”

Actions such as sitting, coming, staying, and fetching can all be easily taught by using this method. Furthermore, breaking your dog from jumping on you or other people or any other undesired behavior can be broke efficiently using positive reinforcement.

I have implemented this method with my new hunting dog, Layla. The results have been fabulous. By seven weeks old Layla was sitting and would come when called. She is nine-weeks old now, and is by far the most well minded dog I’ve had.

For just a pup, she has got it together. She goes to the door to potty, sits when she wants a treat, retrieves well and is a pleasure to own.

The only thing I’m having trouble with is getting her to stop biting my hand when she gets excited or wants to play.

Does anyone have any advice to help stop this? Your thoughts are welcome..

Time to RELOAD!

Dove, Dogs, & Shotguns

• Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report North Zone Dove: Dove hunters saw fair to good shoots around the Panhandle over cut corn and milo. The region has received rain during the summer so there are plenty of watering holes and playa lakes. Lubbock and fields north of Abilene were good for morning shoots of mourning doves.......
• Left-Handed Shotguns Left-Hand Shotguns are few and far between. Finding one that has any style can be hard and expensive. I'm in the market for an over-under 20 ga. or 28 ga. and am getting frustrated. I listen to my brother going over all his options and I'm stuck choosing between plain......
• Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report Sept. 9th Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February. North Zone Dove: Plowed corn fields along the Red River in Lamar County held limits of mourning doves. Birds are coming into soybeans as well. Clay County hunters set up along treelines in the morning......

• Fishing Report: March 26, 2010 Sturgeon, Bass, Crab and Halibut At both Berkeley/Emeryville and Pillar Point, salmon fishing is just about to start. Sign up now to start on the first Saturday in April. Frank's Tract is a good place for bass fishing right now, especially for those using plastics near the bank. Catches of......
• Sticking with Your Resolutions Why do we make New Year's resolutions? What's the purpose? Did you even bother making any resolutions, or did you refrain due to the associated pressure and oft resulting disappointment from trying to follow said resolutions and failing? We make resolutions because we want to move forward; we want to......
• 3 Rules of Dog Walking Etiquette [/caption]When you're walking a dog, it's inevitable that you're going to encounter some familiar and some not-so-familiar faces along the way. While you might be a dog lover, it's important to remember that not everyone else is a dog lover; and even the other dog owners should have their own......

Layla has rapidly became a part of our family. She is spoiled and loved by all four of my boys and my wife. My youngest son, who is 15 months, has a playmate. They fight and play just like siblings. Make no mistake about it though, she is my dog. No matter who throws the ball , she brings it to me.

She is sitting and comes when called (most of the time). I’m using treats to reward her for good behavior and it seems to be working great.

 Here is quick video of her learning to fetch:

Layla’s 1st Lesson

So she’s not perfect yet, but for seven weeks old I’m more than happy.

By spending a little time each day, Layla is going to be a great hunting dog. Not to mention, a lot of fun.

Time to RELOAD!

Dove, Dogs, & Shotguns

• Getting Started (part II) WHAT TO DO? Okay, you've acquired everything you need to begin dove hunting, NOW WHAT!?!? There isn't too much to it, but if you take a few steps prior to taking the field, you'll have a lot more fun and a lot less stress. Let's begin. Get familiar with your......
• Positive Reinforcement Training What exactly is positive reinforcement training? According to expert dog trainer, Don Hanson, it is the practice of rewarding your dog with food or play for behaviors you want repeated. Hanson says that "rewarded behaviors tend to be repeated and unrewarded behaviors tend to be extinguished." By using using positive......
• Humane Society Trying to Control Hunters In an article from West Virginia Outdoors News, the government in Kanawha County in conjunction with the humane society has passed an ordinance requiring hunting dogs to be be brought inside if the temperature outside is over 80 degrees or below 40 degrees. I mean really, how can an ordinance......

• My two goals for 2009 Christmastime and the end of the year is a time for reflection and a time for looking forward. Reflection can be painful or pleasant.  I set some goals for myself in 2008 and, though a couple of them were met, the others weren't.  This is the painful part.  Here are......
• Train for Your First Triathlon Determine What Your Goals Are Figure out how long you want your first triathlon to be. How you start your training for your first triathlon will depend largely upon you and what shape you are in. Do you want to do a half sprint, a full sprint, or an Olympic......
• Save Time, Money and Space in Over 80 Ways If you're looking for handy gadgets, tools and various items that can save you time, money or space (or all three!) this list of more than 80 top products is just what you need. Everyone's got saving money on their minds these days. Some of us are always looking to......

I’d like to introduce you to Layla. She’s six weeks old and I just brought her home two days ago. Soon she’ll be retrieving my dove but for now I have to start the training process.

Let’s face it, at six weeks old her attention span is short and so is her energy level.

My goals at this age are pretty simple. Spend a little time each day playing and building her trust. Teach her her name and use it often so she will begin to recognize it and come when called. Start the potty training process, even though she will eventually stay outside, for now she will learn where to go. She is very curious now, which is good, but showing her her boundaries early will go along way in the future.

These things are simple and she will graduate quickly to more advanced training. Now is the time for me and her to bond and by making a little time everyday I’ll be on my way to a great hunting dog.

Dog Trainer Pet has some very good training tips for your hunting dog.

Time to RELOAD

Dove, Dogs, & Shotguns

• Training Time Since Layla came in my life, I've been told one hundred different ways to train her. I've read articles on positive reinforcement training, clicker training (which is positive reinforcement training with a clicker), negative reinforcement training and everything in between. Hell, last night I read an article that recommended putting your......
• Only in Texas .... Apparently some of the people moving out to the country are surprised during dove season. I came across this article from WFAA, and couldn't help but see some humor in it. Lori Castoldi awoke last week to the sound of gunshots near her Prosper home.      "It was all around......
• 2009 Electric Collar Review An electric collar can be an effective tool when training your hunting dog. E-collars can be used to reinforce commands and keep your hunting dog from getting into a bad spot. Today's collars have many features and levels of stimulation to help control your dog in any situation. Remember, e-collars are only......

• Day 1 of Forever: Before Pictures What a day. It started out wrong. Things didn't feel right. I was dreading waking up today because I knew that I had to begin my lifestyle change. Last night I was craving some Dominoes Pizza. I even ordered it , but it never came. I guess it was fate......
• The 5 Fundamentals of Dog Training [/caption]While many of us enjoy the thought of being good at training our dogs, it's admittedly a lot easier to "pretend" to know what we're doing than to actually do the research. After all, we've all been exposed to the basic tricks, such as using food and treats to bribe......
• Gluten-Free Energy Diet (part 2): Energy Levels with Celiac Disease and Its Partner, Gluten-Sensitivity (Part 2)   OK, I'm back.  I have a little more energy now.   One can roll around the Internet and find others talking about this issue.  At Celiac.com there has been a discussion about whether or not Energy Drinks are Gluten-Free. At the same site in a different space is a discussion......

An electric collar can be an effective tool when training your hunting dog. E-collars can be used to reinforce commands and keep your hunting dog from getting into a bad spot. Today’s collars have many features and levels of stimulation to help control your dog in any situation. Remember, e-collars are only a tool, not the only way to train your dog. Your dog should have a basic grasp of the simplest commands before introducing them to the collar. After introducing the collar , use it to aid in training, not hurt your dog. The combination collars that have both stimulation and beep, are extremely helpful with training. Select a model that fits your dog and is easy to use and you’ll have much less stress on your next dove hunt. Your hunting dog will be right beside you, doing what the both of you love, looking for dove.

There are several new models from various manufacturers. Let’s look at the top picks for 2009.

• The Remington Sidekick Training Collar takes top new collar in the bang for the buck category. This is a new product in Remington’s arsenal. The sidekick retails for about $190 and features nine levels of push button stimulation and patented “Consistent Reliable Stimulation” technology. This feature gives the ability to apply steady stimulation, which could save fido from getting in a lot of trouble. The sidekick does give up a little range at only 400 yards. I’m a big Remingotn fan, so I give it a thumbs up.
• The Dogtra 2500/2502 T Series Electronic Dog Training Collars take the award for best all around collars. Dogtra has become one of the top manufacturers of e-collars. All Dogtra collars come standard with durable, lightweight, easy to activate collar receivers and hand-held transmitters with simple controls. The 2500 model offers 127 levels of nick and constant stimulation. The beeper activates up to 400 yards out and the stimulation has a range of 1 mile. The price range is around $380 for one dog and $540 for two dog collars.
• D.T. Systems SPT 2400 Series Electronic Dog Training Collars have the best new feature. They come with a ‘Jump’ button that automatically increases stimulation as long as you hold the button. This feature allows you to quickly get your hunting dog under control. D.T. offers the best warranty of all manufacturers of e-collars, lifetime warranty on parts and one year on labor. The collars of 50 levels of stimulation with three beeper modes and a 1.3 mile range. Prices range from $380-$600.
• Tri-Tronics has three new models out. The Classic 70G3EXP, Field 90G3EXP, and the Upland G3EXP. These are probably the simplest e-collars to use . The old style tube transmitter with single push button controls take all the confusion out of training. The ‘EXP’ models allow the use of multiple collars. The Classic EXP can control up to six collars and the Field and Upland EXP control up to three. All three models have a one mile range and can be fully recharged in two hours. There prices are roughly $320, $360, and $520 respectively.

In an article in Wildfowl Magazine, they listed the top ten guidelines from professional trainers for choosing and using e-collars. These were a consensus of advice given by several experts.

1. Use an e-collar to gently, not painfully reinforce lessons in canine obedience as taught by traditional hands-on methods.
2. Calibrate e-collar stimulation power at the lowest level that is effective.
3. Set e-collar stimulation to higher levels to stop your dog from committing dangerous or self-destructive acts.
4. Know how to use the e-collar before putting on your hunting dog.
5. Use your e-collar while training and hunting, i.e, be consistent.
6. Choose an e-collar that is easy to use, because the timing of stimulation is key.
7. Pick an e-collar to fit your dog’s temperament and hunting style, e.g., a running dog will need a collar with longer range and higher stimulation levels.
8. Determine your need for an e-collar by counting the number of times you give your dog commands for basic obedience. Sometimes it helps to have a friend count, as you are not as aware of how much repetition you have with your dog.
9. When shopping for e-collars pay close attention to warranties, expected lifetimes, and how quickly they can be repaired.
10. Learn to love your e-collar because they are one of the most effective way to training your hunting dog.

Time to RELOAD!

Dove, Dogs, & Shotguns

• What is gun fit? I was doing some research on gun fit and came across this article at shotgunworld.com. It contains an excert from an article in The Caller, from Corpus Christi. I'm positive I couldn't explain it any better, so here it is... Anybody who thinks a new shotgun might be the answer for......
• The Benelli Vinci vs. Argentina The lucky bastards from Shooting Times got to be the first to test Benelli's new Vinci model out in Argentina. The folks from Benelli allowed them to abuse the latest member of the Benelli family, in an effort to establish the Vinci as one of Benelli's premier shotguns. Argentina boasts the largest......
• TPWD Offering 'Big Time' Hunts  In the mail yesterday I received Texas Parks & Wildlife Department's special drawings magazine. Right inside the front cover was an advertisement for 'BIG TIME Texas Hunts'. There are seven 'Big Time' hunts you can put in for. They all start with Texas, e.g. Texas Premium Buck Hunt, exotic safari,......

• Moonee Valley - Top picks for Saturday Australian Horse Racing is coming back slowly now, after the recent Equine Influenza scare. As a result, many quality runners will not appear this season. Saturday's racing looks a mixed bag, with a few half decent races at Moonee Valley, late afternoon. There will probably be a couple of......
• Contemporary Fireplace Design Ideas You have many fireplace design ideas to choose from when you're ready to add a beautiful fireplace to your home. Your final choice will depend on some factors like where you plan to put it and your overall floor plan. But no matter how big or small the room might......
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