HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

We hope you have a fantastic time celebrating Independence Day with friends and family. However, we know that many Fourth of July celebrations involve FIREWORKS, which can be fun for you but can cause potential issues for your dogs.

A Word of Caution

Unnatural, loud, and surprising noises can cause noise sensitivity in young dogs. Common sounds that trigger this sensitivity include thunderstorms, vacuum cleaners, blenders, and, of course, fireworks. While noise sensitivity doesn't necessarily mean your dog will be gun-shy, it can affect their response to gunfire in the field. Fireworks, closely resembling gunfire, can be a concern for anyone with a gundog in training.

A Recommendation For Gunfire Introduction

If your dog hasn't been formally introduced to gunfire, as outlined in our Gunfire Introduction video in the Gundog Academy, they are at risk. Gun-shy tendencies can be very challenging to correct, and prevention is always better than cure. (To check ...

At what age should my dog be learning each skill?

My dog perfectly performs this skill at home, but it's like he knows nothing when I go to a new spot. What do I do?

My dog was amazing at the trainer, but now, she acts like she doesn't know how to retrieve.

How do I know when my dog is ready to move on to the next skill?

You may be asking yourself some of these questions. Surprisingly, your dog doesn't need to learn a specific skill by a specific age. It needs to learn according to the 4 Phases of Learning. Think of these as dog training stages. These stages of learning will also answer questions on why your pup may do well in one place but not in another place.

The 4 Phases of Learning

One of the key things we have learned since we began dog training is understanding what phase of learning our dog is in. To retrieve in any scenario, your dog will need to work through each phase of learning with each skill that you teach it. Knowing what phase our dog is in connects us with the d...