Customer Reviews

How to Help Gun Dogs Train Themselves

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Joan Bailey does a great job of helping inexperienced people understand how to effectively train their own gun dog. Her philospohy is both simple and fun -- basically the owner takes responsibility for exposing a pup to the situations that will allow him to develop his hunting instincts. The rest is up to pup, and Joan assures readers that any well bred hunting pup will quickly begin to develop the traits he was bred to inherit. There is little need for formal training early on, and it seems that if one follow's Joan's outline there will be a very strong bond between owner and pup by the end of the first year. No negative responses or punishments in the critical early months.

A less intense approach, to be sure, but one that will prevent inexperienced trainers from making serious errors that can cause problems down the road. Joan tells readers what to expose pup to, when to do it, and how to go about it. It is a training approach that focuses on encouragement and exposure, leaving readers with the option of additional, more formal training after the first year if desired.

All you need to do is explore some of the internet forums on training hunting dogs (particularly versatile hunting dog forums) and you'll see this book recommended far more frequently than any other.

I am an avid bird hunter here in the Northestern US. Through the years I have owned, trained and handled a number of hunting and non-hunting dogs. I also judge hunting dogs, not for show, but for their natural hunting qualities and their ability to take training to become excellent, finished hunting dogs and good citizens around the house. Consequently, I get to see a large number of dogs every year who have been trained using the principles outlined in Joan Bailey's book, and unfortunately, some who have not. There is no question in my mind this is the best book available for anyone who wants to groom a great hunting dog, and a wonderful canine companion. The book is beautifully written, concise, and best of all, it works. I recommend it, and often give it as a gift, to anyone I know who is getting a puppy. Buying this book and following it to the letter is the best thing any dog owner can do for themselves and for their dog!

I really enjoyed Ms. Bailey's approach to training gun dogs, especially the emphasis that she places on conditioning instead of formal training. Ms. Bailey's conditioning techniques allow you to train your dog without the dog realizing it. Her book and its methods are only intended for puppies to 1 year old dogs. She defers you to other books and techniques to use for training your adult dog. However, I feel that if you use the techniques she has stated in her book with your puppy/adolescent dog, you will be well on your way to having not only a great bird dog, but also a great family friend that is well mannered and socialized.

I read the book after my pup was already 10 months old. So, basically, I used it to check my training/conditioning methods and experiences ex-post. Fortunately I have raised my pup almost to 95% according to the views of the author.
If I had come across it earlier I could have saved myself the trouble of buying six training books and trying to sort out the most suitable one - me being a first time hunting dog owner and dedicated to the idea of training my dog on my own.
There is simply nothing more to be advised/taught to people with one dog, brought to the house at 10 weeks of age, than you will find in this book.
Simply excellent !

Joan Bailey has written an excellent book for the veteran upland game hunter, and/or, the novice non-hunter puppy owner. The book clearly gives the reader solutions to the most common puppy behavorial and training problems. This book is required 101 reading for all new puppy owners. It makes an excellent gift! C. Richard Austin

After 40 yrs of fuzzy faced versatile hunting dogs, I start with a new dog by reading Joan Bailey Training book. It always makes me remember something very important to the bringing up of the best hunting companions and it comes directly from Joan's book.
Two copies of Joan Bailey's book are on my book shelf waiting for the excitement and pleasure of helping a dog train it's self.
Try it, it works for me with my dogs. Jack Dallimore

As an all breeds trainer of gundogs, this book is the first book that I recommend for everyone with a new puppy whether the first puppy or the latest in a line of gundogs. It is well thought out, well written and full of solid information and suggestions. Read it, re-read it and use it, you will be glad you did.
Ken Osborn

This is the third time I have used "How to Help Gundogs Train Themselves" to expose a puppy to its first year of home and hunting and it is still working like a charm. I am having a very good season with my six month old wirehaired pointing griffon after following Joan Bailey's methods and recommend this book very highly!

Quite simply, this is the best book I've ever read on the subject of training gun dogs. Joan follows a logical progression of learning challenges, just don't fall into the trap of thinking you and your dog have to be precisely where "the book says" you both need to be at X point in time. I don't believe that was Joan's intention, to be that exacting in the timeline, as she certainly knows and points out that each dog learns at a different rate, for any number of reasons.

Still, the sequence of steps to be taken along the way are most effective. Teachings in other references actually help get the dog ready to start learning between their 5th and 10th week. When they get coupled with "How to Help Gun Dogs Train Themselves", even the most novice owner/trainer will find their task to be less like work and more like fun as you watch the dog learning faster and deeper.

Now if only we could get her to write books like this for parents and teachers.

Joan Bailey provides a great step-by-step guide for getting a new pup off to a great start--not just with hunting, but all aspects of owner/dog relationship during the critical first year. Whether you're new to having a versatile gun dog or think that you're experienced (like me) the book will help you avoid mistakes and have a great time developing your pup's potential. I found the material on house and yard conditioning to be equally valuable as the hunting advice.

I followed the book pretty closely with my two wirehaired pointing griffons, and I'm pleased with the results. I learned about the book from several breeders, who recommended it.