Dog Days

Dog Days

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
Words of wisdom from the great hunting publication Field & Stream. Don't do it. Just because it's hot, humid, and buggy—and because it seems like forever until opening day—this is no time to give your retriever a summer hall pass from training. Short, fun backyard drills throughout the dog days will keep a dog tuned up and sharp for fall, and summer can be a great time to introduce a new skill or two.

The trick is to know exactly what you want your dog to learn, which helps keep sessions short and sweet. You can devise a set of straightforward drills that you can pull off in your backyard, and in less time than it takes to break a good sweat. Especially in summer, trainers say, 10 minutes a day is better than four hours on the weekend. Schedule workouts early in the morning, before you head out for work, or in the cool of the evening hours before you hit the sack.August: Dog Days

Fowl Play: Duck season may seem like a long way off, but it's not too early to start training and conditioning your dog for that first retrieve. These drills will get your hunting partner into great shape and get you two outside having fun.

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