Train My Pets

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Training your bird dogs to hunt, whether it’s for flushing, pointing, or retrieving, there are great tools at your disposal. Bird and Dummy Launchers are available with remote control devices that can be used together or separately to fill your training needs.

Remote Bird and Dummy Launchers

With both dummy launchers and bird launchers, a remote control can be used to train your dog without the need of an assistant. At one time, there was no remote control, meaning you would always need another person to help with the training which almost always leads to a distracted dog.

A bird launcher is designed to emit a number of sounds and beeps to help your dog learn the sounds that he will hear when he’s hunting with you. The type, be it a dummy launcher or bird launcher will be dependent on what kind of training your dog requires. And because your goal is to have a well-trained dog who will make a great hunting partner, launchers are perfect for the job.

Bumper Launchers

Teach your dog to retreive using a dummy launcher. This is the perfect tool if you like to work on your own, and the dummies will launch much further in height and distance than throwing it using your strength. This is helpful because your dog will be able to learn to retrieve game that is farther from you. The purpose of the dummy launcher is to train your dog to retrieve because launching by hand is too close. It will be a sort of fetching game for your dog versus real-life training. For added convenience, remote launchers can emit sounds to teach your dog to behave as if you were out on the field hunting game, like ducks or pheasants.

Bird Launchers

To train a pointer or flushing dog, bird launchers are almost essential. A significant advantage with these is the ability to set up multiple launchers in the field to simulate an actual hunting area. Dogs are natural hunters and honing those skills is most easily done by mimicking what their skills were bred for. Training a dog to honor another’s point for the flush and to be effective in finding and pointing are much more easily done while using a bird launcher. Pointing dog trainers have been using them for years and now flushing dog trainers are seeing the huge advantages these tools can offer as well. Using the low-ground spring latch, these launchers can effectively train for quail and pheasant as well as high-flying birds like fowl.

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Heartworm is very serious; it’s one of the worst diagnosis for your dog because it is usually fatal. However, it is very simple to prevent heartworm from ever occurring. All it takes is a pill, food additive and some preventative care. The heartworm pill can be given to your bird dogs as a treat while liquids and powders can be added to your dog’s food on a regular schedule, which will depend on the treatment type.

Heartworm Facts
Heartworm can live in the dog’s body and work its way into all major organs and tissue, and finally the heart, which is what kills the animal. Heartworm is a parasite and mosquitoes are often to blame because they carry heartworm. However, your dog can also get heartworm from other animals like foxes and coyotes.

Preventing Heartworm
Preventing is the easiest way to “treat” heartworm. As said earlier, getting protection is as easy as giving him a pill, adding something to his food, and keeping his home (and him) clean. While it’s common to treat heartworm only in the warmer months, many people have found that doing it year-round is both easier and more effective. Veterinarians agree.

Symptoms of Heartworm
The first symptom noticed by the owner is usually a loss of weight. Sometimes a lack of energy or excessive coughing is also seen as well. Once the parasite infects the dog’s lungs, coughing will become more extreme and heavier. As the parasite spreads, things will only get worse. The first few months of a heartworm infection are usually unnoticed as the heartworms are busy propagating and are not spreading to infect and cause problems yet.

Diagnosis
Typically a veterinarian will do a ‘double’ test to determine if the infection from heartworm is male or female as this does affect how it is treated. Normal heartworm tests are typically blood tests that may involve observation at the clinic. Test help determine how advanced the heartworm infection is by testing for an approximate heartworm count.

Treating Heartworm
Heartworm treatment must be started as quickly as possible to avoid your dog becoming fatally ill and even spreading the disease to other dogs he may come in contact with. Sadly, if your dog is already ill with the infestation, there is often a reduced chance of them surviving treatment. The good news is that most dogs are healthy when they’re diagnosed and treatment is successful. Many veterinarians encourage you to have annual heartworm tests with your dogs regular annual visits which means that typically this infestation doesn’t have the chance to infect your dog.

If you have other dogs or if your dog is in regular contact with other dogs and does become infected it is critical that you advise other dog owners. Since people can also contract heartworm, it’s important that if your dog is diagnosed that you contact your physician for testing as well.

While heartworm is a potentially deadly parasite, prevention is the secret to keeping your dog from contracting it. Keep in mind that health care should be one of your top priorities, but so should keeping your dog safe while training. That is why you should look into Dogtra collars for your hunting dog supplies. They are a great product which will help you keep control of your dog in the field.

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Are you a hunter who takes his dog out onto the field? If so, you must carry first aid kits, not just for yourself but for your dog, as well. Injuries can occur at anytime, so you should be prepared to treat small injuries before they become very serious. The good news is that there are an abundance of great first aid kits for gun dogs that you can use at home or out on the field.

While there are many options to purchase a dog first aid kit, it’s up to you to make sure that it’s ‘up to par’ and sufficient to take care of your dogs needs whether you are at home or out hunting. It may be tempting to wrap a dogs wound in whatever happens to be available (a torn shirt, handkerchief, etc) but having a properly sanitary dressing could make a difference between a wound that heals properly and one that can become infected and potentially debilitating. Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish when it comes to preparing your first aid kit for you dog.

Here is what to look for in a good bird dogs first aid kit:

A First Aid Guide
This guide should cover the basics of first aid for dogs. It should show how to bandage wounds, do mouth-to-snout resuscitation, and use the other items contained in the first aid kit to help your dog. This is for emergencies and doesn’t replace normal veterinary care, of course. Read the guide before you go out so you are familiar with the information in it and will either know it or be better able to find it quickly.

Tweezers
You’d be amazed how convenient a pair of tweezers can be! Just think of all the opportunities your dog (and you) has to wind up with a sliver when you’re out hunting. It might be easy for you to remove a sliver from your finger, hand or arm when you’re out hunting but stop and think about the challenges of trying to remove a sliver from your dogs foot pad or anywhere on their fur covered body while you’re outside. Failure to remove a sliver can result in and abscess that winds up infected and can result in a systemic infection.

Good old Hydrogen Peroxide
This simple, cheap, and misunderstood liquid is the basis for any good first aid kit. It’s a sterilizer that can be used safely on animals and causes no discomfort. Use with a sterile gauze pad to clean a wound, prep a splinter site before removal and after you’re done, and so forth.

Remember Iodine?
Iodine is even better than peroxide for cleaning a wound before dressing it with gauze or bandages. The best course of action is to use the peroxide, then the iodine, to promote quicker healing of your dog’s wounds.

Antibiotic Ointment
This is helpful in easing the sting and preventing infection in cuts, scrapes, bee stings, rashes, and other minor injuries.

Eyewash
A simple saline solution for washing out the eyes can make your dog’s life much easier and save his vision in some cases. When your dog gets something in his eye that he can’t get rid of on his own, use this to clean them. A quick squirt into the eye and nature will do the rest in most cases.

Trauma Pad
A trauma pad is crucial if your dog is seriously injured; it will help minimize bleeding and help keep the wound bound as well as providing assistance in transporting your dog to emergency help. When shopping for a trauma pad watch out that the sizing is correct for your dogs needs.

Gauze, Tape, and Scissors
Simple tools that, when used correctly, can greatly help your dog in times of injury. If your dog is cut, scratched, or similarly hurt, you’ll want to bandage, gauze over, then tape the wound so it is protected from infection. These three tools can do that job quickly.

Don’t ruin a great hunting kit by not having a first aid kit for your dog! Not having one is irresponsible and dangerous, so make sure you have a nice, complete kit for your dog with all of the hunting dog supplies that you may need at all times, especially when you’re out on the field. Getting an extra one for home or other use is also a great idea.

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It’s summer and it seems like fleas are everywhere. Luckily, today’s pet owner has an arsenal of flea treatments at their disposal. Pyrethrin is a safe and widely used insecticide. Methoprene and Fenoxycarb are insect growth regulators (IGR) which prevent eggs and larvae from developing into pupae. Always treat gun dogs and their environment at the same time.

The complete life span of a flea can last anywhere from 2 weeks up to 8 months. Why are they so hard to kill? The cocoon that the pupa wraps itself in is completely impervious to insecticides. This is why people sometimes see a new infestation of fleas 2 weeks after the initial treatment. Once the pupa stage is over, an adult flea emerges. And you are back to square one.

Flea Baths
Using a regular flea prevention shampoo can help with flea control. One thing to be careful about though is flea dips – especially if you have children in the house. Flea dips are very harsh and most leave a residue on your dog – they’re only recommended in cases of very extreme infestation and should be discussed with your veterinarian before use.

Spot On Medications
These flea medications are dispensed between the shoulder blades. This is a once a month treatment. All brands kill adult fleas. Some prevent the growth of eggs and larvae as well. Puppies have to be at least 8 weeks old for use. Bathing and swimming lowers this medications potency.

Pill Flea Treatment
Pills treat fleas for 1 month. It’s works like flea birth control. Fleas bite your dog and become sterilized. They die without laying eggs and soon you have no fleas. This medication can’t be washed off and is perfect for indoor pets.

Natural Methods
Not everyone likes to use chemicals for flea control purposes. If this is the case, you should vacuum thoroughly as often as possible. In addition to carpets, vacuum furniture, pillows, and bedding. Properly discard the bag, or burn it, right away. Secondly, you should wash everything in the hot water cycle. Lastly, use dried pennyroyal, diactomaceous earth, or pyretthrum powder. Apply it on pet bedding and underneath cushions and mattresses. However, don’t use pennyroyal if your dog is pregnant. Repeat this process every few days.

Clean from inside out
All of our dogs love to cuddle in their beds, on furniture and even on the carpeting. Unfortunately, these areas are favorite hiding spots for fleas as well. Vacuuming and treating all areas completely and thoroughly are the secret to success, however make sure that you don’t leave the bag in the vacuum or you’re just going to create a new nest for them. Your dog’s bed and bedding should be washed at least weekly in hot water to help prevent re-infestation.

In the outdoors, fleas usually stay in wet and shaded places like dog houses or kennels, flower beds, and underneath your deck or porch. If your pet spends time in these or other areas, treat the area. Also, rake and mow the lawn completely to keep fleas away. Rake up leaves from flower beds and beneath bushes to make insecticides more effective in these areas. Clean all pet kennels or carriers and make sure you vacuum the inside of your car. Garages, basements, and other rooms without carpetting should be mopped completely to kill flea larvae creeping in the cracks and crevices.

There are many foggers and sprays that are effective treatments of your home and yard. Read and follow the directions carefully. Heavily infested areas should be re-treated in 2 or 3 weeks.

Fleas can be a nuisssance to both humans and pets. Flea bites can be very itchy and cause skin problems, and even hair loss or infection. Even worse, a very bad flea problem can also cause anemia and tapeworms. As well, flea allergy to lead to dermititis. For these reasons, killing fleas is very important. By following the advice above, your pets and your home can remain free of fleas.

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