Pretraining

• Pretraining is for puppies too young to start actual training. It is used to get rid of any bad habits and introduce retrieving before training starts. Pretraining a puppy should for no more than 15 minutes a day. A puppy will be unable to stay focused or retain training sessions that are longer. Free running in your yard or safely in a park or field once or twice a day for 15 minutes is also a part of the pretraining process. Try to arrange for your puppy to run around with a trained, obedient, older dog. Introduce retrieving by playing with a tennis ball. Most puppies will enjoy this for 5 or 10 minutes before becoming bored. In pretraining, start small, progress slowly and reward and praise when appropriate.
  
  

Whoa

• The "whoa" command simply means to stop. Once this command is given, your dog must not move until you release it. For your dog's safety, as well as success as a bird dog, this command is useful in your yard, in the field or around traffic, making this the most important command your dog will learn. By using the "whoa" command, you can stop your dog where it is, then go to it for any needed correction. If it is hunting too far ahead, this command will stop it, and it will wait until it is released.
  
  

Come

• The "come" command is issued when you need your dog to stop what it is doing and come back to you. Introduce this command during pretraining, when playing with a tennis ball. This combines the "come" command with retrieving the tennis ball and will establish this pattern for your puppy.
  
  

Heel

• The "heel" command is given when you want your dog to walk along side of you. The dog needs to continue until another command is given. For bird dogs it is important to train your dog to "heel" on the side opposite of your shooting side. If you shoot on your right side, your dog should walk on your left. This must remain consistent whether you are walking down the street, freely in your yard or in the field while hunting.
  
  

Not Losing Your Dog

• A dog that is responsive to the "whoa" and "come" commands is less likely to get lost while field hunting. As the distances used become farther, a whistle can be used to retrieve the dog. Some hunters also outfit bird dogs with beeper collars. When the dog hears the beeping, it knows to return to its hunter. The whistle and the beeper collar take additional training but are worth using for longer distances while hunting. Creating distractions during training, training in new areas or training in areas with natural distractions, such as free range livestock, also helps teach your dog to return to you in every situation.