08. How to train in the city

Post date: Aug 16, 2011 5:34:26 PM

I trained (and even field trialed) my first two dogs living in the city with no birds. It's much easier for me now that I have facilities but it can be done without them. You'll need to find a place outside of the city where you can buy birds and a place that will let you train with them. Many states, including Ohio, have dog training areas set aside for this purpose. Otherwise, you may consider joining a hunt club.

Conditioning a dog in the city is another problem you'll face. If your dog will make water retrieves, you can't beat swimming for exercise. When I was in the city, I used a contraption called a Springer to run my dogs from my bike. http://www.springeramerica.com/ Make sure you get a good roading harness for your dog. If you attach it to his collar he'll do serious damage to his windpipe over time. The harness the springer comes with is not sufficient for a hard running brittany. Most roading harnesses you can buy are too big for Brittanys. I like this one in extra-small http://www.gundogsupply.com/scott-padded-roading-harness.html