08. What books should I read?

Post date: Aug 16, 2011 5:30:43 PM

You can't read too many books on training. All of them have something to offer. That said, you'll need to develop your own training style that meshes with each dog you train. There's no one method that works on all dogs. That said, the best gun dog training book for Brittany owners is:

The Brittany: Amateurs Training with Professionals by Martha H. Greenlee and David A. Webb. http://www.gundogsupply.com/brittany.html There's a reason I give a copy of this book with every puppy I sell.

The Ultimate Guide to Bird Dog Training by Jerome Robinson is pretty good but I have a major complaint with one of his stated goals. This book will help you train your pointing dog to quarter (work back and forth) in front of you. A pointing dog should never quarter. See my section on "quartering" to learn why this is true.

If you're getting a puppy for the first time or would like a refresher, the bible for puppy training is The Art of Raising a Puppy by the Monks of New Skete. http://www.amazon.com/Art-Raising-Puppy-Revised/dp/0316083275 Their advice on selecting a puppy, housebreaking, feeding and caring for a puppy is second to none. That said, I do not recommend all of their training advice for a Brittany. The authors breed German Shepherds, a breed with a very distinct personality. This book recommends many exercises to teach submissive behavior and keep your dog focused on you that is counterproductive for training a Brittany. I also don't recommend teaching a pointing dog "sit" "down" or "heel."