Nick Adair is the host of the Gun Dog It Yourself podcast where he discusses all aspects of gun dog training with his guests. Nick recently came through Minnesota on the way to Montana and we recorded an episode swap. This is the first installment, Mike's chance to interview Nick, and the second, Nick interviewing Mike, will come out in a few weeks…

There is a ton of information, opinions, concerns, and concepts out there when it comes to training dogs with electronic collars. One of the most qualified people in the dog training space to speak on the subject is Justin Rigney of K9 Services Unlimited. WATCH HERE Justin landed in dog training and became a "professional student" What even is an "…

Brooke & Jake Bartells are bound for the NAVHDA Invitational with their Epagneul Bretons and this is their story. While Jake has been many times, this is Brooke's first trip handling her first bird dog, Rushie. One she's trained and hunted over from day one, including early wake ups, long-distances traveled, and learning from a long list of mentors…

Chris Armanini of Full Send K9 comes on to discuss and demonstrate his entire program of the "Unforced Force Fetch." Watch the Podcast Watch the Training (part 1) Watch the Training (part 2) What aspects of the traditional approaches motivated a new outlook? How many dogs were washed out because their genetics couldn't overcome a traditional approa…

Rhys Haugen is the founder of High Plains Gear, a upland hunting vest company committed to American made materials and manufacturing for all their products. Rhys shares his motivation and journey in starting an upland hunting vest company, how he got started in bird dogs, and his experiences hunting and finding a dog while stationed overseas. Addit…

In this episode, we explore the value of continuous learning and the importance of embracing new perspectives in dog training. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, there's always room to grow by stepping outside your comfort zone. I'm joined by Randall Lykens of Liberty Canine, Justin Rigney of K9 Services Unlimited, Tim Andrews, and…

Amanda Ponti dove head first into bird dogs and now there is no looking back. She currently works for Sporting Lead Free and serves on the board of HerUpland. Amanda and Mike discuss her entry into bird dogs, why she chooses to give back so much, why you should consider switching ammo to lead-free options, and how bird hunting inspired a transforma…

I'm joined by Mark Dinsmore who is here to remind people that you cant have effective training without appropriate planning and focusing on the execution of the plan. Watch Here! Trialing an EB in France European vs US trials "French" or "Epagneul Breton" and comparing them to the "American" Brittany Start with a specific goal in mind Break your go…

Jerry Havel runs Pineridge Grouse Camp and is a co-founder of Upland Gun Company. Jerry and Mike take a dive into how the ruffed grouse numbers are looking in Minnesota, how he develops a grouse dog, and why folks should consider a side by side from Upland Gun Company. This episode is brought to you by Ugly Dog Hunting Co. Shop now at UglyDogHuntin…

Brett Edstrom comes on to discuss how the 'best' Ruffed Grouse dogs are proven on wild birds in cover dog trials. Its the catch and release approach to Ruffed Grouse Hunting that George Bird Evans used to long for in his writings! WATCH HERE Learning under a "legendary" trainer Did we lose anything through the decades of "wash outs"? From retriever…

With the much anticipated early bird hunting season finally upon us in a few weeks, I've received quite a number of emails and messages concerned about snakes and questions about the Rattlesnake Vaccine so I thought it would be worth republishing the episode I recorded last year with Chris Jenkins of the Orianne Society where we talked everything s…

Tyler Webster is the host of the Birds, Booze, and Buds Podcast and we sat down to discuss those exact things. Join Mike and Tyler for a post dinner & drinks conversation that covers the legitimacy of the 28 gauge, getting outside the comfort zone when hunting, choosing the right amount of drive in a dog based on lifestyle on hunting opportunities,…

Ryan McIntosh of Southern Wires Kennels joins us to share his journey and insights from establishing himself as a professional dog trainer in the demanding Texas heat. Tune in to hear about the challenges he faced, from finding his preferred training approach to building confidence in the process. WATCH HERE Deciding to take the plunge into profess…

Todd and Jocelyn Sackett from Sweet Briar Pet Transport joins us to discuss how their unique service can add efficiency and convenience to your travel plans. Whether you're working with a trainer across the country or trying to figure out how to fit in that dream trip without sacrificing days of travel time, a professional pet transport service mig…

Erin Kalpin from Rockcreek Kennels joins the show this week. Erin's father, Scott, started Rockcreek almost 30 years ago and Erin has been along for the ride since. She shares how her dad kept her interested all these years, what it was like transitioning from a career outside dogs back into training full time, and how she's raising her own girls t…

Kristofer Sandlund from Sweden joins us to share his perspectives on hunting, training, and living with dogs in Sweden and compare them to the practices in the US. Watch Here Getting started with hunting dogs in Sweden Duck Tollers to Kleiner Munsterlanders Calling in Hazel Grouse How to hunt the 'horror bird' Cappercallie Grouse Where to find the …

This week we close out Jim Sorenson's story of chasing the upland slam in Part 3 originally released on 9/6/22. Ruffed Grouse Chukar Blue Grouse Spruce Grouse Sage Grouse Upland Slam Taxidermy Woodock Willow Ptarmigan Rock Ptarmigan Whitetail Ptarmigan Are Snipe and Rail being left out? Closing out Bella the 3rd dog The best and worst "behaved" bir…

Misty Klug is the owner and operator of Muddy Paws Kennel. She has bred German wirehairs for over a decade focusing on temperament and wild bird hunting. We also discuss her training philosophy around pressure and development. Additionally, she shares the importance of trusting your training and how to reduce nerves on test day. This episode is bro…

Jared Warren of Southern State K9 returns in part 2 of the discussion on building and utilizing markers in your training. You also cant discuss markers without at least a working level of understanding when it comes to reward structures so we explore that topic as well. Watch Here! Think of it as training with Dopamine rather than training with rew…

This week we continue Jim Sorenson's story of chasing the upland slam in Part 2 originally released on 8/30/22. Where did the journey begin? Does a hunting journal help with being a better hunter? Hungarian Partridge (Huns) and Sharptail Grouse (Sharps) Prairie Chickens Pheasant Bobwhite Quail Mountain Quail Valley Quail Mearns Quail Gambel Quail S…

Rich Wong is a photographer, vizsla lover, and wild bird hunting fanatic. Rich and I talk his best tips for tailgate photos, how he came into vizslas, and the differences between his 2 dogs thus far. We also talk about puppy development, the downsides to overhandling, and the importance of a bird dogs first season. Lastly, we cover Rich's tips to f…

"I wish the dog could understand what I'm saying!" A very relatable request or wish that any dog trainer has probably uttered at some point or another. The truth is though, with the proper approach and consistency, you can get the dog to at least understand "yes" or "no" which does allows you to communicate more effectively with your dog. Jared War…

This week we start Jim Sorenson's story of chasing the Upland Slam that originally released on August 23, 2022. This upland slam series is unique in that Jim doesn't chase the slam for himself. Jim counts the upland slam for each individual dog. From Vizslas to German Shorthair Pointers Pheasant hunting with pointing dogs or flushing dogs? What is …

Tony Jones has a new book out - The God of Wild Places, and you should order a copy (The God of Wild Places). Tony is a former pastor, author, conservationist, speaker, and hunter. In this conversation we talk about writing, changing careers, failure, and pheasant hunting in South Dakota. Tony also brags on his lab, Crosby, and shares why he'd need…

In this episode, we're joined by Ben Fretz from North Country Sporting Dogs to discuss the most common concerns in the dog training world. Whether you're a DIY trainer, a professional, or a dog owner who hires a trainer, one truth remains: every dog is unique and won't follow the same path. However, the pressure often mounts once a date is set on t…

You never know when an idea or passion may find you. This was the case for Kevin and his son while out on an early season Sharptail hunt. While stopping for a break and consuming products designed to help fuel their own hunt, they couldn't help but wonder why they didn't have anything to help fuel their dogs. Fast forward and they have now produced…

William Bailey is a Texan, a hunter, and a proud owner of a Labrador from Wild Rose Kennel. This conversation is a perfect example of how conversations between friends happen when hunting together. This conversation ranges from losing dogs, choosing joy, William's experience with adopting the Wild Rose Way, leaning into faith and friendship, and mu…

AKC conformation judge, Lonnie Carrol of Bear Hug Griffons, joins us to cover everything in the show dog world. Very often we hear the phrase "function over form" and Lonnie explains why it shouldn't be an either/or situation and we should be striving for both form AND function. Watch Here! What are conformation shows? The different classes and wha…

Rob Seilheimer works in fundraising with the Monarch Joint Venture, a non-profit coalition rooted in getting more pollinators and more quality bird habitat on the landscape. Rob and Mike discuss Rob's new brittany pup, Tag, and how adding a bird dog to the mix changes things, finding friends to share hunting camp with and making attendance a priori…

Accidents happen. Prices at the veterinary offices seem to be skyrocketing. How do we prepare for the scenario where we are weighing the well being of our beloved dog against whats right for our bank account and family? In this episode, we delve into the world of pet insurance—what it is, how it works, and why it might be right or wrong for you. Ti…

Nick Larson is the host of the longstanding Birdshot Podcast and also works with Upland Gun Company. In this episode we cover an incredible range of topics including his advice for hosting a podcast, learning the differences between his two setters, the importance of mentorship in dog training and hunting, and much much more. This episode is brough…

GDIY Profiles are bonus episodes that feature your average DIY dog trainer and hunter. All dog owners have a story of what got them involved and the main lessons learned along the way. Hearing numerous people’s stories along with their mistakes, helps promote the idea that WE ALL STARTED AT THE SAME PLACE! NAME: Nate Lecy BREED: Pudelpointer, Lab/A…

We heard about the patients journey through TPLO surgery last week. This week we talk with Veterinarian, Jay Brekke, as he goes through all of the advice and tips from the actual surgeons perspective. WATCH HERE Just how common is the CCL injury today? The odds of dealing with the injury and the underlying causes The knee certifications should be s…

One of my favorite things in the bird dog world is backing and honoring. Darryl Pernat came on the show in May of 2021 to break down his process on getting your dog to back reliably and consistently in the field! Why is backing important? "Backing" vs. "honoring" "Natural" vs. "developed" backers Better to start earlier or wait until after steadine…

Emy Marier is an outdoorswoman who brings her both her nature for analytics and her sense of adventure to everything she does. We discussed her experience in NAHRA, including finding her tribe, the importance of treating a dog fairly in training, and the experience of adding a second dog with a lot more drive. We also discuss her love of 'Prairie R…

It's something we all hope never happens to our dogs but, unfortunately, a CCL injury (equivalent to a human ACL) is more common than what you may think. When Cliff Hawkins' 3 year old Pudelpointer, Ruby, went down with the injury, he found the available information on how to navigate the situation very lacking. So he documented his experience and …

GDIY Profiles are bonus episodes that feature your average DIY dog trainer and hunter. All dog owners have a story of what got them involved and the main lessons learned along the way. Hearing numerous people’s stories along with their mistakes, helps promote the idea that WE ALL STARTED AT THE SAME PLACE! NAME: Lucas Felling BREED: Llewellin Sette…

Angie Coenen runs Hurricane Kennel with her husband, Paul in Southwestern Wisconsin. We discuss how she got her start following her dad through the pheasant fields of Iowa, how she fell into NAVHDA (now serving in a multitude of roles), her journey breeding top notch German Shorthairs, including the hardship that comes with breeding over a decade, …

Sometimes a bit help and extra hands go a long ways in helping you meet your goals with your dog. Chris Girard of the Green Valley Hunting & Retriever Club joins me to talk about the benefits as well as some of the challenges training groups can offer DIY trainers. Watch Here The history of GVHRC Accessing new potential hunters Group dynamics withi…

GDIY Profiles are bonus episodes that feature your average DIY dog trainer and hunter. All dog owners have a story of what got them involved and the main lessons learned along the way. Hearing numerous people’s stories along with their mistakes, helps promote the idea that WE ALL STARTED AT THE SAME PLACE! NAME: Ron Hunt BREED: Brittany LOCATION: B…

Travis Frank is the host of The Flush TV Show and Podcast. We discuss his journey bringing home a fire breathing bird dog, Daisy, and learning to work together. He also shares the experience of having Daisy stolen out of his front yard, how he tells stories through television, and the importance of having a mentor in dog training. This episode is b…

You should always jump at the opportunity when you get the chance to talk to someone in the upland space who has been chasing these birds for as long as Walt Lesser has! After all, he literally wrote the book on the Real Ryman Setter. It was a privilege to sit down with Walt in his home and hear his stores and what it was exactly that spoke to him …

Robb and Jim make their return to the podcast to recap and share their thoughts on our recent experience at Old Hemlock and the "Trouble with Bird Dogs" event put on by the Bird Dog Society. The purpose of the Troubles with Bird Dogs event The downward trend of bird numbers over decades Learning from history The experience of the historical propert…

Logan Weiss is an adult on-set bird hunter whose first dog, Sage, helped him fall in love with dog training and chasing wild birds in wild places. Logan walks us through applying his high level athlete mindset to training and hunting and shares why the Garmin Sport Pro is his favorite e-collar for beginning bird dog trainers. Logan also discusses t…

You've at least heard George Bird Evans referenced at some point even if you've just barely dipped a toe in the upland hunting space. His words continue to inspire and motivate upland hunters even decades removed from his passing. Come and take a step back in time to catch a glimpse of what it was like for George, and his wife Kaye, living at the o…

A listener recently reached out asking for an episode talking about general advice when it comes to planning a hunting trip. It would be fun to revisit and provide an updated version of this subject but for now I thought it was worth revisiting episode 108 with Josh Flowers originally released on 9/21/21. Why test and train in the off season The be…

We sit down with Nina Hoekstra to discuss her transition from the deer stand to the uplands, strengthening her faith in the outdoors, the power of solo hunting trips (and some pointers along the way), and how she took the leap from her nursing career to build a business in outdoor media. You can follow along her journey on her IG handle - @in.ninas…

"Pick a method and stick with it!" Sure, thats sound advice. Especially for beginners. But for those of us that want to know why a particular method works or how to overcome and even prevent certain roadblocks or snags from appearing, simply focusing on the "HOW" may not be enough. Nate Czarnota of Iron Oak Dog Co. joins me to talk about the princi…

GDIY Profiles are bonus episodes that feature your average DIY dog trainer and hunter. All dog owners have a story of what got them involved and the main lessons learned along the way. Hearing numerous people’s stories along with their mistakes, helps promote the idea that WE ALL STARTED AT THE SAME PLACE! NAME: Ira Sherman BREED: German Wirehair P…

Christy Langton operates Spring River Kennel from her farm in Southwestern Missouri. Expect to learn the importance of mentorship in training and breeding bird dogs, being comfortable and authentic with your goals, owning a dog's strengths and weaknesses, and how to level up the photos of your dog afield. This episode is brought to you by Ugly Dog …