“Free bird dog training” vs. paid bird dog training

New folks, that is, new folks who are new to training bird dogs always seem to think they will save a dime and it will be more enjoyable. Well they are partly right.

Partly right in that it will be enjoyable if you are a patient person willing to spend whatever is necessary to do the job right yourself. If you are an impatient sort of person and unwilling to spend money on your dog’s training, then wrong on both parts.

In the old days … …we trained with just a leash and check cord. There were no e-collars. We had homemade kick cages to hold a training bird in place and had a lot of personal hustle to make sure the dog did it right. Now days there are so many terrific training aids that the ‘hustle’ part of it is greatly reduced or not as ‘required’ when training your own bird dog. I digress. You need tools of the trade and tools cost money.

Even if you train the dog yourself and use the old fashioned tools that were less expensive, you still spend the money. Dogs need to be taken to different locations for training as well as to be hunted. Fuel nowadays ain’t cheap. Consider that there are no shortcuts in training and if you are a newbie, you will most certainly take longer to train your dog than a pro would take. More time = more money, always.

I’ve compared notes with those who do it themselves (and my own notes before turning pro) and when you factor in everything, you usually spend more in the long run then you would have spent in a short period of time with a pro. There are positive aspects when it comes to training yourself.

• First, you know what training your pup is getting and what it is not getting. Some folks don’t trust a trainer sometimes and for those folks, training yourself will set your mind at ease.

• Second, the self satisfaction you get from training your own dog from A to Z is quite rewarding. I know, that’s what made me want to be a full time trainer.

• Third, you train on your own time line, not a trainers time line. Since it takes longer for newbies (on average) to train, the expenses will be more spread out.

On the flip side there is an advantage to hiring a pro you can trust.

• First, folks with demanding jobs have the satisfaction of knowing their dog is being trained properly.

• Second, your dog will be trained in a timely fashion.

• Third, your dog will not be pushed too hard or simple mistakes will not be made because your pro is experienced.

• Fourth, a pro paid for a job well done will be willing to spend extra time with you should you encounter any issues after picking up the dog. Many pros, such as myself, guarantee their work and will take the dog back to fix anything not done to your satisfaction…for free.

Of course their are downsides to going with a pro as well.

All Pro trainers have a time line as an average for average dogs so beware a trainer who ‘guarantees fully trained in ‘x’ amount of time.

You may not end up with a dog trained to your liking after paying good money to have it done. I have heard the horror stories of ‘pros’ (I call them ‘cons’) taking your money and on pick up day the dog doesn’t even know its name or how to hold point. Worse yet, your puppy is now a blinker or gun shy and the Pro blames those 2 man made problems on the dog or you. Guy oughta be out of business and he will be because word does get around.

NOTE: Some of those stories are NOT the pro’s fault as the owner may have started with a poorly bred dog and tried to train it themselves, gotten into trouble, then taken it to the pro as if nothing had ever been done and then blame it on the Pro. Shame on them.

There is a down side to everything I suppose. If I have a dog come to me for training that was previously ruined or is just not bred well, I just flat out tell the owner that if their dog were a child, it’d be riding the short bus. Blunt, yeah, but honest. You’re not hiring a politician, you’re hiring an experienced pro to shoot straight with you. If your pro tells you the dog needs more time and you know he is a reputable pro, leave the dog for more time or be prepared to do what is necessary to finish the dog yourself.

I do fully endorse trying to train a dog yourself but only you know your limitations. Folks who can’t walk and chew gum shouldn’t try to train. Folks who are busy professionals and have to schedule time with their wife and kids shouldn’t oughta be trainin’. Folks with a quick temper shouldn’t train and should consider whether they are patient enough to have a dog to begin with. And the list goes on….

Thanks for droppin’ in again.  I do appreciate your visits.  If you like what I have to write or even if you hate it and want others to hate it, please use the ’share’ link.  It’s free and I enjoy writing.  A story like this will take maybe 10 minutes and the joy I get from sharing makes my life whole.

Y’all take care and please take a non-hunting work buddy with you in the field.  Make sure the action  is fun, quick and safe.  He’ll / she’ll be back for more and you’ll be preserving our heritage.

God bless and for those who don’t believe in God, may your blessings be so plentiful that you wonder how it happened.

Dave