1. Keep in mind that she has an impulsive and emotional GENETIC nature for pursuit.
2. Be a proactive mediator between your dog and her ENVIRONMENT so her impulses don’t get the better of her.
3. Teach her self-control by becoming the master of “Yes, but . . .” in her LEARNING processes.
4. Treasure your scent hound’s heart-wide-open approach to life, without judgment or scorn.

MEET YOUR . . .

Gun Dog

“OUTDOOR ADVENTURER”

Golden Retriever

German Shorthair Pointer

American Cocker Spaniel • American Water Spaniel • Barbet • Boykin Spaniel • Brittany Spaniel • Chesapeake Bay Retriever • Clumber Spaniel • English Cocker Spaniel • English Pointer • English Setter • English Springer Spaniel • Field Spaniel • Flat-Coated Retriever • German Shorthair Pointer • German Wirehair Pointer • Golden Retriever • Gordon Setter • Irish Red and White Spaniel • irish Setter • Irish Water Spaniel • Labrador Retriever • Lagotto Romagnolo • Munsterlander • Portuguese Water Dog • Spinone italiano • Standard Poodle • Sussex Spaniel • Vizsla • Weimaraner • Welsh Springer Spaniel • Wirehaired Pointing Griffon • mixes of any of the above breeds

You’ll fall in love with your gun dog because he’s:

ENTHUSIASTIC—He is generally eager and willing to get on board with whatever the day brings.

COOPERATIVE—A team player at heart, he was made to be an attentive, trainable, and responsive partner in life.

OUTGOING—He has an extroverted spirit both with other people and with animals.

You might find a gun dog hard to live with because he’s:

ACTIVE—While his ambition for athleticism is admirable, his physical needs can be a little intense at the end of a long day.

IMMATURE—The very same silly puppy nature that makes him so playful can also manifest in annoying traits such as a short attention span, neediness, impulsivity, foolishness, or insecurity.

DOTING—Though many of us adore the endless affections of our dogs, you may find him a little heavy on the PDA if you really value your personal space.

You might find yourself seeking professional help for:

1. Distractibility and impulsivity
2. Overwhelming greeting behavior with people, such as jumping and licking
3. Destructiveness to home or personal belongings
4. Hyperactivity or restlessness
5. Sensitivity to loud noises and storms
6. Problematic oral fixations, including incessant ball-pushing for yet another round of fetch; sock hunting and consumption; and self-injurious lick granulomas
7. “I’ll never grow up” Peter Pan complex

Family History

Back when human survival meant making good on any and all available resources, no stone went unturned—including those harder-to-reach food sources in water and air. Waterfowl, fish, and upland game birds all presented potential gold mines for people. But finding and acquiring them presented some problems for humans. Chasing and cornering these kinds of creatures was uniquely technical—quite different from the direct tracking and hunting of land animals.