Make sure your dog is outfitted properly for this coming hunting season. (Photo credit: Dean Pearson.)
July 29, 2024
By David Rearick
What else brings as much joy to a car ride, hunt, or even a run through the park than a good retriever at your side? For most, just the mention of a retriever elicits memories of childhoods, past hunts, and memorable retrieves. While all dogs hold a special place in our hearts, hunting retrievers notch out an even deeper cut. Retrievers are not only a hunter’s best friend, but they are also the most loyal hunting partner one could ever ask for. They are always ready to go, never seem to get tired, and they don’t laugh when you miss. (Except for that occasional over-the-shoulder look when nothing falls out of a volley.)
When it comes to duck dogs, we should never skimp on making sure they are healthy, safe, and comfortable. We spend countless hundreds and even thousands on hunting gear; why would we ever forgo giving our dogs the protection they need? Whether that be a vest or a good dose of supplements. After all, they can’t buy it themselves! For the too-short amount of time they get to spend with us, make sure to take extra care to make them more than just a retriever, as they are a part of the family that will always have your back.
Rig ’Em Right Field Bully Dog Blind Rig ’Em Right’s Field Bully Dog Blind was designed to be the baddest dog blind on the market. Cloaked in GORE OPTIFADE Marsh camouflage, the Field Bully uses Rig ’Em Right’s Bullycoil frame system that sets up in seconds and compresses flat for storage. Engineered with logic, users can forget about aligning pins or trying to assemble components in the dark, as the Bully Dog blind contains no pins, hinges, or poles. Best yet, it is only 19 inches high at the peak and has a unique triangular profile for optimal concealment along with a padded floor to keep your pooch comfortable. An optional snow cover allows it to disappear when the late season storms hit, so you can say goodbye to frozen spray cans of snow flocking.
Rig ’Em Right Field Bully Dog Blind Banded LowGround-Force Dog Blind Integrating a dog stand and blind into one, Banded’s engineering team knocked the LowGround-Force dog blind out of the park. Compact and lightweight, the LowGround-Force dog blind conceals with ease and includes adjustable, telescoping legs with 4 inches of adjustment to keep your dog out of the mud and water. The exterior is constructed out of durable DuraMax material that is equipped with stubble straps for easy field concealment. The blind even supports dogs that need to go on a diet, with a maximum capacity of 150 pounds. Folded, the blind measures an easy-to-transport 36-inches long, by 22-inches wide and 4.5-inches tall. Covered in Realtree Max-7, you will spend less time grassing and more time hunting.
Advertisement
Banded LowGround-Force Dog Blind Dokken Deadfowl Puppy Trainer DM10 When most people get a new puppy, they work on potty training, puppy kisses, and trying to keep those little demons from chewing off their fingers! When hunters get a new puppy, their immediate thought is getting to work; with some puppy love along the way. That is where Dokken’s Deadfowl Puppy Trainer comes into play. Like other Dokken training dummies, the Puppy Trainer encourages proper hold and combats aggressive shaking. Other key features include a natural game bird feel and a dead bird neck, plus it floats, is easy to throw, and has an internal scent system. It is available in mallard, teal, and bufflehead configurations and is perfect for both puppies and smaller retrieving breeds. If you are getting a new puppy, you need to pick one of these up!
Dokken Deadfowl Puppy Trainer DM10 Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Supplements – Joint Care Spoil your canine warrior! Young or old, joint health in dogs is critical to their well-being and quality of life, especially for breeds that are pre-disposed to joint conditions. Joint Care from Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Supplements supports mobility and healthy cartilage and joints in dogs of all breeds and sizes. For hardworking dogs that see many days in the field, this supplement will go a long way toward keeping them in top shape all season long. We all want to have our dog on EVERY hunt, and this supplement helps ensure that they will be there for every volley without missing a beat. Heck, after writing this, we should petition for Purina to make something for us hunters, I know my joints could sure use it!
Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Supplements – Joint Care Eukanuba Senior Breed Dry Dog Food This is the good stuff for your veteran duck dog. Available in small, medium, and large breed formulas, Eukanuba Senior Breed Dry Dog Food was designed for your favorite aging retriever. Containing complete and balanced nutrition for senior dogs over 7 years, Eukanuba Senior breed includes chicken as its first ingredient, because real, meat-based protein should be the foundation of any diet. Other key ingredients include glucosamine for your dog’s joints and muscles, chondroitin sulfate to help them stay sharp, and DHA and antioxidants to support healthy brain function. This diet is formulated with optimal amount of fats and carbohydrates to help maintain your older dog’s energy levels throughout the season. It even includes Eukanuba 3D DentaDefense that reduces tartar buildup and stinky breath! Your dog gives you years of service without a complaint, so giving them every advantage to stay healthy is the least we can do!
Advertisement
Eukanuba Senior Breed Dry Dog Food ALPS Outdoorz Hybrid Dog Stand A brand-spanking new product for 2024, the ALPS Hybrid Dog Stand is perfect for everything from off-season training to timber hunting. Using a two-for-one design, this dog stand can mount to a tree in flooded timber when the water is deeper than 30 inches OR be used in shallow water or fields with an adjustable height from 22 to 36 inches. It includes an anti-slip and durable platform to make sure your pooch can exit and enter the water safely. Weighing only 10 pounds, its lightweight design ensures that your canine won’t be left sitting uncomfortably in the water when you opt for an extra box of donuts for yourself.
ALPS Outdoorz Hybrid Dog Stand Dive Bomb Adjustable Dog Vest Everyone loves a good vest. They are an excellent way to help maintain your body’s core temperature. The same can be said for a retriever vest. When the vest goes on, your dog knows it is go-time, and in chilly weather, obstruction-choked waterways, or even corn fields, a dog vest will help them maintain body temperature and also protect him from punctures and cuts while chasing downed birds. Dogs tend to throw caution to the wind when a live bird is on the other end of the lake, so make sure you give them some body armor to save them from themselves. Dive Bomb’s vest is adjustable to fit most dogs, has two chest pieces, and is made from ultra-rugged neoprene and Cordura for maximum durability. The cost of the vest is much less than a trip to the vet.
Dive Bomb Adjustable Dog Vest Lucky Duck Medium Dog Kennel We protect ourselves with a seatbelt, so don’t skimp when it comes to protecting your best buddy. Lucky Duck’s Medium Dog Kennel is 5-star crash test rated, helping to protect your dog in the unfortunate event of an accident. Weighing only 27 pounds, this kennel is packed with features, including a switchable door design, locking paddle latch, and ventilation holes. It even has a pitched floor to make sure water runs away from your dog and out the drain holes to help them dry out quicker. These features ensure that, hot or cold, your dog can stay comfortable. These kennels are also stackable for multi-dog transport and available in multiple sizes for different dog builds.
Lucky Duck Medium Dog Kennel Kennel Deck The Kennel Deck is one of those products that evokes feelings of “why didn’t I think of that!” It was designed to keep your dog high and dry with portability and comfort. A non-skid surface, Kennel Decks don’t absorb odors yet allow for air circulation, and will not rot or mold. Each section measures 2-foot by 4-foot, is 2 inches tall, and can be connected to form a deck of any size. These sections weigh a paltry 8.5 pounds but can hold 100x their weight—up to 1,000 pounds! Whether you need a platform in a permanent duck blind or in the outside kennel at home, Kennel Deck has the solutions to make these areas safe, and make sure your dog is comfortable. If you haven’t checked them out, do your dog a favor and give them a search!
Kennel Deck dog pad. Dogtra 1900S BLACK EDITION At a hunt test I recently attended, trying to get a feel for the best practices of how to train my own pup to be a quality retriever, I looked at the E-collars being used. As I snuck peeks at the collars on the dogs and remotes held by the handlers, one thing remained almost unanimously constant: Dogtra was a favorite. Now, Dogtra is introducing the 1900S BLACK EDITION with Boost and Lock features for dog owners who hunt and train where distance becomes a factor. With a 1-mile range, you can be sure that sending your dog after that sailed honker two fields over won’t be an issue. The collar sports a safety lock system that keeps all your settings sharp and an ergonomic design to keep your dog comfortable, all while having IPX9K-rated durability. This isn’t just a dog collar, it’s a next level edge for you and your retriever out in the field.
Dogtra 1900S BLACK EDITION This article first appeared in WILDFOWL Magazine.
