The most efficient dog training book for retrievers hunting upland birds and waterfowl—from the author of Water Dog. This time-proven guide by legendary trainer Richard A. Wolters offers a step-by-step method for completely training your dog, resulting in a skilled hunting retriever by the time your pet is one year old. In Game Dog, you’ll discover: • How to choose a pup—what to look for, where to find the best • The five critical periods of a dog's mental development • Which retrievers are easier to train—males or females • How to get two dogs to work together • Why feeding time is more than food • How to teach your dog to track, quarter, and swim after game • How to get your dog to betray his instincts and obey your commands • Which tasks your dog must master to qualify as a hunter • And much more... Fully illustrated, Game Dog is an invaluable book for every hunter training a retriever and every pet owner who wants a better trained dog. “Wolters has produced a solid book that will be of great help to anyone training his retriever to work. He is an acknowledged master in the field and an excellent instructor.”—Dog Fancy

The most efficient dog training book for retrievers hunting upland birds and waterfowl—from the author of Water Dog. This time-proven guide by legendary trainer Richard A. Wolters offers a step-by-step method for completely training your dog, resulting in a skilled hunting retriever by the time your pet is one year old. In Game Dog, you’ll discover: • How to choose a pup—what to look for, where to find the best • The five critical periods of a dog's mental development • Which retrievers are easier to train—males or females • How to get two dogs to work together • Why feeding time is more than food • How to teach your dog to track, quarter, and swim after game • How to get your dog to betray his instincts and obey your commands • Which tasks your dog must master to qualify as a hunter • And much more... Fully illustrated, Game Dog is an invaluable book for every hunter training a retriever and every pet owner who wants a better trained dog. “Wolters has produced a solid book that will be of great help to anyone training his retriever to work. He is an acknowledged master in the field and an excellent instructor.”—Dog Fancy

This book focuses on game dogs including such breeds as the British Pit Bull Terrier, the "Sporting "Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the English Bull Terrier and other Terrier breeds. This includes much information game dogs from the past right up to 1990's Europe and particularly the UK and Ireland. The American Pit Bull Terrier is included in this book but mainly in regards to its use after re-importation to Europe in the 1980's and beyond. Extensive sections on badger dogs and ratting dogs are included as well as the comparison of game dogs to fighting dogs such as the Caucasian Ovcharka. If your only interest is of a general nature regarding the American Pit Bull Terrier then this book is not for you. If your interest is in regards to working game dogs either in the pit or in the field then this book will be of interest as most information comes straight from the horses mouth; in other words the dog fighters. The author also makes it clear in very strong words that he finds dog fighting and badger baiting immoral. However researching a book on game dogs and not asking dog fighters questions as to their mode of operation and opinion would be analogous to writing a book on poaching and not interviewing poachers. Topics included in this book. What is gameness? A guide to natural and artificial selection. The Birth of the Game Dog. The Old English Bull Dog . The creation of the British Pit Bull Terrier. Dog fighting and rat baiting in 18th and 19th century Great Britain. The Creation of the American Pit Bull Terrier. American legends, the ROM and GR CH dogs. Designer dogs. Badger dogs. The English Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The English Bull Terrier. A comparison of The Pit Bull Terrier to other breeds including the Japanese Tosa and Caucasian shepherd dogs. The science behind the breeding of game dogs. Brave new world game dogs.