Dave Jones of Jonesy’s Gun Dogs on “Training with Mo” – Gundog Notebook Podcast

Durrell Smith is a 28 year old Georgia native, visual…

Exploring the knowledge and methods of legendary trainer Maurice “Mo” Lindley with Dave Jones.

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By now, many of us dog folk are well into the throws of summer bird dog training and working hard to refine and improve our dogs and our training techniques. Bird dog trainers are always seeking to add more to the tools of our trade to create more realistic situations for our hunting companions. For that reason, my conversation with Dave Jones of Jonesy’s Gun Dogs sheds light on many of the finer aspects of the West/Gibbons and Lindley training method, sourced from the book “Training with Mo” written by Martha Greenlee.

Jonesy was mentored by legendary trainer Maurice “Mo” Lindley. Through their close relationship, Jonesy has garnered an invaluable library of bird dog knowledge over his years training and breeding bird dogs with Mo. When working dogs, Dave suggests that we change the rules in order to keep the dog mentally challenged and, as he puts it, present the dog with opportunities to create or figure out the “boogers.” The dog has to be offered a variety of challenges that continually proof its training, in addition to setting the dog up for failure in order to see it work its way on to success.

This discussion was twofold and very extensive. Listeners will find that breaking down Dave’s Kentucky Sanskrit will reveal an abundance of wisdom that stems from field trials, pointing dog and retriever training. Dave is fundamentally a pointer man, but trains all kinds of bird dog breeds both for clients and for his own personal work.

As a host, I also presented Dave with a number of challenges to address with the remote bird launcher. Dave provides solutions for a lower, more natural flush from the launcher and troubleshoots some at the moment launcher and scenting issues may arise. From “salting the earth” to carded birds, Dave breaks down many of the techniques outlined in the Lindley book. We talk about simulating a wild bird situation for the dog and keeping the pressure low for the pup to learn on its own time and build its confidence. All of these developments lead to a mannerable, stylish, and non-manufactured dog — a by-product of superior judgment and effective handling coupled with the dog’s own natural ability.

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Dave Jones on Instagram: @JonesyGunDogs

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Website: http://www.jonesysgundogs.com

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Durrell Smith

Durrell Smith is a 28 year old Georgia native, visual artist, wing shooter, and dog handler. While creating compelling ink and watercolor illustrations based on his field experiences and hunting dogs, he also runs a podcast called The Gun Dog Notebook, which can be found on iTunes and Soundcloud. Aside from hunting upland game and waterfowl, he participates in Hunt Tests with his Labrador Retriever. As a first generation hunter, Durrell seeks to learn and contribute to the community by connecting with visionaries and veterans within the bird dog community who are willing to share stories and knowledge about the various breeds, creating a bridge to welcome new and novice dog handlers to the gun dog community.