"A guide to transforming your favorite companion into a great sporting dog and retriever through implementing a low-force, positive training method called the Wildrose Way."~Covey Rise Magazine"Mike Stewart's Wildrose Way is the right way when it comes to training gundogs. Mike has an uncanny talent for getting the best out of his "clients", and he's also a pro at communicating his simple methods so other trainers can do likewise. Sporting Dog and Retriever Trainingearns 5 stars—my highest recommendation! It's the book I'll train by." ~Wade Bourne"A handsome, skilled guide to everything you need to know about raising and training a gundog. It is packed with 200 color photographs, as well as step-by-step instructions on how to train the perfect gundog." ~Shooting Gazette (UK)“Mike Stewart of Wildrose Kennels has teamed up with Orvis's Paul Fersen to produce a valuable gun dog training book, Sporting Dog and Retriever Training: The Wildrose Way. Stewart distills 30 years of dog training experience into a complete course in selecting, starting, field training, and finishing what Wildrose calls a “gentleman’s dog”—a biddable, companionable, successful bird dog or retriever. Stewart and Fersen provide a detailed training regime perfectly suited to canine instincts and capabilities as they relate to the hunter’s needs afield. Stewart is particularly insightful on communication, learning (and mis-learning) habits, and canine memory. Three early chapters—“Train Yourself to Train Your Dog,” “Starting Your Pup the Wildrose Way,” and “Foundational Excellence” are must reading for any gun dog owner who wants to encourage good habits and avoid irremediable mistakes. The two chapters on field training are invaluable. This excellent manual brings fully to light the concepts and techniques of Wildrose training.” ~Gray’s Sporting Journal“Stewart shares his more than 40 years of training experience in one of the most exciting training manuals to be released in years. Illustrated with extraordinary photography and accompanied by numerous sidebars and tips, this easy-to-read, practical book tells you everything you need to know, from socializing young pups to producing a finished gun dog worthy of the field.” ~Ducks Unlimited Magazine"Mike’s common sense approach to gundog training and handling is time tested and it works! Furthermore, it is unusual for one pro trainer to excel in both pointing as well as flusher/retriever dog training. Mike has accomplished that as well. The result: A gentleman’s gundog of which one can be proud, either at home or afield." ~John C. Gosselin, The Upland Almanac“If preparing to school a new canine hunting companion, [you] would be well served by Sporting Dog and Retriever Training: The Wildrose Way. Mike Stewart has trained dogs for more than 30 years. He works to produce focused, obedient hunting dogs that will fulfill their owners’ goals, including retrieving waterfowl, finding upland birds, going fly-fishing or canoeing or camping or simply relaxing with the family at home. Although styled as a training manual, this book is very high quality: good paper, a sewn binding, and graceful sepia-toned drawings along with all of those great photos of Labs, springers, cockers, and pointers happily learning and carrying out their life’s work.” ~Shooting Sportsman"Mike Stewart, perhaps America's best canine-training person, has finally shown us some of his secrets. Using unrelenting positive-reinforcement for the dog and demanding work at understanding the way each dog's mind works, The Wildrose Way allows us a window into the amazing and ancient dog and human relationship. Now I know, to an enlightening degree, how Stewart does it." ~Donovan Webster, National Geographic Advisory Board"Stewart has more than 30 years of experience training a variety of sporting dogs, and his methods may now be studied in this fully-illustrated 256-page reference book." ~Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal
