EP 52: When Hunting Season Breaks Your Dog’s Training

In this episode of the Hunt Test Hobo Podcast, Chris Rud and Tyler Brenner sit down for a classic truck-side style conversation about the realities of training dogs as an amateur.Chris shares the latest adventures of “hobo training”—getting kicked out of training grounds, battling Midwest wind storms, hauling wingers around with an e-bike, and squeezing meaningful work into short solo sessions. If you’ve ever trained alone, improvised setups, or wondered how pros and amateurs approach the game differently, this episode will hit home.The conversation then shifts into practical training insight as Chris and Tyler break down what they focus on right after hunting season ends. They discuss resetting dogs that have relied too heavily on their nose during hunting season, rebuilding visual marking habits, and why this time of year is perfect for drills, marking concepts, and communication work between handler and dog.Topics include:Resetting dogs after hunting seasonUsing white bumpers and visual aids to rebuild markingTeaching marking concepts like hip pockets, pinches, and in-line triplesWhy drills are critical during the transition seasonRe-establishing fundamentals with tune-up drillsEarly-season water work and revisiting cheating conceptsPoison birds and maintaining handling disciplineWhether you're coming out of waterfowl season or gearing up for spring hunt tests, this episode gives you practical ideas for getting your dog back into training mode.