My approach to training has been shaped by more than a decade of hands-on experience, continuous learning, and, most importantly, my first bird dog—Zara.

Zara, my 12-year-old Vizsla, started out as a pet. Over time, she became a Master Hunter, a NAVHDA Versatile Champion, and earned multiple placements and wins in AKC field trials. That journey wasn’t straightforward. When I was getting started, I struggled to find clear, effective resources—and I made plenty of mistakes along the way. That experience is exactly why I’m so passionate about helping others navigate the process with more clarity and confidence.

At the core of my philosophy is this: dogs learn best when they understand what’s being asked of them.

I prioritize teaching and shaping behaviors using positive reinforcement first. This allows the dog to truly understand the task without confusion or unnecessary pressure. While this approach can take more time upfront, it builds a strong foundation and results in a dog that is confident, engaged, and genuinely happy to work.

Once a behavior is well understood and the dog is fluent, I may introduce appropriate pressure—such as low-level e-collar stimulation or leash pressure—to reinforce expectations and provide clarity. At that stage, pressure isn’t used to teach, but to communicate and maintain standards the dog already understands.

Much of how I train bird dogs today has been heavily influenced by the Perfection Kennel method. What I value most about this approach is its incremental nature. Skills are introduced step-by-step, ensuring the dog is never asked to make a leap in understanding that they’re not prepared for. A helpful way to think about this is through a school analogy: if a dog is at a “fifth-grade” level in their training, we shouldn’t expect them to perform “college-level” concepts like full steadiness to wing, shot, and fall. Yet this is a common mistake—taking dogs into advanced hunting scenarios before they truly understand foundational behaviors like “whoa.” I know this firsthand, because it’s exactly how I initially tried to steady Zara—and it didn’t work.

In addition to Perfection Kennel, I’ve incorporated elements from other respected methods, including aspects of the West/Gibbons/Lindley approach. More recently, I attended a seminar with Nate Czarnota of Iron Oak Dog Company, where I was introduced to the NePoPo system. This method blends reward-based training with clear, consistent pressure, and I’ve found it to be a valuable addition—especially in maintaining motivation and clarity throughout more advanced stages of training.

My philosophy isn’t about rigidly following one system—it’s about understanding the dog in front of me and applying thoughtful, fair, and effective training that sets them up for success.

If you ever have questions about how or why I train the way I do, I’m always happy to talk through it.

–Terry Ann