Scott Linden Outdoors

Besides time with friends, training together has other benefits for you and your dog

How often do you train with others? The saying goes “many hands make quick work,” but it’s not just about productivity. Often, the payoffs are more subtle, but just as valuable.

Everyone has a story or two: about hunting spots they’re willing to share, pedigrees and reading between their lines … even if it’s just a tip on a piece of gear you can’t live without (okay, several pieces).

But there’s more. Watching other dogs work, you think of your own. Pitching in, your on-the-ground observations take on added relevance. Do you see your own dog in others?

In medical school, so they say, the best way to learn is to teach. And while we may not be “teaching” when we trade chores like planting birds, the lessons are there for the taking.