The Upland Disciple Podcast

Josh Ruiter
  • 4.2 (16)
  • WILDERNESS
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY

My vision for the Upland Disciple Podcast is to bring you face to face with some of the best bird dog trainers in the world, diving in to their methods, styles, tips, tricks, and tools to help make you a better dog trainer and assist in the overall develop of your bird dog! Each episode will highlight a different trainer or method OR will have an understudy who has used a method who will share his or her story of training bird dogs in the way of the greats! I hope all of us can take at least a small nugget of training goodness away from each and every episode! Happy trialing and hunting friends!

  1. JAN 8

    Summer Shorts - Handling

    Welcome back to episode 10 of season 3 at the Upland Disciple Podcast. We continue on with our summer shorts series this week, diving in to the topic of handling. An often under discussed and under appreciated part of bird dog development and hunting/trialing is the working together of dog and handler in the field. This doesn't just mean following your dog around the field but being able to cast your dog, bend them in the field from objective to objective or cover to cover. It means not hacking at your dog but communicating with them via cues, body language, and direction...all built in your training time before you get to real life scenarios! Handling is also one of those parts of training that is as much about you the handler as it is the dog. Being able to read a dog, put them in the best place to succeed, and have a partnership that overcomes tough situations, tough conditions, and new environments. With that being said handling is an art NOT a science, and is often caught more than it is taught. So tune in and listen to the experts lend their experience, advice, tips, tricks, and training styles to develop a good handle in the field!

    1h 56m

  2. 12/01/2025

    Summer Shorts - Honoring/Backing

    Welcome back to episode 9 of the Summer Shorts series. This week we take a deep dive with our four Pro Trainers into the topic of Honoring or Backing. Whether for safety, etiquette, or more birds in the bag, honoring is one of most important skills we can teach our dogs. Nobody wants to hunt with the guy whose dogs blow up everyone else's points! As we dive into the four different methods, you will find a baseline of similarity in the desired outcome, with unique approaches on how to train honoring. Some use launchers, others throw birds. Some use ecollar, others prefer no pressure in this training skill. Whatever your cup of tea may be, take a listen and I promise you will be able to take something if not many things away from each pro's method of teaching a dog to honor or back!! Sit back and enjoy!! Resources: The Hickox Method web - www.georgehickox.com Instagram - @georgehickoxbirddogs Facebook - @georgehickox   The Method Dog Training web - www.haycreekkennels.com | www.jwellskennels.com Instagram - @the_method_dog_training Facebok - @themethoddogtraining   Perfection Kennels web - www.perfectionkennel.com Instagram - @perfection_kennels Facebook - @perfectionkennel   The Smith Method  web - www.smithkenels.com Instagram - @smithkennelsbirddogs Facebook - @smithkennels

    1h 33m

  3. 11/10/2025

    Summer Shorts - The Retrieve

    Welcome back to the 8th installment of the summer shorts series!! In this episode we dive deep into the trained retrieve. We discuss shaping a natural retrieve, when to train the retrieve in the dogs development, and a number of "fixes" for a poor or lacking retrieve. The 4 pros give us 4 different takes on the retrieve training process, all with their own unique twists, YET with many similar philosopical and foundational elements brought back from puppy development! Buckle up and enjoy another episode with us!!

    1h 53m

  4. 10/21/2025

    Summer Shorts - Heel & Recall

    Welcome back to the 7th installment of the "Summer Shorts" series, which Jake correctly renamed the "Season Long" series in jest. In this episode we dive back in with our four pro trainers/methods to discuss Recall & Heel. This is an incredibly fun dive with some similarities (such as going back to foundational training to teach a new command) as well some uniqueness from each method. From method to timing and philosophical approach these 4 trainers/methods have much to offer and consider as you look at your process of development your bird dog. When should I teach recall? When should I teach here? How should I teach it? More control early on or let the pupper build an intense fire of prey drive before moving on to recall and/or heel? All of these and more questions are asked and answered as we work through and discuss the merits of each individual method! Hope you enjoy the episode and come back for more next week! Resources: Perfection Kennels web - www.perfectionkennel.com Instagram - @perfection_kennels Facebook - @perfectionkennel   George Hickox web - www.georgehickox.com Instagram - @gerogehickoxbirddogs Facebook - @georgehickox   The Method Dog Training web - www.haycreekkennels.com | www.jwellskennels.com Instagram - @the_method_dog_training Facebook - themethoddogtraining   The Smith Method web - www.smithkennels.com Instagram - @smithkennelsbirddogs Facebook - @smithkennels

    1h 58m

  5. 10/01/2025

    Summer Shorts - Steadiness Training

    Welcome back to the 6th episode of the summer shorts series with us. This week we dive into the topic of steadiness or staunchness training for your dog. This is getting into more advanced training and often shows our limitations as amateur or "non-pro" trainers and handlers. While we are often in a hurry to reach benchmarks in limited time before the season arrives, as you will hear in this episode from each of the 4 pros, faster isn't better, better is better. So take your time, listen to this episode a couple of times and jot down some notes! It is an extremely fun and detailed dive from each of the four pros we are studying in this series, and each one of them has a unique style in developing steadiness in a dog, yet all have the same destination in mind, a fully broke dog!! So listen to pod, drop us a like or a follow, and pick up the tips, tricks, and styles that work for you as you work to steady up your pup!! Resources: The Smith Method web - www.smithkennels.com  Instagram - @smithkennelsbirddogs Facebook - @smithkennels   Perfection Kennels Method web - www.perfectionkennel.com Instagram - @perfection_kennels Facebook - @perfectionkennel   The Method Dog Training web - www.haycreekkennels.com | www.jwellskennels.com Instagram - @the_method_dog_training Facebook - @themethoddogtraining   The Hickox Method web - www.georgehickox.com Instagram - @georgehickoxbirddogs Facebook - @georgehickox

    1h 52m

  6. 09/17/2025

    Summer Shorts - Whoa Training

    Welcome back to the summer shorts series. I apologize for the slight delay. Between a wedding I had to do in Tahoe, a bout with covid leading to a weeks long cough that made recording impossible, and then field trials and the opener in Montana, we have been full up on life for a hot second. But we are back!!! In this episode we dive into whoa training. Each method or style has its unique tools for your toolbox and drills for developing a trustworthy whoa in your dog, but all four also share many philosopical things in common: using a known place to start the whoa training process; the use of a belly collar (at least to start); reading the dog and making sure the dog is in a headspace that is composed and eager to learn; etc. We hope you find lots of useful tips, tricks, tools, and drills as you work to whoa train your dog, and for those of you with a young dog or a dog that doesn't have whoa trained completely yet, remember NOT to use the command in the hunting fields this fall until the dog knows what it means and how to win the game of whoa! Happy listening, and blessings and safety as you get hunting or trialing! Resources: The Hickox Method web - www.georgehickox.com Instagram - @georgehickoxbirddogs Facebook - @georgehickox The Smith Method web - www.smithkennels.com Instagram - @smithkennelsbirddogs Facebook - @smithkennels Perfection Kennels web - www.perfectionkennel.com Instagram - @perfection_kennels Facebook - @perfectionkennel The Method Dog Training web - www.haycreekkennels.com | www.jwellskennels.com Instagram - @the_method_dog_training Facebook - @themethoddogtraining

    1h 44m

  7. 08/08/2025

    Summer Shorts - Gun Introduction

    Welcome back to the summer shorts series, brought to you by Redemption Bird Dogs and True Loyalty Dog Training, and sponsored by American Natural Premium dog food and Trinity Gun Dog Company. We hope you enjoy this episode on gun introduction from our four pros!! Resources: The Hickox Method website - www.georgehickox.com Intsagram - @georgehickoxbirddogs Facebook - @georgehickox   The Smith Method website - www.smithkennels.com Instagram - @smithkennelsbirddogs Facebook - @smithkennels   Perfection Kennels website - www.perfectionkennel.com Instagram - @perfection_kennels Facebook - @perfectionkennel   The Method Dog Training website - www.haycreekkennels.com & www.jwellskennels.com Instagram - @the_method_dog_training Facebook @themethoddogtraining

    1h 30m

  8. 07/31/2025

    Summer Shorts - Collar Conditioning

    In this episode of the summer shorts we turn to collar conditioning. Collar conditioning is one of those training skills that needs to go right or it could go horribly wrong. In this episode Jake and I take a deep dive into all four methods we have been following in the summer shorts series, and look at how they do and recommend collar introduction and conditioning. Everything from collar type, to using a learned behavior to introduce the collar, to philosophical similarities and differences, we hope you give it a listen and are able to take away some crucial and beneficial training tips and tools from this episode!! Resources: Perfection Kennels website - www.perfectionkennel.com Instagram - @perfection_kennels Facebook - @perfetionkennel   The Smith Method website - www.smithkennels.com Instagram - @smithkennelsbirddogs Facebook - @smithkennels   The Method Dog Training Website(s) - www.haycreekkennels.com OR www.jwellskennels.com Instagram - @the_method_dog_training Facebook - @themethoddogtraining   The Hickox Method website - www.georgehickox.com Instagram - @georgehickoxbirddogs Facebook - @georgehickox

    1h 52m
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4.2
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

My vision for the Upland Disciple Podcast is to bring you face to face with some of the best bird dog trainers in the world, diving in to their methods, styles, tips, tricks, and tools to help make you a better dog trainer and assist in the overall develop of your bird dog! Each episode will highlight a different trainer or method OR will have an understudy who has used a method who will share his or her story of training bird dogs in the way of the greats! I hope all of us can take at least a small nugget of training goodness away from each and every episode! Happy trialing and hunting friends!

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