---
title: "Gun Dog Manners: 4 Do’s and Don’ts for Human Hunters"
description: "_Offer water? Sure, but otherwise, stay away from managing someone else's dog._ In someone else’s house, you’re supposed to be on your best behavior. But spend enough time in someone else’s blind or grouse cover hunting with their dog, and everybody becomes a critic. Here are four tried-and-true guidelines for minding your manners when it comes to another hunter’s gun dog"
date: "2015-06-10"
modified: "2015-06-10"
authors:
  - name: "Scott Linden"
    link: "https://www.outdoorlife.com/authors/scott-linden/"
url: "https://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/game-changers/gun-dog-manners-4-dos-and-donts-human-hunters/"
categories:
  - "Hunting"
  - "Hunting Dogs"
---

# Gun Dog Manners: 4 Do’s and Don’ts for Human Hunters

![](<https://www.outdoorlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/23/6SJDFEVEYR5EL4Z4RYSBBKNGLA.jpg>)

In someone else’s house, you’re supposed to be on your best behavior. But spend enough time in someone else’s blind or grouse cover hunting with their dog, and everybody becomes a critic. Here are four tried-and-true guidelines for minding your manners when it comes to another hunter’s gun dog.

**1. Ask first**
Sure, offer to help, but let the dog's owner tell you what to do and when, whether it's feeding, doctoring or field etiquette. Ask about shooting wild flushes, or shooting over a broken point. A dog that crashes from the blind too soon is another instance where the owner should dictate protocol.

**2. Bite your tongue**
Keep criticism to yourself. If your dog was the better canine, you'd be hunting behind him. The same goes for commands, which usually have no impact coming from a stranger. Discipline from you has little training value, but can still ruin a friendship.

**3. Dodge the retrieve**
Most dogs won't bring a shot bird to you even if you did the shooting. Help a dog retrieve to his owner like he's supposed to by turning away if he comes toward you with a bird. It eliminates confusion and ensures a solid fetch.

**4. No food treats**
You may be interfering with your buddy's training strategy, and a dog might even be allergic to certain snacks. One thing you can almost always do is offer up a "Good dog." A scratch behind the ear, a stroke on the back, or some water from your canteen are always welcome.

And don’t forget the other obligation of a good guest: At the end of a hunt, ensure another invitation with a bottle of something old from Scotland or Kentucky for your human host. Be a good guest out there, and everyone goes home happy—even the dog.