#352 | Raising the Next One: A Lifetime of Bird Dogs with Steve Snell of Gun Dog Supply

#352 | Raising the Next One: A Lifetime of Bird Dogs with Steve Snell of Gun Dog Supply

From Birdshot Podcast by Nick Larson

June 12, 2026 · 1h 28m

About this episode

Nick Larson discusses bird dog training and care with Steve Snell, sharing insights from decades of experience.

Bird dogs come and go over a hunting life, and every new puppy is a chance to do it better than the last. Fresh off bringing home a new setter pup, Nick Larson sits down with Steve Snell of Gun Dog Supply to talk through what 50-plus dogs have taught Steve about raising the next one, from the first weeks at home to a lifetime in the field. It had been since 2018 — episode #12 — that Steve was last on the show, and a lot of ground gets covered here. The conversation opens on bird dog safety: heat and when to call a hunt, the real risk math on rattlesnakes versus ticks, and the hazard most owners underrate (porcupines, not snakes). From there it works its way through nearly every stage of a dog's life — breed selection, the first few weeks with a puppy, crate training, sound exposure, table work, and the gear that actually matters — before closing on Garmin's new TT25 beeper and why Steve runs mini flex bands on every dog he owns. A throughline keeps surfacing: the hunter's job is to make good decisions on the dog's behalf, because the dog won't make them for itself. Expect to Learn: - Why Steve sees protecting the dog as the hunter's responsibility — the dog won't protect itself…

People in this episode

Host: Nick Larson

Guest: Steve Snell

Topics covered

  • bird dogs
  • hunting
  • puppy training
  • dog safety
  • breed selection
  • outdoor gear

Keywords

  • bird dogs
  • puppy training
  • hunting safety
  • dog breeds
  • outdoor gear

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Gun Dog Supply

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