Steve Anker

Got my first Pointer at the age of 5, made all the common mistakes we all make along the way training on my own. Did just about everything wrong, read too much, trained too much, and we didn't have much success in those early years afield. Worked on a Upland Game Preserve and met up with a group of gentlemen who taught me the correct ways of doing things, and since then it's been sheer enjoyment. Worked with several Pro trainers, learned volumes each time we went out training, and had the opportunity to see the results of their methods firsthand. Today finds me training professionally, on a small scale, mostly local hunting dogs, some for hunt tests, NAVHDA, mostly training here on Long Island and upstate NY.

I am a familiar face on the AKC Hunt Test curcuit, Judging, running my own dogs,and handling for others. NAVHDA has been consuming my time also, training for, and testing, keeps me and my dogs sharp. My breeds are GSP's and Pointers, although I've had my hands on just about all the popular pointing breeds, some not so popular too. Somewhere in all that activity I also Field Trial, both AKC and American Field, and I've been known to suspend all activities during hunting season and actually take my own gang afield upland hunting and waterfowling.

My personal training methods are based on positive reinforcement, giving the dog the chance to make the right choices, rewarding, then tasking and challenging these highly intelligent creatures. Seldom do I use E-collars, it's a personal choice, but sometimes all it takes is a few more sets to complete the desired results.

I am also very active in my local dog club, the Long Island German Shorthaired Pointer Club. Our training program has given local GSP owners, and other breeds too, the opportunity to advance their dogs to higher accomplishment. I am looking forward to answering questions on pointing dogs, to the best of my abilities, and contributing to this great website.



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