First, a few facts: Heat stroke kills gun dogs. And it kills fast. If you don’t believe me, ask some trainers who have been around this sport for a few years. Their stories will surprise you.

None of this is ever far from my mind as I prepare Pritch for bird season. Here in Charleston, afternoon temperatures often hover in the low 90s during July and August. I’ve spoken to many pros to get their take on the proper balance between conditioning and training a dog for an early bird season (like doves in the South) and just being plain stupid. Here’s what I’ve learned:

Train Early and Late: Pritch and I often train before work when the temperatures are mild and there is dew on the grass (which helps with cooling). In the evenings, I wait until dusk to get a session in and often mix in water retrieves. (Remember, a farm pond can be as warm as bath water and may not cool off a dog one bit.) Still, Pritch will need to be conditioned for the heat of dove season, so whenever possible I work on her obedience skills at lunch—always with a watchful eye.

Don’t Go Long: Use common sense when working in the heat. Keep retrieves short and opt for an area with shade.

Water, Water, Water: Whenever we train I have water and a collapsible bowl handy. Occasionally, I’ll douse Pritch during a land session to cool her off. Don’t skimp. Always bring plenty of water.

Give ‘Em a Buzz: For long-haired hunting dogs, a trim can cut down on the effects of heat.

Watch for the Early Signs: One of the first signs you’ll notice as heat stress occurs in your dog is rapid, heavy panting. As the condition progresses, the pup may have excess saliva and her gums may turn dark red. Under any circumstance, do not take these indicators lightly. If a dog with any of these symptoms lies down and won’t get up, do not mistake this for lack of desire! Cool the dog down.

If the Worst Happens: If your dog starts stumbling like a punch-drunk fighter or seems dazed and confused, death could be near. You must immediately take steps to cool her off. Bring her to the shade and spray her with water, making sure to wet her underbelly. (An ice bath will constrict blood vessels, mitigating the effects of the cold water.) If you’re near the truck, crank up the AC and get the dog in cool air. Try to get her to drink water (or even a sports drink), and head to the vet’s office. Even a dog that has seemingly recovered should be examined. Some effects of heatstroke, involving the dog’s vital organs, won’t show themselves until the day after an incident. Also, once a dog has had a heat episode, there’s a likely chance it will happen again, even under lesser conditions.

Always remember that as a trainer you must think like a dog—and, most importantly, for your dog. You make the decisions. Be sure to make the right one when it comes to training in the heat of summer.

Let me start by saying, I’m not a tattoo kind of guy…I leave that stuff to young guys like F&S’s Joe Cermele (he has a great white shark tattoo on his calf and a J-hook on his arm). But recently, on a long ride home from a training session in the country, I passed a tattoo parlor and it got me thinking—seriously thinking—about dog tattoos. Now before my gentle mother tries to reach through the screen and throttle me, allow me to say this:

I’ve fallen in love/become obsessed with a few things in my life, including striped bass, boats, and, of course, my wife. And I’ve never considered getting a tattoo of any of them. (Granted my wife would prefer not to have her image inked on my shoulder.) But as I passed that tattoo parlor I thought how damn cool it would be to have just a small tattoo of Pritch’s head on, say, my calf. Because at some point Pritchard will pass on to the dove field in the sky, and while I may have other dogs, I certainly won’t have her. And in just six months she’s become just about everything I could ask for, and I still haven’t even taken her in the field.

Some of you Man’s Best Friend readers may already have a tattoo of your pooch. If you do, email me a photo at mbfcontest@gmail.com and we’ll post a gallery of images.

For those of you who are ink free, I ask: would you get a tattoo of your dog?

As promised, the long awaited results to the dog name contest are in. Your passion and creativity are to be commended. Of the 54 responses, a few common themes seemed to bubble up to the surface. One of those was naming your dog for the headaches he/she might cause in the future. There was Damnit, Bug’s (as in, always bugging me unless she’s hunting), and Pita (for pain-in-the ass).

Another trend was naming your pooch after your favorite rifle. We had Savage, Ruger, Remington, and Winchester.

Pop culture seemed to play a role as well. Gus was named after the cowboy in Lonesome Dove. Sawyer came from a character in "Lost," and Jethro after the character Leroy Jethro Gibbs on "NCIS." There was also Maggie named after the Door’s song, "Maggie McGill."

The one that really made us laugh was Balzac…which, if you’re wondering has really nothing to do with the French novelist of the same name.

Two that almost took the prize were Rebel Lighting Scout (a yellow Lab whose name comes from a mix of an old hunting vehicle and a thunderstorm that raged when the dog was first brought home) and Hondo (A Boykin named in part because the owner has a houseful of girls and a reference to John Wayne sure can’t hurt).

But in the end we decided on Shadow Brandi, a Lab pup owned and trained by a 12-year-old boy (who goes by the name Brittle on this blog). Brittle named the dog after two of his late grandfather’s favorite pooches, and he hopes to be enjoying his first hunting season with her this fall. Congrats, Brittle. Send an email with your address to: mbfcontest@gmail.com. I’ll ship the six pack of Cabela’s training dummies. Hope you and Shadow Brandi wear ’em out.

I have to admit that one of my biggest challenges as an amateur trainer is knowing the proper amount of pressure to apply when it comes to a reprimand. Just this past weekend we were at the beach, where we have an outdoor run behind the house. In most cases, Pritch will go in on a Kennel command. If not, she may mill around as if she hopes I’ll find something else to do and forget that I want her to Kennel. Normally, I’ll simply change the tone of my voice and she’ll follow orders.

Saturday afternoon, however, after a romp on the beach I gave the Kennel command as I held the door open. She took a few steps toward me, looked me in the eye, then did a 180 and hightailed it toward the front yard where my brother’s Goldens were getting hosed down.

For a few seconds I froze: Do I run after her and give her a hand whap while sternly saying “No?” Do I calmly go after her and then grab her by the scruff of the neck and drag her back, letting her know I’m not happy? Or do I take a deep breath and realize she’s six months old, and her faults may be ones I’ve unknowingly instilled in her?

Before I tell you how I handled it, I’m curious what you would do in this situation. (I’m hoping to hear from both the pros and amateurs who often comment here.) Do remember that we had just come from the beach where we had been having a bit of fun and not training. Also, this was Pritch’s first glaring offense when it came to the Kennel command, but it was blatant.