Exercise your hunting dog’s mind and reap the rewards this fall

As a hunting companion, your pup gets a lot of exercise. Busting brush, flushing pheasants and diving recklessly into the pond for that duck surely keeps him in tip-top physical shape.
But you can – and probably should – do better. For while his legs and circulatory system may be getting a workout, his brain could just be on autopilot, doing the instinctual and not getting the exercise it needs to stay sharp.
“Physical health, mental health, it’s all intertwined,” said Dr. Melissa Bain, a veterinary behavior and welfare specialist at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.