"Not every question has a simple answer.
But every dog has something to teach us."
Welcome to a collection of field notes and observations earned from a lifetime spent training spaniels. Here, within the pages of the Craney Hill Journal, we open a new chapter—a quiet corner dedicated to the wisdom gleaned from decades spent afield and fireside with remarkable gun dogs. This is where we ask the questions that truly matter, the ones that dig beneath the surface of a wagging tail or a hesitant retrieve.
Questions That Clients Ask:
Why won't my dog retrieve?
Should I repeat commands?
How do I stop creeping?
What age should training begin?
Why is my dog ignoring birds?
Over the years, I've trained hunting dogs, field trial champions, and everyday companions. Along the way, one thing has remained constant... people ask questions. Some are simple. Some are complicated. Some aren't really about the dog at all.
What Would Todd Do? is a place to share those answers. Not textbook answers. Not trendy answers. Just thoughtful observations earned from thousands of hours in the field, countless birds, remarkable dogs, and years of watching both dogs and people learn together.
Whether you're raising your first puppy, preparing for hunting season, or trying to understand why your dog keeps teaching you the same lesson, this is where I share what experience has taught me.
Sometimes the answer isn't about training. Sometimes it's about slowing down, reading the dog, changing the picture, and seeing what you've been missing.
Every article is built on years spent hunting, guiding, competing, raising puppies, making mistakes, and learning from remarkable dogs.
Don't feel like you have to read everything in order. You might come looking for a retrieving problem and leave with a completely different understanding of your dog.
Sometimes the best answers aren't the ones you expected.
Over the years, Todd has watched countless handlers become frustrated when their dog won't retrieve, only to discover that retrieving was never the real problem.
What we often call a "retrieving problem" is usually a symptom of something much deeper—foundation, understanding, confidence, or the relationship between dog and handler.
That way of thinking inspired this new series.
What Would Todd Do? We'll look beyond the behavior you see and explore how Todd approaches the questions that challenge handlers every day.
Rather than asking, "How do I fix this?" we'll begin with a different question:
"Why is the dog showing me this?"
Because when you learn to understand the dog before trying to change the dog, the answers often become much clearer.
→ Read this week's featured article: My Dog Won't Retrieve
"Training dogs has never been about teaching commands. It's about understanding how dogs learn, building trust, creating clarity, and helping both dog and handler become better together."
— Todd Agnew
"The best answers usually begin the moment we stop trying to make the dog fit our plan and start paying attention to what the dog is showing us."
Thank you for spending a little time with us. We hope you'll return often. New questions, new field notes, and new lessons are added regularly as the journey continues.
Because the best handlers never stop learning.
Todd & Christina Agnew
