From The Publisher 2026 Issue 1
By Nathan Sparks
After publishing our recent issue with Heath Shuler on the cover, I found myself back in Loudon County at a place affectionately known as “the farm.” It’s the training facility run by Mike Osteen, and I had come with a simple question: how well-trained was my new dog?
I had recently acquired a young female English Pointer named Josie Belle, and I wanted Mike’s honest assessment—hunt-ready or still a work in progress. When I arrived, the place seemed quiet. I left Josie in her crate and stepped out with Chota, the Cityview mascot, to look around. As I rounded the building, I spotted Mike in the field working a cocker spaniel—I stopped and watched.
Mike sent the dog after a bumper. Mid-run, he blew the whistle. The dog stopped instantly, sat, and turned to face him. A hand signal followed. The dog ran 20 yards in that direction. Another whistle. Another sit. This went on, precision layered upon precision. The dog never hesitated. It was impressive, to say the least.
Up until that moment, I thought my dogs were pretty well-trained. But truthfully, watching Mike work changed that assumption entirely.
Mike asked to run Chota through a few drills. He placed a bumper well beyond a normal throw. Chota marked it cleanly, went straight to it, and delivered it without hesitation. She’s a solid retriever. Then we went back for Josie. We walked the fields, and Mike quietly placed a training bird. Josie pointed well. A little polish needed, but very huntable. That made sense—she’d spent her life as a working dog on a hunting preserve in Jonesboro, Tennessee.
Every time I hunt, I still carry my father’s Browning over-and-under. Picking it up always brings him back to me. We walked countless miles together chasing quail and grouse. Some days we never saw a bird. It didn’t matter though. Watching the dogs work—their focus, instinct, and joy—was always the point.
That afternoon at the farm reminded me how much I enjoy working with dogs. Dogs want structure. They want purpose. A well-trained dog isn’t just more capable—it’s happier. And the relationship between dog and owner is better for it.
Too often, we blame the dog for behavior that’s really the result of neglect or inconsistency. As Mike put it, the old saying that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks couldn’t be more wrong. Dogs can learn at any age. If there’s failure, it usually isn’t theirs.
Growing up, we had bird dogs—Beauregard, an English Pointer, and Bonnie, a Gordon Setter. Beau ranged hard and fearless. Bonnie stayed close, patient and steady. Over the years there were many more—big dogs, small dogs, bird dogs, house dogs. Each one left a mark.
Life, in my experience, is simply better with a dog alongside you. And with that thought in mind, I’m heading out for another walk—with my old friend Chota and my new friend Josie Belle right beside me.