In this episode of "God and Our Dogs," host Meg Grier welcomes Dave Bevero, renowned breeder and trainer of British and Irish Labrador retrievers, and host of the Global Retriever Podcast. Dave shares entertaining stories about his early bird dogs, offers expert advice on conditioning and training hunting dogs, and discusses the importance of steadiness, boundaries, and teamwork between dogs and their owners. The conversation draws insightful parallels between dog training and spiritual growth, encouraging listeners to reflect on their own relationships with God.

00:00 - Introduction & Show Overview

00:28 - Meet Guest Dave Bevero (Global Retriever Podcast, Waterstone Labradors)

00:56 - Dave’s Background & Celebrating Texas Dove Season

01:23 - Cowboy: A Memorable Bird Dog Story

02:32 - Conditioning Dogs for Hunting Season

02:57 - Training in Hot Weather & Year-Round Drills

03:16 - Swimming & Conditioning Tips

03:35 - Advice for South Texas Dog Owners

03:58 - Importance of Dog’s Weight & Fitness

04:37 - Parallels: Dog Training & Spiritual Growth

04:56 - The Value of Steadiness in Hunting Dogs

05:14 - Why Steadiness Matters: Safety & Success

05:32 - How to Train Steadiness (Drills & Boundaries)

06:08 - Teaching Boundaries for Dogs

06:23 - Boundaries & Safety (Dogs and People)

06:42 - Training for Marked vs. Blind Retrieves

07:04 - Using Whistles & Hand Signals

07:29 - Whistle Commands Explained

08:07 - Teamwork: Handler & Dog Communication

08:48 - Spiritual Parallels: Listening for “Whistles” in Life

09:11 - Choosing the Right Hunting Dog: Research & Pedigrees

09:58 - Health, Genetics, and Breeder Standards

10:18 - Temperament & The “On/Off Switch”

10:35 - Stress, Balance, and Dog Wellbeing

11:07 - Applying Dog Training Lessons to Life

11:30 - Thought to Ponder: “Couch Potato Christian?”

11:56 - Closing Remarks & Where to Listen

12:18 - Social Media & Next Episode Preview

Host: Meg Grier - Stories@GodAndOurDogs.com

Website: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100072683640098

God and Our Dogs airs every Saturday at 11:15am on Boerne Radio 103.9FM - www.boerneradio.com.

Air Date: 08/30/25

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