Dogs thrive in an atmosphere in which they
respect and are devoted to an individual authority. That's the
Alpha figure and that's you!
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Hard mouth enabling-If you are too eager
to have your young dog's retrieved birds "fit for the table"
and make a big deal about tak |
ing his first birds from him, you're on
the road to developing a hard mouth retriever. Let him carry
his first few retrieves (preferably pigeons) around for a while.
Whether you choose natural or force-fetch retrieve training,
start by having him hold a 2" diameter wooden dowel or hard
retrieving dummy before going to tossed dummies.
Repeat performance trap-Did your young trainee obey a command
or perform almost perfectly? Great! Do offer praise and pets.
Do not make the mistake of asking for a repeat performance. Quit
on a happy note that day. "Quit while you're ahead"
is an old saying that is too often forgotten by eager trainers.
Bird overdose-A big mistake that I see a lot. Too many birds
in a training session can lead to sloppy points, lazy hunt/search,
decreased intensity, and just plain boredom. Rule of thumb: Three
bird contacts per training session are plenty. And don't be afraid
to stop with just one if it goes especially well.
Have you made one or more of these mistakes in bird dog training
or handling? Welcome to the club. We all have- amateur and pro
alike. But we can learn from them and improve our training skills
as a result.
Vance Butler is a professional trainer of grouse dogs and walking
shooting dogs for hunting and competition. He may be reached
at Modaka Kennels, 11285 Sikkenga Road, Montague MI 49437, 231-893-0268,
modakakennels@msn.com. www.modakakennels.com.
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