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Premier Gundogs Training Kennel Dale and Kris Taylor Hallam, Nebraska 68368 402-405-5144 |
Copyright 2005 Dale Taylor |
It is now time to transition our waterfowl training to a more advanced level. A whole new set of challenges face the hunting retriever during this training phase. Issues range from ducks dropping in cattails, flooded and downed timber and on islands, all of which making marking and blind retrieves tough. Also, marshes holding lots of duck scent, rough waves and cripples that make it to the opposite shore, etc. are common problems the a finished waterfowl dog must be experienced in. It is critical not to push the dog beyond what it can handle and again LOTS OF REPETITION WITH ATTRITION is a must. Loading in/out of and retrieving from/to a duck boat, ground force blind and ruff stands are common during this stage of training. Steading is also finished at this time. As we transition to water for our blind retrieve work, we start with easy hot blind retrieves and blinds with a marker on the far shoreline, such as a white bucket used in our Pile work. These give the retriever a focus to line to. Again, there are many drills & training techniques involved for honest water work just like on land. |
Below, we have a young retriever taking a nice line on a cold blind retrieve to the opposite shoreline. There is a bumper on the far shoreline buried in the cattails ( the red X shows you the spot). If she drifts to far to the right shoreline, I can correct her line with a left handed back cast to fix the drift. Once she is near the cattails then either a left or right over ( which ever is needed) will do it. |