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A good foundation (basic's) is the essence of creating
a great Duck Dog, a great Hunt Test Dog or a great Field Trial Dog . Without a solid foundation of basic training, success
in advanced work is much less likely. Force Fething and Collar Conditioning are two of the major parts of a solid foundation.
At Bur Oak's we start with these basic's.
Once the basics have been completed, dogs are trained
in Duck Blinds, with outside platforms.
On Dog Stands to simulate what a dog would be placed
on during a Timber Hunt or Flooded Field.
On the water, out of a Lay Out / 4 Rivers Boat.
For Dry Field Hunting, Lay Out Blind and a Mutt
Hut are used.
Lots of Water and Field Decoys (both duck and geese) are used during training.
Dogs learn to duck/goose hunt by going hunting. Even a well trained dog, learns the craft
of real world retrieving by exposure to real world duck/goose hunting. To prepare dogs for the real world, I introduce
the pup to the different situations that it may encounter during a hunt (all those mentioned above). By doing this I hope
to speed up the learning curve in the field.
For Upland Hunters, we use Pigeons (Pheasant, Chukar and Quail upon requested).
We will finish the dog on Pheasants.
I believe the way to get the best results is
to give each dog all the personal attention possible. To do this, I limit the number
of dogs I have in training.
I am such a strong believer in the owner being
involved in the training process, that I started my Saturday Group Training Sessions. Owners are welcome to attend any training
session, not just the Saturday Group.
I welcome the involvement of the owner in the training process, but I let the owner decide
the level of involvement that suits their needs and desires.
Many trainers are now requiring a 6 month commitment. My minimum is still
1 month.
THE DUCK DAWG PROGRAM
One of the first questions I ask the owner of a dog coming in for training is, "What
do you want the pup to be able to do, when I am finished with it". In the marjority of cases the owner really does not know.
For many this is their first Water Dog or they have had Retrievers, but never had them trained or they do not have a understanding
of what can be accomplished.
Many hunters would be pleased with a dog that sat while the birds were being shot,
did not leave to make the retrieve until being told to, returned with the bird and delivered to hand. Others would want a
dog that could mark multiple birds and retrieve birds it did not see fall. Modern retrievers can do that and so much more.
Below is my starter program. Depending on what the owner is looking
for, we can do any or all of the program. Completion of the
steps in the program will give you a dog ready for most hunting situations. Usual time frame for the total program is 6 months.
- Obedience
- Force-fetch
- Collar conditioning
- Marking drills on land and water
- Introduction to gun fire
- Introduction to birds (dead thawed)
- Introduction to decoys
- Introduction to live ducks
- Introduction to duck blinds, dog stands and hunting boats
- Handling drills (Hand Signals) on land and water
- Steadiness (this is an ongoing process, that begins with the marking drills)
Timeframes, results, and problem-solving
Starting a pup at the right age is important. The ideal starting age is usually six to twelve
months, but many older dogs can be trained to be great working dogs as well. Not
all dogs respond to the same program, and I customize my program to best suit the dog.
Timeframes are very hard to predict. A great deal depends on what has and has
not been done with the pup before I get it. The program outlined above will average 6 months, and the end result will be a
dog that can handle multiple marks (down birds), is quiet in the blind or boat, is steady to shot, will not leave until sent,
will hunt until it finds the bird or is called in, will take hand / whistle signals and will run blind retrieves. A
dog completing this program would be ready to successfully pass a HRC Seasoned test and would be a pleasure to take hunting.
I get a wide variety of training requests. Some only want certain problems corrected
or a certain part of the program completed. Others want a finished duck dawg. Besides young dogs, the most common reason
someone brings me a dog is that it will not perform one or all of the following: breaks on shot, will not deliver to hand
or drops the bird on the way back, will not enter water or go for a retrieve all the time, will not sit still and/or is noisy when
birds are working, retrieves but does not understand hand signals. These problems can usually be fixed.
Day Training Program
If you are not in a position to leave your dog with us for training, take
advantage of my expertise and facilities by bringing your dog and spending the day with us for a Day Training session. Day
training sessions are one on one, usually lasting 2 hrs.
The goal is to start the dog on a training procedure that can then be continued
by the owner. Training for both the dog and the owner occur during a Day Training Session.
Rates for a session are set at $50, but can vary depending on the length of the session.
Group Training
Starting as early in the year as the weather permits and up until the beginning of the
the Duck Season, I hold a Group Training Session on almost every Saturday. During group training all participants work their
dogs and help with the field activities, such as throwing birds, blowing a duck call or shooting blanks from a shotgun or
pistol.
Group Training is free to all current, past and future Bur Oak clients.
Train the Handler Program
For owners whose dogs are here for training, you can participate in Train
the Handler sessions to enhance communication between you and your dog. These sessions are free to Bur Oak clients.
TERMINOLOGY
Force Fetch, FF, Force Training, Forced Retrieve: All of these are terms used
for the training process of insuring that the dog will retrieve upon command. The process involves teaching the dog to escape
pressure (usually an ear pinch) by retrieving upon the "fetch" command.
Collar Conditioning, CC: Proper introduction to the electronic shock collar
(e-collar). The dog learns how to escape the shock (pressure), by complying to the command.
Pressure: Using any type of force, whether it be physical or verbal to make
the dog do something that is does not want to do. A classic example is pushing down on the pups rear end, while giving the
sit command.
Steady, Steadiness, Steady to Shot: The dog stays put, either sitting or standing,
until given a release command (usually its name). This is one of the most common retriever problems, i.e. the dog takes off
(breaks) once shots are fired.
Handling, Handle: The process of directing the dog to unseen down birds (blind
retrieves), through the use of whistle and hand signals.
Marks, Marking: Down game or the dog's ability to remember where shot birds
have fallen.
Blind Retrieve: Sending the dog for a bird that it has not marked (seen fall).
"Back": This is a dual command, used to send a dog on a blind retrieve and used to move
the dog away from the handler once it is sitting in the field. Back is used with a, straight
up right or left hand signal to turn the dog in the proper direction. "Over" is another command given once the dog has
started a blind retrieve. Also given with a hand signal, and will direct the dog left or right.
Whistle commands: Single Whistle Blast means Sit. Trill or Multi Whistle Blasts means
Come In or Here.
Duck Dawg, Finished Retriever: A dog that is quiet in the blind or boat, does
not break, retrieves on land or in water under all conditions, performs multiple marks, handles, can be sent for a blind retrieve
even when there is a visible down bird. The ultimate retriever, probably comprises less than 10% of the working retrievers
out there. Almost 100% of well bred retrievers could/should be Duck Dawgs.
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