A couple weeks ago, I wrote about the beginning stages of training your dog to retrieve water fowl. This week I will focus on the advanced handling techniques, which will help you finish your working dogs routine.
Dogs don't train at the same rate, so the techniques taught in the first column should be completed first before moving on to the more advanced training. Of the three retrievers I have owned, the first was cross-eyed and therefore unable to take a mark properly. I realized rather quickly that he would never be able to work properly. He was only put through the obedience portion of bird dog training, but was taught all the useless house tricks like shaking with both paws, to speak, balancing treats on his nose until told to get them, to roll over, play hide and seek and many others to keep him busy. I was surprised how many commands he was able to remember. Although useless in the field, he was a friendly and mild -mannered house dog.
My second lab was my current dog’s mother. She was the polar opposite from my first – Bob Barker – and was stubborn as a mule. She had the attitude of an alpha dog, which made training quite difficult. She was a chocolate lab named Cocoa, which was later changed to Cocoa Loco because of her crazy nature. I learned food rewards were her weakness. She took almost two years to train, but in the end became quite a good working dog.
On to Chester, my current dog. I was lucky to be able to pick him for the desired traits needed. Of his litter mates, he displayed all the characteristics needed to become a great working dog. He was always the first to greet you in the morning, which displayed a need for human bonding. He was calm and nice to the other pups, which is a much desired trait in bird dogs. Finally, when introduced to toys, he almost never lost interest, and displayed a great prey drive. He quickly showed signs of being a puppy prodigy, which made it easy to decide he was my choice.
Once the first stages of training have been mastered, it's on to blind retrieves. By this point, your dog should rarely, if ever, need a leash. It should also respond immediately to all commands, verbal and visual.
To teach a dog to make blind retrieves also requires several stages of training to achieve. I start with a simple retrieve, and send the dog to the dummy bird. When he reaches the halfway point, I blow the whistle once, which he recognizes as the sit command. I repeat the process until he stops on a dime. I then add the stay command raising my hand over my head in the stop position. This will condition the dog to watch your hand and wait to be released with the back command. After a bit of work, the dog will watch your hand and wait as long as you choose to be sent back to the dummy. After mastering this stage, it’s on to the next.
Time to play ball. Not literally, though. On a yearly basis, many dogs choke to death on balls, and this is why bumpers are recommended for retrieving. Your next routine is most easily explained by using a baseball format. This is the point where things can become pretty tricky and confusing for your dog.
