EARLY LESSONS

[Irishwhistler]

Aye Mates,

T'is never too early for the formation o' good habits whence working with ye retrievers. As seen here, owner Greg is seen readying his retriever pup REX to make retrieve of a live training bird on the water. Gun dog trainee REX is just a wee bit o'er 4 months old and is literally learning the ropes o' the water retrieve whilst on a check cord. As can be seen, REX is highly focused and we are developing the critical elements o' the retrieve early on through a progression o' carefully designed drills. As the trainer for TEAM REX, I focus on entrenching all o' the elements o' the retrieve whilst keeping the pup highly motivated and wanting to learn. I most generally introduce the pup to live birds on land and progress to the water as I see the pup has a solid understanding o' the concept involved. Refinement o' each key element o' the retrieve is carefully honed o'er time and motivation is given equal focus as a matter o' enhancing the pup's desire to do the work. A long check cord is initially utilized to gently guide the pup directly back to the trainer / handler where the pup receives verbal praise and physical contact as a reward for performing the desired behavior. The pup is initially allowed to possess the bird for gradually decreasing durations before being sent again to make another retrieve. In essence, we are conditioning the pup to value the act of the retrieve as self rewarding. Proper introduction o' the pup to live birds is critical and should initially be done on land. By the time I move the gun dog prospect pup to the water, he / she is highly bird motivated and nearly runs across the surface to make the retrieve.

Owner / handler Greg is seen readying his 4 month old retriever gun dog trainee REX to make a water retrieve of a live training bird. NOTE the intense visual focus being demonstrated by this young retriever as it maintains eye contact with a training bird out on the surface o' the pond.

The pup having been sent to make retrieve of the training bird, He is gently guided back in to the handler using a long check cord attached to his collar. Once back to the handler, our gun dog trainee REX will receive reward in the form of physical contact and verbal praise for his positive performance of the desired behavior sought.

Keep an eye open for up and comer REX as he is exhibiting the traits I like to see early on in a gun dog prospect .

Cheers,
THE DOG WHISTLER

 

[K9Kirk]

Nice pics!