A funny thing about duck dog training in the South is that the time of year that is the least desirable for training, when temps soar near and over 100º, is probably the most important time to be training. This is why a preseason dog evaluation is critical. By the time August has arrived:
1. Duck season has long since passed,
2. the bass have since spawned,
3. turkeys have done their thing, and
4. summertime activities have kept you super busy.
Now is the time to remember to evaluate your retriever. If you leave him laying on the couch soaking up the air conditioner and watching reruns of “Lassie“, he will be so out of shape that dove and teal season will leave much to be desired on his part and may even be dangerous. So how should you go about getting your retriever back to his “A” game so he will peak when he’s needed most? The best way to get started is with a preseason dog evaluation.
The Basic Elements of a Preseason Dog Evaluation
We do this evaluation with every retriever we train to help us develop a personalized game plan. First, if your dog hunted last season, it is a good idea to write down any deficiencies he might have had. After addressing any of the deficiencies from the previous season, make it a point to get together with a hunting buddy or two and set up a “mock” duck hunt. Here is how to set up the hunt:
First, go to a lake or pond and have your buddies hide along the shore with a few bumpers or retriever training dummies. Be sure to take along a few decoys to add to the realism. Next, find a spot that looks like a good duck blind, and sit down on a stool next to your dog like you are hunting. Make the dog remain at sit while you throw out the decoys. If he doesn’t stay for this now, he won’t stay while you hunt. Make a note of his actions. If he does well, move on. If not, then you need to start with basic obedience and the “sit” command.
Next, go back to the stool, and start blowing your duck call. (I am assuming your dog has hunted and been properly introduced to gun fire). After a few calling series, have your buddies throw their bumpers toward the area you think the ducks would fall. As the bumpers are in the air, fire your shotgun multiple times to simulate a hunt. Your dog should remain seated. If he does, then wait a few seconds, and send him after the bumpers. He should remember the marks and deliver each bumper to hand. Anything he does that you find undesirable must be noted.
After the session, you will be able to go over your notes and find the areas that need work. If you will dedicate 10 minutes per day, or even every other day, to work on these areas, you should see improvement. After a few weeks, repeat the test and score again. Once your dog has passed the test, then continue to work on the multiple marks and steadiness to help him get in shape and make him even more reliable.
For advanced duck dogs that know hand signals, you can test their proficiency by hiding bumpers across the pond or down the shore and run them on blind retrieves. If the dog performs poorly, is hesitant to go, requires excessive whistles, or casts. then go back to the basic casting drills for a tune up.
Remember… as a general rule, if your dog won’t perform well in training, then he will probably perform even worse on a hunt. This can all be avoided by proper evaluation and getting started with tune up training now! Years ago I belonged to a retriever club whose motto was, “Train. Don’t complain.” Early in the morning and late in the evening is prime time to get started preparing for the upcoming season. If you need dog needs the be trained in real world hunting situations, please check out our basic retriever training. Remember, if you have any questions as you are training, I am just a phone call away! Call me at (409) 460-2314!