So you have a new puppy and you have either spent countless hours training him yourself or you spent your hard earned dollars sending it to a professional trainer. Everything looks great so far! Your dog has good manners, is very obedient, and has previously retrieved frozen dead ducks with a great hand delivery. He has been around lots of gunfire and doesn’t even leave your side for a retrieve until told. So far so good!! With opening day of duck season only hours away, your expectations are high and with good reason. Here are a few things to keep in mind before your dog’s first hunt of duck season:
First and foremost, your dog has never been on a real hunt before. Let me make a quick comparison. Suppose you were brand new to playing golf with ZERO experience. As a beginning golfer you learn to putt on the practice green, then you learn how to chip and pitch. After this you move to the driving range and start hitting wedges followed by mid irons and eventually your hybrids and the driver. After months of practice, you are now ready to play. Questions: Should you be expected to shoot even par on your first official round? Is it a smart idea to try and play from the same set of tees the pros use?
The obvious answer to both questions is…no. It’s going to take LOTS of time and practice. The same principle applies for your pup and his first ever live duck hunt. Start easy and build up from there. Lower your expectations a little and have the mentality that if he makes one good retrieve, it is a great start! Sit next to your dog where he can easily see the pocket where your ducks will land. Hold him by the collar and gently help him focus on the incoming ducks. Be patient with him and remember…he doesn’t chew you out when you miss ducks. If possible, have a hunting buddy shoot a single bird over the pocket while your dog is looking. As the duck falls, hold your dog until it splashes. Then…eagerly release the dog to fetch the bird.
When he retrieves the bird, clap and cheer for his accomplishment. If he doesn’t get the duck, then excitedly walk out with him to get the bird. Show him the duck, get him excited and then toss the bird for a retrieve. Once your dog has been successful on several occasions, then you can begin to advance him further. Remember…the key is to keep it fun. Be safe and God Bless!!
Now..let’s get ready to kill some birds!!!