Marshall's progress

[Islandali]

Hi Marc,

What a beautiful pup. For the chewers I take a Kong fill it with peanut butter and put it in the freezer....for at least a few hours...best if it is overnight...it will keep them busy for quite some time...also the bully sticks are great because they last forever!

Cheers,
Alisha

[Marc]

I picked up 3 raw bones the other day. It was so funny to watch. They took their individual bones and went into their crates and chewed for a good 2 hours, now every opertunity they get they poke into each others crates trying to steal each others bones when they're out and roaming. It almost seems like the ohter dogs bone is better then theirs. To funny to watch. My older Male Nash constantly hords the bones and will lay in his crate with his head covering the bones so the other dogs don't see them.

This has to be my favorite picture so far. This was taken about a week after I got Marshall home. Nash my 11 year old Lab was trying to get some peace from the pup so he went to his crate but Marshall figured there was still enought room for one of my sneakers and himself in there for a nap.

[Marc]

I reached another mild stone with Marshall this week. It used to be that he would almost knock the food bowl out of my hand before I had the chance to lay it on the ground for him or if the other dog bowls were handy he’s plow his face into them and try and eat all the food. I used to either have to lock him in his crate or shut the door to the bathroom where I stored the food so I could get it served for the 3 dogs without him plowing his head into the bowls. I’ve never heard so much noise come from such a small creature as he was waiting for his meal.

For 2 weeks I would feed him at least one meal per day out of my hand from his bowl and would only give him some if he was in a “sit stay”. He squirmed around for the first weeks that I did this but got better and better. Then I moved on to making him sit at a “sit stay” and place his bowl on the ground and then release him to eat. This was all done off of the leash. The first couple of days I had to pull him back off the bowl and sit him down until I released him. At first it was like a second or two before releasing him. Every day I’d wait a couple of seconds more and more.

I can now leave the door open to the bathroom, have him sit there at the door and watch me serve up the food in the bowls on the floor without causing a commotion and then going into a sit stay with the other two dogs just feet away from him while I place his bowl on the ground and give him the release command to eat.

[Marc]

Marshall is now 3 1/2 months old. I put him on the scale the other evening and he's now 35lbs. He's going to be one solid dog when he finally stops growing.

I managed to scratch a couple more wigeon yesterday and today I had Marshall playing with one before I plucked them. I had him retrieving and bring it to me and actually releasing it in my hand. It was only 15 feet away in the dog room but I was pretty impressed as just a couple of days ago I almost had to pry it out of his mouth. I think he's finally figuring out this fetch game, I usually toss a ball for him or a tuffy and he brings it back to me to toss again for him.

[Jimbo]

Marc, sounds like Marshall is right on track ! Some how my lab pup never made the transition from wings and dummies to real birds. He was great in training sessions but wouldn't pick up the real thing. Talk about frustrating!! Ended up taking him to a pro trainer while I was away deer hunting and happily all has worked out well. He's retreiving well and has a nice soft mouth. Good for you for getting a real bird into Marshall's mouth early on, you saved a bunch of money !!

[Marc]

I guess I should have tossed this picture in here as well. I shot a hen mallard the other night and when I got home Marshall was parading it around in front of the two labs.

I'm amazed at how well he's learning and the drive is definitely there for wings and the real thing. I haven't introduced him to water or the shotgun yet but there's tonnes of time between now and next fall.

[bruin]

That's awesome Marc, small gains are pretty exciting on a new pup. What is your style of duck hunting? Do you think the short attention span will be a problem in a blind or will it just be a puppy thing?

[HuntNHookSports]

Do you think the short attention span will be a problem in a blind or will it just be a puppy thing?

I have hunted ducks with Marc a few times now. He is a good shot and an excellent caller. I don't think Marshall will have too much down time in the blind.

[Marc]

That's awesome Marc, small gains are pretty exciting on a new pup. What is your style of duck hunting? Do you think the short attention span will be a problem in a blind or will it just be a puppy thing?

As the dog gets older his attention span will grow. He'll be over a year old by the time he gets to hunt next fall so that gives him a bit of time to grow up and settle down. I don't expect him to be perfectly steady his first year in the blind. There will be mistakes made and we'll learn and adjust from them so he doesn't keep making the same mistakes.

My style of hunting varies. I enjoy sitting in a duck blind with decoys spread out and calling in birds. For me this is the best type of hunting with a dog. Choose your shots and train your dog as you go. I learned from my previous dogs not to rush to take doubles until the dog can handle them. No use in doing doubles if you're going to lose cripples all the time.

[Allen50]

cool pic, and great updates,, good work Marc.