How Often Do You Train During Hunting Season

[Ron.C]

Hi all,

Just curious to hear some opinions. How often do you train during hunting season?

My pups first season, and hopefully be able to start hunting a couple times a week. A hunt or two on my days off coupled with shorter daylight on the days I work. Not allot of useable daylight to train.

I figure I will just continue some drills we have been doing well on like single/double T at least once a week and mix in some obedience refreshers at home.

Thoughts.

[lorneparker1]

Rosie And I train twice a week with a group during hunting season and hunt at least twice a week. I train every day with the new pup.

Lorne

[mastercaster]

Every day that I'm home and not hunting I'll do one retrieving training session per day, usually in the morning. It could be Walking Baseball handling drill while retrieving, running to and from a pile placed like a pyramid (usually about 10-12 bumpers), or handling drills (backs, overs) to various piles of bumpers, or I might just pack a couple of bumpers into Tynehead Park that I'll toss in different directions for her to mark and find, or they might be blind retrieves, etc.

Sometimes the commands are verbal, and at other times it's with a whistle or both. The second time she goes out for her hour long romp ist' just to a huge dog park in Surrey where I live but there's always opportunities to work on her obedience. Getting her out just once a day for her is not enough. She needs a lot of exercise but because she gets it daily she is extremely well behaved in the house which she has totally free reign of when I'm not around. Tired dog = well behaved dog!

Obedience training is a daily thing done all the time throughout the day (usually informal) but other times I'll do a 2-3 minute drill where I'll have a handful of kibble and run through all of her commands (whoa, heel, down, here, kennel up, leave it, over, back, etc.),,,,boom, boom, boom. Sako is a real foodie so she loves working for treats.

Wish I could get her out on live birds more frequently,,,,one of the disadvantages of living in a city. I do have frozen ducks, snow geese, grouse, and chukars, though, and dokkens which are better than nothing.

Would be nice to have a small group of guys with bird dogs to train with!

[Foxton Gundogs]

I only train to correct problems during the season but usually hunt 3 times a week. In the "off season" I try to let them be dogs but do water work at least twice a week more for their pleasure than to actually train. Many people think of their gundogs as machines, they are not they need time off just like we do to reset their minds.

[Foxton Gundogs]

MC with all the "Sky Rats" around the LML, live birds should be the least of your worries.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qk1W7OqTdgY

[deltawaterfowler]

Ron, I'm about where you are with your dog. Right now, I'm focusing on Pile work, then I'll be going back to the 3 handed cast drill. I figure if I can get to the double T drills by the end of the season I'll be in good shape with her. I try to train with Molly daily, but I keep it short 15 to 30 minutes max and always happy bumpers to finish. I try to take her hunting at least once a week as time and schedule permits (hard sometimes with family and kids).

Mastercaster, I think getting a group together to train would be a great idea. I find I learn a lot just by watching others.

[mastercaster]

Ron, I'm about where you are with your dog. Right now, I'm focusing on Pile work, then I'll be going back to the 3 handed cast drill. I figure if I can get to the double T drills by the end of the season I'll be in good shape with her. I try to train with Molly daily, but I keep it short 15 to 30 minutes max and always happy bumpers to finish. I try to take her hunting at least once a week as time and schedule permits (hard sometimes with family and kids).

Mastercaster, I think getting a group together to train would be a great idea. I find I learn a lot just by watching others.

Shoot me a PM. I'm a retired now so "Flexibility" is my middle name!

[lorneparker1]

master caster and delta waterfowler do either of you belong to any of the retriever clubs in your area? You guys sound like folks that would fit right in!

Lorne

[deltawaterfowler]

master caster and delta waterfowler do either of you belong to any of the retriever clubs in your area? You guys sound like folks that would fit right in!

Lorne

I didn't even know we had a retriever club in our area. This is all new to me. First dog, first time training. Thankfully I had some excellent guidance from Kevin Hill as he spent the spring and summer with Molly getting her to this point. But thank you I'll look into it. Or if you know of any or can recommend any close to the lower mainland that would be awesome!

[Dutch]

https://i.imgur.com/y5ijwMY.jpg Training session for the daughters Pitt, and yes she does retrieve or used too lol