# Throwing in the towel for now



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

With the upcoming bad weather, and the fact that I never find time to train this poor dog, I've decided to just throw in the towel on hunt test skills until the spring. Between the cold, snow, agility trials and holidays it's just not realistic to try to accomplish anything until March or later.
So instead we will play at real hunting. I've got the opportunity to go pheasant hunting this coming week, and hopefully a few more times in November. 
The guy I am going with this week is going to do all the shooting, and I will just handle Tito. I am SO excited about it! Tito will get to track, flush, and retrieve. My friend is even leaving his awesome lab at home so that Tito will get all the birds this time. 
I took the monster boy out this morning and reinforced the command, "bird out there, hunt 'em up" by hiding a bird in the field, then taking him out and having him hunt it up. Did it several times. No control, no pressure, just use your nose and go find the bird. (It was a previously dispatched duck, not a live bird). I felt I should do this since he's not used to that type of freedom. He thought it was awesome, and found each bird very quickly.
There's something breathtaking about watching a golden retriever bounding happily through the tall weeds in search of a bird.
Looking forward to our hunt this week!!


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

hotel4dogs said:


> There's something breathtaking about watching a golden retriever bounding happily through the tall weeds in search of a bird.
> Looking forward to our hunt this week!!


It's all over now, she's hooked! 

You might as well go buy a 20ga shotgun and take a few lessons this winter. You never get over watching a dog "light up" when they know they're close to a bird. Their movement is just poetry to watch.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Barb*

Barb

Sounds like a plan!


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

You will love spending the day afield with Tito. Don't forget to share your sandwich with him. It increases the bond you will have with him.


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## FeatherRiverSam (Aug 7, 2009)

I agree...there's absolutely nothing like hunting over your own dog...PERIOD!!!

Have fun Barb...I know you will!


Pete


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Sounds like fun  Go for it!


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## OnMyWay2MyDreams (Feb 13, 2011)

Sounds like you will be having even more fun than training for a hunt test! Enjoy it and take it all in!


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## Dubraska (Oct 28, 2012)

Wow that sounds so cool! And I'm not a fan of hunting anything but sounds like he had and will have lotsa fun!


Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Awesome! I have plans to go hunting this season too just trying to cement friends and find the time/place to go. We're trying duck hunting but upland sounds like so much fun for the dogs!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I have a feeling this is going to totally mess up his blinds for a while, but to be honest, I don't care. We'll fix it later if we need to.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

hotel4dogs said:


> With the upcoming bad weather, and the fact that I never find time to train this poor dog, I've decided to just throw in the towel on hunt test skills until the spring. Between the cold, snow, agility trials and holidays it's just not realistic to try to accomplish anything until March or later.
> So instead we will play at real hunting. I've got the opportunity to go pheasant hunting this coming week, and hopefully a few more times in November.
> The guy I am going with this week is going to do all the shooting, and I will just handle Tito. I am SO excited about it! Tito will get to track, flush, and retrieve. My friend is even leaving his awesome lab at home so that Tito will get all the birds this time.
> I took the monster boy out this morning and reinforced the command, "bird out there, hunt 'em up" by hiding a bird in the field, then taking him out and having him hunt it up. Did it several times. No control, no pressure, just use your nose and go find the bird. (It was a previously dispatched duck, not a live bird). I felt I should do this since he's not used to that type of freedom. He thought it was awesome, and found each bird very quickly.
> ...


Will we get photos of Tito and his nimrod master in hunting attire?


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

Winter and I are very jealous!

I can't wait to hear this chapter of The Adventures of Tito.

I have a friend who pheasent hunts over her Goldens. She says she is not a good shot and her boy Edge always tries to ditch her for a better hunter.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

gdgli, maybe photos of Tito, anyway! He's all set, he has a blaze orange chest protector, and a cow bell. The handsome lad is ready to go. Weather forecast for Wednesday is cold but clear, so it should be perfect.
Already he knows that the best words in the whole world are, "bird out there! hunt 'em up!" It took him no time at all to learn that those words mean you are free to go do what you were bred to do for generations in the past, with no interference from me.


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