# No BS Gundog training



## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

bumping up


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## dannyra (Aug 5, 2008)

For the way I hunt birds. I need a dog that doesn't mind walking endlessly through heavy cover that rarely produces much besides the occasional jack rabbit. I need a dog that doesn't judge me when I miss 9 out of 10 birds. Finally I need a dog that will sit quietly at the end of the hunt as we enjoy sitting and admiring nature while drinking a couple brews.
Now I'm interested in some serious posts on the topic.


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## Tatnall (May 20, 2008)

Just for hunting, for me:

Manners--must be able to sit quietly in the blind, even if another dog is sent for the retrieve. Heel next to me if I am jump shooting.

Blinds--Land and water blinds, doesn't have to be too technical, but should be able to go 150-200 yards and 'hunt it up' in the area.

Upland--quarters a field, works within gun range and sits to the flush

Marks--I need to be able to select the bird to be retrieved--triples and quads aren't important if the dog will handle as above.

Water entry--I love the look of the dog that enters the water dock jumping style, but for my own hunting dog, I prefer one that does so more carefully. I hunt a lot of beaver ponds and am always worried about a dog impaling itself on a chewed up stump below the water.

Picking up decoys is a bonus--a buddy's dog will do that and it is kind of useful


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## Klamath Gold (Dec 26, 2008)

At this point in my life I really wouldnt want to hunt with anything less than what is an AKC Senior Hunter. The dog doesnt need to be titled but that is approximately the level that I could enjoy.

Fairly simple double marks out to 100 - 125 yards
Fairly steady (which implies fairly obedient)
I could drop the honor from my requirments
Simple blind retrieves out to 100 - 125 yards

I started my dog training career at age 14 with a yellow lab/golden mix. The dog carried most of the traits of a golden and probably explains why I so enjoy these dogs now.

I was a punk teenager and really just wanted a dog to bring back the meat. Though we had a book, I didnt use it much. We did a few things for training but that is all. I didnt have anyone looking over my shoulder telling how much I was screwing up.

What I did do at that time was hunt alot. I mean alot. Air rifles on the weekdays in the fields surrounding our suburban home. Shotguns and rifles on the weekends when dad could get me out. Not to be a braggart, but I didnt miss much back then. Dutchess learned to mark off the gun and learned simple marks. That dog gained so much experience in such a short amount of time. I can only remember losing a goose that sailed about a 1/4 mile before going down. Other than that, that dog just found everything. How many times did I have a quail or a dove down and I called the dog over to help me (she was busy flushing them). I would hunt for the critter and tell her the "hunt em up" and she would be off running again. I would scream obscenities to get her back into the area of the fall. She would come back to humour me then be off again. I would scream and then she'd come back with my bird! The little cripple was no where near where I was looking, she was tracking it down. More often than not it would be a LOOOONG ways from where I saw it fall.

Ofcourse now I train for the all-age stuff... or at I least try!

Back to the question at hand... no BS gun dog stuff.
-basic obedience
-FF (though less demanding than what I currently do)
-line to pile
-T work (double T being the finish)
-marks singles and doubles with simple shore-line entries
-dont care about running the bank or cheating

The dog will "finish" himself with experience.

I am sure that I would think of more (or less) if training a gun/meat dog is what I set out to do.

_Now, do I get a courtesy DVD when you are finished producing it?_


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## Klamath Gold (Dec 26, 2008)

Evan,
If you are thinking of doing a DVD, could you put a blurb in about:
-dangers of having your dog buddy riding in the back of a pickup (eye injuries, fall injuries, etc). Perhaps a little vet visit showing X-Rays of compound fractures.
*maybe its a good way to throw in a little about crate training.

-I had another thought too but it got lost somewhere between the kitchen sink and the computer.

Other additions to training:
-obviously the proper introduction to gun shots.

I hate it when folks get too high on a soap box... but perhaps you could also do a little blurb on how to choose a pup (ie a good breeding with all the clearances). That then could segway into "if you later wish to breed your dog... get the clearances." And... do you really need to breed your dog. Sorry I started to climb on the soap box again.


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## EvanG (Apr 26, 2008)

Thanks for the input. We're pretty well set on proceeding with this project. I've already begun the scripting. We've decided to go with 3 discs that will be sold separately, or as a package (when #2 & 3 are done). It will simply be year 1 of gundog training, year 2, year 3.

That doesn't mean the dog's first year of life, necessarily. But it will be set up so you can approach it that way. But some gundog folk don't start training a dog until they're a year or two old sometimes. 

More detail later.

EvanG


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