# ?? about preparing for senior/master



## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

I am starting to think of what I need to train for to prepare Faelan for beyond JH. Please remember that I have never trained for Hunt Tests before so I apologize if this question seems silly.

While I know there are a lot of things I need to start and continue training for, I honestly do not want to use my shotgun for training walking to the line and sighting off the barrel. I want to concentrate on my dog and not gun safety  

So, where would I find those fake guns or would a dowel do?


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## Radarsdad (Apr 18, 2011)

Anything would be good for a training device,heeling stick etc. Why not use your gun?? If you want him to hunt with you why not????
Even my pup right now shifts gears when I pick up a gun to load in my truck for flyers. If you are going to run UKC then you need to practice walking to the line with your gun.
Might need to pay attention to OB on the way to the line.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

I often train in public areas where it is not possible to tote about a real gun--I use a thick dowel as my gun-proxy in these situations. Even though it is a dowel though, you need to treat it as if it is a gun, as you will be judged as if you are carrying a gun rather than a replica in a real test--may as well build good habits.


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## Radarsdad (Apr 18, 2011)

Dowel will do or use your heeling stick. But to be honest I don't train with a gun or fake gun. It's an issue to some but not to me. Dog doesn't care if you have a "gun" or not. That said some teach to swing with the gun and use as an aid in pointing. I haven't seen that it makes that much difference. If you are not comfortable with handling a gun then it would be a good idea to train with it.


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## Cowtown (Sep 23, 2009)

Great questions Sunrise.

First thing I'd suggest is to purchase a proven, established training program such as Mike Lardy's Total Retriever Training or Evan Graham's Smartworks. They lay out a step by step approach to training and you need a guideline to follow. If you go Lardy, which I did, he has a series of 3 articles, Volumes I, II and III, which are written material in little booklets that supplement the videos. The Volumes are invaluable and have a ton of great info. I'd highly suggest you purchase at lease Volume I.

Regarding a gun. You don't need to carry, train with a real gun. You can get an old broom, cut a foot off and put the stick end under your arm. Or you can go buy a kids toy gun or wooden popper type gun.


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## Radarsdad (Apr 18, 2011)

Lardy's program is an excellent suggestion.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

I will probably be getting a handler's gun.

RadarsDad - I actually do not hunt. I do this training since Faelan was bred for hunting and truly loves it, so carrying an actual gun requires more of my attention than it would probably require of you  

Cowtown - I actually do have those proven systems/ However, Faelan is not Force Fetched nor is he Collar Conditioned. So the knowledge and drills are very useful to me, but the application of corrections is not. 

I also work with a trainer, a golden group and a others. But you are totally correct in saying the booklets and guidelines are invaluable  Now that I am seriously looking at handling drills, I am looking at these books side by side for pointers and explanations of what the drills are trying to accomplish and train. Since this is the first dog I am training in field, I need to really learn what my goals for each drill are. Agility, rally, obedience - I needed to study each of these as carefully while learning.


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## Radarsdad (Apr 18, 2011)

The drills are to teach:
Crisp clean sits on whistle.
Lining and holding a line until directed otherwise.
Your goals in the casting drills is for your dog to take your casts, understand what they are, and carry them also until directed otherwise also.
The number one biggie in these drills is to mold you and your dog as a team and build trust in the team and his/her confidence in you to show him/her where the prize is.
The drills also give you tools needed to teach more advanced concepts.


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## Cowtown (Sep 23, 2009)

Sunrise said:


> I will probably be getting a handler's gun.
> 
> RadarsDad - I actually do not hunt. I do this training since Faelan was bred for hunting and truly loves it, so carrying an actual gun requires more of my attention than it would probably require of you
> 
> ...


Sunrise....you may have these books already but a few to consider are:
Building A Retriever-- Drills and More - Carol Cassidy
A lot of good drills in here as well as advice and training philosophies.
http://www.gundogsupply.com/building...ever-book.html

Training and Campaigning Retrievers Book by Jack Gwaltney
http://www.gundogsupply.com/training...etrievers.html

Motivational Training for the Field by Lorie C. Jolly
Motivational Training for the Field

Not a book but DVD: I really like Dave Rorem's Art and Science of Handling a Retriever: http://www.gundogsupply.com/dave-rorem-dvd.html


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Cowtown said:


> Sunrise....you may have these books already but a few to consider are:
> Building A Retriever-- Drills and More - Carol Cassidy
> A lot of good drills in here as well as advice and training philosophies.
> http://www.gundogsupply.com/building...ever-book.html
> ...


Thanks!! I do have most of them but not the Jack Dwaltney one - I will look into this one


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## Radarsdad (Apr 18, 2011)

The Art and Science of Handling a Retriever is a DVD that I think every serious handler needs to watch. It will clear up a lot of muddy water and help make sense of the drills you are running with your dogs and how to use them in training and tests. You can run every drill ever printed but if you don't understand how to put the skills you and your dog have learned to good use then you are making the tests much harder for the both of you.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Radarsdad said:


> The Art and Science of Handling a Retriever is a DVD that I think every serious handler needs to watch. It will clear up a lot of muddy water and help make sense of the drills you are running with your dogs and how to use them in training and tests. You can run every drill ever printed but if you don't understand how to put the skills you and your dog have learned to good use then you are making the tests much harder for the both of you.


Exactly  Thank you! It is the putting together of all the skills, drills, concepts and scenarios that is so important to understand and apply.

Edit to add: Just watched the set again - I think it is probably one of those sets that should be watched at least every few months; I picked up more things again this time since I know and appreciate more than even the last time I watched.


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