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Tag Archives: Hunting Dog Training

Dog Retrieving Sheds Tips

12 Jan

wawang-lake (2)

  1. Pick the right pup. You want a pup with high prey and hunt drives, such as a retriever (Labrador, golden) or a working breed (German shepherd, Malinois). But not every dog will do. Test a pup out by tossing some short retrieves (do not use a shed at this stage). Look for unbridled enthusiasm. You’ll also need to ensure the dog has enough drive. Throw the ball into thick cover and observe how long he’ll search and whether he’s using his nose.
  2. Imprint the scent. To get your dog excited about shed hunting, you need to get him excited about the scent of sheds. Take a tennis ball and rub it on a shed—the fresher the antler, the better. Or store the ball and the shed together. Then work with the dog on short retrieves. Eventually work your way up to tossing the ball into thick cover. Give a reward after good sessions.
  3. Hide the shed. Once the dog is accustomed to the scent of sheds, it’s time to break out the antlers for what Bowling calls odor recognition. The biggest mistake people make, says Bowling, is that they don’t think about the wind while training. At first, try some easy finds, and reward good effort. Then move to tougher tests. But always work the dog into the wind. Let him learn to use his nose.

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Posted by on January 12, 2019 in Hunting Dog Training, Retrieving, Wawang Lake Resort

 

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Start Your Retriever Off Right

30 Jan

Here are a few helpful tips to help you do it right and get your retriever pup off to a good start:

wading
WATER
Taking your retriever pup out in a boat to the middle of a lake and throwing her overboard is not a proper water introduction. Ideally, you want the experience to be pleasant and fun.

Find a small pond with a shore that drops gradually from shallow to deep water. The weather should be mild, and the water temperature 60 degrees or warmer. Wading into the water with the pup will help alleviate any fear she may have. Bumpers and water retrieves can come later.

GUNFIRE
The worst thing you can do is to take a puppy to an open field and fire a 12-gauge over her head. That’s almost guaranteed to cause gun-shyness. Instead, recruit a friend or family member to help with this part of your pup’s training. While you handle the dog, have your training partner move a good distance away. Each time you toss a bumper, your partner should fire a shot with a starter pistol or cap gun. Be careful not to overdo it. A few shots each outing will suffice. Each day, decrease the distance between the dog and the gunfire and repeat the same drill. Keep in mind that introducing a dog to gunfire is a gradual process that shouldn’t be rushed.

gunfire
DECOYS
Don’t wait until hunting season to familiarize your dog with decoys. Incorporate them into their training exercises. Place a dozen or more decoys around a field when you’re tossing bumpers. This will help teach the dog that decoys are just part of the setup and not her main focus. Once he/she learns that, they can move on to retrieving bumpers around a decoy spread set in shallow water. This will help them learn how to swim through the decoys without getting tangled in the lines. If you hunt with motion decoys, incorporate them into your training spread as well.

BOATS The best way to acclimate a pup to watercraft is on dry land, where the boat won’t rock or tip over. Place your retriever in the boat and let her explore this unfamiliar setting. Do this several times over a period of a few days, and when the dog is comfortable in her new surroundings, launch the boat and take your pup on a cruise around the lake. Be sure to go slow and avoid rough waters. Keep the outing as pleasant as possible, with the dog sitting calmly beside you. Allowing them to run around while the boat is under way can be extremely dangerous.

BLINDS
Whether you hunt out of a permanent blind or a layout blind, your retriever should have a place of her own. Set up a dog stand or platform during your training sessions. Begin by teaching the dog to sit still on the stand. The younger the dog, the less patience they will have. But after several training sessions, they should learn to be patient and sit on the stand for extended periods of time.

blind1

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Posted by on January 30, 2017 in grouse, gun hunting, hunting, Hunting Dog Training, Retrieving, Wawang Lake Resort

 

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Dog Retrieving Sheds Tips

28 Dec

wawang-lake (2)

  1. Pick the right pup. You want a pup with high prey and hunt drives, such as a retriever (Labrador, golden) or a working breed (German shepherd, Malinois). But not every dog will do. Test a pup out by tossing some short retrieves (do not use a shed at this stage). Look for unbridled enthusiasm. You’ll also need to ensure the dog has enough drive. Throw the ball into thick cover and observe how long he’ll search and whether he’s using his nose.
  2. Imprint the scent. To get your dog excited about shed hunting, you need to get him excited about the scent of sheds. Take a tennis ball and rub it on a shed—the fresher the antler, the better. Or store the ball and the shed together. Then work with the dog on short retrieves. Eventually work your way up to tossing the ball into thick cover. Give a reward after good sessions.
  3. Hide the shed. Once the dog is accustomed to the scent of sheds, it’s time to break out the antlers for what Bowling calls odor recognition. The biggest mistake people make, says Bowling, is that they don’t think about the wind while training. At first, try some easy finds, and reward good effort. Then move to tougher tests. But always work the dog into the wind. Let him learn to use his nose.

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WEB   RATES     FISH    HUNT    CABINS    PHOTOS
TESTIMONIALS    BROCHURE    HUNT BOOKLET

 

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Posted by on December 28, 2016 in Hunting Dog Training, Retrieving, Wawang Lake Resort

 

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Start Your Retriever Off Right

13 Feb

Here are a few helpful tips to help you do it right and get your retriever pup off to a good start:

wading
WATER
Taking your retriever pup out in a boat to the middle of a lake and throwing her overboard is not a proper water introduction. Ideally, you want the experience to be pleasant and fun.

Find a small pond with a shore that drops gradually from shallow to deep water. The weather should be mild, and the water temperature 60 degrees or warmer. Wading into the water with the pup will help alleviate any fear she may have. Bumpers and water retrieves can come later.

GUNFIRE
The worst thing you can do is to take a puppy to an open field and fire a 12-gauge over her head. That’s almost guaranteed to cause gun-shyness. Instead, recruit a friend or family member to help with this part of your pup’s training. While you handle the dog, have your training partner move a good distance away. Each time you toss a bumper, your partner should fire a shot with a starter pistol or cap gun. Be careful not to overdo it. A few shots each outing will suffice. Each day, decrease the distance between the dog and the gunfire and repeat the same drill. Keep in mind that introducing a dog to gunfire is a gradual process that shouldn’t be rushed.

gunfire
DECOYS
Don’t wait until hunting season to familiarize your dog with decoys. Incorporate them into their training exercises. Place a dozen or more decoys around a field when you’re tossing bumpers. This will help teach the dog that decoys are just part of the setup and not her main focus. Once he/she learns that, they can move on to retrieving bumpers around a decoy spread set in shallow water. This will help them learn how to swim through the decoys without getting tangled in the lines. If you hunt with motion decoys, incorporate them into your training spread as well.

BOATS The best way to acclimate a pup to watercraft is on dry land, where the boat won’t rock or tip over. Place your retriever in the boat and let her explore this unfamiliar setting. Do this several times over a period of a few days, and when the dog is comfortable in her new surroundings, launch the boat and take your pup on a cruise around the lake. Be sure to go slow and avoid rough waters. Keep the outing as pleasant as possible, with the dog sitting calmly beside you. Allowing them to run around while the boat is under way can be extremely dangerous.

BLINDS
Whether you hunt out of a permanent blind or a layout blind, your retriever should have a place of her own. Set up a dog stand or platform during your training sessions. Begin by teaching the dog to sit still on the stand. The younger the dog, the less patience they will have. But after several training sessions, they should learn to be patient and sit on the stand for extended periods of time.

blind1

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Posted by on February 13, 2016 in grouse, gun hunting, hunting, Hunting Dog Training, Retrieving, Wawang Lake Resort

 

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Dog Retrieving Sheds Tips

24 Dec

wawang-lake (2)

  1. Pick the right pup. You want a pup with high prey and hunt drives, such as a retriever (Labrador, golden) or a working breed (German shepherd, Malinois). But not every dog will do. Test a pup out by tossing some short retrieves (do not use a shed at this stage). Look for unbridled enthusiasm. You’ll also need to ensure the dog has enough drive. Throw the ball into thick cover and observe how long he’ll search and whether he’s using his nose.
  2. Imprint the scent. To get your dog excited about shed hunting, you need to get him excited about the scent of sheds. Take a tennis ball and rub it on a shed—the fresher the antler, the better. Or store the ball and the shed together. Then work with the dog on short retrieves. Eventually work your way up to tossing the ball into thick cover. Give a reward after good sessions.
  3. Hide the shed. Once the dog is accustomed to the scent of sheds, it’s time to break out the antlers for what Bowling calls odor recognition. The biggest mistake people make, says Bowling, is that they don’t think about the wind while training. At first, try some easy finds, and reward good effort. Then move to tougher tests. But always work the dog into the wind. Let him learn to use his nose.

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Posted by on December 24, 2015 in Hunting Dog Training, Retrieving, Wawang Lake Resort

 

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Dog Retrieving Sheds Tips

22 Jul

wawang-lake (2)

  1. Pick the right pup. You want a pup with high prey and hunt drives, such as a retriever (Labrador, golden) or a working breed (German shepherd, Malinois). But not every dog will do. Test a pup out by tossing some short retrieves (do not use a shed at this stage). Look for unbridled enthusiasm. You’ll also need to ensure the dog has enough drive. Throw the ball into thick cover and observe how long he’ll search and whether he’s using his nose.
  2. Imprint the scent. To get your dog excited about shed hunting, you need to get him excited about the scent of sheds. Take a tennis ball and rub it on a shed—the fresher the antler, the better. Or store the ball and the shed together. Then work with the dog on short retrieves. Eventually work your way up to tossing the ball into thick cover. Give a reward after good sessions.
  3. Hide the shed. Once the dog is accustomed to the scent of sheds, it’s time to break out the antlers for what Bowling calls odor recognition. The biggest mistake people make, says Bowling, is that they don’t think about the wind while training. At first, try some easy finds, and reward good effort. Then move to tougher tests. But always work the dog into the wind. Let him learn to use his nose.

Follow our FISHING BLOG

WEBSITE    RATES     FISH    HUNT    CABINS    PHOTOS
TESTIMONIALS    BROCHURE    HUNT BOOKLET

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Posted by on July 22, 2015 in Hunting Dog Training, Retrieving, Wawang Lake Resort

 

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Dog Retrieving Sheds Tips

28 Dec

wawang-lake (2)

  1. Pick the right pup. You want a pup with high prey and hunt drives, such as a retriever (Labrador, golden) or a working breed (German shepherd, Malinois). But not every dog will do. Test a pup out by tossing some short retrieves (do not use a shed at this stage). Look for unbridled enthusiasm. You’ll also need to ensure the dog has enough drive. Throw the ball into thick cover and observe how long he’ll search and whether he’s using his nose.
  2. Imprint the scent. To get your dog excited about shed hunting, you need to get him excited about the scent of sheds. Take a tennis ball and rub it on a shed—the fresher the antler, the better. Or store the ball and the shed together. Then work with the dog on short retrieves. Eventually work your way up to tossing the ball into thick cover. Give a reward after good sessions.
  3. Hide the shed. Once the dog is accustomed to the scent of sheds, it’s time to break out the antlers for what Bowling calls odor recognition. The biggest mistake people make, says Bowling, is that they don’t think about the wind while training. At first, try some easy finds, and reward good effort. Then move to tougher tests. But always work the dog into the wind. Let him learn to use his nose.

Follow our FISHING BLOG

WEBSITE    RATES     FISH    HUNT    CABINS    PHOTOS
TESTIMONIALS    BROCHURE    HUNT BOOKLET

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Posted by on December 28, 2014 in Hunting Dog Training, Retrieving, Wawang Lake Resort

 

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