County Grove Kennels.......................

[Hairy Dawg]

Originally Posted by ryano

why does the average hunter need any more than that? thats not a smart ass question I promise. Im just curious?

I know you guys want your dogs to "be all they can be" but seriously? at what point are yall satisfied in your dog and your training techniques and say ok, he/she is "finished"?

Other than the "fun" factor, why do guys need a champion field trial winning dog?

I agree with everything that Gator and DU said about the training. To add to that, and answer your question about when training is "done". Training is done when you throw the last shovel full of dirt on top of them.

I will always strive to make Reese better for the rest of his life. I could probably quit training right now, and he would probably be better than 98% of all the other hunting retrievers out there for the rest of his life. Although I'm not running hunt trials with him, we train to that level because everything you teach a dog is a tool that you add to your box. The more tools you have in your box, the more awesome the dog becomes. It is a truly incredible experience to have all the training & preparation pay off when you're shooting birds, and all you got to do is instruct the dog which bird you want him to get next. Also, like DU said, when you have a bird that goes down that he doesn't see, that's where you separate (what I call) the meat dogs from the trial dogs.

[Arra]

My dog Rock is in need a of a good bit more training but he is more or a less a meat dog right now...He will go get every bird he sees fall...Im not hunting Rock everytime I go hunting especially if I think we are gonna work mallards...He gets so excited when he sees the birds circling that he can't be still....He also is breaking everytime he sees a bird fall even before I send him...Im thinking with all the experience on this board that I will have those problems corrected by the time next season rolls around...Plus the fact that he will be older should help some...

[Gimp]

Originally Posted by Hairy Dawg

I agree with everything that Gator and DU said about the training. To add to that, and answer your question about when training is "done". Training is done when you throw the last shovel full of dirt on top of them.

I didnt really mean that the way it seems I was basically wondering what is a "finished" dog not that the training was done.

[duhollywood1]

Started dog= a dog that will pick up the birds he/she sees; may or may not be steady
Seasoned/Senior Dog= a dog that handles, should be steadied, capable of multiple retrieves with great success.
Finished dog= You will never know they are in the blind until you send them. People ask in amazement "how did you do that".

The only difference in a meat dog and a trail/test dog, is that the owner choose to or not to run the trail/test. Now a good trail/test dog versus one that does not excel in the trail/test arena could mean merely inches. This is all assuming that the dog is well trained.

[Arra]

Originally Posted by duhollywood1

Started dog= a dog that will pick up the birds he/she sees; may or may not be steady
Seasoned/Senior Dog= a dog that handles, should be steadied, capable of multiple retrieves with great success.
Finished dog= You will never know they are in the blind until you send them. People ask in amazement "how did you do that".

The only difference in a meat dog and a trail/test dog, is that the owner choose to or not to run the trail/test. Now a good trail/test dog versus one that does not excel in the trail/test arena could mean merely inches. This is all assuming that the dog is well trained.

Then mine is listed as started then....He will pick up every bird he sees fall and has made some great retrieves this year...My only problem is that he is very steady and minds good in the yard...In a hunting situation, not so much...

[Gator]

Originally Posted by Arrow3

...Im thinking with all the experience on this board that I will have those problems corrected by the time next season rolls around...Plus the fact that he will be older should help some...

He will be fine I'm sure. Seriously the issues we've talked about will be fixed in training days when guns are out lots of dogs are there and he has too be steady and honor.

[Chappydog]

My Chappy started braking this past week. First day was fine didn't break one time. Seemed that he wanted to beat the boykin that was hunting with him. Worked hard to correct him then my Dang collar died.

[Gator]

Originally Posted by Chappydog

My Chappy started braking this past week. First day was fine didn't break one time. Seemed that he wanted to beat the boykin that was hunting with him. Worked hard to correct him then my Dang collar died.

Leash works best for a breaking dog.

Best believe I'll have one on Drake in the morning. I'm gonnna hunt him the rest of the week.

[Arra]

Originally Posted by Gator

He will be fine I'm sure. Seriously the issues we've talked about will be fixed in training days when guns are out lots of dogs are there and he has too be steady and honor.

I have no doubt..He is very smart....Just this week I have been throwing 3 bumpers in diferenet directions....I worked him with hand signals of which one I wanted him to go get first. He picked up on it real quick and does it right everytime.

[mcrebel]

Im thankful that this is such a good place to get advice

[Duff]

Originally Posted by ryano

Well I had a Arra3 to mark and retrieve mine and was glad to have him too I would have been screwed because the only dog on the field owner didnt wanna hunt beside the Gimp

Be glad Ryan. He woulda had half your birds too.

[Chappydog]

I bout snatched him a flip a few times with the leash

All his brakes were controlled just a few steps out of the blind. He knows what's up just need go sure him up some.

[duhollywood1]

Originally Posted by Chappydog

I bout snatched him a flip a few times with the leash

All his brakes were controlled just a few steps out of the blind. He knows what's up just need go sure him up some.

Even with a controlled break I would deny him the retrieve.

[Gimp]

Originally Posted by Duff

Be glad Ryan. He woulda had half your birds too.

he wound up with them all anyway

I love to eat dove but it was gonna be late when I got home and I had no place to clean them......GatorB took them off my hands and put em to good use Im sure

[Duff]

Originally Posted by ryano

he wound up with them all anyway

I love to eat dove but it was gonna be late when I got home and I had no place to clean them......GatorB took them off my hands and put em to good use Im sure

Of course you were going to be late

I had a blast doing that. Hope we get to do it again next year