The Retrieve
Russ, like you I also train my own dogs. I was brought up with Springers. My grandfather and uncles always used them. I love their personality and they are a great family dog as well. I do not believe force training is the way to go. I usally start mine out in the yard with a dummy and some bird scent. I only work a few minutes at a time and work my way up. I try to make it as fun as possible and with a reward, even if it is a treat or just a pat on the head. To me if the dog "listens", can find and put up birds that is the most important. Many times he has put up birds in a area just after a few hunters and dogs went through ahead of us. "Benny" will retrieve the "dummy" in the yard every time. When I hit the bird in the field he will run and find it and stay with it until I come for it. For some reason in the field I believe he just wants to keep searching for birds. I do have to say he does bring them back on occasion. He is at the point now when I reach for the shotgun he runs to the door whining with his stub wagging ready for another days hunt and to me that is the best! I have enclosed a few photos from this years season with him retrieving a bird.
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