Training
From The Training Committee
The following is pretty much a repeat of last year’s handouts. I am sure not everyone received a copy of these last year; however, the game plan is still the same for this year.
What we do not want to happen is to have our dog club turn into a shooting dog club. We are here to train our dogs and to learn from each other by sharing our ideas so that we can benefit from our training. The best way I feel to accomplish this is to train in small groups determined by you dog’s ability. By training in small groups, you will find yourself spending more time with your dog and have more opportunities to test your dog’s ability to perform. From this, you can take your experience home and train on your own time. It is by repetition that the dog learns how to do what is right.
Let us not forget the reason you joined this chapter is to learn how to train your dog.
In addition, our game plan is to utilize our spacious training grounds by having everyone form into small groups and operating by him/herself. I feel that keeping a group to fewer than five people will help accomplish more, but group numbers will be affected by our turnouts.
Guidance will be provided where needed for our novice handlers and puppies, but for most of us, we should not need to be told what to do.
By breaking up our grounds into areas, the two shooting fields on each side of the road will be used for the utility dogs. The two fields along the side of the road where we park will be used for our novice handlers/dogs and puppies. There is also a big field for our use located on the other side of the pond, across the road from our camping area. This field is also an ideal field for bird work; however, you will not be permitted to shoot.
What is being emphasized here is that everyone should come to a training day with a plan for what you would like to accomplish for that day. By doing so, you will have created training drills for everyone in your group. As mentioned earlier the groups should be determined by the dog’s ability.
Ideas for Topics to be Covered:
Ø Teaching commands
Ø Use of training table
Ø Walking at heel
Ø Use of dummies
Ø Steady to Flush, shot and fall
Ø Retrieving
Ø Enforcing the Forever “Whoa” command
Ø Planting Birds
Other Ideas for Training:
Ø Pick a chapter from your Navhda Green Book and execute the drills
Ø Have an old rod and reel handy for tracking purposes so you can reuse you bird.
Ø You should always have a dead duck with you for doing drags
Equipment and Orange:
Ø Everyone should have a bird bag, leash, check cord, blank pistol, etc. in there possession when you disperse into your groups.
Ø A little gym bag or vest works great for this; you do not want to find yourself walking back to your vehicle every time you need something.
Ø Please do not forget to wear your orange at all times when you are out in the field. We will be utilizing all corners of our training grounds so you will want to be noticed. NO EXCEPTIONS