June 2020 • Nebraskaland 61
they bring can be helpful in your training approach. One
of my favorite resources for discovering this potential and
troubleshooting is the book The Art of Raising a Puppy by the
Monks of New Skete.
Hunt Your Dog
Sounds like a overused cliché, but in the dog world, it's
fact. You're going to experience many ups and downs in the
training process. It's a marathon not a sprint, so ongoing
repetition with your dog is the key to being
successful once hunting season starts.
And don't be "embarrassed" to hunt your
dog with others, even if you think they
might screw something up. All the training
in the world is no good if you don't put live
birds in front of your pup. Nothing replaces
shooting birds over your dog. I've seen dogs
with very average blood lines excel around
other more "champion" blood lines purely
because they have the most in-game
experience. Stay committed to the process
and take this time to not only improve your
dog's chances of being successful, but to
also socialize them around others.
One of my favorite quotes comes from
legendary waterfowler Nash Buckingham
circa 1947:
"The best long-range shotgun load to
have in one's boat for mallards is a fi ne
retriever."
Well said, Nash.
N
Training your own gun dog can be challenging, but one that comes with great joy if done properly.
A steady dog is a crowd pleaser. Use this down time to instill confi dence in your
dog by reinforcing and repeating the basic commands.
