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Permalink Reply by Justin Daniel (TEAM HT) on January 25, 2010 at 10:09am

Bill, Seeing as I train gundogs and guide, this is right up my alley. Come on man check your Pro Staff list. LOL Anyway, if she was mine or in my kennel. Start out by asking her to Heel, sit and stay. If she does this well go ahead and put her on a long check cord. Have her heel, sit and stay and throw a bumper. Hopefully she doesn't break and make the retrieve, but she should be very alert. Give her the command to Fetch. She should be straight out and straight back with the bumper. While all this is going on, you should be standing in place, holding the check cord loosely. Don't yank her around if she doesn't do this correctly. Oh yeah obviously, don't throw the bumper further away then the check cord will reach. If she picks it up and tries to run around the yard, just apply steady pressure to the check cord until she turns her head to you then give the Here command.Ask her to heel and sit, then give the drop command. If she is this far along let me know and we can go from there. If you need to call me. 806-679-2810, I can usually get to my phone unless I'm with clients or working dogs. Just remember, take it slow and figure out what she knows and build from there. Don't get frustrated she'll pick up on it and the training session will be unpleasant. As long as it's fun you'll both enjoy it. But seriously decide if you want a pet, that does OK as a gundog, or a gundog that loves being a pet. A dog this young needs to know it's job. I have better luck keeping commands short and simple. After she knows the command give it once and make her listen. Too many guys spend all day practically begging their dog to work. The dog's brain is not that complex, and it just confuses them for the commands to be sounding like this "Come on, Fetch it up, atta girl, Fetch it up here now." That's how it sounds when most guys are working dogs and it's just unpleasant for the dog and your hunting buddies and it really is a hindrence to the dog. If your dog is properly trained, it doesn't need all that.
Hope this helps
Justin

Permalink Reply by Bill Harris on January 25, 2010 at 10:39am

Thanks Justin. I did not think about looking at the Pro Staff, but it should have been first on my mind. :-) I know that she does not heel well when we are walking but we are working on that. She does the sit and stay fairly well. She does retrieve but does not always drop although I have not had her heel or sit before she drops. I will continue working with her and let you know how it goes.

Thanks,
Bill

Permalink Reply by Justin Daniel (TEAM HT) on January 25, 2010 at 11:10am

When working on Heel, put her on lead and Heel her keep the lead tight, holding your hand in a straight line from her collar. Keep your hand about waist level. On the Off side from your dog hold a thick dowel rod or something similar. Angle the rod across your body so it lays across her chest. Now walk forward and correct her with the stick if she tries to get ahead of you. Everytime you correct her lift up on the leash, firm up on the stick and repeat Heel. Don't ease up on the lead until she Heels. She'll learn quickly to get the presure relieved she has to Heel. Eventually she'll heel Off-lead.