Basic Training Program

6 Months to 12 Months

A:  Conventional Training (On-Leash)
1. Here
2. Quiet
3. Sit (whistle sit command, front finish)
4. Right-Side Heeling (optional)
5. Left-Side Heeling
6. Rotation
7. Down (optional)
8. Truck Loading and Off-Loading
9. Holding Blind Manners
10. Intro to Guns
a. .22 caliber pistol
b. 20 guage shotgun
c. 12 guage shotgun

B:  E-Collar Conditioning on Basic OB

C:  Here Drill
1. Land
2. Handler to Handler
3. From Truck
4. Over Water
5. Holding Blind

D:  Field Marking on Land
1. Short Cover
a. walking singles
b. multiple gunners (singles)
c. intro to marking concepts (singles)
d. ditches and roads
e. barrier marks
2. Birds
a. dead
b. flyers
c. cripples
3. Cover Variations
a. light to medium
b. medium to heavy
c. obstacles
d. hunting cover

E:  Intro to Multiples on Land (short cover)
1. Handler Thrown Doubles
2. Taught Doubles
3. Cold Doubles
4. Taught Triples
5. Cold Triples

F:  Marking Through Decoys
1. Land
2. Water
3. Duck
4. Goose

G:  Preliminary Steadying (on-leash)

H:  Intro to Water Retrieving (weather permitting)
1. Handler Thrown Singles
2. Walking Singles
3. Multiple Gunners (singles)
4. Intro to Marking Concepts (singles)
5. Handler Thrown Doubles
6. Taught Doubles
7. Cold Simple Doubles

I:  Conventional Hold (bumpers)
1. Hold Stationary
2. Walking Hold
3. Heeling and Sit Hold
4. Rotation, Finish, and Delivery

J:  Conventional Force Fetch (bumpers and birds)
1. Hold on the Table
2. Fetch on the Table
3. Ground Fetch Stationary
4. Pile Fetch

K:  Simple Casting (fence drill)
1. Right Over
2. Left Over
3. Right Back
4. Left Back
5. Lining

* Singles are thrown to maintain good attitudes

L:  Intro to Retired Guns
1. Walking Singles
2. Short Singles
3. Long Singles
4. Multiple Guns
5. Memory Birds

M:  3-Leg Pattern
1. Lining
2. Casting
3. Baseball

N:  E-Collar Conditioning on Fetch (bumpers and birds)
1. Table Fetch
2. Ground Fetch
3. Pile Fetch
4. Reinforce Casting
5. Reinforce Lining

O:  E-Collar Conditioning on 3-Leg Pattern
1. Casting
2. Lining
3. Diversions
a. gunner
b. dry shots
c. bird crates
d. multiple gunners
e. poison bird

P:  Establishing Handling Drills
1. walking baseball, back & over

Q:  Establishing Marking Drills
1. Singles
2. Doubles
3. Punch
4. Check Down
5. Pinch

R:  Doublt T (establish, reinforce)
1. Lining
2. Casting

S:  Clock Drill Lining
1. Push
2. Pull

T:  Wagon Wheel
1. Lining
2. Casting

U:  5-Leg Pattern
1. Lining
2. Casting
3. Diversions
a. gunners
b. dry shots
c. bird crates
d. poison birds
4. Complicate - change lines
5. Cross Lines

V:  Brush Drill (obstacle)
1. Lining
2. Casting
3. Diversions
4. Marks

W:  Steadying (off-lead)

X:  Swim-By

Note: The sequence of tasks may vary due to weather, attitude, and momentum of the student. However, given the average student they should be able to complete all of the above in the allotted time period provided major problems or health issues do not arise.