Gun Dog Basic Program

Our gun dog program is designed to prepare dogs for hunting waterfowl and upland birds. However, the program is adjusted to meet the training needs of a competitive hunt test dog. We can successfully prepare your retriever for any level of hunt test you would like to compete in.

Retrievers, 6 months and older

A:  Conventional Basic Obedience Training (on-leash)
1. Here
2. Quiet
3. Sit
a. whistle sit command
b. front finish
c. whistle downs (optional)
4. Right-Side Heeling (optional)
5. Left-Side Heeling
6. Rotation
7. Lay Down (optional)
8. Truck Loading and Off-Loading
9. Holding Blind Manners
a. intro to mutt huts
b. tree stands
c. moving boats
d. boat blinds
e. layout blinds
f. pit blinds

B:  Intro to Guns
1. .22 Caliber Pistol
2. 20 Guage Shotgun
3. 12 Guage Shotgun
4. Intro to Marking Off Gun Barrel
5. Intro to Shooting Over Dog

C:  E-Collar Conditioning on Basic OB

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

E:  Field Marking on Land
1. Short Cover
a. walking singles
b. multiple gunners (stand-out singles)
c. intro to hidden gunners (singles)
d. ditches and roads
e. barrier marks
2. Birds
a. dead
b. flyers
c. cripples

F:  Conventional Hold
1. Hold Stationary
2. Walking Hold
3. Heeling and Sit Hold
4. Rotation, Finish, and Delivery

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

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

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

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

* Simple singles to maintain good attitudes

K:  Marking Through Decoys (birds and bumpers)
1. Land (singles)
2. Water (singles)
a. duck
b. goose
3. Cover Variations
a. light to medium
b. medium to heavy
c. obstacles
d. hunting cover

L:  Intro to Multiples on Land (short cover)
1. Handler Thrown Doubles
2. Taught Doubles
3. Cold Doubles
4. Doubles Off Hidden Guns
5. Taught Triples
6. Cold Triples
7. Triples Off Hidden Guns
8. Marking Through Decoys

M:  Preliminary Steadying (on-leash)

N:  Intro to Water Retrieving (weather permitting)
1. Handler Thrown Singles
2. Walking Singles
3. Multiple Gunners (singles)
4. Intro to Hidden Gunners (Singles)
5. Handler Thrown Doubles
6. Taught Doubles
7. Cold Simple Doubles
8. Hidden Gunner Multiples

O:  E-Collar Conditioning on 3-Leg Pattern (land)
1. Casting
a. overs
b. backs
c. angle right
d. angle left
2. Lining
3. Diversions
a. gunner
b. dry shots
c. bird crates
d. multiple gunners
e. holding blinds
f. decoys
g. poison birds

P:  Trailering and Quartering

Q:  Steadying (off-leash)

R:  Establishing Handling Drills
1. Walking Baseball (back, over)

S:  Establishing Marking Drills
1. Singles
2. Doubles
3. Punch
4. Check Down
5. Pinch
6. In-Line

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

U:  Simple Cold Land Blinds