Pick and choose
Fran Ardley takes you through the steps to concentrate your dog on a single retrieve and how to avoid an embarrassing swap in a shooting field scenario
Iam sure we have all witnessed the scenario on a shoot day when a dog is sent for a retrieve, picks a bird and then runs over to another bird, drops the first then picks-up the second. It’s even worse if the first bird is a runner and the dog drops it as he decides to collect a dead one. The pricked bird then runs off and the dog drops the dead one to chase after the runner.
It is mayhem and, believe me, if it is your dog performing the ‘swapsy’ game, you will not be able to dig a big enough hole quick enough. On a more serious note, it is a really annoying habit, especially if you are pickingup. Imagine you have marked your birds down and another dog comes in and picks a particular bird, then runs on to another and on the way drops the original one. Unless you are constantly watching what is happening, that first bird may well not be found and be lost to the bag. As I said, a most annoying habit.
I believe in training for all scenarios. I compete in field trials and, if a dog swapped while out on a retrieve, it would mean immediate disqualification from the competition. I also pick-up on a number of grouse moors and pheasant shoots during the season, so it is important that my dogs are trained to pick one retrieve at a time, no matter how many are lying in the vicinity. It is at this time of the year that I spend a considerable amount of time refining this kind of training in preparation for the forthcoming shooting season.
As with all aspects of gundog training you should ensure your dog’s basic obedience is solid, especially when you begin to teach more complex training exercises. Make sure your dog has a keen retrieving instinct, a good (instant) recall and understands the command “leave it”. If any of these are not fully understood by the dog, do not attempt to train these particular exercises. The dog could get potentially very confused and it may even refuse to retrieve.
It is important to stay calm and make your commands clear and precise.