Steve L., Allen Park.

Answer: Good thing you left a phone number, because what little information you gave me here wasn't enough to advise you either way. Seeing that you have a male who has had quite a few birds shot over him already, my advice would be to take him but leave him in his crate the first morning. As alone who's been to Pelee could tell you, opening morning is like a war zone. I also advise you to go hunting in a smaller group, say two or less. With a young dog, care should be taken not to startle the animal with a sudden barrage or gunfire. I have seen more than one young dog ruined from Pelee's opening morning.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Question: I am training my young Lab, six months old, to take blind retrieves. I am having trouble keeping the young dog focused on the task and getting him to take a line. He tends to quarter instead of lining and will only go about twenty yards from me before he gives up and comes back to my side. Do you think I should ‘force break' him? He has never refused a retrieve. Any advice on how to keep him interested and on line?

Don K., Port Huron.

Answer: I don't force break a dog that retrieves well, unless you are running competition events. Then a single dropped bird could ruin your whole day. I do ‘structure' the retrieve with the dog after it has finished teething. Next month, I will teach you how to properly ‘structure' retrieving for the dog by breaking retrieving down into four easy steps. I do not use shock collars for this nor do I start twisting the dog's sensitive toes or pinching it's ears. The method works, is done in your spare time, and is not hard on the dog.

After getting all the details from Don, I was able to put him on the right course. First, he was expecting too much from the young dog. His lines were too long and the time spent per training session was more than the young dog could handle. I had him reduce the session time from two hours to one hour. Young dogs, like kids, cannot stay focused for extended periods of time. It is best to stop the session with the young dog eager for more then to drag a session on so long the pup becomes bored. I also advised him to add more praise for the dog when it was returning with the bumper. Pups love lots of praise and will work harder and longer when lavished with praise. Don was using a harsh, demanding voice that the young dog took as dominance. The results were a pup who lacked confidence and would drop the bumper and slink back to the handler when commanded.

Secondly, I advised him to start over from square one with the blinds. A blind retrieve, or unseen retrieve as it is called in Europe, requires a dog with confidence that will take a line from the handler and stay with it until either a bird is found or the handler stops the dog with the whistle and redirects the dog to the spot. In US competition, the dog is directed to the fall by the handler. In Europe, the dog is allowed to hunt the bird when in the general area. Square one for teaching blind retrieves is an open grass field. Start the dog on simple marks. Throw a single bumper fifteen yards while keeping the pup at your side. Do not dominate the pup to stay in place. Rather be firm but gentle, use a leash if you have to. I don't worry about complete steadiness until later because I want the pup marking well and having fun. Now send the dog for the retrieve with gusto. I use ‘back'. The louder you say it, the further the retrieve will be. Give him a line with your hand. I do it right off his nose. When he gets to the bumper, lavish him with praise. Be animated, slap your leg, clap your hands and give him the return whistle. I use repeated whistle chirps with hands out-stretched at my sides. When he gets back to you, take a second to give him more praise. Do two retrieves at this distance, then double it. Do two at thirty yards, then extend it to forty-five yards. After two at forty-five yards, extend it to sixty yards. Throwing a bumper sixty yards is no easy task. You will need a helper. Once the range is further than one can throw, have your helper show the bumper to the pup and run it out to the distance needed. Have the helper get the dog's attention and then throw the bumper up to help the pup mark it. Now have your helper back ten to fifteen yards from the bumper, but directly in line with you. This will help when you extend out even further. Two at each distance, then end it. I like to get the pup looking and thinking about retrieves out to a hundred yards in open cover first, so if his attention is distracted he will still be able to see his mark.

If at any point he loses interest, give him a short, easy mark with lots of praise and end it. Pups will have days where they just don't feel like working. In this event, take him for a long run and call it a day. A half-hour run before a session will help the pup stay focused. After doing this several times, you may move on to the wagon wheel type set-up. Place three bumpers twenty yards out in three different directions. You are still in the mowed grass so the pup can see the bumpers. Give the pup a line to the bumpers, one at a time and send him with a back. Do this twice and stop. Repeat several times over the next week, extending the bumpers five yards each new session.

Your new attitude and the lavish praise given over this two-to-three week period should help keep the pup in the game and eager for more. Now move to light cover that is twelve to fourteen inches high, just deep enough that the pup cannot see the bumper from the starting point. Throw one bumper thirty yards and send the pup. While the pup is returning with the bumper, have your helper hide one at the same spot where the last one fell. After the thrown bumper is retrieved, send the pup with a ‘back' towards the old mark. If he stops and looks at you, this is called ‘popping'. Encourage him on with a ‘fetch'. When he finds the bumper, lavish more praise on him. Do this twice and stop. Lengthening the distance must be done slowly. Keep him at thirty yards for at least two sessions. Then lengthen the distance by five yards for two sessions until you are at a hundred yards. I mix dead birds in, usually chuckars, to help spice things up, especially if the pup starts refusing to retrieve the occasional bumper. If the pup refuses to retrieve most of the bumpers or birds, I'll check his teeth and gums to check for any problems. If there are no signs of problems in the mouth, I stop all retrieving for a week and allow the pup some play time instead.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Dean T., Fernda

Answer: You sound like an intelligent person who has learned the hard way that there are more opinions and bad advice available than facts when it comes to dog training. I am amazed at the marketing wizardry involved in selling a three-day seminar as a way to train your dog. The best part of the wizardry is how many of the participants come away not knowing that they have been fleeced. Twenty dogs times $450 equals $9,000. Not bad for three days of lecturing. I occasionally run into someone who has attended one of these gatherings and wishes to expound on how much was learned and how valuable it has been to his dog. That is, until I start to debunk some of the myths involved. Like a $1.50 piece of nylon rope sold for $15-$20 as the next Miracle Lead. Or a silent method to train a young novice dog to hold point and be mannerly when on birds. Or how a horseback field trial trainer from the Southwest can advise a Michigan grouse hunter on how to train his dog for hunting in thick, northern woods-type cover.  Most of what they are doing can be had for a lot less money by buying their video.  At least then you can hit rewind to hear it again.  You have been there. How many birds were shot over your dog?  How many hours did you and your dog spend in the field on birds, with the ‘pro'?  I get a bigger kick out of reading outdoor writers, who probably got the lecture for free providing they had a story published about it, talk up the program when they are rank amateurs themselves, as are most of the participants. Otherwise, you wouldn't spend that kind of money, sitting in the stands with your dog.

I had a fellow sign up for one of my seminars who had been to one of these group seminars. His dog was over two years old and would not take direction if other dogs were present, would not hold point on birds and would not obey him in hunting situations. He explained to me that it would take two more trips to the ‘lecture' seminars to complete the training of his ‘puppy‘. A dog is not a puppy at two. They are comparable to a twenty-four-year-old person, not a ten-year-old. He walked around with the stupid Wonder Lead around his neck, because it wouldn't fit in his vest, and a shock collar around his dog's belly. He told me the dog was not ready to have the collar placed around her neck yet. I have been training for thirty years, have trained thousands of dogs and have only twice had to put an e-collar around a dog's stomach. This is a particularly sensitive area and is used when a dog is tough enough to not be deterred by the e-collar. All of the others who needed e-collar work, not all dogs do, wore the collar around the neck with no negative results. Needless to say, the fellow failed terribly, mainly because his head was full of this marketing B.S., and dropped out of the class at the halfway point. Once again, the dog was trainable but the owner was not. The other dogs in the seminar did well and went on to enjoy the hunting season.

My advice to you is to find a competent professional and work closely with him either one-on-one or in a small group setting. My seminars are limited to four dogs and their owners because when someone comes to me for training, they get me, not an assistant or helper.  We meet one day a week for six weeks with assignments given to the owners to work on before the next class.  Over the course of this six week class, we will be exposing the dogs to over a hundred birds.  We will be shooting birds, teaching the dogs to honor point, find dead, retrieve, handle in the field with other dogs and coaching you on how to handle and communicate with your dog.  Dogs are not all the same and need to be handled and trained according to their needs and personalities.  That is why reading books, watching videos, or being lectured to can only cover generalities and not specific needs of individual dogs.  The lecture-giver does not get to know the personality of the twenty dogs, or the twenty owners' short-comings.  I will help you week-to-week with problems that come up during the course of training. I also put dogs of similar age and ability in the same class. No combining flushers, retrievers and pointers. If you do your homework, you will have a trained dog at the end of the class. All this for $450.

I have a problem with the three-month-formula for training a boarded dog. It does not take three months to train a companion hunting dog. Usually the trainer who requires three months has more dogs in his kennel then he can handle. You cannot train twenty to thirty dogs per day, as many of them take on. The dogs end up being trained every other day or even every third day.  Of course the prices seem good, $300 a month, but even at $450 a month, the trainer's costs and time are not covered.  Not if you teach field handling, not if you have licensed and insured grounds, and not if you are shooting plenty of birds over the dog.  At $450 per month, you are paying $15 per day.  How many hours and how many birds can a trainer put into a dog for less then $15 per day?  Quail cost $3-$4 a piece, chuckar costs $4.50 to $5.50 a piece, pheasant costs $6 to $8 a piece.  Need shells for the gun?  Can't shoot birds and train the dog alone. You will need a helper to do the job right.

Setting three quail at $3.50 each will cost $10.50.  That leaves $4.50 for cleaning, feeding and time spent training.  This doesn't even take into account care and feed of the birds used for training. Do the math and you will see why so many people get ripped off by so-called trainers.  Now think about the $300 per month trainer at $10 per day.  You can completely ignore any Michigan trainer who claims to train with only wild birds.  Unless you only have two or three dogs in your kennel, you will not be able find enough birds in the wild to train ten or twelve dogs.  And the idea that you can run dogs on the same birds day after day and not drive them away is pure B.S.

My training dogs will have fifteen to twenty birds a week released for them. Maybe you can save money by using pigeons.  Pigeons do one of two things, sit or fly.  Problem is, game birds like to run.  If you do not train with game birds, how does the dog learn how to handle running birds?  Try going pheasant hunting with a dog trained on pigeons.  I don't recall or recapture released birds.  Why?  Because on our exercise runs, I want the dogs to find birds.  Birds, birds and more birds is what most young dogs need.  Think your dog will be conditioned for the rigors of hunting at $15 per day? Even with no birds released, what is an hour of running worth after cleaning and later feeding?

I work our training dogs six days a week, with most dogs completed in four weeks. Training a dog properly is not an inexpensive venture and will take weeks to accomplish, not months. I work with the owner for two hours every two weeks to show the dog's progress and to help the owner learn how to handle and communicate with his dog. If you, the handler, is no also trained properly, you will not be able to maintain your dog at this level for the years to come. And this is all included in my weekly fees. I also do private sessions for people with special problems or needs. If you would like more information on our training programs at Wing Shooter, call us at (734)665-7489, or email me at charlielinblade@msn.com.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Jana, Howell.

Answer: Take her to a local obedience class. Run her off-lead and take her as many places as you can to help socialize her. Call me when she is six months old for your first appointment for field work.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Alan K., Brighton.

Answer: Well Alan, there's certainly no shortage of trainers today. When I started training in the early seventies, the choices were limited to mostly field trainers who took on the occasional hunting dog. Today, there seems to be a new trainer advertising unique or custom services in every magazine you pick up. My advice to potential new customers who call (after my schedule's been filled) is to find someone training for the type of dog you want. I wouldn't go to a competition-oriented field trainer if I wanted my pet trained to hunt the uplands with me. I also wouldn't take a shining prospect for the horseback trials to a part time, backyard trainer who works with the dogs after he gets home from work everyday. References are important but can be manipulated by giving out names of friends and of sure-bet customers who's dog had no real problem and was easy to work with. When asking for references, look for customers who live a long distance from the trainer. Ask for the names of people who had problem animals that were straightened out by the trainer.

Asking breeders may or may not be a good source. Most breeders will send you towards a trainer who's been complimentary towards their line. I have had some breeders send customers to me only if I don't give any negative evaluations. As soon as a negative evaluation has been given, I stop receiving referrals. In the dog world, there seems to be a ‘shoot the messenger' attitude. Many breeders suffer from ‘kennel blindness.' This malady prevents them from seeing or acknowledging any faults in the dogs from their lines. If a trainer or owner has any problems with the dog, it has to be because the trainer or new owner did something wrong, or made mistakes during the training process. This type of breeder will have a long list of trainers that they don't want you to see while pointing you towards their one ‘recommended' person. Talk to different trainers and go with the one you feel most comfortable with. If you decide to go to a seminar, find one with a small class. A seminar with eight or ten dogs will have you standing around most of the time. If the idea of training with a recognized trainer is why you're looking for, stick to the ones who have smaller groups. Otherwise, you may end up spending most of your time alone, or working with some assistant who knows little more than you, or even worse, standing around getting lectured to when you thought you'd be training.

Prices is one area that can be very confusing for a lot of people. First, all trainers have to earn enough money to live on. If they work another job for eight hours a day, their living expenses are paid for and they're training in their spare time. After putting a full day in at work, they're going to try and work your dog. A few years back, I had a part time trainer send me his brochure. I'd registered a German Short-hair and this person had a habit of sending his flyer to all the newly registered owners. His prices were less than half of mine per month, birds included. Wondering how a fellow could train for what a local boarding kennel charges for boarding, I called his number. His daughter informed me that he was a truck driver and wouldn't be back for two more days. This type of trainer shouldn't be handling more than one or two dogs. If the trainer has a regular job, whatever they make off of training is icing on the cake, so they're able to charge less for what's basically a hobby. You should ask to see where they train, how much acreage they use, and if they have the equipment to get the job done. As always, check numerous references and meet with the trainer.

When dealing with a professional, and in this case I mean someone who earns their living by training, one of the most important questions to ask is ‘how many dogs do you take in at a time?' You'll usually find a direct correlation between cost per month and how many dogs the trainer takes in per month. The next question is ‘how much time per day is each dog worked and how many days a week will the dog be worked?' A trainer with ten or twelve dogs in their string that claims the dogs are worked daily for an hour each is in need of a shot of truth serum. You'll find that trainers with large numbers of dogs are working the dogs every other day or every third day. The per-month costs of these trainers will be less, but you'll find they require double the time to accomplish the task. Many of these types of trainers will have a three-month minimum, but most of the time you'll be getting  four to six weeks of of actual training.

A string of eight to ten doges in July or August means the trainer has to try to work some of the dogs in oppressive heat. The hot summer months usually allow for three to four hours of training time in the working and maybe two in the evening. The rest of the day is so hot that the dogs can't function. Some trainers will only work with the owner the day the dog is picked up. Try and find a trainer that's willing to work with you throughout the training procedure. After all, you'll have to handle the dog yourself when you're out hunting. Quite often, the owner is making mistakes in handling the dog that the pro should be able to point out.

A trainer with only ten or twenty acres to work will have a tough time working on field handling problems. A rangy dog being brought into a working range for the foot hunter will need to be worked in a rather large area, fifty acres or more. All of these things cost money, so buyers beware when the cost seems too low.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Al T., Grand Rapids.

Answer: If the dog appears to be hunting and his interest in game, your chances of hunting him are good. If you are seeing no pointing instincts, proceed to train him as a flusher. Desire for game is one of the main ingredients in determining if a dog will make a good hunting dog. This desire is what helps to carry them through the difficulties of training. I'd first buy some game birds and start releasing them for him to find. Encourage him that this is what you're after. After he is actively seeking the birds and shows good desire, start introducing gunfire at a distance. Good luck. I've seen some very accomplished mutts used for pheasant hunting.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Jerry W., Ypsilanti.

Answer: What's easiest for a novice is to buy a trained dog. I've always said that breed doesn't matter and it's the individual personality that counts. A high-strung, nervous animal of any breed could spell trouble. If you're strictly an upland hunter, just about any breed listed for bird hunting will do. If you do some duck hunting, look for bloodlines that have the desire to swim and retrieve. The versatile pointing breeds can do both. The flushing or retrieving can do both also. I tell my customers that the breeder is far more important than the breed. Go to a breeder who breeds for hunting purposes. Call the references and ask for several past puppy-buyers' phone numbers. It's also helpful to meet the pup's parents.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Kathy C., Saginaw.

Answer: I've owned a couple of Chesapeakes, have one now and have trained more than a few. It's my experience that they do better in actual hunting situations rather than in highly structured training exercises. I've heard them described as a primitive breed, and I quite agree. The ones I've worked with didn't enjoy long, laborious training exercises with dummies, where as my Lab can go for hours, enjoying every minute of it. If you were a hard hunter with little or no interest in competition, I'd say the Chessie would be fine.

If you plan on spending more time training and running competition than actual hunting, I'd recommend either a Lab or a well-bred Golden Retriever. If selecting a Golden, make sure you're dealing with a breeder who specializes in hunting dogs.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Karl T., Royal Oak.

Answer: Everyone has to start some where. It might be good for you to try it on your own to see how much money and time it takes. Start by reading as much as you can find on training field dogs and talking to other people who have trained their own dogs. You might consider joining the local NAVHDA [North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association] chapter or a National Shoot to Retrieve Association club. Both organizations are based on you training your own dog and have experienced members who might help. You may try going to a professional trainer for an occasional session to help give you some direction and in-sight into what needs to happen. I have helped many people to train their own dogs this way.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Chuck P., Plymouth.

Answer: I do not recommend a .410 for just that reason. I would recommend an over-and-under 28 gauge that is either built for a small person or fitted to your daughter. Fit is very important. You don't need to spend a fortune and you can save money by buying used. A ‘plain Jane' Stoeger Arms or American Arms will set you back about $300. On upland birds, a 28 gauge can compete against any of the other gauges without the weight or kick of bigger guns. I shoot one regularly.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Answer: I see this all too often where the puppy's owner doesn't introduce dead birds or retrieving dead birds until the pup has a thousand retrieves on toys. Usually, the play retrieves were not structured with commands, so the pup was only doing what it wanted to when it wanted to. This does not build the type of obedience when retrieving that is needed. Your problem sounds like a genetic flaw, namely parents that did not have strong retrieving instincts. The ‘force breaking' process takes time and is not always successful. The term ‘setter' does not give enough information as to what kind of dogs you have, so my response is limited. I'm not interested in fixing your screw-ups. Buy a book.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Tom K., Grosse Point.

Answer: Tom, there are several things that can be done to prevent either self-hunting or a dog that ranges further out than the handler wants. The first thing you should be doing with your new pup is getting acquainted. Spend a few days together having fun. This is your bonding time. After a while of this bonding and getting to know each other, start taking the pup for walks. Your walks should be done away from other dogs and in an area where you and the pup can be alone. These walks should be done off-lead and where the pup can run free without danger. A park or a field with short grass would be ideal. This is an activity that should become part of your weekly routine for the life of the dog. After all, going hunting is basically going for long walks with the dog. It isn't important to find birds during your walks at this time.  With these walks, you are setting a pattern of behavior with your pup that will last a lifetime. You will find later in the dog's life that she will be more responsive to where you are and to staying in touch with you in the field.

When the pup is about twelve weeks old, you can start some leash work. Fit the pup with a collar and buy a six-foot-long light lead. Start by sitting down before you attempt to walk. Let the pup discover the limitations of the lead before you attempt to walk her on-lead. Once this is done, take her for walks on-lead. When the pup starts pulling on the lead, either by trying to get further away from you or by trying to pull away from the lead, gently tug her back while saying ‘stay close'. Allow the pup the full length of the lead before you start your ‘stay close' work. After a week of this, start varying the length of the lead that the dog is allowed to use. Give the pup six feet of lead to work with for five minutes, and then shorten it to three feet for five minutes. When the pup pulls the slack out of the lead and starts pulling on you, give a ‘stay close' command and tug the pup back, but not violently. A ‘stay close' command can be transferred to your off-lead walks and later used during hunting when the dog is working further away from you than you feel comfortable with. A ‘heel' command shouldn't be taught until after the ‘stay close' command is set.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Paul S., Attica.

Answer: Paul, you didn't mention the type of cover that is being hunted. Two to three hundred yards in flat, open country is alright with me, although I do like a dog much closer than that in the woods. I like to watch the dog in action and I get a great thrill out of seeing him come upon bird scent and work it into a point. I think the important point here, no pun intended, is that is should be up to the handler to decide what range is acceptable. An experienced handler will usually tolerate more range on a dog than a novice, who usually expects the dog to be within forty yards at all times. A four-year-old dog has established behavior patterns. He's also established his range in the field and the change that you mentioned will take some time. First, start doing the leash work described in the previous response. It will take two to three weeks of this type of leash work before the ‘stay close' command should be used in the field. Once using this ‘stay close' in the field, do not make the dog come all the way back to you.

After several weeks of leash work and some off-lead field work, I would put an electric training collar on the dog. Take the dog to an open field area where the dog is visible for hundreds of yards. When the dog is running at a greater distance than you want, call out the ‘stay close' command. If the dog doesn't respond, give him one quick hit with the collar and say the command again. If the dog yelps and comes all the way back to you, take a minute to reassure him. Pet him and tell him ‘good dog.' It's important to not scold the dog or to show anger in your voice. Gently tell him to ‘stay close' and reassure him, then give him the ‘okay' to hunt on. The electronic collar shouldn't be used as a punishment tool, but merely as an attention-getter. The intensity of the electric charge differs between dogs. A dog that yelps in pain should have the intensity lowered. You don't want to use too much power and shut the dog down, where as not enough power will cause the dog to ignore the stimulation. If your dog does shut down, pet and reassure him until he starts to hunt again.

Remember, you shouldn't expect to change this behavior pattern in a matter of days. It could very well take months. Never use the collar in anger or to punish. Never scold the dog after hitting him with the ‘juice,' but rather reassure him and show him kindness. Act as if you wish to help him and don't realize what is hurting him. The worst-case scenario is when a dog realizes the handler is the culprit. This dog will usually run away from the handler instead of to them, making the collar useless.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

John C., Saginaw.

Answer: If this is the only problem you're having with the dog, I wouldn't give up or get rid of her. By calling the dog back in to heel, you haven't conveyed your desire for her to hunt closer. What if when you were in school and every time you misspelled a word, your teacher made you stand in the corner but didn't tell you why you had to stand in the corner. You might have never figured out what she was trying to accomplish.

This problem, like most, is easier to fix earlier on in the dog's life. After five years, most problems are now behavior patterns which take much longer to solve. The command I use is ‘stay close' and it means just that. Ideally, I teach this command when the dog is young and before I have taught the dog to heel. I usually teach this command during the same time that I'm teaching the ‘whoa' command, or as with retrievers, when I'm teaching them to sit on a whistle command.

When a dog is young and full of life, walking on a lead can be a tug-of-war exercise. Young dogs may strain at the leash, pulling to get ahead. Now, the traditional methods say to put a choke or pinch collar on the dog and snap her back when she pulls while saying ‘heel.' A sharp pull will discourage her from pulling and after a few trips out, she will stop pulling on the lead. I have several problems with teaching the heel command too early in a pup's life. A pointing dog that is heel-broke before it is whoa-broke and is steadied on birds will heel when the check cord is put on. A dog that is heeling next to you isn't searching for birds.

While a young dog is in the pulling stage, I firmly but not violently pull on the lead while saying ‘stay close.' I use a regular safety collar, not a pinch or choker, which I would use for the whoa or for heel work. A few good, hard tugs with a choke or pinch collar stops most dogs from pulling altogether. This command takes weeks to set into place and needs to be transferred to off-lead in open fields, same as the ‘whoa' command. It is more of a nagging command and not an abrupt, about-face as with ‘whoa' or ‘heel.' You also need to vary the length of the cord that the dog is allowed to walk with. A few minutes at two feet, a few minutes at ten feet, then maybe a few minutes at six feet, all the while firmly pulling back when the dog tries to pull forward. Some dogs need to be pulled quite hard to get their attention but do not go to a pinch or choke collar. When transferring this to off-lead, you need to use some leg slapping and non-verbal communication.

With an older, heel-broke dog, you may not have much luck with this since the dog is no longer pulling at the lead. In this case, I use the stop to the whistle command that is popular with retriever trainers. Years ago, I was guiding some older fellows on a planted bird hunt. They wanted to hunt pheasants and were planning to use a flusher. I did my best to talk them out of releasing all of the pheasants for fear that the old timers wouldn't be able to keep up with the flushing dog. Hunting with flushers had always been a foot race for me with the dog flushing a fair amount of birds out of gun range.

This group of gray beards never moved faster than a slow walk. As the dog got birdy on my first set, I tried to hurry the group up and into position. The owner of the dog gave a long blast on his whistle and the dog sat obediently. The handler then turned to me and said “son, we've been hunting pheasant for more years than you have been alive. Will you please be quiet and stay back behind us?” “Yes, sir,” I replied, and I proceeded to watch these three old timers get every one of their birds while never once breaking stride. Every time the dog looked as if it had bird scent and was out of shooting range, the handler would hit his whistle and put the dog on sit until they could get into range so that he could then release the dog to hunt on.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Danny R., Marquette.

Answer: There are several rescue organizations who place dogs that need a good home. Once you choose a breed, you should contact the rescue people for that breed and register with them. Check your local shelter for contact numbers. The rescue people will contact you when a dog that fits your needs becomes available. Another way to find a less-expensive dog is by adopting from your local shelter. This may require you to keep regular contact with the shelter until a dog becomes available. Many breeders are sympathetic to young people in your situation and may consider selling you a pup at a reduced price. It doesn't hurt to ask. I'll let you know if I come across something.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Tom and Sharon W., Lansing.

Answer: Simple solution, pick the best parents for hunting and pick the best pup for pet qualities. When it comes to hunting, genetics are the most important factor. You must see both parents in the field to make this determination and, of course, accomplishments in competitive events help to determine this. Once the right parents are found, the job of picking the right pup is much easier. Look for happy, outgoing, confident, and friendly. Not too sleepy or active. Basically, the middle of the road. Remember, puppies aren't usually a mixture of the two parents. They tend to take after their mother of father. Negative traits in parents tend to show up in the offspring. Good luck.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Michigan Bird Dog Training 

Dave R., Brighton.

Answer: The short answer is yes. This is like enrolling a four-year-old child in junior high instead of preschool. Your ‘trainer,' and I use this term loosely, is more concerned with getting your money than training your pup. A four-hour class for a young pup is about three and a half hours too long, and eleven pups in one setting is ridiculous. This is just one of the problems with the current crop of seminar-givers. Most of them will not take on a dog to board and train because then they'll have to prove that they can actually train a dog, rather than just lecture you on their opinions. You'll find that most of the current seminar-givers aren't recognized by any organization as bonafide professional trainers, nor do they have any titled dogs in any venue.

Leave your money in your pocket and take your pup on a nice walk for some playtime until she grows up a little more. The ‘introduction and encouragement' stage starts at about six months of age. Actual training starts at about eight to ten months of age.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Steve R., Toledo.

Answer: First, my endorsement isn't for sale. Period. I don't take money for endorsements because I think that makes you just a paid spokesperson, not an unbiased authority.

Secondly, I don't need to use anything but the most up-to-date, reliable product out there, regardless of cost. Good grief, Steve, while you're selling insurance Monday through Friday, I'm out in the field, training dogs. I use this equipment six days a week throughout the year for both business and pleasure. I need equipment that'll take much more abuse than yours will ever see. I could sell or use anything currently sold on the market, and I've chosen Innotek.

Now, for your other concerns. Sixty levels of stimulation is a marketing ploy. I've found, through years of experience and thousands of hours in the field training dogs, that four or five levels is all that's needed. The difference between fifty-one and fifty-two is negligible.

The long-range collars are for horseback dogs in big, open country. If your dog is a mile away in Michigan, he's lost, and shocking him won't bring him back. A collar should range out at least a quarter mile to be useful. We don't use long-range collars, and my dogs will range out three to four hundred yards. If the cover is thick, the range of the collar will be affected. Hills or rolling terrain can interrupt the signal on any of the collars. In thick cover, I don't want my dogs ranging out further than I can hear the beeper.

Beepers, like all training equipment, have come a long way over the years. From the old ‘Tracker' units that sounded like a truck backing up, they've evolved into remote-controlled units that change modes or sound a locator signal from a small hand-held transmitter with hundreds of yards separating the dog and owner.

A bell will fail you when you need it most, when the dog's on point. Unless you make your pointing dog hunt at flushing dog range, a beeper will come in handy anytime the cover is thick and you can't see the dog, especially for the peace of mind of knowing that Fido is just twenty yards away in the tall grass.

The warning tone preceding the shock should be either the sound of your voice, or your whistle. The electronic warning tone, that can be set to precede the shock on some collars, is only useful with extremely sensitive dogs.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Walter P., Brighton.

Answer: Well, Walter, I've seen you shoot, and I agree! Sporting clays used to and can still be good practice for bird hunters. The sport originated with the idea that the bird hunters could have some off-season fun and improve their wing-shooting, using the same gun they hunt with. In the beginning, targets were thrown to stimulate real hunting situations and shots. Guns were held in a port position, meaning low gun, as when hunting, and couldn't be mounted until the target came into view. Now, let's step into today's game. High gun mount, meaning your gun is mounted on your shoulder when you call for the target, is standard practice. ‘Sporting clay' guns are all the rage. Many courses are tuned to trick shots and clay target enthusiasts offering small windows of opportunity when it comes to seeing, reacting, and shooting at targets. Many of the shots you will see on sporting clay courses today aren't good shots to take when hunting because they're poor-percentage shots that will cripple more birds than they'll kill. They five you little snap-shot openings, thus the need for a high gun mount to keep scores up. Many of the shots don't offer sufficient time to see the target, mount the gun and shoot it when using a low gun.

The clay target enthusiasts have taken over the sport. Let them go back to the mechanical sport of trap and skeet with all targets travelling at the same speed in the same predetermined direction. I wish at least some of the courses would focus on hunting shots for practicing hunters. Who cares if the clay target enthusiasts find it too easy? Tell him to use a low-mount gun. You and your friends could get together with hand-throwers and make your own sporting range. If you continue to go to the sporting clay courses, use a low-gun mount and don't be concerned with scores. Practice the shots you'll be using during the hunting season and try to skip the stations that are trick shots and double shoot the better ones.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Restrain the dog and then throw your training dummy a very short distance. Now release the dog and say the fetch command. It is important to use something the dog finds interesting. A balled-up dirty sock, a favorite toy or anything the dog has shown interest in carrying. If the dog brings the retrieving dummy all the way back, then give the release command and take the dummy.

If the dog does not pick the dummy up, then move on to the hold command. With the dog sitting, hand the dummy to the dog and say fetch. If the dog does not take the dummy, grasp its bottom jaw, holding its lip over its teeth and roll the object into the dog's mouth. Now hang on, because many dogs will struggle at this point. You may need to be behind the dog for a better angle on restraining any escape. Try to hold the object in the dog's mouth until it relaxes a little. When the dog relaxes, give the release command and take the object.

If the dog retrieves the dummy the first time, then you can assume the dog has good retrieving instincts. If it does not, then you can assume retrieving may be secondary to the dog. Either way, do not over-do the early retrieving work. Two or three reps at a time is enough. If, in a couple hours you have the time to try again, do so. This is best if done twice a day for two short reps.

The command you should work on the most for the next two classes is the hold command. Hand the dog the object and say ‘fetch.' If the dog does not take the dummy say ‘fetch,' force the dummy on the dog until it relaxes a little, all the while saying ‘hold.' Then give the release command. Be as gentle as possible through out this exercise. Remember to praise your dog often. Use a firm but gentle voice and if the dog is telling you that it cannot do any more right now, stop for awhile. Coating the dummy with a little food or juice from cooked meat may help. Soup may work also to make the object more interesting. You will find smaller objects are easier on the dog. Short reps, not making the dog hold for very long, and praise will help.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Tina K., Lansing.

Answer: Your first lesson in dog trainers should've been an eye-opener. Anyone who wants to can call themselves a professional. Lesson number two is ‘don't mistake opinions for facts.' The trainer who told you that you're getting a late start and that you've missed out on any golden moments in training is a scam artist. I've had to share the microscope at outdoor fairs with the b.s. artist and I heard his mumbo jumbo firsthand on how you need to get your twelve-week-old pup to him for sessions before it's too late. This is simply a case of economics. The trainer needs the money. The first six months should be spent on bonding and playtime with most pups. 

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Paul R., Traverse City.

Answer: Start by running the two pups together now. Let them play and have fun. First and foremost, going hunting is going for a long walk together off-lead. Now is the time to start this. Do not let either pup dominate or bully the other. Work on ‘sit,' ‘stay,' ‘heel,' and ‘come' with the retriever, and ‘whoa' and ‘come' with the setter. Pups at this age have an attention span of only a few minutes, so keep your sessions short and try to do them twice a day. Introducing dead birds, preferably quail or pigeons, at this age is also good. You must work with the pups separately on birds. Keep the pup on a check cord while working with birds until the pup shows you it will bring birds to you. This early play training can help you later on, but please remember that these are little puppies and serious training will come later when they're seven to eight months old. Contact me then for more help.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Sam R., Holt.

Answer: How about showing him more birds? Animals learn by experience. From the sounds of it, you have done very little training and none with birds. Either go to a preserve or buy some birds and release them for your dog to hunt. You should do this several times before you evaluate your dog's desire to hunt.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Joan Y., Lapeer.

Answer: Buy a collar that has a name plate with your name, address, and phone number (or numbers) riveted on it. Forget the tattoo and have your vet install a microchip in your dog. Most of the vets and shelters have the scanners to read the information on the chip. The collar is an immediate source for information if someone finds your dog. The chip will help if the dog is recovered by an agency or if the collar has fallen off.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training