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FINEST HUNTING SPANIELS BOULDER BROOK KENNEL BOX 1 MARKHAM, VA 22643 Wachtelhunds and Boykins |
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Training Tips for the Retriever
BOULDER BROOK KENNEL
BUYING A PUPPY
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Selecting
Your Pup: Use Birds <
http://www.northernflight.com/usebirds.htm> - Take a couple of pigeons when you go to
pick your next pup.......... |
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Hunting up a Dog Breed! How to find the serious Dog Breeder |
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Understanding Retriever
Pedigrees - Part 1 <http://www.northernflight.com/pedigree1.htm> The ancestry of the animal! Learn
to go beyond the names and titles to understand what the pedigree really
shows! |
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Understanding Retriever Pedigrees:
Part II - Health Certificates and Titles
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BEGINNER TRAINING
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Puppy Retrieving:
Getting Started <http://www.oakhillkennel.com/library/puppy1.html> , first published by Tri-Tronics, Inc. as Mark and Handle, May, 1999. Teaching a puppy to retrieve and fostering
development of the traits most desirable in an adult gun dog. |
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Getting Your Puppy
to Come Back <http://www.oakhillkennel.com/library/comeback.html> first published by
Tri-Tronics, Inc. as Mark and Handle,
July, 1999. Several strategies to try when your puppy experiments with not
returning with the dummy or bird on a retrieve. |
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Teaching Puppies
to Swim: With some Tricks for the older dogs too! |
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Introducing
Puppies to Birds, Water, and Throwers
<http://www.oakhillkennel.com/library/introbirds.html> , first published by Tri-Tronics, Inc. as Mark and Handle, June, 1999. Proven methods for introducing these
and other aspects of hunting and retriever training. |
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Obedience Training
<http://www.northernflight.com/rjobedience1.htm> |
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Obedience Training Part
- II <http://www.northernflight.com/rjobedience2.htm> |
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The Whistle
Sit <http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rjpart6.html>
Teaching the pup; sit on command, whistle-sit, sit and stay, turn and watch
the handler after sitting. Training the adult dog; introducing the electric
collar for "sit", using the collar on the rump, teaching the dog
that standing up "turns on" the collar, sit from motion while
heeling, sitting from a run, moving the collar back to the neck, adding the
sit whistle, whistle-sit during the come in, chaining-in other cues for
"sit." Using the whistle-sit in drills; putting things together,
don't accept a looping whistle-sit. The
Retriever Journal, October/November '96. |
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The Trained
Retrieve - Part I <http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rjpart1.html>
Preventing mouth problems, use of the training table, introduction to
"Hold", the "Drop" command, the "Hold" command,
holding the dumbbell, holding other objects, introduction to birds,
reinforcing "Hold" with an electronic collar, introduction to
carrying, the delivery to hand, "Hold" and carry on the ground. The Retriever Journal ,
October/November '95. The Trained
Retrieve - Part II <http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rjpart2.html>
Progressing to the "Fetch" command, fetch off the table, the
"three in a row drill", and "Fetch" off the ground. The Retriever Journal, December/January
'95/'96 |
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A New Step When
Teaching the "Hold" Command:
<http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj19.html>
Teaching the "Hold" command thoroughly, Teaching the dog to grip,
"Hold" until commanded "Drop", Firming the grip. The Retriever Journal, Jan/Feb 1999. |
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Force-Fetching
Without "The Collar" Part I
<http://www.oakhillkennel.com/library/force/force1.html> , first published by
Tri-Tronics, Inc., 1999. Understanding the challenges a retriever faces in
running a blind is the key to training a good handling dog. Force Fetching
Without "The Collar" Part II, first published in The
Retriever Journal, April/May 1998. Using the ear-pinch to condition a dog
to pick up a dummy on command. 6 explanatory photographs |
MORE ADVANCED TRAINING
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Developing Handling as an
Extension of Force-Fetch
-<http://www.northernflight.com/dhpart1.htm> Part I |
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Developing Handling as an
Extension of Force-Fetch <http://www.northernflight.com/dhpart2.htm> - Part II |
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Retrievers-ONLINE <http://www.retrieversonline.com/> , ed. Dennis and Fiona Voigt,
1457 Heights Rd., R R #3, Londsay, ON, CAN K9V 4R3 (705-793-3556) e-mail at:
<online@lindsaycomp.on.ca> If you can afford it I recommend getting all
of the back issues and keeping them in 3-ring binders. This provides a wealth
of information and there is an index updated in the February issue each year.
Wonderful training articles, test and club issues |
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"Remote Trainer"
<http://www.remotetrainer.com/> This is an online magazine
produced by Tritronics and edited by Alice Woodyard with lots of valuable
training tips, articles by respected and successful trainers, interviews, an
archive of the past issues, and interesting tidbits. This is worth a visit
several times each year for reviews, new motivation and to find new training
"toys". |
A Shot of Steadiness:
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Training Your
Dog to be Steady
<http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rjpart3.html> Introduction of the place board,
using a place board to teach the dog to be steady, staying on the place
board, going to the place board, adding distraction, transition from place
board to ground. The Retriever Journal, February/March '96
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Soft Dogs
<http://www.oakhillkennel.com/library/softdogs.html> , first published in The Retriever
Journal,December/January
1997-98. Dogs who can't take a lot of pressure in training--anecdotes,
stories, and tips on how to get the best from them.
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Teaching a Dog
to Mark-Part I: <http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj22.html>
Training for the "spot on the ground", some mistakes to avoid,
first things first: the joy of retrieving precedes "marking", the
elements of marking, staying focused on "the spot on the ground",
early marking, the thrower's job, minimize thrower influence after the mark
is down. The Retriever Journal,
July/August 1999. |
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Teaching Your
Dog to Mark-Part II, More Training for the "Spot on the Ground":
<http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj23.html>
Training the dog to look at the end of the trajectory, eliminating other
visual cues, importance of the thrower's job, minimizing the thrower's
influence on the 'marking picture". The
Retriever Journal , Sept/Oct 1999. |
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Teaching Your
Dog to Mark-Part III: <http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj24.html>
Introducing a pup to cover, lengthening a dog out, drills to teach a dog to
gauge the depth of marks, what to do if the dog fails. The Retriever Journal, Nov./Dec. 1999 |
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Teaching Your
Dog to Mark-Part IV, Double Marks on Land: <http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj25.html>
Beginning doubles, four points to remember when marking the young dog,
importance of lining, prepare using diversion marks and a blind, double
configurations to practice. The
Retriever Journal , Jan/Feb 2000. |
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Teaching
Your Dog to Mark-Part V, Common Marking Problems:
<http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj26.html>
Preventing and curing head swinging, overrunning, and switching. The Retriever Journal, March/April
2000. |
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The Training
Platform - More Tips
<http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rjpart5.html>
Using a platform to teach desired behaviors: waiting in the blind, staying in
the heel position at the line, delivery to heel, introducing the
"push-pull" drill, retraining the dog that "takes the steering
wheel." The Retriever Journal, August/September
'96. |
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Training Your
Dog to Cast
<http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rjpart4.html>
Advantages of casting to platforms; "Here" from the platform,
teaching left and right "Over" to a platform, combining both left
and right "Over," teaching "Back", combining
"Back" and "Over", combining all casts; what to do if dog
breaks or goes for the wrong platform. The
Retriever Journal, June/July '96. |
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Line Manners
Part I: <http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj18.html>
Exercise 1-Lining up at "heel" without getting out in front (use of
platforms), Exercise 2-Calling the dog to join you and arrive carefully!
Exercise 3-The leaving-the-holding-blind ceremony, and Exercise 4-Putting it
all together. The Retriever Journal,
Oct/Nov 1998. |
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Line Manners
Part II: <http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj20.html>
Good line manners help with marking, teamwork or a battle of wills-which will
it be? line procedures for multiple marking tests, retrieving multiple marks,
boiling over on line, the five basic skills required. The Retriever Journal, March/April 1999. |
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Initial Lining
Drills : <http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj09.html>
Teaching the dog to take the correct initial line, four-bumper wagon-wheel,
the 8-bumper wagon wheel, push-pull drill to adjust the dog's focus (focal
alignment), staggered 8-bumper wagon wheel, 16-bumper wagon wheel. April/May
'97. |
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Handling a
Retriever-Part I, The Handler's Job:
<http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj28.html>
Points out things a handler should do to give the dog the best chance of
seeing and interpreting the various casts, discusses using body motion, being
aware of background, and common errors. The
Retriever Journal, July/August 2000. |
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Handling a
Retriever-Part II, Recognizing Hazards:
<http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj29.html>
Discusses the various types of hazards: obstacles, diversions, contrary
conditions, distractions, and distance and how they influence the retriever's
ability to carry a straight line; use of sight blinds, permanent blinds and
picture blinds when training the beginning dog to run a straight line. The Retriever Journal, Sept/Oct 2000. |
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Handling a
Retriever-Part III, More Handling Tips:
<http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj30.html>
The blocking technique and moving up, Removing the option to quit on water
blinds, parallel shore blinds, handler tips to remember-"Over" to
the Ribbon, "Back" to the Truck. The Retriever Journal, Nov/Dec 2000. |
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Transition To
Cold Blind: <http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj14.html>
Uses several drills, done in the field to help a dog through the transition
to cold blinds. Includes long permanent blinds, "Go as sent" flag
drills, "Three-in-a-row, no squaring" drills, "Chair"
drills, and for dogs that need momentum "Pop-up" cold blinds and
"Swim to the other shore" cold blinds. the The Retriever Journal, February/March '98 |
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The Angle Back
Cast: <http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj31.html>
Teaching the angle back cast; incorporating the "Y" drill into
sight blinds, permanent blinds, picture blinds and cold blinds. The Retriever Journal Jan/Feb 2001. |
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The
"W" Drill: <http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj16.html>
The "W" drill is a drill that will help your dog make the
transition from yard work to a cold blind. Includes, setting up the
"W" drill, running the basic "W" drill (lining), running
the advanced "W" drill (casting), and correcting in the
"W" drill. The Retriever
Journal , June/July '98 |
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Handling
Patterns for the Retriever
<http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rjpart7.html>
The single-T pattern, the modified double-T pattern, benefits of the modified
double-T, start simple, develop stamina, don't forget the "Come-in"
whistle is an important cast. The
Retriever Journal, December/January '96/'97 |
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Sight Blinds and
Walkouts <http://www.northernflight.com/sightandwalkouts.htm> |
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Obstacle
Training on the Modified Double "T" Drill:
<http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj10.html>
Teaching the dog to hold a line and not run around obstacles, correcting for
running around the obstacles and using the positive comparison method, adding
obstacles to the three parallel lines and the Modified Double "T". The Retriever Journal, June/July '97. |
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Hide the Duck
<http://www.northernflight.com/hidetheduck.htm> |
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WATER TRAINING
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Beginning Water
Handling: <http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj12.html>
The water "T", teaching a dog to tread water, casting
"Over" in water. The
Retriever Journal, October/November 1997 |
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Shorebreaking:
<http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj11.html>
Water is just one more obstacle; using the positive comparison method; Drill
No. 1, Trimming Corners; Drill No. 2, "The Channel Concept," the
importance of "concept" water. The
Retriever Journal, August/September '97. |
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Advancing
Handling In The Water:
<http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj15.html>
The "parallel to shore" drills will help your dog learn to
negotiate a better "angle exist" from water and will increase his
willingness to be handled close to a shoreline with out "bailing
out." Includes "Over" parallel to shore drill;
"Back" parallel to shore drill; and the "No squaring"
drill in water. The Retriever Journal
, April/May '98 16. |
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A New Way to
Teach the Swim-by: <http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj32.html>
Prerequisite training steps for the swim-by,shape of the swim-by pond,
swim-by drill using a place board, incorporating the "T" drill. The Retriever Journal, March/April
2001. 33. |
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River Hunting: Training a river dog starts
with the same basic or fundamental yard work.... |
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Boat Work: |
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Introduction To
The Channel Blind: Developing <http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj13.html>
and using channel blinds to teach the dog to accept staying in the water and
to condition him to the idea of the long swim, Beginning water re-entry,
developing a positive water attitude, correcting on the channel blind,
stopping a "yo-yo", and increasing the challenge. The Retriever Journal,
December/January 1997/1998 |
UPLAND HUNTING
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Upland Hunting
with a Flushing Dog-Part I, Sit to Flush: <http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj33.html>
Steadiness, the sit whistle, stop chasing birds, "volunteer" birds,
sit to gunfire and sit-to-flush. The
Retriever Journal, May/June 2001 |
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Upland Hunting
With a Flushing Dog-PartII, Quartering:
<http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj34.html>
Training prequisites, the figure eight pattern, casting, "punching"
straight ahead, the "draw" whistle. The Retriever Journal Sept/Oct 2001. |
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Upland Hunting
with a Flushing Dog-Part III, Beginning Trailing: Teaching
the dog to put his head down and follow a track, adding bird scent to the
track, discusses speed, and the effects of wind and cover. Nov/Dec 2001 |
ESOTERIC, PROBLEM DOGS, PROBLEM MARKS
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Teaching a Lab
to "Point": < http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj27.html
> How to train a lab to "Point", creating the chain that
smelling a bird means stop, creating the fancy gun dog. The Retriever Journal, May/June 2000. |
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Is Your Dog
Working for You or is He Self-employed?: Prey Possession -What is it
and what to look for, finessing a pup, extreme excitability, adjusting the
working attitude, what to do---basic obedience, collar conditioning, and the
trained retrieve. The Retriever
Journal, May/June 1999. |
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When the Go Bird
is a Punch Bird:
<http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rj17.html> A
punch bird is one that is significantly further away than the other marks in
a multiple-marking test. What to train on, how to correct, being
conservative, primary selection. The
Retriever Journal , August/Sept.'98. |
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Bumpers - Canvas or Plastic:
What the Pros won't tell you! Professional
trainers have a secret they're not telling you! |
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I Really Don't Want To Do
This <http://www.northernflight.com/dontwant.htm> |
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How to Get Your Money's
Worth Out of Professional Training http://www.oakhillkennel.com/library/mw1.html The Retriever Journal, August/September
1998. Whether you decide to have your dog trained at Oak Hill Kennel or
elsewhere, read this article! You will get better value for your training
dollar, learn what to expect from a pro, and be more likely to be satisfied
with your pro's work. (4 pages) |
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Conflicts in Training
<http://www.oakhillkennel.com/library/conf1.html> first
published in The Retriever Journal, September/October 2001. Our dogs face
inherent conflicts between different commands we teach them. Learn how to
minimize confusion and to make these conflicts work for you. (3 pages) |
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