Training a good duck hunting dog is a pursuit that builds an unbreakable bond between the owner and the dog. To begin with the dog must have a solid foundation of obedience once it has matured beyond the puppy stage. It is helpful to ensure the dog spends as much time as possible in the outdoors, getting plenty of exercise and honing its native curiosity.
The hallmark of a well-trained duck hunting dog is the ability to locate a bird the dog did not see fall. This requires a unique trust between master and dog. The dog must learn to trust that the handler will direct him to the fallen game.
Hunting dogs are first taught how to fetch the bird and return directly to the handler. After that the dog is taught to take a straight line to the bird. The importance of this skill is to teach the dog to take the most direct route to the bird. It is also the means in which you can keep control when he is far from you in the field. It will be well worth your time and effort to teach this skill as the results will reward you over and over again in all kinds of hunting situations.
To begin the process let your dog watch you put a dummy in the field. Walk back about 30 feet from the planted dummy and send you dog to retrieve it. Repeat the exercise backing up further each time until your dog is able to take a line across the field.
To challenge your dog more, add an additional line, your dog will be tempted to return to the original site, but teach your retriever he must go and come back on the new line.
If you have a started puppy at about 6 to 8 months line drills can be introduced. These lessons help reinforce basic obedience as well as teaching your dog to go where you send him.
Teaching your dog to respond to hand signals is another important skill for duck hunting dogs. for example, your dog suddenly veers off course the dog can be stopped by a whistle command and wait until the hunter gives a hand signal which directs him back on line. It is important that the handler place the dog in the most advantageous location to retrieve the bird. Learning to work together as a team is the ultimate communication which results in the greatest satisfaction for both dog and handler.
Dogs have long been used as man's assistant when it comes to hunting. Because of their great loyalty and natural ability, dogs excelled at helping the hunter gather food for his family. There are many different breeds of dog used for duck hunting, all classified in the Sporting Group by the AKC registry.
Bird dogs generally fall under one big category because waterfowl seasons generally overlap; many hunters hunt a few different types of birds when they're out in the field. The dogs excel with sight and scent, and they're able to see and remember where a downed bird fell, and use their nose to assist them in finding it. Man's best friend has become and indispensable resource to the bird hunter. Some of the different breeds used are Clumber spaniels, the American cocker spaniel, English springer spaniels, German wirehairs, Irish water spaniels, and the Nova Scotia duck trollers. These dogs are all unique and exhibit slightly different characteristics, and choosing the right one for the job is mainly a matter of the hunter's preference.
Bird dogs date back to the times of the very first settlers to the New World. The Europeans brought dogs with them to America because they knew their value as a hunter's companion. Some of the first dogs brought to America were the mountain curs, and American coon hounds; Hernando de Soto's journal is the first written record of these hounds in America. Unfortunately, the journal also said that these dogs weren't just used for duck hunting, but also for hunting Native Americans.
In the late 1800's the role of the bird dog changed; bird dogs became the thing for "sporting gentleman" and many quail preserves developed to accommodate this new pastime. This morphed bird hunting from a necessity for sustenance, to a sport for enjoyment. Titles, contests, and money became popular motivators for the highly bred gentleman. It was around this time that the first National Championship Field Trial was held in Massachusetts, sponsored by Hobart Ames. Soon, many of the smaller competitions led up to this annual event. Grand Junction, Tennessee is home to the original National Bird Dog Museum honoring more than 40 breeds of dog used throughout history.
While these bird dog competitions still take place today, duck hunting has returned as a hobby too. Duck hunting is still known as a "gentleman's sport", but only because of the great respect and high standards a duck hunter has for his hobby, not because a hunter needs a big pocketbook to participate.
Both Jean Smith & Abhishek Agarwal are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jean Smith has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pets, Recreation and Sports and Pets. Jean Smith competed in field trials during the 1970s turning professional in the early 1980s. She has condensed years of retriever training experience onto two DVDs. Jean focuses on the fundamentals, detailing each step on how to train a retriever.. Jean Smith's top article generates over 880 views. to your Favourites.
Abhishek Agarwal has sinced written about articles on various topics from Surveys, Camping and Camping. Abhishek is a long-time Hunting addict! Visit his website and download his FREE Hunting Report "Plan The Perfect Hunting Trip...On. Abhishek Agarwal's top article generates over 368000 views. to your Favourites.