Help your dog find more downed birds
Most avid duck hunters know the value of having a dog that can handle. A retriever that can handle will find more downed birds. And will make the task of retrieving them easy work.
But training your dog to handle is not an easy task. Many retriever owners struggle with the task. They may teach their dogs a few of the basic handling drills, but the dog is not getting the full picture and therefore, is inconsistent in the field.
The struggle is understandable. Much of the confusion comes from not knowing the steps necessary to get your dog fully handling.
Training a dog to handle is done through a series of drills, and each drill builds on the previous one. Therefore, each drill must be done in the correct order if your goal is to have a fully functioning handling dog in the end.
In this post I will cover the steps necessary to teach your retriever to handle. I will give you the big picture, a mile-high view, of what the process should look like. I will not be covering the drills in depth, as that would take a book. But I will give links to any drills for which we already have a post written.
Why would I want my dog to handle?
Not everyone needs a handling dog. If you only upland hunt, there is generally no need to teach your dog to handle. But if you are an avid waterfowl hunter, if you hunt in a group with multiple hunters, or if you often shoot down multiple birds and your dog is not always able to see them all go down, then you should consider having your dog trained to handle. It will make hunting more enjoyable. And from a conservation perspective, you are not losing any, or as many, downed birds.
What are blind retrieves
There is a lot of confusion with the term blind retrieves.
Let’s start with what a blind retrieve is not. A blind retrieve is not when your dog cannot find a bird, so you throw a rock in the area to get your dog to run or swim to that area. Technically, this is still a mark since your dog is running or swimming to the area where you threw the rock.
A blind retrieve, rather, is any time you send your dog for a bird/bumper that he has not seen thrown or shot down.
There are many reasons your dog may not see a bird go down. He may have been in a bad position with reeds or another object obstructing his view. Or you shot the bird down while your dog is retrieving another bird. It could also happen if you shot down multiple birds and your dog’s memory just could not keep track of them all.
Any time you need to send your dog for a bird or bumper that he/she did not mark, or see fall, is a blind retrieve.
How long does it take to teach a dog to handle?
This is the million-dollar question. And the answer is a long time.
Even after a dog gone through all the drills, has learned all the commands, and has practiced blind retrieves, it still takes time to build the confidence necessary to do the job well.
Most professional trainers can train a dog to handle in around 7 -12 months. But that handling is still at the most basic level. Only time and experience will make your dog a fully functional handling dog. And the more you handle your dog, the better he will get.
The training to get a dog to the level of handling in the field is painfully long and riddled with days of progress followed by days of regression. It is rarely a straight line. But if you follow the steps, in the correct order, and don’t skip any, you will get there.
Training a dog to handle requires a series of drills that teach the dog to operate in tandem with the handler or owner. These drills each teach a different concept and have been tested through the years. Following the steps is vital.
Hand signals for retriever dog training.
When we are talking about a dog handling, we are talking about a dog that can run out for a retrieve he has not seen fall. Once the dog is out in the field, the handler blows a whistle to make the dog stop and turn and face him. From that point, the handler can use hand signals to direct the dog to the downed bird.
This takes immense trust from the dog. And that trust must be earned.
Trust is earned through the series of drills that got the dog to this point, and through tons of repetition and practice where the dog is directed to a bird (or bumper), gets to retrieve the item, and bring it back. This is the retrieving part that the dog loves. If you want a great handling dog, you must put in a lot of practice handling.
Is the order of the drills important?
Most people who struggle to teach their dog to handle, struggle because they have not followed a plan to train their dog to this level. A plan is vital, each drill builds on the next one. A dog must be taught one skill before he/she can be moved to the next level. So, yes, the order of the drills is very important.
Teaching retrievers to handle drill order.
This post will give you the order of the drills needed to teach your dog to handle, it will not tell you how to do each drill. If we have a post detailing a drill, I will direct you to that post to learn more about how to train your dog using the drill. If we don’t have a post, You-Tube is a great resource, but make sure you follow someone who is a professional trainer with experience you can verify. Unfortunately, there are many people on You-Tube that have very little experience in what they are teaching you to do.
Basic handling drills
The following drills are in the order they should be taught. If there is any fluctuation in the order that is acceptable, I will note that in the description.
3-Hand Cast
Teaching your retriever to handle starts with the 3-Hand Cast Drill. This drill teaches the basic commands and hand signals to your dog. It teaches your dog to watch you for direction and teaches them the basic commands of OVER and BACK. You can learn how to do this drill in this post.
Line to Pile/Force to Pile/Sit to Pile
The second drill is pile work. Pile work will help your dog acquire the basic skills of going out on command, stopping on a whistle, and coming in on whistle. This drill is done on mowed grass or very low cover and with a pile of bumpers that the dog can see. The dog will be sent repeatedly to the pile.
This drill follows a progression: line to pile, force to pile and sit to pile. Each of these concepts will be needed when you move into the next drills. Watch for a post on this drill and some videos on our YouTube channel.
Double T
The Double-T drill uses all the skills you covered in the first two drills, only on a bigger scale. This drill generally takes two to three weeks to complete. You will need a large, flat field approximately 100 yards long and 40 yards wide. The cover should be mowed grass or very low cover. This drill reinforces the two previous drills in a bigger scale.
Swim-by
Swim-by is the drill used to teach handling in water. It also is used to teach a dog to go straight in the water and not cheat the entry. The ideal swim-by pond is a rectangle approximately 15 years across and 45 yards wide.
Additional handling drills
There are a couple of additional drills that have a slightly more flexible timetable. These drills can be done with the basic handling drills above or they can be done a little later during the transition or field handling drills.
When you choose to do these drills may depend on the temperament of your dog, and timing things you cannot control such as weather (snow cover, cold water, etc.)
No-No Drill
The No-No Drill is generally used to teach a dog to go straight back in a line and over an obstacle, rather than running around it. It can discipline your dog to take straight lines. It also helps your dog understand the need to make good choices. By calling the dog back each time he makes a bad decision (to run around the obstacle) he learns that there are expectations on his behaviors. You can learn more about the No-No Drill here.
Wagon Wheel drill
The wagon while is a lining drill involving a circle of bumpers with the dog and handler in the center. It teaches your dog to move with you and therefore helps you when lining up your dog for a blind. You can learn about this drill here.
Moving yard skills to the field
Once you have taught your dog the basic yard drills above, you are ready to move to transition drills with your dog in the field. The transition drills take the skills you taught your dog in the basic drills and transfers those skills to the field.
There is a long list of transition handling drills and an order in which they should be completed. I will be posting a second post with this information soon.
Following a training plan that is proven
Much of our training program is based on Mike Lardy’s Total Retriever program. However, he trained dogs for field trials, which is a much higher level than many people need their dogs to operate on. If you are interested in seeing the full flow chart of Mike Lardy’s training plan, you can download it here.
In addition, if you are looking for a great and proven training program, Mike Lardy’s is one of the best. You can purchase his program here. We recommend this program of our own accord. We are not compensated in any way for this recommendation. It is just a program we highly trust.
What can I expect from my dog after completing handling training
When your dog completes handling training, you can expect your dog to understand and respond to whistle and hand signals in the field. This means that when you send your dog for a blind (unseen) retrieve, he will run out from your side on a BACK command, stop when commanded by whistle and turn and face you, watch for your direction given via hand signal and sometimes a combination of verbal command with hand signal, and take the cast you give. Through a series of casts, you can direct your dog to the downed bird that he did not see fall.
Final thoughts on Steps to teach your retriever to handle
Training a dog so that they can handle in the field is a huge undertaking, but it is much easier if you have a plan to follow. Following the steps necessary, you can train your dog to handle and then hunting will be a true team-sport that you two can enjoy together.
Remember, if you really want your retriever to grow and progress this year but doing the training yourself sounds overwhelming or maybe your schedule is just too busy to get it done, I’m here to help! You can email me (ottertailkennels@gmail.com) or just give me a call. I would be happy to discuss your goals for your retriever and tell you about the programs I offer.
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