duck dog

[mudman]

Six month old yellow,
what do I have to do to make sure that he is some-what ready for the season?

[BBL Resident]

Make sure he/she knows basic commands (sit stay, come, etc) and do not hunt is a crowd and do not expect much.
What are you hunting for?
And have you introduced the pup to the sound of gun shots. Take him/her to a gun club and start playing with him/her in the parking lot and stowly make your way closer to the shooting line.

[mudman]

Oh yeah, I shoot trap up at my cabing and the little guy goes nuts(good way) I am just worried he wont fetch properly,
I am working with him daily though.

[BBL Resident]

Sorry "Duck Dog" Da.

With duck hunting make sure your dog is familiar and comfortable with the close gun shots. Als make sure you dog is familiar with decoys. When you train with him make sure you have decoys out and throw dummy's around the decoys. I have seen dogs get tangled up quit easily.

Also make sure you have a spot or your dog to sit and make sure he can see the decoys. Mine will sit tight and quietly if he can see what I see. They will wine and get antsy if they can't see out. Also make sure you have a safe way for the pup to get out and back into your blind (land or boat)

Make sure you dog is comfortable in the water and make sure the weather is not cold for your pups first hunt. Again, a one on one or two on one hunt will be less confusing for your pup.

Above all be patient he/she is learning just like you did on your first hunt.

Have fun and make sure your dog does too!

[WaveWacker]

I would also add that if possible don't let your pup see you throw out the decoys. A young dog is use to retrieving "things" that are thrown. This along with throwning dumbies in and around decoys will help in your pup not retrieving the decoys.

[duckbuster]

Put a bunch of decoys out in the yard and toss the bumper on the other side, making her run thru the dekes. Do that a few times then throw it right in there with them. Get her to know the difference in the yard NOT in the water.

GOOD LUCK & HAVE FUN

[Benny]

I wouldn't shoot to much trap around the dog just yet.You want the dog to look for falling birds or to mark incoming birds when you raise or shoot your shot gun.

Shooting trap just makes the dog go nuts for the sight of the gun and will be watching the gun not actually seeing birds fall out of the sky.So if you want to get this across start tossing up a dead bird and fire the gun as the bird hits the appex of the throw.

This way the dog will see a bird fall when a shot it fired.

As for hunting this fall already at only 6 months, that will be a tuff one.I would recamend just letting the dog tag along to see how it reacts, but don't command the dog to do any thing but easy retrieves.

If the dog is a fast learner it will pick up a lot just by seeing you shoot and retrieve the downed ducks.
Let it play with a wing or two to get the taste and sent down.

Your dog is real young yet, most dogs don't even start training till this age.

My Mandy is 10 months now and has been through a pro trainer and she still needs lots of work yet.I hope to get her onto a lot of birds this year, so by next summer we can get her a few hunt tests down.

Good luck, Benny