Retriever Madness E-Book

Nona Kilgore Bauer

• Herausgeber: CompanionHouse Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Serie: Country Dog
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 158

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

Author Nona Kilgore Bauer begins Retriever Madness with a chapter called "Know Your Retrievers," and few know their retrievers like this expert author, trainer, and breeder. Bauer introduces the readers to the six retrievers recognized by the American Kennel Club, among them two of the most popular companion dogs in the world, the Labrador Retriever and the Golden Retriever, along with other superb overachievers: the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Flat-Coated Retriever, Curly-Coated Retriever, and Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. Geared toward readers who are interested in working with their retrievers in their bred-for capacity—hunting water fowl and upland game birds—Retriever Madness is the perfect primer to getting started in the field. The book offers advice on selecting a puppy with hunting potential, giving future owners insight on how to evaluate a puppy's birdiness, independence, prey drive, and personality. The chapter on bringing the puppy home gives recommendations for basic training equipment, including leashes, collars, dummies, whistles, starting pistol and the like. Amateur retriever owners who hope to hunt with their dogs will find excellent advice for training for the puppy's first twenty weeks of life, the most critical period for training any puppy. In addition to the basic commands (sit, down, stay), the author also explains the release command, whistle commands, forward and backward heeling, and wait. Four chapters are devoted to beginning field work, presenting diagrams and step-by-step instructions and covering such topics as puppy marks, throwing, water retrieves, steadying, force-fetching, marking, executing blind retrieves and more. The author offers remedies to commonly encountered problems in the field as well as a complete glossary of terminology that all readers will find helpful in understanding the lingo of the field retriever.

Leseprobe

EDITORIAL

Andrew DePrisco Editor-in-Chief Amy Deputato Senior Editor Jamie Quirk Editor

ART

Sherise Buhagiar Senior Graphic Artist Bill Jonas Book Design

The publisher would like to thank the following photographers for their contributions to this book: David Dalton, Isabelle Francais, Carol Ann Johnson, Philippe Roca, and Alice van Kempen.

Cover photos by David Dalton, Isabelle Francais, Carol Ann Johnson, and Philippe Roca. Diagrams by Tom Kimball.

Kennel Club Books® Country DogsTM Series

Retriever Madness

Copyright © 2009

An Imprint of I-5 Press™ A Division of I-5 Publishing, LLC™

3 Burroughs, Irvine, CA 92618 • USA

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Bauer, Nona Kilgore.

 Retriever madness / by Nona Kilgore Bauer.

   p. cm. — (Country dog series)

  ISBN 978-1-59378-732-5

  eISBN 978-1-59378-636-6

 1. Retrievers. I. Title.

  SF429.R4B38 2008

  636.752’735—dc22

2008033758

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Kennel Club Books®, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

Printed and bound in China

16 15 14 13 12 11 10          2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Contents

Introduction

CHAPTER 1

Know Your Retrievers

CHAPTER 2

Puppy Selection

CHAPTER 3

Puppy Comes Home

CHAPTER 4

Puppy Kindergarten: Lessons and Commands

CHAPTER 5

Beginning Fieldwork

CHAPTER 6

Force-Fetch

CHAPTER 7

Marking Concepts

CHAPTER 8

Beginning Blind Retrieves

Appendices

Glossary

Toxic Substances

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Author Nona Kilgore Bauer and her beloved FC/AFC Chances R Mein Schatzie, taking home a field-trial blue ribbon.

Introduction

Some thirty-odd years ago, I watched in awe as an English-bred Golden Retriever named Jolly Again of Ouillmette come roaring back with his duck, both fur and feather flying. All-Age Qualified in field trials, “Tuffy,” as he was known, was never happier than when he was doing his bird thing. By golly, I wanted a dog like that!

To the hunting aficionado, there is perhaps no sight more thrilling than a retriever running at top speed with his mouth stuffed full of his prized bird. Be it duck, pheasant, or other plumaged fowl, you could swear that the dog is grinning behind all those feathers. Seeing the retriever doing the job that he was bred for is what hooked me on this dog sport.

That magical moment with Tuffy introduced me to this fascinating retriever game and to the field trialers, hunters, and trainers, amateur and professional alike, who compose the human aspect of this sport. These are talented people who are passionate about training their dogs and have been generous in sharing their knowledge with other dog nuts such as myself.

This book is intended to guide the novice owner through the basic baby steps of training a hunting retriever from puppyhood through his first year. I agree with the many experts who believe—indeed have proved—that the foundation of a dog’s success is based on the quality of his training and exposure during his first few months of life. Like a newborn infant, a puppy is born with a blank slate for a brain, possessing only whatever natural instincts he inherited from his ancestors.

In years past, training was delayed until a dog was at least six months old, but that delay failed to take advantage of the opportunity to imprint a puppy’s brain with positive experiences. We were told that a puppy was too young to learn his lessons and we should let him just be a pup before we filled his head with rules. In the process, he learned bad habits that would be difficult or even impossible to erase, and the owners failed to teach the pup the good habits he would need for proper house manners and any future breed-specific jobs. Like a sponge, his little brain was ready to soak up new information, but we let him develop into “any dog.”

Fortunately this philosophy has changed, and puppy-training methods also have evolved, with most using positive incentives and rewards.

To successfully train your dog, you must first understand how a puppy learns and realize that you cannot correct a pup for behavior he does not know is wrong. You must first teach him what you expect of him before you can scold him for not performing a specific task. This will take repetition—lots of it—so the puppy can retain the information in his long-term memory.

What does all this have to do with teaching your retriever how to be a decent hunting dog? Without the right foundation, he will never reach his full potential as a hunting partner. A fair-to-middling hunter, probably, but he will not be the “wow” hunting dog your friends will gush about.

Beyond the basic training principles, we’ll also review important early retrieving lessons as well as the yard work and typical drills used by professional trainers and experienced amateurs. As in our basic puppy training, we’ll break all of this down into baby steps that you can understand and thus help your dog understand. After all, he’s the one this book is all about.

This book is not meant to be the be-all and end-all source on teaching your retriever how to do his job. There are as many methods of and books on retriever training as there are trainers—and that’s a lot. As an adjunct to this book, you may want to consult friends who are experienced amateur trainers or seek out professional trainers to supplement the advice offered here. How far you go beyond these pages depends on what kind of hunting partner you desire. Remember, no matter to what level of proficiency you aspire, the time you spend (or don’t spend) with your pup and the lessons he learns from you will determine how good—or great—he will grow up to be.

Before we begin, I’d like to add a word on the electronic collar (ecollar) as a training tool. Almost every recently published book on retriever training includes information on how to condition and train dogs with e-collars. Professional trainers use the collars, as do the majority of experienced amateurs. Now employed in obedience training as well as in fieldwork, e-collars, when properly used, are efficient and effective training tools. In many cases, they are more humane and less stressful than the old-fashioned methods with nagging collar jerks and the even harsher methods using riding crops and cattle prods (oh yes, they did!).

However, the e-collar does not teach the dog what he is supposed to do. The dog must learn the behavior first; only then is the collar used to reinforce that knowledge. Timing of the electronic stimulation is critical and requires a skill that can be acquired only with time and experience, usually at the dog’s expense while his novice owner is getting the hang of it. More important, one cannot dismiss the element of human anger—the handler/trainer gets upset with the dog’s refusal to do what he thinks the dog should do, when in reality the dog is not properly conditioned or simply doesn’t understand, and the dog is consequently shocked beyond all reason. I’ve seen it happen far too many times, so I can’t justify including a section on e-collar use knowing that even one person who reads this book might misuse the collar and abuse a dog.

For those interested in collar training, buy not one but several books that include detailed instructions on collar use, and find a seasoned amateur or professional to work with who is experienced with e-collars and whom you respect. When choosing that person, ask yourself whether his or her retrievers are happy, tail-wagging dogs who burst out of the truck or kennel with eagerness to go to work. If so, that’s a good sign that the dogs have been properly conditioned and that they accept the collar as a fact of life. I hope you will find and learn from one of these trainers.

Unquenchable desire to retrieve and love of water define all six AKC retriever breeds.

Chapter1

Know Your Retrievers

Hunter, house pet, major hugger. How better to describe the typical retriever, regardless of its heritage and breed type? Sharing a common ancestry, the six American Kennel Club-recognized retriever breeds were developed and bred over the past two centuries for the same purpose—to retrieve birds and deliver them to hand.

The Six American Kennel Club Retriever Breeds

All six breeds are water specialists who will retrieve birds shot over the water. So great is their desire to fetch those birds that they will happily break through ice in the coldest weather in their pursuit of downed waterfowl. They also serve on upland game birds and will quarter, flush, mark, and fetch; these are multipurpose hunting partners in a variety of fur coats.

Chessie puppies in shades of the three acceptable breed colors (LEFT TO RIGHT): brown, sage, and deadgrass.

“Partner” is an apt description, as retrievers are also very social creatures, each breed having been developed to work in tandem with the hunter. While the pointer works independently and often out of sight of his handler, the retriever hangs around, working within gun range so the hunter can take aim and fire. And at the end of a tough day in the field, the retriever will climb into your lap and share your popcorn. What’s not to love?

Of the six breeds, the Labrador Retriever has topped the popularity charts for more than two decades, with twice as many Labs registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) as Golden Retrievers, the next most popular retriever. The other four breeds are far outnumbered, which has in fact helped to preserve their purity.

Hundreds of books praising and comparing the unique qualities of retrievers have been written, read, and dissected by retriever fanatics and hunting aficionados. Given the volume of information out there, there’s no need here for lengthy discussions on individual histories or which breed does what best. This book will address another commonality, the training basics necessary to turn a typical retriever into a respectable hunting companion.

That said, you must also bear in mind the personality differences that exist among these six breeds. While the training methods are the same, each breed’s response to the methods will differ slightly according to breed-specific qualities. It will be up to you to factor those differences into your own training program based on the breed that you’ve selected.

Now let’s talk retrievers …

CHESAPEAKE BAY RETRIEVER

The Chessie may be the ultimate retriever in the breeds classified in the AKC’s Sporting Group. The only “true American” retriever, the Chessie was developed and bred on American soil (or perhaps water might be more appropriate). His superior duck-dog qualities are attributed to two Newfoundland puppies rescued from a shipwreck in the Chesapeake Bay in 1807. The male, named Sailor by his adoptive owner, and the female, Canton, went to live on opposite shores of the Bay area. Both became extraordinary “ducking dogs,” and although never bred to each other, their superior qualities were very carefully reproduced in their offspring. In the late 1800s, Bay Area sportsmen collaborated to establish a breed standard to perpetuate the unique qualities of the water dog known then as the Chesapeake Bay Ducking Dog.

Known as a superior duck dog since the early days of its development, the Chessie is still a highly prized hunting companion.

The Curly’s unique coat protects him in the water and all types of weather.

Today the Chessie is still known as a tireless worker who will retrieve for hours and dive into the coldest water. His easy-care coat, seen in several shades of brown intended to serve as camouflage, is water repellent and bur-proof, making him the ideal hunting partner. A powerful and courageous dog, he tends to be dominant and protective, thus requiring an authoritative owner who can maintain a leadership position. Although he is generally good with children, he is a roughneck by nature, so early obedience training is highly recommended.

CURLY-COATED RETRIEVER

The Curly-Coated Retriever could be subtitled the “Mystery Retriever,” as little is known about its true ancestry. Documentation from the fifteenth century refers to “Curly Coated Retrievers used for hunting” and “sagacious curly-coated water dogs” who were outstanding hunters and retrievers. Speculation about the breed’s origin persisted into the mid-1800s. Most breed historians linked the St. John’s Newfoundland (think Labrador), the Tweed Water Spaniel (Golden Retriever), the Irish Water Spaniel (a dog of ancient lineage), and the Poodle (formerly a hunting dog), since those breeds were evolving during the same period. Conversely, some breed aficionados proffer that the opposite is true, that the true genius behind those other breeds is the Curly.

The modern Curly is a natural “sports dog” who loves to swim, hunt, and retrieve. His tightly curled coat keeps him warm and dry in the coldest conditions. This is a high-energy retriever who requires lots of exercise and early obedience training. He will bond closely with his family but needs a good deal of attention and affection in return. Owners must remember that “boredom” and “Curly” do not belong in the same sentence!

FLAT-COATED RETRIEVER

Unlike that of the Curly-Coated Retriever, the Flat-Coat’s history can be traced to the mid-1800s, hearkening back to the St. John’s Water Dog from Labrador. Originally called the Wavy-Coated Retriever, the Flat-Coat was renamed during the late 1800s, one might assume due to the breeding and “fixing” of the breed’s sleek and no-longer-wavy coat. The breed became known for its elegance and graceful movement as well as its hunting ability.

The typical Flat-Coat is Mr. Personality, a happy, outgoing retriever who loves everyone he meets. He is an eager beaver who prefers to work closely with the hunter. Although highly trainable, he is slow to mature and known for spontaneous, clownlike, puppyish behavior, thus requiring patience and a firm but gentle hand. The Flat-Coat is not a populous breed, so a puppy can be difficult to find.

The Flat-Coat is a graceful and enthusiastic gundog who bonds closely with his human hunting partner.

The youthful exuberance of a Flat-Coat puppy lasts well into adulthood.

The Golden Retriever’s friendly nature, outgoing personality, and potential for many activities has made the breed one of the country’s most popular year after year.

With an innate attraction to water, most Golden pups are eager to take the plunge.

GOLDEN RETRIEVER

The myths surrounding the history of the Golden Retriever may be as famous as the breed’s true ancestry. Thought to have evolved from a traveling troupe of Russian circus dogs, the Golden was actually bred very purposely by a Scottish nobleman, Lord Tweedmouth of Guisachan at Inverness. An avid sportsman and waterfowler, Tweed-mouth bred a yellow Wavy-Coated Retriever named Nous to Belle, a Tweed Water Spaniel, with the intent of producing an all-yellow litter of superior water dogs. Tweedmouth diligently pursued his goal, consistently breeding to other yellow retrievers and crossing at times with other breeds. His breeding program and resolute selection process produced the now-famous progeny who are the direct ancestors of today’s Golden Retriever.

This very popular gundog has morphed into “everydog,” a sporting fellow who performs well in every type of canine discipline and competition. This is a hairy, high-energy canine who requires generous exercise and frequent grooming. He thrives best in an active household where he is a fulltime member of the family. Although still an excellent hunting companion, the breed has split into many distinct lines bred for specific purposes, and hunting hopefuls should seek out breeders who specialize in Goldens bred for fieldwork.

LABRADOR RETRIEVER

The Labrador Retriever, like the Curly-Coat and the Flat-Coat, hails back to the same family of gundogs that were developed during the early 1800s along the shores of Newfoundland.

Originally called St. John’s Dogs or Lesser Newfoundlands when they first arrived in England in the 1820s, they were prized for their tenacious retrieving ability, aptitude in and love of water, superior scenting prowess, and biddable disposition. From a sportsman’s perspective, what more could you want? They migrated to American shores in the late 1800s.

Unrivaled as a hunting companion, the Labrador is today enjoying close to two decades as the AKC’s most popular breed of dog. This is an all-around good fellow possessing qualities compatible with family and outdoor life—a happy disposition, a love of people, and a wash-and-wear coat requiring little grooming are just a few of the traits that make this dog attractive as a family companion and hunting partner. Blessed with an overabundance of energy, Labs need exercise and training or they will seek creative outlets for all of that exuberance. Hunters and potential owners should be warned, however, that the breed’s popularity has created a market for profit-seeking backyard breeders. The market is flooded with poorly bred Labs with health and temperament problems. Buyers should deal only with reputable and experienced breeders.

Labrador puppies are as adorable as they are popular, with the breed consistently ranking as the AKC’s top dog and a favorite family pet.

A solid training program will pay off in the field.

The smallest of the AKC retrievers, the Nova Scotia Duck Toller is a focused worker in a handsome red coat.

NOVA SCOTIA DUCK TOLLING RETRIEVER

For those who are unfamiliar with the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, the best introduction might be the definition of the word tolling. As described in Webster’s Ninth Collegiate Dictionary, to “toll” means to “allure, entice, or attract,” which is exactly what the little Toller does. Prancing up and down a shoreline, he lures the ducks flying overhead. Attracted by the activity below, the ducks swoop down and into the hunter’s gun range. The dog then retrieves the fallen game.

Your retriever goal is a partnership built on trust and communication.

Records from the fifteenth century describe little red-and-white dogs tolling in France and Holland. Tollers were also used in Acadia (now eastern Canada) during the mid- 1600s, and migrating Acadians later brought their Tollers to Nova Scotia. It’s believed that the Toller came to American shores in the late 1800s.

The Toller’s work ethic is deeply ingrained in the breed. This compact little fellow loves to work; indeed, he needs to work. He has tons of energy that must be expended to prevent destructive boredom. He’s smart and sociable, he loves to retrieve, and he is an excellent swimmer. He is a fun hunting companion who is intense and focused on his job.

Which Retriever Is for You?