Northern Minnesota Winter Dog training

[ironrangegemneye]

I am working with my first little male lab. He is now 11 months old and had a fantastic hunting season this past year with hunting grouse about a dozen times, pheasant 5 times, and duck about 8 times. I don't want the things he learned through the fall and summer to get rusty.

Does anyone have any training methods that they work on over the winter months? The few things we have been working on are short retrieves and lots of whistle command work while going for walks in the woods. I have shoveled straight paths in a field for short retrieves on his check chord and am thinking about using the Double T also, along with some pile work.

I want to get the most out of this winter and want him to be ready for more rigorous training and work in the spring.

I have used both Water Dog and Game Dog by Richard A. Wolters. Both books were very helpful from the time I got my pup at 7 weeks old. Also, both of the books remain on my night stand next to my bed so I can open them up and review their content.

I also have the Total Retriever series by Mike Lardy and have begun reviewing that content. My plan is to use it in the spring once the snow disappears.

[ldcoyle]

Winter is a great time to introduce a young dog to blind retrieves. Do some pile work using a bush or other marker and progressively move back 10-15 yards at a time. All he sees in a field of white is the bush and it builds confidence.

I started out using Wolters, but have moved to the British method used by Wildrose Kennels www.uklabs.com They have a good DVD. Good luck.