Book recomendations

[Munster]

Hi, I was hoping I could get help with what books I need to buy for training for the UPT. I need help with the duck search as I am not sure really how to begin the training. Any help would be great!

[Munster]

Hm 23 views and no ideas? If books dont help how did all of you get started? Thanks

[Ruffshooter]

The NAVHDA Green book. It is simple and shows the training for the test. Not sure if it has how to start a duck search.

But here is what I do.

Your dog needs drive to go into the water to find something it does not see. So he needs to trust you, that when you send him there is something out there to get.

#1: Go to NAVHDA training days. Set your dog on the bank with you let him watch the other dogs do the Search and Marks.
#2: Your turn, bring your dog to the edge of the water, (assuming you have FF your dog or will retrieve reliably) have a helper release a wing clipped duck so your dog can see it, fairly close, quickly release the dog. Hopefully he will chase. Don't say anything, If your dog has chased for a while and there is safe distance between your dog and the duck and people have the helper or you shoot the duck. Have him bring it back (FETCH!!). Next time, have the helper throw the duck a little further out near some cover, still in view, have him or her chuck the duck up in the air, fire a blank, give the duck a few seconds to scoot away, release the dog.
#3: Next time out, set up some remote pheasant launchers on little Islands, set your dog up, pop a duck out of one of the launchers, fire your blank. Wait a few seconds, release your dog (fetch!!!) Hope full your dog will be out there looking for the duck, if he finds it and it becomes a chase the duck should be shot and retrieved, so a helper or you ready with the canoe and a gun may have to go and shoot it.
#4 depending on how your dog acts, and how much drive it has, this may be all it takes to get him out there searching when you give your retrieve command.

If your dog looses interest or gives up, a second launcher in the water, popped when the dog is facing it can jump start your dogs interest to keep looking.

You should also be doing the marks. And resending the dog. For multiple marks.

In my opinion, train for the UT, do not train for less. Your end goal is UT. So train for it, you may find your dog ready to run the UT, it is a small step up.

THis is a brief over view of what I do. Stuff will happen and you may have to adapt, to have your dog always have success.

[wems2371]

That's similar to what we do at our chapters training days. We've got some pretty tenacious ducks, so we'll often tape up one or both feet too, especially for the younger/beginner dogs. Just tape the webbing and it will take a little bit of the ducks swimming speed away. Tape comes off easy afterwards, and if the younster doesn't find his duck, we are sure to have a fresh dead duck waiting to toss--so that there is a reward. Then send a trained dog after the duck.

We tend to do a lot of searches before introducing the gun, and let the dogs catch the duck. However you do it, don't make the dog search forever, with no reward of catch/retrieve. I've seen that and it becomes frustrating for both dog and owner, and counterproductive IMO.

We have ducks that love to dive. At our May training day, after a duck dove, I thought we were toast. I was standing on a penninsula, not far from where the duck went under. It had already gone under a few times, but always popped up nearby. This time, after several minutes, no one could spot the duck. My young dog only has about 5 searches worth of experience, but kept searching both water and occasionally shore for several more minutes. I was starting to feel a little sorry for myself, that she wasn't going to get it done. Heck, she was 50' from where the duck went under and she started walking up the weedy bank. I'm thinking it's time to get the dead duck reward out and let some dog that knows what it's doing go find the duck. I think I about peed my pants and couldn't scream "good girl" loud enough when she came back out of the weeds 60 seconds later with that duck in her mouth. Sorry for the rambling, but it was another reminder to trust the dog.

I don't really have any book suggestions, as most things I've learned have been from senior members in my NAVHDA chapter during training days. I did do a favor for a GDF friend, and he sent me a copy of "Preparing a Utility Dog" by Larry Rogers. I haven't read it through, but what I have read makes sense.

[Munster]

Thanks for the replies. I ordered 3 books and this weekend is full of NAVHDA training days. One Saturday and one Sunday.
My dog has the drive. We hunted ducks with her last fall for the first time and she did well. She did find a duck that the guys thought for sure was lost. But I have not done any formal training we just put her out there. I wanted to get some real training on her for the search so we will be ready. She has also recovered 2 out of 4 deer we put her on the track of, but again, no formal training was ever used. So I feel like I need to start over on the track as well.
I had never thought about UPT or UT testing her so we never really furthred her training but now I want to go for it cuz obviously she has it in her.

[Ruffshooter]

Sounds like you have a good dog there. I would focus on the UT if that is what you like. You have a good base just need add polish and manners.