Finally got out..yes duck related

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First run of the season, duck hunting. My little Rhyka had me ear to ear grins all day. Understand my first hunter was a brag dog Chessie. So her bar was pretty high. Well, let's just say I'm very surprised, delighted in fact. I didn't get out enough last season, so I wasn't expecting much this year. Especially our first run. She's just amazing. Quiet in the blind/boat, she does get the "race horse shakes" but she waited to be sent, and she's just a cripple chasing monster. Just such a hard charger I couldn't believe it. I swear if she didn't do anything but retrieve ducks I'd be happy with her. Luckily I'm blessed and she has many, many other talents now. Anyway I was two shy, of a limit, and all five birds brought right to the side of the boat and into my hand. I wasn't even mad when I completely missed a blond mallard drake. My ugly dog had three hard, open water cripple chase downs. I watched her put her whole head under to grab one tough drake. If I didn't have a vest on her I know she'd of dived. Well, hopefully I get out a lot more this season. And I know this was a "ooohhh look what my dog can do", post, but it was a banner day for us. Birds worked good, I was switching back and forth from a new 20 gauge Nova I picked up on the cheap, and my Rem 870 12 gauge. Wind was cold and howling and overcast...just perfect! Take care you all...oh and in the middle of it all a buddy sends me a text of the Harli he got today...Sweet!-Seth
 
Seth, congratulations on your successful outing and new retrieve companion.

I've taught two labs to dive after crippled birds. Basically, just start working with a dummy held in your hand in shallow water to get the dog to put their head under water routinely to make the retrieve. As water initially flows into their ear canal the first couple of times, the dog may pull-back, just stay at it until it becomes comfortable with immersion. I eventually shift over to a weighted dummy that sinks slowly, and work the dog in shallow clear water. After each workout, make sure their ears are cleaned and dried, particularly if the water is standing and slightly stagnant-big advantage of doing this type of training in Lake Superior!
 
Seth, congratulations on your successful outing and new retrieve companion.

I've taught two labs to dive after crippled birds. Basically, just start working with a dummy held in your hand in shallow water to get the dog to put their head under water routinely to make the retrieve. As water initially flows into their ear canal the first couple of times, the dog may pull-back, just stay at it until it becomes comfortable with immersion. I eventually shift over to a weighted dummy that sinks slowly, and work the dog in shallow clear water. After each workout, make sure their ears are cleaned and dried, particularly if the water is standing and slightly stagnant-big advantage of doing this type of training in Lake Superior!
I taught my chessie to dive for bumpers in really clear water also. I just tied the brightest chrome end wrench I could find to the bumper. Both the bumber and wrench showed up against the sandy bottom. It worked really well. I'd just drop it off the end of the dock in front of her and away she went. I'm not sure I want to get that intense with my wire-hair yet he-he she only weighs 45 lbs. I'm still amazed she caught those cripples. She just doesn't look as fast of a swimmer, as the chessie was. But all things considered she's really not designed to be the perfect water dog, like labs or chessies. She's a long range, big running, upland dog. Heck, I had even taught my chessie to retrieve people. Can't see Rhyka being able to do that. What I have taught my GWP to do my chessie didn't was... blood track big game, shed hunt antlers in the spring, and tree racoons. Besides her bread and butter upland pointing. So she's much more versatile but everything is "does it pretty good" not perfect, but fair enough for me. A dedicated water dog you can really focus on just one thing... retrieves. My annual Veterans Day (Dad lets me off the ranch, since I am one) hunt is coming up. So if the stars line up I'll carefully, under the perfect circumstance, making sure it's dead, and not sending her if it isn't...see if she can handle retrieving a goose in the water. I couldn't get the geese to commit yesterday, but I only had two honker dekes out. On a side note many moons ago my cutter hoved two in the ice over the Edmund Fitzgerald. Pretty moving....-Seth Freeman
 
Congrats on the successful hunt with Rhyka. Nothing wrong with bragging on your dog when its a good one.

It sure if fun having a dog that can handle a lot of different hunting situations. Deuce would just as soon hunt upland but he will do the duck thing if he must. He's not so steady in the blind yet.

I didn't realize she was so small, 45lbs is a little GWP. I've noticed that the build of these dogs does not let them swim as fast as the true retrieves. The don't float the same. Even with his vest on Deuce's back is under water.

I hope she gets aa chance at a goose. Dogs love geese.

Tim
 
Oh yeah, does she bark when she trees coons? Deuce's loves squirrels and trees them nicely but doesn't ever bark at things like that. If I can get him to bark treed I'd be out hunting them.

I got a photo from the breeder I got Deuce from showing one of his litter mates. She has killed two coons and two coyotes while pheasant hunting this year. Yep these dogs can do a little of everything.

Tim
 
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