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Cold water retrieving

3K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  Kirk Keene 
#1 ·
I have a lab male trained to doing advanced work for hunting ducks but doesn't necessarily like the cold water and he is a little sensitive.

I just got him back from a trainer and hunted him with just 3 of us in the blind the first day and he made some nice retrieves. The next day their were 13 hunters in the blind along with 2 other dogs and my dog didn't leave the dog ramp when I sent him. Not the same dog as the first day of hunting. I talked to my trainer and he said that having 13 hunters in the blind along with 3 other dogs was asking a lot from the dog in his first season. He said having 13 hunters in the blind had to sound like World War lll when they shot, not to mention the commotion of having 3 dogs in the blind.

Any suggestions?
 
#4 ·
Bring less people, no other dogs and you leave you gun in the case. Maybe even a bucket of rocks
If the water is cold the dog might start no going on blinds.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Yes, follow the advice of your trainer.
Where are you that you think the water is too cold?

Maybe it's not the water.
 
#7 ·
How big is the blind that will hold 13 hunters plus a couple of dogs? All are probably shooting 3 1/2 magnums and empty their guns for each flight.
That wouldn't be much fun for me either.
 
#9 ·
Maybe just me, But I would NEVER hunt with 12 other people in the same blind. I find that utterly ridiculous. There is no way to determine who shot what, and the chances for a shooting accident are huge.

To address the cold water aspect, it is October. Unless you are hunting in northern Canada, the water isn't cold yet. Talk to me in December about cold water.-Paul
 
#10 ·
13 hunters in one blind, plus 3 dogs. There is your answer right there. As everyone else said, listen to your trainer. But back to the 13 Hunters in one blind, why would you or anyone hunt like that? What good can from that. That just sounds like a total goat rope to me, and no Fun as Wayne said.
 
#12 ·
I too just got my girl back from our trainer earlier this month. Hunting season opens this Saturday. I have two hunters (my older son's) going with me. My trainer advised me to sit with my pup away from the blind or laydown blinds maybe 30-40 yds. I will keep her steady, which she already is, but in her first hunt, she may need some extra help. So I am not even taking my gun. If she does well on Saturday, on Sunday I may bring my gun and coffin blind, but that will be a wait and see...how she does. I have spent a lot of money and time getting her trained to where she is now. I am not going to do anything to un-train any of what she has been taught. But I guarantee you I will have tons of fun watching her work and my boys shoot....

If the hunting is poor, I will have bumpers and the boys can help me give her some good training....either way, it will be fun!
 
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