Aye Mates,
I spent the last two days getting "MAC", our newly drafted Labrador Retriever gun dog recruit adapting to his new home and the routine of living with TEAM TRAD. I am happy to report that the wee lad is transitioning nicely into our family and has really entrenched himself deeply within our hearts already. MAC is taking well to crate training both within our home and when traveling on the road. MAC has also been a true dream pup with regard to housebreaking and I attribute much of that to the efforts of our breeders Kari and Mike.
MAC did his first "marked single retrieve" in me hallway yesterday, all doors shut to assure his first attempt would be straight out and straight back with no detours taken into rooms off the hallway. MAC ran his first attempt like an old pro. His return to me of the small stuffed mallard dog toy was greeted with lots of praise and physical contact which he just thrived on. A total of three retrieves yesterday, all were done in fine puppy style by MAC and I certainly left him wanting for more. The old Dog Whistler was most pleased with wee MAC'S enthusiasm and looks forward to imparting the training that will foster MAC'S natural abilities and in sharing the journey that will forge wee MAC into a highly competent gun dog and hunt test K9 athlete.
So, continuing the momentum of MAC'S demonstrated enthusiasm for the retrieve of a small stuffed mallard toy yesterday, I broke out a paint roller and got the lad real excited / motivated today, MAC was on the roll, straight out to the mark of about 10 feet and straight back.
Nice form exhibited, MAC picked up the roller near dead center after a straight line taken to the area of fall, the pick up was made and a straight line back was made to yours truly where he was allowed to possess the bumper whilst a load of praise was heaped upon him.
MAC, a truly handsome yellow Labrador pup seemed to be "styling" during his debut into what will become a way o' life for the wee gun dog recruit. T'was all fun for the pup and a low key session that is indicative of a really nice natural retrieve was had. Natural abilities aside, MAC will undergo HOLD and FORCE FETCH conditioning when I deem it appropriate within his ongoing training with meself. Each dog is an individual and a competent trainer knows how to read the dog and to be flexible in meeting the specific needs of each individual dog worked with.
Given all o' me early observations made whilst MAC was retrieving the paint roller, I had a small DOKKEN training bumper that I knew he would be able to accommodate in his wee jaws, so I got MAC pumped up and gave it a toss, again MAC went straight out to the bird, adjusted it for carry, and returned straight back to me making the old Dog Whistler beam with glee for the aptitude demonstrated by the 8 week old pup.
So here begins the journey of MAC, a gun dog recruit of handsome conformation passed on to him by his dam AUTUMN and his sire TRAD. He most assuredly inherited traits from his sire TRAD that will translate well toward his training in making him a competent gun dog and a loyal and pleasurable companion.
I will update frequently so that those so inclined can follow the transformation of this wee yellow lad into a gun dog that lives to hunt both waterfowl and upland birds.
Faugh a Ballagh,
THE DOG WHISTLER 🍀🇮🇪🇺🇸
I spent the last two days getting "MAC", our newly drafted Labrador Retriever gun dog recruit adapting to his new home and the routine of living with TEAM TRAD. I am happy to report that the wee lad is transitioning nicely into our family and has really entrenched himself deeply within our hearts already. MAC is taking well to crate training both within our home and when traveling on the road. MAC has also been a true dream pup with regard to housebreaking and I attribute much of that to the efforts of our breeders Kari and Mike.
MAC did his first "marked single retrieve" in me hallway yesterday, all doors shut to assure his first attempt would be straight out and straight back with no detours taken into rooms off the hallway. MAC ran his first attempt like an old pro. His return to me of the small stuffed mallard dog toy was greeted with lots of praise and physical contact which he just thrived on. A total of three retrieves yesterday, all were done in fine puppy style by MAC and I certainly left him wanting for more. The old Dog Whistler was most pleased with wee MAC'S enthusiasm and looks forward to imparting the training that will foster MAC'S natural abilities and in sharing the journey that will forge wee MAC into a highly competent gun dog and hunt test K9 athlete.
So, continuing the momentum of MAC'S demonstrated enthusiasm for the retrieve of a small stuffed mallard toy yesterday, I broke out a paint roller and got the lad real excited / motivated today, MAC was on the roll, straight out to the mark of about 10 feet and straight back.
Nice form exhibited, MAC picked up the roller near dead center after a straight line taken to the area of fall, the pick up was made and a straight line back was made to yours truly where he was allowed to possess the bumper whilst a load of praise was heaped upon him.
MAC, a truly handsome yellow Labrador pup seemed to be "styling" during his debut into what will become a way o' life for the wee gun dog recruit. T'was all fun for the pup and a low key session that is indicative of a really nice natural retrieve was had. Natural abilities aside, MAC will undergo HOLD and FORCE FETCH conditioning when I deem it appropriate within his ongoing training with meself. Each dog is an individual and a competent trainer knows how to read the dog and to be flexible in meeting the specific needs of each individual dog worked with.
Given all o' me early observations made whilst MAC was retrieving the paint roller, I had a small DOKKEN training bumper that I knew he would be able to accommodate in his wee jaws, so I got MAC pumped up and gave it a toss, again MAC went straight out to the bird, adjusted it for carry, and returned straight back to me making the old Dog Whistler beam with glee for the aptitude demonstrated by the 8 week old pup.
So here begins the journey of MAC, a gun dog recruit of handsome conformation passed on to him by his dam AUTUMN and his sire TRAD. He most assuredly inherited traits from his sire TRAD that will translate well toward his training in making him a competent gun dog and a loyal and pleasurable companion.
I will update frequently so that those so inclined can follow the transformation of this wee yellow lad into a gun dog that lives to hunt both waterfowl and upland birds.
Faugh a Ballagh,
THE DOG WHISTLER 🍀🇮🇪🇺🇸
