Author Archives: Jason Dommeyer

If you have read my previous articles entitled “The T-Pattern” and “The Wagon Wheel” you should have a good understanding about the beginning process of getting your dog to understand blind retrieves. Both of these drills concentrated on the foundation toward making the dog take proper lines, understanding which retrieve that you are demanding it to make, and realizing that you have control of your dog no matter where it decides to go. Now it is time to create distance when making retrieves — memory blinds.

Not too long ago, I had a customer bring his gundog to me to evaluate the dog’s level of desire. This guy wanted to know if I thought his dog had what it took to be a quality hunter. The first thing I wanted to see was the dog’s retrieving desire. As he threw the bumper for his dog, I heard the owner scream, “Fetch it up!”

In Part 2, we will look at more training tips for your young pup. Get your puppy used to both a leash and a check cord at any early age. The leash will be used both when walking your puppy, and when introducing some basic obedience commands such as “heel,” “sit” and “stay.” The check cord is also a very important part when working with your young dog. Here’s how to use them to get the best out of your pup.