by Charlie Jurney
Photo Credit: Matt Toth Photo
The majority of training up until this time has focused on a dog trusting us more than his own instincts. Now it is time to allow those instincts to do what is natural by encouraging the dog to hunt. For that reason, I wait until this point in my flowchart to start upland training. I need the dog’s instincts suppressed to some degree so I can accomplish the noninstinctive technical work required to complete the handling program and comfortably run difficult blind retrieves.
I have done it many different ways in the past and found that turning a dog loose to trust his instincts early in the training program is not a good idea. It is extremely rare that I see a dog not eager to get out in front of me, put his nose to the ground, and look for the scent of prey. They all do this naturally, so my job is to put some guardrails up on the hunt and control the dog when a bird is gunned.
In my NAHRA days of hunt-testing, we were required to run an upland series that asked a dog to hunt, flush a bird, and remain steady to wing/shot/fall until sent to retrieve. Right behind that, the dog was given a trail to follow with his nose and find a dead bird at the end. The dogs loved this test as they were getting to do what Mom and Dad passed on to them, except for a few. Those were dogs that had been overly corrected by their trainers for using their noses while running blind retrieves. In essence, they were pressured for using their noses to the point where they decided or were conditioned not to trust that instinct.
My job was to put them into enough birds and reward them for following their noses until they understood it was again safe to do so. Poor and abusive training caused the dogs to turn off the one instinct a dog has that we do not – smell a bird. I loved working with those dogs. I got to see the light bulb come back on and the dogs become excited about the scent of prey. These dogs emphasized the point of turning off instincts in an excessive training routine, something I want to avoid. In my flowchart, I don’t turn them off but don’t turn them on until now.
The skills required for a finished upland hunter are very basic. The dog has to hunt under my control at a distance that allows a reasonable shot at the bird. When a bird flushes, the dog must remain under control by sitting, the preferred action, or standing still as the bird is being shot, and remain steady as the bird comes down. Finally, the dog makes the retrieve when sent by me. Pretty simple stuff, right? Ask anybody who runs the HRC Grand when they get to the fifth series how simple it is. The upland test is the last thing to do before getting the coveted Grand Hunting Retriever Champion title, and those dogs have been breathing fire for the previous four days running complex marks and difficult blinds. A dog that has been well conditioned to the upland skills is mandatory, or all of the impressive work from the previous days is for naught. Likewise, an opening day pheasant hunt in the Midwest can be a pleasure with a dog that is prepared, or a train wreck.
Read the rest of Charlie’s introduction to upland training in the upcoming April/May 2025 issue, mailing later this month! What else will you find in this issue?
Season One: Waterfowling. By E. Donnall Thomas Jr.
Southwestern Fun. By Chad Incorvia
The Bond That Binds. By Steve Smith
Upland Training: Part One. By Charlie Jurney
How One Dove Hunter Funds Conservation. By Terry DeDoes
Training Champions: Water marks with a pheasant flyer. By Danny Farmer
Waterfowling North America: Purple bullets. By Doug Larsen
The Vet’s Office: Health clearances. By Dr. Ben J. Character
The Wingshooter: Confidence patterns and other things. By Steve Smith
Do It Yourself Duck Dog: Turning rookie challenges into a plan. By Ryan Eder
Product Review: Orvis Recover Zone Dog Beds. By Jake Smith
Subscriber Photos
Your Dog & You: Less noise, more birds. By George Hickox
The View From the Pier. By Casimer “Cas” Cecum
