Trainer is back from Montana and then tending to a family situation. We hadn't been in the field for MONTHS! Just working on a few things on our own when we could and of course obedience. When we got there he was wild and tried to take out a small bird, like a starling or something.

Grabbed a live duck and headed into the hilly field for a somewhat easy retrieve at about 100 yards. Tossed the bird on the side of a hill and he nailed that one. Nailed the next one, too. Decided he was good to to go to the harder field, which has lots of cover. Trainer stood under a tree in the shadows and tossed the bird across into a stand of trees about 80 yards out, then 100, and nailed those ones as well. Last year this field was more of a challenge.

So, big changes from last summer to now. He's definitely matured a lot and his confidence has grown. He's really beginning to blossom. Field trainer was blown away after not seeing him for so long. Nice to see that he's coming out of his shell. Going for his JH this year, training for the SH.

Here he is, curled up next to me on the sofa in front of the fire after a day of retrieving ducks in the pouring down rain. Wish I had pictures of him in the field, but the only other person out there was a 90 year old guy delivering ducks and he just couldn't deal with an iPhone.


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