I'm sure TRAD was so happy to be out working again. They don't understand the idea of letting an injury heal before getting out there again. Sounds like a happy day for all!
Aye Mates,
T'is been a long week of rest for TRAD. Me lad sustained a cut on ne of his front left toe pads whilst we were training last weekend and I knew he needed to stay off of it as much as possible to give it ample time to heal. Initially I irrigated the wound with a syringe and water to flush out debris picked up during training afield and controlled any subsequent bleeding. Throughout the week I have made daily applications of veterinary antiseptic ointment and kept me eyes open for any signs of infection with none noted and improvement toward healing being continuously observed.
TRAD and I trained with REV yesterday for the first time in a week. It seemed as though he might jump right out of his skin with excitement as he saw me gathering some training gear in preparation. Me plan was to train on grass fields and to avoid working in corn lots and heavier cover with lots of "stick ups". We met with REV and his owner on a large farm property to work on multiple marking drills using remote wingers to throw marks. Me wife and the son of REV'S owner (Nick) ran the wingers for us from which we tossed frozen pigeons.
I purposely kept TRAD'S sending on marks to just a few and chose to use the time to work him on "honoring" of REV as he was drilled on double marks. TRAD was rock solid on his "honoring" drills and was subsequently rewarded with sends on a few multiple marks and a couple of relatively shot blind retrieves, all the whilst keeping a close eye on him for any signs of re-injury with none noted.
Both REV and TRAD had a blast during our session yesterday with strategic focus on each individual dog's needs planned out much prior to heading to the training grounds. T'is clear TRAD is back in his groove and ready to hunt once again.
I have made plans to get out on a hunt for Canada Geese tomorrow as flocks of the big migrant birds are showing up in our area now. TRAD loves hunting geese and he will be on cloud nine if meself and me gunning partners connect on some birds and put TRAD to work. :-)
TRAD is a very happy lad in working Canada Geese as seen in this series of photos taken during his "rookie year" during the hunting season of 2014.
I'll do a follow up posting of tomorrow's hunt if we are able to pull one together.
Cheers Mates,
TEAM TRAD
TEAM TRAD PRO STAFF
DUBLIN DUCK DYNASTY
Joanie Madden, Mary Bergin, Adrea Coor, and Nuala Kennedy, each an Irish whistle goddess in her own right.
I'm sure TRAD was so happy to be out working again. They don't understand the idea of letting an injury heal before getting out there again. Sounds like a happy day for all!
Sue
Chase 9/29/2006- 6/30/2017 Always in our hearts
Lark 12/25/2012- 2/2/22
Henry 7/14/18
Joey 5/14/2022
“Because of the dog's joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift. It is not the least reason why we should honor as well as love the dog of our own life, and the dog down the street, and all the dogs not yet born. What would the world be like without music or rivers or the green and tender grass? What would this world be like without dogs?”
― Mary Oliver, Hidden Content
So hard to keep a good dog quiet while healing. Glad TRAD is back in his groove and having a grand time working with REV.
Good luck on the hunt. I know if you hit a goose it will be brought to hand by trusty TRAD.
Hidden Content
Kissing Bandit
Glad to see he's healing quickly. Great photos ... Poor TRAD's mouth was barely able to hold that Goose. Love how he looks so proud of himself ... "Look what I brought ya!"
Good luck hunting tomorrow
That bird is bigger then he is. Great update on Rev
Gorgeous dog.
Hidden Content Hokule'a ("Hoku") / b. 06.08.15
Aye Mates,
Me thanks to ye all for ye most kindly comments.
Slan go foill,
Irishwhistler
TEAM TRAD PRO STAFF
DUBLIN DUCK DYNASTY
Joanie Madden, Mary Bergin, Adrea Coor, and Nuala Kennedy, each an Irish whistle goddess in her own right.
Team TRAD is back in the Saddle!
I love the first pic of TRAD. He has that completely focused, no BS look on his face.
DW and I went to Cabela's this past Sunday, and they had the Dokken Geese there. It amazes me that a Lab can pick one of those big boys!!!
Seems to me that TRAD and REV are well on their way to being quite a pair of retrievers!!!!!!!!
Barry,
In actuality, most of the geese TRAD handles dwarf the Dokken training geese both in weight and dimension. TRAD handles Honkers with no worries, even the cripples on the water which can be quite challenging. I expose dogs early on to handling "cripples" (wing clipped mallards) on the water. That training helps a young dog learn the various escape behaviors birds will employ to avoid capture and simultaneously builds confidence and drive in the young retriever. By the time my gundog recruits are in actual hunting situations they have had lots of exposure to live birds on the water and intimidation is not a factor.
TRAD in hot pursuit of a wing clipped mallard simulating a send on a crippled bird which can regularly come up in actual hunting scenarios. Retrievers that have been exposed to birds during such drills are much less likely to be intimidated in the pinch of actual hunting situations. The time to train is before the hunt rather than during the hunt.
TRAD and REV both thrive on live bird work!
Slainte,
Irishwhistler
Last edited by IRISHWISTLER; 12-16-2015 at 11:32 PM.
TEAM TRAD PRO STAFF
DUBLIN DUCK DYNASTY
Joanie Madden, Mary Bergin, Adrea Coor, and Nuala Kennedy, each an Irish whistle goddess in her own right.
barry581 (12-16-2015)
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