Deke's River Training

This summer, Deke, the DU mascot, has been a dog on the go with two trips through Wildrose Arkansas River Training facility on the way to our summer training grounds on Clear Creek Ranch in Granite, Colorado. The purpose of our annual journeys is to afford a variety of training environments.

The Little Buffalo River, Northwest Arkansas, is an excellent environment for rugged river basin training with thick cover and rock, many big river rocks. Clear Creek Ranch in Colorado at 9000 ft. has no snakes or ticks. Training includes fast, cold river water, thick willow marshes and sage brush country.

Training retrievers for moving water is a requirement for many waterfowl hunters. Their dogs must be prepared to handle a variety of unique conditions created by streams and rivers. Deke, as with his senior partner, Drake, must be prepared to meet any challenges that DU might confront on one of their hunts across the country, so river introductions are imperative.

We have presented four river lessons which Deke has mastered this summer on his trip West.

Prerequisites:
The student is well accustomed to whistle signals and hand signals. I assure you, handling will be required.

Also, ensure that the dog will stop and hunt cover on command. Deke found himself hunting for feathered Wildrose bumpers in thick marshes, willow slashes among rock boulders and mud flats. Emphasize that the nose knows.

Deke's river training lesson objectives:
1. Catch a moving bird on water:
a. A floater in moving water
b. A swimmer

2. Retrieve across moving water to the opposite bank. Hold the line to the mark despite the effects of current.

3. Recover falls that drop up stream in the current. The marks won't be where they fell as expected.

4. Recover marks that fall downstream in the current.

The most significant lesson for Deke to learn: the effects of current.

Film: Floater downstream
Lesson 1: Deke is learning to chase a floater or a swimmer… a moving bird. Notice the delay before the release. A delay reinforces steadiness plus it is allows Deke to learn patience and focus while effectively keeping his eye on the moving bird. Secondly he is learning the effects of current. The location of the fall in moving water will not be where the bird will be found. Keep the eyes up and move downstream. We are training an effective hunter here.

Film: Across water
Lesson II: Introduce across the water retrieves before marks in the water. Notice the bumper hits a boulder after it disappears from Deke's line of sight, bouncing back toward the stream bank.

Deke's perception of the mark… it's in the willows. The result: an overrun. After I allowed a short, close hunt, I signaled him back toward the stream. Still, he fades a bit short of a hunt area. Again, another whistle, hunt back and this time he breaks the bank. When he hits the scent line, watch the tail action.

Film: Heel Work
Lesson III: Don't forget heel work in the stream. Deke must stay with me despite conditions or my varying gait, up or down stream, off lead, under control. A disruptive dog could be quite unwelcome fording a slippery stream bed.

Film: Retrieve Downstream
Lesson IV: Retrieves both up and downstream. Deke must learn to drive out hard in the most direct path to the bird's fall, watch the surface for the drifting bird, then compensate for the current to make the pick.

He takes the most direct path to the fast-moving bird to overtake and intersect its path. Practice marks and floaters both up and down river.

Training in moving water is valuable, exciting and enjoyable for both the retriever and handler alike. Deke is now twelve months old and preparing for DU's hunting adventures this fall...hope there's a river involved!!