"Ken Fortenberry" wrote

down pat, but those two ducks yesterday disabused me of that
silly notion.



NO DOG IS EVER FULLY TRAINED

put another way, there is always a level of distraction that will cause the
animal to ignore commands ... they ain't machines ( thank goodness ;-)

the goal is to gradually increase distractions in your training always
insisting on proper response until you get control at the level of
distraction actually needed ... it's a LONG process ... So

just keep pluggin' Kay's most important job is improving your daily
life, and I get the impression she's doing well, on average, at that task.
Working your dog, both teaching and well planed training is great fun

A pro is not for everyone, and generally speaking, a recreational hunter
with the time, energy, place, and inclination to work his own dog will gain
a satisfaction from his animal no pro training can ever provide.

Before you send her off to boarding school ... look for local amateur
trainers with proven ability at, say, hunt tests ... and ask to hang around
and watch My guess is that there are dozens of people within a short
distance of you that would love to have you throw some bumpers for them and
would be willing to help you in return



NOTE: You can learn from everyone ... but often what you'll learn is how
NOT to do things ... trust your gut. Many 'trainers' including some pros
are people that I'd never let touch a dog ... look for happy, as well as
obedient, working animals before you put much faith in the methods of others