Amateur trainers (myself included) often worry most about the holy trinity of gun dog problems—water shyness, gun shyness, and bird shyness. Oodles of manpower have gone into making sure pups never show any of these dirty traits. But often overlooked is a problem that’s more common than all three...a lack of a desire to retrieve. And like most problems encountered in the gun dog game it’s often the result of poor training practices. (For a point of focus we’ll zero in on dogs that are roughly 6 to 8 months.)

According to Mike Stewart of Wildrose Kennels (and breeder and trainer of Duck’s Unlimited Deke and Drake), unless you have the wrong brand of dog for the job, say a Golden that has been show-bred for three generations, you need to “look unto yourself” for the root of the problem. You may have administered a few bad corrections during a retrieve and the dog now thinks its safer not to fool with a dummy. Or, more likely, you bored the dog to tears running countless marks in the same cover—over and over and over again. Here are a few ways Stewart would correct the problem:

1. Sometimes simply switching up your bumpers will help spur pup’s drive. Stewart suggests anything from fire hose type bumpers to tennis balls. When Pritchard started to slack off and lose interest a few months ago I moved from an orange dummy to a Dokken’s DeadFowl Trainer and the difference was outstanding. I also began to limit the number of retrieves per session, keeping her wanting more.

2. If your dog still resists try sitting him at the top of a hill and bouncing a tennis ball down the hill. Keep him steady until he’s ready to burst and then send him off.

3. If the above tactics don’t work, it’s time to give your pup some alone time. Stewart will put a dog in the run for two weeks. He visits the pup just to feed and water it. Chances are, when you take the dog out of the run he’ll be happy to do anything you ask. But make sure you start your retrieves in a new area (not where the original problem occurred) and with a new type of dummy. And don’t overdo it.

In most cases, these tricks will reignite pup’s enthusiasm for the retrieve and hopefully he’ll never lose it.

If you’ve encountered this problem or have different solutions feel free to share. When it comes to dog training, the more ideas the better.

I’m partial to my whistle. It’s a hand-me down from my older brother, who bought it in 1986. It has tooted for two Labs, one Golden, and now for Pritchard. It’s an Acme whistle with a pea, and the human teeth marks on it prove it has seen some good times and bad. But I often wonder if I should be using something bigger or newer or just plain different.

To get an answer I called my friend Steve Snell, owner of Gun Dog Supply. Snell owns 13 dogs (a mix that includes retrievers, pointers, and brittanys) and keeps six whistles in his truck. “And I always have two whistles on me,” he says. “Because one day I actually shut my whistle in the gate of the pickup.” Here’s what he had to say about your choices:

Distance and Volume: You need to ask yourself in what type of situations you plan to use your whistle. A retriever trainer who will be working on long blinds needs a whistle that has the power to carry, such as a Roy Gonia. A flushing dog trainer doesn’t need a whistle that will cover insanely long distances. In those cases an oblong Acme whistle would work fine.

Pea or No Pea: A pea in a whistle allows you to trill, which can be a helpful command. Snell uses a trill when he wants his pointing dogs to quarter. But a pea can freeze if it gets wet in cold conditions, and then you have nothing to toot. Precisely why duck hunters working in extreme weather prefer a Fox 40—a pea-less whistle that has mega power. (It’s also the brand used by professional refs in the NFL and NBA.)

It’s Your Choice: Even though some whistles are better suited for different situations, Snell still feels there’s room for personal preference. There is no such thing as a magic whistle…just solid training.

Be Consistent: No matter what whistle you choose, to get the most out of it you must be consistent with your tones and know how to blow it. For most of us, we’ll never need more than three whistle commands.

So, I’m sticking with my old whistle. It’s got history and it works. How about you? Swear by a certain whistle? Any tips I left out? Let’s hear about it.

I’ve heard it said that a good duck dog at work is poetry in motion. Well, let’s see how many duck dog owners know poetry. Our contest is simple. Give us your best Haiku involving a duck dog—past or present, real or fictional. The winner will receive an Echo Prime Meat Call worth a whopping $140 and seen in the pages of Field & Stream.

Wondering if a Haiku is a poem or an order at a sushi bar? Here’s a primer. A Haiku is a three-line poem that doesn’t have to rhyme. The only rule is that the first line has five syllables, the second line has seven syllables, and third line has five syllables. Other than that, you’re free to express yourself any way you wish. The poem can be from your point of view or the dog’s or even the duck’s.

To kick things off, here’s a little verse I made up about Pritch in honor of the contest:

Our first duck season
Is fast approaching, Lord help
It should be a sight

And here’s one my wife, Jenny, wrote to help inspire you:

Don’t worry, even
Though I do spoil pup she will
Still retrieve that duck

The contest begins today and will end next Thursday (10/29/09) at midnight. I’ll announce the winners on Friday (10/30/09). Just write your Haiku in the comments section below (one per reader).

Have fun with it. And good luck!

PS—The gun dog photo contest is still ongoing. Click here to learn how to win the Remington shotgun.

As bird season ramps up all over the country it’s inevitable that some dogs will get lost. Nowadays, high-tech, dog-tracking systems have helped to curb wayward pups but not always. And not everyone has the dough to fork out for these fancy electronics. But according to Steve Snell, owner of Gun Dog Supply, the most important tool for getting your dog back home is its collar, specifically the brass nameplate on its collar.

Snell should know. Gun Dog Supply has shipped thousands of collars to dog owners across the country. And he’s got a pack of his own gun dogs that he also keeps tabs on. In short, the man knows dogs. Here are his rules for nameplates and what belongs on them:

No Name: Never put a dog’s name on the nameplate. Why? Because there’s no need for it. As Snell says, once someone is close enough to read the nameplate there’s no need for them to call your dog by name. Also, omitting it leaves room for more valuable information (see below). Besides, a dog can be stolen more easily if the dog-napping punk knows its name.

The Essentials: It’s crucial that you list your name, at least two phone numbers, and your hometown and state. Your street address and zip code aren’t necessary. “How many people are going to drive your dog home,” says Snell. “They’re going to call you.”

Double Up: The most innovative thing Snell does is put two nameplates on each collar. This allows him to fit a load of information on a collar.

More Phone Numbers: With two tags, Snell puts more phone numbers on the nameplate. For example, include your cell phone, home phone, office phone, and even the phone number of a close relative or hunting buddy who will know what to do if they get a call about your lost dog.

Offer Something: With more room on the nameplate it’s not a bad idea to list REWARD IF FOUND. This helps add some urgency to cause at hand…which is getting your dog back. And besides, says Snell, “No one has ever taken the money I’ve offered when they’ve found my dog.”

I’ve had a dog or two lost before and I sure as heck don’t want it to happen again. I’m sure some of you have had the same experience. Here’s hoping we keep ‘em close this season.