by: Geoff English

0:05 Have you ever had a dog that goes out on a mark, hunts a fall area and doesn't return with the bird? Well, if you haven't, sooner or later it will happen to you unless you teach your dog to preserve in the fall area.

Today I'm going to share with you a technique that I use to teach my dogs to trust their eyes and not give up on those hard to find birds.

0:22 The first thing you're going to need is the help of a thrower, a few bumpers and few dirt clods. Now, line up your dog like you're going to do a normal marking drill. But instead of throwing bumpers, you're going to have the thrower throw dirt clods. Now, release your dog on the retrieve, and have the thrower ready to toss in a bumper into the same area they threw that dirt clod when they're signaled.

0:41 Now make sure you don't let your dog hunt too long.  It's important to read your dog and be ready to slip a bumper into the fall area before he gives up on the hunt. As you do more and more of this drill,  you're going to find your dog's going to learn how to  reserve into the fall area. Slowly increase the time you let him hunt before you give him the retrieve.

Now, this is not one of those drills you want to do every day or every week for that matter. I usually reserve this drill for times I feel the dog is not hunting a fall area (whistle blows) with the intensity that I like.

1:08 As you can see, we're able to teach a dog to trust their eyes and not give up on those hard to find birds. If you practice this drill, you'll have a dog that'll hunt the fall area all day long until you call them off of the mark. For more information, videos and products to help you get the most out of your hunting dog, please visit us at GundogsOnline.com.

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