By Gary Breitbarth of G&D Kennels

0:31 Announcer: GundogsOnline.com helping you get the most from your hunting dogs.

0:37 Now that we know the dog has mastered the obstacle, we're going to go in the field and use cover. We want to make sure that the dog a way to get around the cover and put these stakes in front of it so he doesn't take the path. The same stakes we used before, but we're not going to put a board down here. We're just going to use the stakes. We're going to start off the same way as we did last time, real close and work our way back.

1:09 The first step now will be throwing the dummy between the two stakes. If he decides to take the path here, he'll get a correction.

Hup. Fetch.

There's his comparison. He's going to get a correction for going around.

Heal.

1:33 Fetch. Heal. Fetch. Thatta boy!

1:52 The reason we want him to make sure he comes back, he's got to understand that no matter what he's gotta come through those stakes. If we go let him get by with that, then he's not going to understand the concept.

2:07 Fetch. Come. Good dog. Heal.

Fetch. Correction. Heal.

Now I give him my comparison.

Fetch.

Make sure he comes right in. There we go.

Hup. Heal. Hup. Fetch.

See which way he wants to go.

Thatta boy! Heal, heal. Fetch.

Correction. Correction.

Heal.

3:03 Now we'll move up closer, give him my comparison.

Fetch. There we go.

Now we'll challenge him.

Fetch. Good. Hup. Heal.

Notice I took two steps back. We're going to challenge him again.

Fetch. Good.

See how he's getting snappy about coming back the same direction?

Heal.

3:35 Now, you have to remember this dog is properly collar conditioned as well. So those little corrections, even though he spoke out it didn't bother him. He's just a little sensitive so he does a little yip to let you know.  The biggest thing we want him to do is understand that to go straight in which he did. He did not skirt the cover. He went right into it.

Now our next step will be to make the distance longer and longer.

Fetch. That's it.

4:16 Okay, the next concept we're going to add is the water. We're going to make him enter the water and then come back. And he's gotta come back between these two poles. We're going to keep the poles in the same place so he knows where they're at and get him used to coming out of the water and coming straight back.

4:37 (splash) Fetch. (dog splashes in the water) 

4:59 Hup. Hold!

One of the things they'll want to do is shake off right away. So if you see your dog starting to shake, just tell him hold so he brings it all the way in. And that way they don't drop it and shake. They learn that they gotta hold it and bring it to you.

Hup.

5:20 (dog splashes in water)

Hup. Shake.

This also can help your dog, hup, for angles. Like with this pond here, the way it's structured, the dog can take an angle and go around the pond. They learn to just to straight. This helps the concept.

5:45 If you want to make this concept a little more difficult, you can go further back. But make sure you have him go through these obstacles here. I'm Gary Breitbarth with G&D Kennels and Gundogs Online.

6:02 Fun bumper! (dog splashes in water)

6:09 [Closing]

6:30 Announcer: GundogsOnline.com helping you get the most from your hunting dogs.