Bear Country Retrievers and Gun Dogs

08/02/2023

Copied from my friend, Baron, from Team Wetland Retrievers in Alaska. A reminder that you cannot skip steps in your training program.

09/22/2022

This drill should be in everyone’s tool belt!

The Y-Drill is an effective tool you can use to sharpen up marking accuracy, and help your dog distinguish the difference between angle back, angle in and flat throws.

06/30/2022

This is a great tutorial that Pat Burns gives about blowing a whistle. It is something that a lot of my amateur handlers have a problem with, and this clarifies how to blow properly using the diaphragm muscles.

Can your dog hear you when you blow the whistle? What if they are a great distance from you, breathing hard and lunging through water?Learning the proper me...

05/13/2022

03/03/2022

Well, it's almost Spring and that means we will all get in high gear to start or restart training! I know that most of you will agree that the dogs are more than ready to get going.

I leave for South Carolina for the month of March and have groups coming in each week. There are only limited openings as I am pretty full, but it doesn't hurt to ask me about where I could possibly put another handler or two.

I will be back in Tennessee after the first part of April and groups will resume here at the Retriever Retreat. Two of the four weeks in April are already full, but there are some openings mid month.

I will be in Tennessee all of May and June.

Carol Cassity will be doing an Advanced Drill and Set Up Workshop here the weekend of June 10-12 and while most of the Handler spots are full already, there are unlimited Auditor spots and if you are signed up as an Auditor and a Handler spot opens, you will get first refusal. In addition, anyone that is registered for that weekend will be welcome to train with me the following Monday and Tuesday.

Thanks for your continued support, I sure love what I do!!!

05/14/2021

A lot of people have asked how to get into a group that comes out here In Tennessee. We are unique in that the trainers that come here to train also can stay on site which makes for a much more relaxing experience.

I do not advertise as such. The majority of my business is by word of mouth. I do not do seminars per se. I don't want to have to stick to one subject when my trainers have many issues with themselves or their dogs. This way, it is day training and we address the training needed for those particular dogs and handlers.

If you are interested in coming out to get professional coaching for YOU, the handler, there are several ways to schedule time.

1) Send me dates that work for you and I can see if there is an opening to either join an existing group or if I am going to be in town for those dates. I can always build a group around the time you can come.
2) Schedule a time to bring your own training group or breed specific group of up to 6 people. I try to keep groups small as I want to make sure everyone gets the most out of their time here.
3) If it is more conducive to have me come to work with your own training group in your location, that can be arranged with advanced notice and my availability. Some folks have me judge their club's hunt test or WC/WCX tests while I am in town to make their dollars go a bit farther in having to bring me in.
4) I am in Camden, South Carolina for the month of March and schedule groups to come down there to get a head start on Spring training.

I have had the opportunity to work with some amazing people and dogs. Thank you all for all the referrals and continued support.

12/14/2020

Reminder for my students to register for Pat Burns’ two day free webinar on Line Mechanics for Success.

First one is this evening at 8:00 eastern.

Its’ Almost TIME!! I am sooooo excited! (Long email alert- AND so exciting) Hey, friends!! It’s Robin (Creatrix of Fun Officer @ Elite Retrievers) having a blast with Pat’s email today!! I am sooooo excited for so many reasons. As you can see above, Pat and I have been taking some time with th...

10/06/2020

To all of my students, read this and think about everything I tell you when we are training. Good read!

I’ve seen a lot of amateur trainers simply run their dogs on the setup and totally let slide on the fundamentals. They don’t pick up on or read what the dog is doing or thinking. The handler gets so into running the setup that they forget to “run” their dog. Letting laxed obedience slide. Not heeling or sitting properly. Creeping, not stopping to the whistle. Loopy sits. Auto casting. Not taking a cast. All these warrant some form of thought out timely corrections.
When training it’s all about teaching concepts while maintaining standards taught in early basics. The fundamentals of go, stop and come. Without them you don’t have a foundation to work from.
Timing is a crucial part to making corrections. An easy example is telling your dog to sit 3 times before you follow through with a correction. For me, the correction comes after the first sit if the dog is making no effort to do so. I want a timely sit. Not a dog thinking about doing it. The command should have value the first time it was heard.
That very reason leads into the problems I see in owner/amateur trained dogs. Teach the obedience then maintain your standard in all circumstances. At home and in the field.
It will make training easier and a lot more enjoyable.