I know the tension between deer hunting and dog training/waterfowl hunting . . . Max is in need of some extended field time. I planned on taking him out for opening day of Va's waterfowl season, but the water is so high and temps have been so warm that waterfowling is pretty much a waste of time right now . . . the pendulum swings one way . . . balance will return . . .

Great story and read. Something to look back on and reflect in years to come. Thanks for sharing.

Last night was our first "bring the dog" puppy class.



It is a small world. Bay's litter mate a chocolate male named "Moose" was also in attendance. What a good group of dogs. From a Saint Bernard to a Pug. The English Springer above reminded me of my old pal Brandy (RIP).

Bay was excited. The first thing the instructor noticed with Bay was she pulling at the lead. She was choking herself but didn't care. She recommended a pinch collar immediately.

I am very proud of my wife for attending. So is Bay.



Bay choked herself to much. We have never seen her pant with her tongue out.

Bay tuckered herself out.



After class we stayed and purchased a pinch collar. After the first circle around the training room I could sense a difference. The test came tonight.

Bay and I went for our walk tonight armed with the pinch collar. In only 100 yards she remembered her circle around the training room last night.

The instructor had us make the dogs sit every time we stopped. It was a struggle with a flat collar on Bay. Tonight after a couple of reminders Bay sat at every stop we made on our walk.

I watched a program this fall about a lady who wrote a book about the best places in VT and NH to take dogs for hikes. One thing she said was if you meet other people on the trail you should announce yourself to them before they were close. A friendly, "Hi how are you" assures your dog that the approaching people are OK with you.

Tonight on our walk a gentleman was coming up the sidewalk. We stopped and Bay sat. I announced myself before he invaded our space. Bay sat the whole time he went around. I was very proud of Bay when he said as he passed by " Your dog is well behaved".

A pinch collar? Can it be this easy?

We are very blessed to work only a half mile from our house. That means Bay gets an outside and a little exercise at lunch time.

This morning I filled our bird feeders for the first time since April. We don't feed during the summer as the local squirrel population is doing fine without us.

Today at lunch when I took Bay outside there was a small dove on the ground at the feeder. It seemed unafraid. It let me get very close. Must be getting fed elsewhere.

I called Bay over and just as she caught the scent the dove flushed up into a neighbors low tree. It caught Bay by surprise. She looked at that bird on the branch and I told her to "fetch it". The dove took off with Bay hot on its heels.

This was the first time I have seen Bay interested in a bird.

Yea!!!!!!!!!

Coalman...looks like you and Bay are gonna have some great times in the woods....just wait until ya take her to Maine and get into those grouse (Pats) as some of the Mainers call them) good luck and continue to keep us posted....

Deer season is over. It is time for Bay and I to explore.

Bay is in the height of teething. The right side upper jaw is gum. The canine tooth is gone. Her front lower teeth are coming in sparkling white.

I confess to a feeling of haste to train Bay. I have RAW's book Waterdog and Evan G's Smartworks 1. Even though there are many years between the training methods there is one thing that stands out in the beginning of each publication. The new dog and you.

I have great expectations for Bay. The sense of pride I feel when we go on our walks is intense. I see her learning with each session. It is I who needs the training. I need to instill a trust and understanding in Bay. That we are the boss and she is welcome to share our space.

The bond has to come first. With each passing day, our little girl Bay is developing trust and understanding.

Training will not come overnight. I have to remind myself that the time spent with Bay now will reap the rewards in her maturity. The growing feeling of that bond convinces me Bay and I are on the right path.

We have had a week of pinch collar walks. Tonight is school. I feel like a father going to watch his kid in a school play. I hope she performs well.

Those pinch collars look like some kind of demented medieval torture device don't they!? I thought they were horrible until I tried one . . . when you see the dog responding quickly without pain and without gagging and choking, their humaneness and effectiveness becomes immediately apparent. We call ours "power steering" for the dog.

There is another collar I have seen do very similar work. It goes around their neck and then up over and around their snout. I have only seen them a few times but they seem to work very well. Maybe someone else on here can tell you what they are. I thought they were the bomb and didn't look like a torture device.

Vic

I think you're referring to a Halti or a "Gentle Leader" head collar. Max the Dog had one when I adopted him and he absolutely despised it. He would put his head down and turn away at the sight of it. Whenever it was on, he was constantly rubbing his face on something or pawing at it to get it off . . . and it was fitted by a pro trainer, so it wasn't too tight or anything.

The pinch collar allows you to "trick" the dog by leaving both a flat collar and the pinch collar on at the same time and switching between the two from time to time during a walk. The dog never knows which one you're going to pull on and you can phase out the pinch collar completely over time if you want. In my opinion, the head collar is more trouble than it's worth. And the pinch collar is in fact a very humane training tool. Just like an ecollar . . . both can be abused, but they're great, humane tools when used properly.

BTW, . . . as if this actually needs to be said . . . never never NEVER EVER EVER EVER use a pinch collar as a tie-out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I used to work in an animal clinic and saw the results of this insanely irresponsible, stupid move . . . broke my heart and made me want to use it to tie out the poor dog's owner for a few weeks!!

And after our walk this morning..............so am I. But that doesn't mean we are not still learning about the backyard SB's.

That last day buck is still on my mind. We hit the trail about 0830.



Bay expression says it all. "It is good to be in the woods". He lives.

We had our last puppy class last night. What a total reverse from that first night of mayhem.

I felt bad for the male yellow lab ,Sabo, last night. Bay and Sabo hit it off very well. Those two were the most aggressive during playtime. Our trainer noticed blood on Sabo's fur. Seems Bay lost both her bottom canine teeth during play. She gave Sabo a blood bath. One canine was hanging to the gum. After class I noticed it was gone. We found it on the floor. It will be a keepsake of ours.

My last memory of class will be of the instructor standing in the middle of the room. She was surrounded in a circle by seven puppies either sitting or laying at their masters side. Quite a difference from our first class. We have been practicing our lessons. We see a nice improvement in Bay.

Bay and I got to take long walks in the woods this weekend. She is a great companion. Never too close yet never too far. Saturday's hike was on frozen crusty snow. I kept a keen eye on the snow for signs for bleeding paws. Bay had no problems. Her pads are tough.

Sunday's walk was at the tail end of the nor'easter we had. The new snow hid the frozen spots. Bay took a couple headers. She will learn to slow her step in fresh snow.

Our puppy is leaving us. Not everything is new anymore. Life is bringing on a routine. We practice basics every day. Sit, stay, kennel, hold it, etc.
I can put her in a sit, walk away and throw the paint roller in another room
and then release her to find. It takes a treat to get the roller back. Come is a challenge we are working on.

We are starting to see the young lady emerging from Bay. The family bond strengthens every day. Even though we said we wouldn't we have been letting Bay sleep with us at night. Other than her occasional snoring she is a little angel.

Bay's teeth are growing in as fast as they are falling out. Next step in the life of a dog will be her first heat cycle. I can't wait to see the princess that emerges.

For Bay and I the weather lately has been our enemy. It has won a couple battles but it won't win the war.

This past weekend was our fourth in a row with stormy weather. The only good thing about our walks was lack of ticks.

Well I take that back. Sunday in a Nor' easter rain storm I got together with Wilson and his better half along with his male yellow lab, Trapper.

We took a walk in a local WMA to introduce Trapper and Bay. Both dogs handled themselves very well. Bay was at first the aggressor. She chased Trapper all around. That is till Bay got tired and the tide turned. Trapper then held the upper hand with his height and weight. Trapper though handled himself as a great gentleman and never put Bay in harms way. These two are bound to be good hunting partners.

Over the holiday Bay and I spent a lot of time together. I even took her to my non dog BIL's house in Maine for Christmas dinner. She loved the unwrapping of the presents and the low to ground Christmas ornaments on the tree.

My son was home from work yesterday and made this comment to me when I came home. He said Bay spent a lot of time sitting by the door. He said she was looking for me. I know it is hard for her to understand why some days she doesn't even have time for a nap we are so active. And then bang home alone while we work.

It tells me our bond is getting stronger. She is looking for me. If I had it my way she would be staying with me at my office at work.

Owe goody, three days off starting Friday and a major snow storm predicted.
The weather is our enemy.

I am inspired to write from a comment my wife made this morning. She said" I think Bay grew overnight." And looking at Bay I bet she did.

The puppy leaves us more each day. We are in the pre teen phase now. Something I have noticed is how much more loving she has become in the last couple weeks.

Bay knows how to hide her emotions. When I come home it is a stretch here and a stretch there like "Oh, it is you?" But let me step out that door and she begins her wait by the threshold.

Our training is going well. We are still working on basics everyday. Bay is in the "catch me if you can" mode now. She knows come. Just being testy. She still has that strong alpha trait. I breath deep, remind myself this is just a stage and control my emotions. I think that works best because we don't play her game. And she gives in easy.

She is a candidate and will be adorned this spring with an e-collar.

This dog is the best hiking friend I have ever had. She is always ready to go, stays within site and has no quit. You could mistake her for a beagle she uses that nose to the ground so much. She smells everything. Even under the snow she finds sticks to play with.

Over the long weekend we hiked every day. The snow conditions were perfect. We jumped some deer by the fresh sign in the snow. She smelled the tracks and got interested. I told her to leave it and that was that. Whew, no deer problems.



In one of our walks we found a honey hole of snowshoe hare. These tracks made me long for my beagles.



One thing I notice and encourage is how long Bay will sit in one spot with out moving. I encourage it by standing by her side and not moving. I think of it as being in a blind together. We have a backyard bird feeding station. The other day we had a flock of mourning doves out on the snow. We got to within 20 yards of them while they fed. Bay went into a sit and never moved anything but her eyes as she watched the doves come and go.

I am tempted to shoot one just for her to retrieve but they are my backyard friends and are safe.

Bay has lost her puppy teeth. Those rear molars are scary looking. White but scary looking.

I have to say after reading threads on lab web sites we are very blessed to have Bay. We haven't lost any shoes. She is not a chewer. She is not a barker. She is housebroken (has been for months), she sleeps all night long, doesn't complain about the kennel and loves to give me licking baths.

I look out for Bay like a child. She thinks I'm her dad.

Life is good!