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Gauge’s training is “On Point”!

It’s been three months since Steve and I made the trip to New Hampshire to pick up Gauge.  It has definitely been a learning experience, but I feel Gauge and I have made some progress.  Training a puppy hasn’t been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but it definitely isn’t the easiest!

Gauge’s training began with the basics:  name, sit, stay, come and socialization.  I quickly found out that she’s pretty smart, sometimes too smart for me! With lots and lots of small training sessions, she progressed easily through the beginning phase.

I felt pretty comfortable with teaching her the basics, but I quickly realized that for the next phase of her training I was pretty much lost.  Fellow RidgeRunner and “dog whisperer” Ben Wright quickly got us back on track.  Ben introduced Gauge to  birds when she was 18 weeks.  I was secretly afraid that she wouldn’t point or worse yet, show no interest in birds at all. 

We had a small pre-game pep talk before her first session with birds.  I couldn’t have been more wrong.  Gauge is absolutely crazy about birds!  She located and pointed every bird that Ben planted.  She needs a little work on her tail but other than that, she did very well.

Gauge’s third session with bird’s was one of her best.  She located the planted birds and she surprised us all by retrieving them.  She and I have been playing fetch with a tennis ball and I was hoping that it would transfer over to the field.  I had my doubts, but Gauge once again proved me wrong.

Gauge and I are getting pretty close to being ready for our first hunting season.  We are pulling out for South Dakota’s pheasant season which opens October 20.  She has to be introduced and conditioned to the gun and we are currently working the whoa command.

I’m excited to see Gauge in action in South Dakota.  She should have an excellent chance to be on birds; South Dakota pheasant numbers are up almost 50 percent this year in comparison to last season.

Stay tuned to find out how we do!!!