Well, another season is in the books for us duck hunters. Hopefully, everyone got to make plenty of hunts and enjoyed some success and good times in the blind and back at camp. I didn’t get to make as many hunts as I would’ve liked, but did get out a few times and put a few birds on the strap.
With about 8 months until the early teal season in September, our dogs have plenty of time off. Keeping them in top shape and ready to do their jobs are year-round obligations. I usually take a short break after the season to catch up on things I put off so I could spend more time hunting. I also think my dog and I need it. It gives me time to game plan things I want to accomplish during training, be that improving skills such as blind retrieves or maybe to clean up a few things noticed during hunting before they become a bigger issue.
Offseason training
Keeping dogs in peak physical shape is easy. Plenty of exercise coupled with managing food intake is all that is needed, barring any medical issues. On the other hand, dogs that have hunted hard all season have probably lost weight. A break will give them the opportunity to put a few pounds back on as well as allow the muscles, bones and soft tissue to recuperate.
When it comes to training, which is more of a mental aspect, a lot of it depends on where the dog is and what’s the desired end game. For dogs early in their career, using the offseason to develop more advanced skill sets is really important and there’s plenty of time to do it. Getting together with a group or joining a club can help accomplish those goals. With veteran dogs, keeping them at the current level is less of a task but it’s a lot easier to do when you have others to share the workload.
When not training or hunting, my advice would be to let the dog be a dog and give it the best life that you can. I’ll wager that 5 percent (and that’s a generous estimate) of a hunting dog’s life involves training and hunting. It’s the other 95 percent that I’m getting at. After all, they are pack animals and count us people as part of that pack. Dogs used for duck and goose hunting, retrievers especially, but the same holds true for pointers, spaniels and other breeds, were bred to work closely with us. There’s a bond that forms, which is the key to getting them to do what we ask of them. Some of it is based on trust but mostly it is their desire to please.
Keep them occupied
A good way to strengthen that bond outside of training and hunting is to spend as much time as you can with them. My dogs have always lived inside and are pets and companions during that other 95 percent of their lives. This may not be ideal for everyone, but it works for me, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
If you’ve ever heard that “inside dogs” don’t make good hunters, don’t believe it. I’ve got tons of friends with outstanding dogs who can easily dispel that myth. Whether on the couch or outside in the kennel, keep them engaged and occupied. It keeps them happy and out of mischief since a bored dog can become a “Bad Dog!” in short order if left to its own devices. When they do cross that line, take it in stride, you’ll probably look back at it later and laugh about it. It goes with the territory.
Whenever you can, make the most of that other 95 percent. It might be a walk around the neighborhood, a ride to the store or rough housing in the living room. It’ll pay off when it’s time to go to work and you’ll get more out of it than you think you would as well.
