Don Ordes of Fantasy Flies in Wyoming ties these super realistic mouse patterns. It's one of my favorite conversations starters since I got him to make me one some 30 years ago. Watching him tie one makes you appreciate the collector's price tag these flies fetch. Now there is a new guy out of Italy doing it with a new Semperfli material which is much easier than spinning deer hair. I'll have to give it a try.
Summertime is the season for bird dog training and we are working on whoa and other yard commands with our bird dogs. It’s also the season for grass seeds or grass awn infections. In our early years with Brittanys, grass seeds were a constant plaque and after several thousand dollars spent at my bird dog doc’s office, I have become something of an expert in grass seed infections in bird dogs. But now, we have learned several techniques for minimizing the risks of these infections. First, carry saline solution in your bird hunting kit. We buy big bottles from Costco, which you can find near the contact lens solutions. Every time the dogs return to the truck, rinse their eyes vigorously with the solution, by spraying it forcefully in the eye, while holding the lids open. You’ll be surprised at all the junk that comes out after a day in the field. Your hunting buddies will learn to tolerate this after a couple of times and most don’t put up any fuss. It works best if one person holds the lids open while the other sprays. Second, check the dogs over, especially between the paws, each night after hunting for seeds, ticks, and sores. Inspect the legs closely and remove all burrs and seeds, from anywhere they can be found. If these become embedded in the paw, they can migrate elsewhere and cause lots of problems. My bird dog doc has surgically removed them far from the sites of insertion, often migrating many inches away, just within days. Seek immediate veterinary assistance if you believe a seed is embedded and cannot be fully removed. Third, inspect the nose for seeds and if your dog is sneezing
Private coaches, as opposed to public coaches, were first built for some members of the driving clubs that were formed in London in the early nineteenth century. Only a small number of private coaches were built before the time of the “coaching revival” in the 1860s. The chosen design during this period was based on a larger version of the Royal mail coach of 1835, but seating was often reduced in favor of style in the private versions. Coaches made by the leading makers differed usually only in the detailing. F & R Shanks was one of the two most successful builders of park drags (private coaches) and road coaches in Britain following the "Coaching Revival." Holland & Holland of North Row, Grosvenor Square, was the other. The choice between coaches made by either of these two was said to be merely a matter of personal preference, but we believe the Holland & Holland to be the finest of the two. Erik M. and Mary Jensen drive black Hackney-Clydesdale crossbreds and an 1890 Holland and Holland park drag on a regular basis, which is probably the only park drag regularly driven west of the Mississippi River.
Check cords should be made of 3/8" nylon and 20' in length with a bowline knot and a brass snap. They used to be available from only one gun dog supplier in the south and now this is the closest you will find to the correct stiffness from Cabella's. Gary Ruppel demonstrates his famous half-hitch, which is a trick used to acquaint foals with saddling, and it works great on bird dogs to change the point of contact from the collar to the flank. Gary uses it frequently in teaching heel, whoa, and other commands. I am always surprised at its effectiveness and the simple fact that few other trainers have learned this technique.
Here is great magazine article by Bill Tarrant featuring Mike Gould entitled, "Breeding the Hunting Retriever."
Here's another great article by Bill Tarrant featuring trainer Mike Gould. And here's Part II of the article.
One of my favorite books for dog training is Problem Gun Dogs by Bill Tarrant.
Bill Tarrant has been a correspondent, bureau chief and editor for Reuters in Asia for the past 22 years. He wrote extensively on bird dogs and was an interesting character who I was grateful to have met a couple of time with Gary Ruppel and Mike. Basics of Bird Dog Training article by Bill Tarrant Part I and Part II.
This is the full article on the Whoa Post that we use, as described in this article by Bill Tarrant. Here's a brief summary: The Whoa Post: Teaching a Dog to Stand Still Perhaps the defining behavior of a bird dog is its ability to slam on the brakes and become motionless the instant it encounters bird scent. This instinctive stop is what separates a bird dog from other breeds and is a trait that has been carefully selected and refined over hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Very few dogs, however, possess a perfect point from the start. A reliable point is a behavior that must be shaped, developed, and reinforced until it becomes second nature. While there are many ways to teach a dog to stand still, years of experience and generations of training have convinced us that the Whoa Post is one of the clearest and most efficient methods available. We have used it successfully with thousands of dogs. The primary purpose of the Whoa Post is to teach the dog that pressure or a cue applied to the flank means stop and stand still. Through repetition, the dog develops a conditioned response to that cue. Although the Whoa Post can be used to address many other training issues and offers numerous additional benefits, its fundamental objective should never be forgotten: teaching the dog to stand still when cued. To begin Whoa Post training, select a suitable training area. Any open space with enough room to secure your dog to the post using a check cord and several wraps will work. Ideally, choose a location with minimal distractions—away from your bird pen and separate from the areas where you conduct bird
This is the Mike Gould power bar, as described in this article by Bill Tarrant.
