Trained canines make hunters' jobs much easier

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BY JOE DUGGAN / Lincoln Journal Star

If a bird hunter gets out half a dozen times during the season, he’s probably above average.

When you think about it that way, it hardly makes sense to feed, house and pay vet bills all year round for a hunting dog. Of course, hunting dogs are more than just four-legged fetchers to their owners; they provide intangibles like comedic relief and companionship.

Still, there are few things more satisfying that spending time in the field and seeing your dog execute a perfect retrieve. A desire to extend that sense of satisfaction beyond the hunting season is what motivated the organizers of a new type of retriever trial club in Southeast Nebraska.

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Ron Bishop of Beatrice and his yellow Lab, Joker, participate in the land series of the Salt Valley Hunting Retriever Club's hunt test earlier this spring. (Courtesy Photo)

The Salt Valley Hunting Retriever Club started about a year ago as a way for owners of hunting retrievers to get together, share training information and hold “sporting competition.”

Actually, competition isn’t quite the right word, because dogs don’t compete against other dogs and handlers don’t compete against other handlers. Instead, each dog and handler is measured against standards and they try to obtain titles that get progressively more difficult as the dog gains experience, said Troy Bailey of Lincoln, a club officer. And the tests are designed to mimic hunting conditions so what the dog does for club training applies directly to the field.

“It’s by hunters, for hunters,” Bailey said.

The club is open to owners of retrieving breeds — Labrador retrievers being the most popular breed by far. The club falls under the umbrella of the National Hunting Retriever Club, which is in turn affiliated with the United Kennel Club. But individuals join their local chapters and Nebraska currently has five chapters, said R.J. Campbell, president of the Salt Valley club.

While the 20 Salt Valley members get together regularly to train dogs or share training tips with each other, the hunt tests are what most club members enjoy most about the club.

The Salt Valley club hosted its first hunt test earlier this spring at Wagon Train Lake near Hickman. The two-day event attracted about 60 dogs and drew dog handlers from Nebraska and six other states.

During a test, dogs perform water and land retrieves. The club uses dispatched pen-raised ducks that are launched into the air by slings as a shotgun fires a “popper” load.

Dogs and handlers with all ranges of skill are welcome to participate, Campbell said. In fact, joining the club and attending hunt tests are two of the best things an inexperienced handler can do to improve his or her training ability.

“A guy with a young dog can come out and reap the benefits of other people’s knowledge,” Bailey said.

A handler first attempts to get a dog certified as a “started hunting retriever,” then works toward the “hunting retriever” title and finally the “hunting retriever champion.” A champion must exhibit all of the qualities a hunter would expect from a perfectly trained dog — steady to wing and shot, retrieve to hand, perform multiple retrieves and respond to whistle commands and hand signals.

The club, like all field trial organizations, wants to help protect the hunting qualities of popular breeds like Labs and golden retrievers, which often get watered down by show or pet breeders.

And finally, the Salt Valley Hunting Retriever Club really tries to encourage a family atmosphere, where children and spouses are welcome, Campbell said.

Club members never lose sight of the fact that their training and tests are supposed to make their dogs better for the hunting season, be it in an upland or wetland.

“Were all hunters, so the purpose is to conserve game,” Campbell said.

Getting involved with the club and increasing the skill of a dog might even inspire a hunter to hunt more often.

Reach Joe Duggan at 473-7239 or jduggan@journalstar.com.