Bad end to a good training day

Gage had had a very good day with some quail in a light rain chasing, hunting, and flushing. These were all new for him. What a thrill for me to watch.

Fifty miles from home I saw the deer coming from the left and it was trying to jump my truck. I hit it, he flipped upside down, crashed into the drivers windshield, wrapped around the fender and its rump crashed through the drivers window hitting me in the head. Scared the holly hell out of me and Gage. I shudder to think how close I came to that end. The rear of the deer exploded the driver-side window and hit me on the face and head. Lucky for me it also hit the back of the window frame and that threw it away from the truck.

A few people stopped and made sure we were OK. One called the accident in and Gage and I waited forever for the State Police to come. A wrecker took the truck and us to a collision center.

My insurance has rental coverage and I set up a rental car to be driven over and we waited for it for about another hour. When it arrived the women driving told me I could not take the pup in the car. By this time I had had about enough, I told her to take the @#$%^&* car back to the rental office . We were stranded 50 miles from home by the Enterprise Rental Company.

I had to have my son drive an hour to come get us. By the time I got home I was worn out and still had to clean the deer.

Using his nose

This morning I was out in the yard with the dogs. My wife's dog and Gage were playing with each other. While they were busy with each other I put a quail wing on a swing seat and stepped back to watch.

When they got to the downwind side, Gage stopped in his tracks, took a couple steps, raised up on his back legs, and then went straight to the wing. That felt good.

First trip to a field

I took Gage out to a field this afternoon for the first time. Letting him discover new things and play in the water. I also let him get out away from me then called him to me and walked the other way when he came and went on. Trying to get him into zigzag pattern while keeping in touch with me.

2nd day with dead quail

This day Gage was better about bringing the quail back. His interest was very high and is really using his nose.

Introduced to dead quail

After letting Gage fetch a wing a few times I showed him a whole quail to smell and taste. Throwing it and letting him grab and drop and grab it a few times he was bringing it back like he had done it all his life.

Emerald Coast 20 Gague

This pup Gage, my new partner, is a Boykin Spaniel. I am going to chronicle our training progress here. This picture is of him resting after a long car sick trip to meet the trainers that will train me to get the most out of him.

Greg Oyer and Laurie Williams will be working with me to accomplish my goals for my hunting partner. Greg is an instructor for the IACP and Laurie is working with him. Our first homework included walking with light finger tug corrections, hup, hand signals guiding him to cheese treats, getting him out to meet others and experience new things.