An Outdoorsman's Journal: A Professional Hunting Dog Trainer and his Pup

Hello friends,

I have something new for you, and I think that you are going to like it. My golden retriever Red was bred with an excellent sire named Max. Max is owned by Jim Steurwald, of DeForest, who is a very ambitious grouse hunter. Jim would have had first pick of the litter, but he passed that onto Gregg Brda, who is the owner of Wind River Kennels in Fond du Lac County near Campbellsport. When Gregg came to pick up his pup he proposed the idea of me doing a series on the progress of his new pup Rio "Ree-O." This series will be updated every few months and could easily take two to three years.

Gregg has been a full-time hunting dog trainer since 1991 and has been a "finished" Hunt Test judge for "HRC" for 18 years. Folks there is so much to say to tell this week's column in the space that I have, that I am going to have to be very short on each subject.

Friday, July 12

High 86, low 62

I knew Rio would have the potential to be a great dog when I watched him until the day Gregg picked him up. Today, I would start my professional introduction into how you "really" start a pup. I would be given a tour of Brda's set up and most importantly, two men would take a day and get to know each other as they began a long project.

First, the kennel. I have never seen such a clean, well-thought-out and easily disciplined kennel in my life. Gregg trains by the month, sometimes gives classes and his low-profile and effective discipline is something that should be on a TV show. Barking or whining is not tolerated. I would spend two days at Wind River and generally if a lab, golden retriever or Boykin gets verbal in the kennel Gregg tells it to stop. It is almost like he has a connection and every dog in the building loves and respects him.

The kennel has the ability for each dog to be inside and out and for the most part each dog does its business outside. I think it is fair to say that my new friend is very much on top of his game as everything is clean enough to do surgery on each kennel floor.

Gregg Brda is 74 and addicted to duck hunting and in reality is very much like me, having created a full-time income out of doing something that he loves.

Rio, OMG as in Oh My God! Today, I would watch Rio do land retrieves and on the next day we trained, I watched Rio do water retrieves that were all of 40 yards. I watched Rio as Gregg would say "be a problem solver" carrying the bumper in the middle after realizing that swimming with it by holding an end was more difficult.

Basic rules: First start out with a paint roller with a pup, light to carry, not a fan of tennis ball, too easy to compress which can later create damage while retrieving birds. Gregg does not like toys and most importantly, never play tug of war with a retriever.

Today, we trained with two men that are very much into their lab and golden retriever and were doing triples with well-disciplined dogs. Gregg showed me a blind retrieve that he did with a golden retriever named Reno that was unbelievable to someone like me that will never hit that level. Everything is lining the dog along with verbal, hand and voice communication.

One basic tip I was told more than once: Training is training. You take your pup out of the kennel, it is kept on a rope in the early stages and you work with it so that it realizes getting out of the kennel means "work which is fun." If what is being worked on does not work, that session is over. You do not want to make the pup dread training.

About 85 to 90% of retrieving is enthusiasm, and when a dog of any age is bringing back a bumper or duck, it is verbally rewarded as soon as it starts its retrieve back.

Holding onto to the bumper until it comes to your hand is a must and "hold" is mentioned more than once as the pup approaches. Two to three retrieves and put the pup away as you do not want to bore him or her.

Gregg Brda does not care if you hunt, but he is a strong believer in that if you own a retriever they should be active. That is what they are bred for.

Last for this week, some dogs do not like riding in a vehicle. I was told more than once, too many people only put their dog in a car or truck to go to the vet. That is a big no, no. Make rides fun. Gregg pulls pups behind his ATV in a crate in a trailer and just puts along and makes it fun. In reality, everything that Gregg Brda does in his training is about positive and enthusiastic adventure.

In a few months I will write about the next step with a pup named Rio!

Sunset