Oliver Retrieving Duck Decoy in Pond Video

Over the past few years we've been working with our Golden Retriever Oliver and his ability to retrieve. Like most Goldens, he was born with the instinct to bring things back to us when thrown, so there wasn't much we had to do as far as incentive. Really, his training has been more of associating commands with the action of running, bringing back and release so we're more in control of the situation. We do it more for fun than anything else. It gives him an activity that he loves and gives him lots of healthy exercise. Here's a video of him retrieving the duck decoy from our pond last year. He LOVES to swim!

Oliver Training Update

We've been working with Oliver every night that the weather permits in his duck retrieving training. Lately, it's been cold, but a warm spell last week melted all our snow so the field is pretty easy to walk.

We gave him an early Christmas present to aid with his training. It's a very lifelike duck decoy meant for training retrievers. We found it at Cabella's along with a whole array of dog training items, how-to videos and scent aids.

There are many different species of waterfowl dummies available including a true-to-weight Canada Goose. I would be very interested to see how any dog would handle a bird that large. Which reiterates what I already know...dogs are amazing!

We chose the Mallard variety which was quite a bit heavier and larger in circumference than the denim dummy we've been using with his training.

We also purchased a waterfowl scent stick which looks like a stick of deodorant and smells like...like...I don't even know what! Let's just say...it's strong and sort of animal like. As the directions say you are supposed to rub it on the training dummy and it's supposed to be saliva and water resistant.

Oliver was thoroughly curious about this new smell, and buried his nose in the dummy for about 10 minutes.

He took to the new decoy very well, though the added weight took a little adjustment to carry it just right in his mouth. I love watching him problem solve, and he has such a gentle way about him.

I think the scent stick is really helping him locate the dummy on the field. Sometimes he falls about 5 feet short of where the duck landed. I noticed this time he would slow at that 5 foot mark, then put is nose to the ground and finish locating it that way.

According to the training manuals, the next step is for him to get used to the sensation of feathers being in his mouth, while suppressing the urge to chew and tear them off.

I honestly don't see this as a problem for Oliver. When he gets on the field, he's so focused on the retrieval that he doesn't really take the time to analyze the dummy.

Oliver Finds His Roots

If you've been following Iron Oak Farm for any length of time you've probably heard me mention our dog Oliver. He is the sweetest thing to enter our lives since our last dog Ceddie. I grew up with Golden Retrievers. My parents raised them before I was born, and though we've had a loveable collection of strays and shelter dogs over the years, we've always had a Golden in the house.

Oliver is one of the most playful dogs I've ever lived with. He has an eagerness to please and is smart as a whip. Zach and I felt that his personality would be perfect for some sort of focused training. So for the last month or so we've been working with him on doing what Retrievers do best...retrieve!

Golden Retrievers were first bred in England to retrieve fowl that had been shot. They have what is called a "soft jaw" which means they carry the game loosely in their mouth as to not damage the bird. They also love water which makes them a perfect breed for duck hunting. 

Since Oliver was a puppy, he's always had the instinct to fetch and retrieve. Even the first week we brought him home we would throw one of his toys and his natural reaction was to bring it back. He wasn't always too keen on letting it go however, and often preferred a friendly game of tug-o-war.

But with some treats and gentle training he soon learned to give up his toy, stick, or whatever the object might be.

For Oliver's training, Zach made a dummy "duck" out of a tube of denim filled with padding and smooth pebbles for weight. We wanted the dummy to be close to the weight of an actual duck and so far Oliver is handling it well. There are ways in which to gradually make the "duck" more lifelike as training continues and we intend to explore these options.

Since we've started this training, many people have asked us if we think it's a good idea to encourage this sort of behavior when we have chickens free ranging all over the yard. Oliver is a bird dog, it's true. However, his instinct and training is not to hunt, but to retrieve a dead bird. He is not being encouraged to chase, kill, or hunt. He's also been taught as a puppy to leave the chickens alone and he can even be trusted to come in the coop with me to collect eggs. So far, we haven't seen any increase in interest with the chickens since this training has started. (For more on Chickens and Dogs (and cute puppy photos) read my Community Chickens post 50 Chickens and a Bird Dog.)    

Fetch and retrieve are already engrained in his behavior, so lately, his training has been focused on keeping those instincts correlated with our commands. Mostly in the form of the "wait" and "fetch" command. He is also learning had signals and can almost carry out the entire "fetch" circuit silently. (We're still working on consistency there.)

Before, when we would throw something across the yard, he would automatically run and fetch it. We are now teaching him that he must sit and wait, watch where the "duck" falls and only retrieve when he hears or sees the "fetch" command.

In the beginning, he would be so excited to run and grab the "duck" that he would shake with eagerness. Zach kept a finger on the back of his collar to remind him that he hasn't been released yet. After a week and a half, he is getting pretty consistent and we no longer have to touch his collar.

We are now working on fetching from a different source. Now Zach gives the commands, while I throw the duck from different areas of the yard. He's learning that he has to pay more attention because the action isn't starting from where he is sitting. Oliver is doing wonderful and we're so proud of our smart boy.

So far our training methods have come from You-Tube videos but if things keep on as they are and he responds positively, we might take things further and see if there are local training group in our area.

Zach and I aren't big hunters, in fact, neither one of us has ever been hunting. But we do enjoy a bit of target practice now and again with our backstop on the property so Oliver is use-to the noise and doesn't seem to be gun shy. But even if we never shoot a duck, we are all enjoying this time together out on the field each evening.

Oliver loves to run and fetch and turns circles when we get the "duck" off the shelf to go train/play outside. I think it makes Oliver feel important to an extent, which he is of course. And he's always a fan of praise, cookies and scratches which we hand out frequently out on the field.  

50 Chickens and a Bird Dog

Check out my latest Community Chickens Post, 50 Chickens and a Bird Dog. It discusses some techniques for happily raising chickens with dogs.

Pet Portraits

I haven't really posted a whole lot about my other business, but as a lot of you know, I draw pet portraits. My medium of choice is pastel on Bristol Board and I work from photos. I'm getting really busy as the Christmas season is upon us, and I've had even more interest since I added the Etsy thumbnail design element on the blog. (lower right)
I just wanted to let everyone know that if they want a drawing by Christmas, I need payment and photos by December first, and even that is subject to change as I have several drawings in process, and even more inquiries in my in-box.
I've been trying to think of a way to work out the Christmas rush, as each drawing takes a considerable amount of time to complete, (each one is different and I still have to allow for shipping times if you live out of state). This year, I am offering gift certificates that are redeemable from January 2nd, 2011 to September 1st, 2011. This way there is no rush, on anyone's part. The gift certificate gives the "giver" something to wrap and put under the tree, and then after Christmas, we can discuss the portrait in more depth. I know a lot of people who want to give a dog portrait to a friend or relative as a gift, don't have a quality photo of "the other person's dog". This way I can work directly with the dog owner and get them what they really want, angle, background color etc. To view more examples of my work, visit our shop by clicking here.

Buckling Up Your Dog

Now that the weather has cooled off, Ceddie will be going for more rides in the car, one of his favorite things to do. Just the mention of it sends him into dizzying, excited circles with whines and tail wagging, as he searches for his leash to carry with him. He loves to ride with the windows down, smelling all the smells he can on overdrive! I don't take him many places in the summer unless it's dog specific, because the car can get dangerously hot, but in the fall he usually comes with us on small errand runs, and usually to the pet store for a treat. I want to mention a safety issue when driving with your dog in the car. Seat belts are really an important safety concern with dogs. It makes me sick when I see people driving pick up trucks with dogs in the back. I once witness a panicked German Shepard jump from a truck bed to the roof of the cab at a stop light. It was sliding all over the slippery painted metal roof. Finally the family got the dog down and squeezed it into the back of the cab behind the seat. It was horrible! Or people with little dogs trying to maneuver a steering wheel with Poopsie in their lap. This is extremely dangerous, not only for you and your dog, but for the other drivers that you're sharing the road with. Even if you don't get into a car crash, dogs don't anticipate sudden stops or swerves. They can loose their balance and hurt themselves. In the event (God forbid) that you would get into a wreck, a seat belt would protect your dog, just as it does you. And if you don't do it for your dog, do it for the people in the front seat. Ceddie, our Golden Retriever weighs 92 lbs. If we were in a wreck the shear weight of him could do some serious damage to the passengers in the front. Seat belts are easy to use and keep your dog, your passengers and your car safe. If you do make a short stop and the dog waits for you in the car, it also keeps him from jumping all over your seats, center console, or packages.
Ours is a heavy canvas harness that is padded it slips over his head and has two heavy clips that buckle right above his shoulders. The car seat belt slips through the belt in the back, the way a car seat might. It also doubles as a walking harness.

Grooming Ceddie

Well, we've started the "winterization" process with all the animals, and one of the first things I do is give our Golden Retriever, Ceddie (short for Cedric) a good grooming. I do all the initial grooming on a grooming table. Get a table that's the right size for your dog. It can be some work to get your dog trained to get up on one, but I had a back injury in High School, and it saves my back tremendously, so it was worth it. We have a fold out plastic stair case that helps him get on and off. Use lots of tempting treats and it should be no problem. We practiced with him getting on and off without doing any grooming for a week or so before I had him up there for any amount of time. He's not a big fan of getting his rear end done, and the table keeps him still and in place so I can do what I gotta do without bending and straining and chasing him all over. The table has an "L" shaped pole that bends over the top you can hook their collar to this to keep them still and safe. They also have attachments available to put under their belly so they don't sit. You can't always find them at chain pet stores, I got mine at K-9 in Warren, Mi. but search the internet for a supplier in your area. Get everything you need first before putting a dog up on a table, and never leave them unattended.
I start by brushing him really well with a fine toothed comb to get out as much loose hair as I can. I also use a round belt shedding tool.

Then I trim his ears and feet with the electric clippers made for pets. Human clippers don't work well on fur, the teeth are too close together. I gently pull the hair away from his ear canal and trim carefully. Then I clean his ears with a solution specially designed for dogs ears. This cleans away wax, yeast and residue. I carefully place the nozzle tip into his ear canal and squeeze until it runs out. Then I clean his ear with a cotton swab. Don't ever stick anything down your dog's ear canal, this can cause hearing damage and pain.

Then I trim his feet. He gets these pom poms on the tops of his paws that look like fancy lady slippers. They're kind of cute, but he's a boy and I can't humiliate him like that- Ha!

I brush the hair backward with a soft brush, then trim against the hair in the front, by his nails, then I trim with the hair over the rest of his paw and it gives him a nice clean paw.

I pick a warm day in the fall so I can bathe him outside. He usually gets another couple baths inside, in the winter, but it's such a job because I have to scour everything afterward. So I take advantage of an Indian Summer day and drag out the hose. We have a laundry tub near the door inside so I attach the hose to the warm water and put an adjustable shower sprayer nozzle on the end, then run the warm water out to the driveway. I never bathe him on the table, as the soapy water may cause a slippery surface.

I soak him through and soap him up with an all natural deodorizing shampoo. Then rinse. Then I use an Oatmeal based creme rinse. This helps to soften his coat, moisturize his skin and helps loose hairs come out more easily when brushing.
The most important thing I do when grooming Ceddie is to blow dry him. I hear people complaining all the time about how much their dog sheds, blow drying not only makes sure he stays warm after his bath, but is the best way to get out his loose undercoat. I set the dryer to warm not hot, making sure to keep the dryer moving at all times as to not burn him, and I blow the fur in the wrong direction then I comb the fur with a fine tooth comb in the right direction. When the fur lays flat, and the comb moves through smoothly, you've removed all the hair that would have shed out all over your couch. It takes a while to do the whole dog, but it will save you all throughout the year on vacuuming and sweeping, and will keep him comfortable and matte free.

Caring for the Tools that Care for Our Animals

Well, we've come a long way as a society in the tools we use to care for our animals. I swear, my dog has a more thorough health screening every year than I do. And while I love to do things the old fashioned way, and would love to tell you that Zach and I use these old sheep shears to shear our goats and rabbits, alas, I cannot lie. These beautiful antique hand shears hang in our laundry room, and the only use they have in our house is to look rustic and charming.
There is however, a whole group of people who still use hand shears to shear their animals, and they do it faster than Zach and I with the electric ones.
As quaint as the old shears are, I find them incredibly daunting. We opted for the electric ones, more modern, but not nearly as scary.

  This is our collection of tools that we use to take care of our animals. It includes shearing tools, grooming tools, and nail and hoof clippers. We also keep a good grease cutting soap like dish-washing liquid on hand, small machine oil for shears or sewing machines, styptic powder, peroxide and triple antibiotic ointment.






Many of these tools are a considerable investment, it's important to take good care of them, not only to protect our own expenses, but so that they work properly and will do the job they're made for without injuring us or our animals.

 Shearing season is done for us for a while, and other than trimming up our Golden Retriever now and again, cleaning his ears and feet puffs etc. (he gets these pom pons on his toes and he looks like he's wearing fancy lady slippers), we will be packing up the clippers for a few months.

We have two sets of shears, our large electric sheep shears, and a smaller pair of animal clippers. They both work in basically the same way. They have a stationary row of angled teeth, then the lower section that slices back and forth.

The teeth on the sheep shears are spaced much wider than the animal clippers this is necessary because wool is much more dense than fur or hair. The head base is also wider which allows the fleece to come off faster, therefore putting less stress on the goat. These however, are a more dangerous set of clippers because it's easy to get your finger or the animal's skin in between those wide spaced blades. Unfortunately, someone always seems to get nicked. Either one of us or one of the goats. If the goats get nicked, we clean the area well with Peroxide, and smear triple antibiotic ointment on the wound each day until it's healed.

The animal clippers have a more narrow head, smaller teeth and spaced more closely together, but not too close together to where they wouldn't be able to get through the fur. Human clippers like the ones used in barber shops are meant for hair and will not work on animals with wool or an under coat, the teeth are too close together. We use the animal clippers on the rabbits and for our dog because they are safer and more easily manipulated for smaller areas.

This is what the clippers looked like after we sheared the rabbits.
I take the clipper head off, and brush out much of the wool and debris with an old recycled dog brush. It has soft bristles that work like a tooth brush and get between the teeth of the blades.

Then I brush the blades with grease cutting soap

and rinse under very hot water so much of the moisture evaporates and will not cause rust. Dry the blades well and oil well.

Our sheep shears have oil ports,

where the clippers I just run a bead of oil down the blades and turn them on for a minute to spread. They are now clean and ready to be stored.

We also use a collection of different brushes on our dog and the rabbits. We have a soft slicker brush which is the main brush for removing snarls and everyday combing on the rabbits. Slicker brushes have different bristle types, this is a soft brush used for cats or rabbits and won't scratch their delicate skin. The dog slicker has more firm bristles for removing his undercoat. We also use this great little tool called the Furminator, each of the teeth has an angled blade that removes mattes and loose fur extremely well. Ceddie also has his comb for after his bath and a shedding loop with teeth that draw out loose fur. It's also important to have a nice pair of scissors designed for cutting hair or fabric. These are quilting shears but they slice through fiber with no problem. Using dull scissors on a squirming animal can be extremely difficult and somewhat dangerous.

The last collection of tools we have are used for clipping nails and hooves. We use these large clippers for trimming the goats hooves, about every three weeks, see January 26th post Trimming Goats Hooves.

After each use we clean them with soap and hot water, dry thoroughly moving the clippers back and forth, and oil. It's important to keep them clean as to not pass bacteria between each goat causing hoof root etc.








For Ceddie and the rabbits we use a guillotine type clipper. We keep a vile of styptic powder on hand in-case someone get's clipped below the quick.