LONG DAY FOR HANK(AND I)

FIRST OFF, I WILL CONTINUE THE HOUSEBREAKING DEAL BUT SINCE THE POTTY TRAINING IS THE ONLY THING I FEEL I HAVE COMPLETED, I WILL WAIT UNTIL THE ENTIRE PROCESS IS DONE BEFORE I WRITE ANYTHING.

TODAY WAS A BUSY DAY FOR HANK AND I. WE WENT TO WORK, PLAYED SOME FETCH AND LEFT AROUND FOUR OCLOCK. IT WAS REALLY NICE WEATHER OUT SO I DECIDED TO INTRODUCE HANK TO COVER. I TOOK HIM TO A TREE BELT OUTSIDE OF TOWN WHERE I KNOW THERE ARE PHEASANTS(NOT THAT I EXPECTED ANYTHING TO COME OF IT) BUT MAYBE HE WILL STORE IT IN HIS MEMORY AS A SCENT HE HAS SMELLED BEFORE SO WHEN I INTRODUCE HIM TO PHEASANTS HE WILL KNOW. THE TREE BELT WAS COVERED WITH WAIST HIGH GRASS. HANK JUST WENT BARRELING THROUGH IT LIKE NOTHING HE WAS LEAPING AND EVERY ONCE AND A WHILE, HE WOULD LIE DOWN AND ENJOY THE COOLNESS OF THE GRASS. WE HEARD A ROOSTER SOUNDING OFF TWENTY YARDS OR SO FROM US SO I HEADED IN THAT DIRECTION HOPING TO HAVE ONE FLUSH. NO SUCH LUCK. HANK DID PICK UP A SCENT TRAIL OF SOME SORT AND WENT CRAZY. THE GRASS WAS SO TALL I WAS CAUTIOUS TO STAY RIGHT ON TOP OF HIM JUST INCASE IT WAS SOMETHING THAT COULD HARM HIM(HE IS ONLY EIGHT WEEKS OLD AFTER ALL) HE TRACKED FOR A MINUTE OR SO THEN I PICKED HIM UP AND WE WENT BACK TO THE TRAIL. I ALSO MADE SURE TO STOP EVERY FEW MINUTES AND GIVE HIM A DRINK OF WATER. THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY IS WHERE A GOOD MAJORITY OF HANKS TRAINING WILL TAKE PLACE. AT LEAST HIS INTRO TO LIVE BIRDS AND THE 12 GUAGE. IN SOUTH DAKOTA, IF YOU HAVE A CAPTIVE GAME BIRD LICENSE, YOU MAY PURCHASE LIVE BIRDS, TAKE SOME SURVEYERS TAPE AND TIE IT AROUND ONE LEG, RELEASE THE BIRD ON PRIVATE LAND AND SHOOT IT. EVEN IF IT IS NOT SEASON. THE LICENSE ONLY COST ME $10.00 AND WHAT A TOOL THAT WILL BE!

SO ON THE WAY BACK INTO TOWN, I DECIDED TO STOP BY THE LAKE(KAMPESKA) AND EXPOSE HANK TO MORE WATER. I WAS ABLE TO ENTICE HIM WITH A TREAT TO WALKING IN ALMOST BELLY HIGH. HEY, PROGRESS IS PROGRESS! WE WALKED ALONG SHORE AND I GOT HIM TO GO IN AGAIN AND I WAS HAPPY WITH THAT.

GOT BACK TO THE HOUSE AT ABOUT 7 OCLOCK(HANKS DINNER TIME) AND GOT A CALL FROM A BUDDY WHO WANTED TO GO WET A LINE SO I FED HANK, LET HIM DO HIS BUSINESS AND OFF WE WENT. HANKS FIRST FISH WAS A WHITE BASS ABOUT 3/4 OF A LB. I REELED IT IN AND LET HIM SMELL IT AND HE GAVE IT A COUPLE LICKS AND STARTED BARKING AT IT AND JUMPING AROUND TRYING TO PLAY WITH IT. BAC K IN THE WATER IT WENT. THE FISHING DOESNT PICK UP UNTIL AROUND 9PM OR SO. WE DECIDED TO GO SHOOT SOME GROUND SQUIRREL AND I LOOKED AT IT AS A GOOD OPPURTUNITY FOR HANK TO HEAR A GUNSHOT. UP UNTIL NOW ALL HE HAS HEARD WAS ME PICKING OFF SQUIRRELS WITH A PELLET GUN AND SINCE HE PAYS NO ATTENTION TO THAT I FIGURED IT WAS ALRIGHT TO STEP IT UP TO A .22. WELL,WE DIDNT FIND ANY SQUIRRELS, BUT WE DID SHOOT SOME OTHER STUFF. I WALKED OUT IN A FIELD WITH HANK WHILE MY BUDDY STAYED AND WHILE I WAS WALKING AWAY FROM HIM I GAVE HIM A SIGNAL TO GO AHEAD AND SHOOT BUT BE SURE TO SHOOT COMPLETELY AWAY FROM US SO THE SOUND WOULD BE LESS INTENSE. HE STARTED SHOOTING AND HANK WOULD STOP AND LOOK BACK IN HIS DIRECTION AND I WOULD PAY NO ATTENTION AND JUST KEEP WALKING. HE SHOWED NO SIGNS OF FEAR SO THAT WAS GOOD. WE ALSO TOOK SOME SHOTS WHILE HANK WAS KENNELED IN THE TRUCK, NO WHINING AND NO FEAR. PRETTY LONG DAY FOR A LITTLE PUP. WHEN I GOT UP THIS MORNING I DECIDE TO BE SURE IF HANK HAD DEVELOPED ANY TYPE OF FEAR FOR NOISE BY SHOOTING THE PELLET GUN A COUPLE TIMES, NONE AT ALL. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE,GUNSHYNESS IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM TO HAVE WITH A DOG. I HAVE HEARD THAT IT CAN TAKE A YEAR OR SO TO CORRECT, IF YOU CAN CORRECT IT AT ALL! THIS IS THE ONE THING I AM GOING TO BE THE MOST CAREFUL ABOUT. AN E-COLLAR, CHECK CORD, OR TREATS CANNOT FIX IT, ONE OF THOSE CAN FIX ALMOST EVERY OTHER ISSUE YOU WILL ENCOUNTER.


WELL TODAY WAS VERY GOOD PROGRESS. I WILL JUST HAVE TO KEEP EXPOSING HANK TO NEW THINGS AND NEW HUNTING TYPE SITUATIONS ALL THE TIME AND COME THIS FALL, WE SHOULD GET SOME BIRDS IN THE BAG.

I KNOW THAT THIS YEAR IS MAINLY AN EXPOSURE YEAR. NEXT YEAR WILL SAY A LOT ABOUT ME AND MY HANDLING OF HANK.

LATER!