WEEKEND FULL OF NEW STUFF FOR HANK

I FOUND A FRESHLY DEAD RABBIT ON SATURDAY MORNING ON THE WAY OUT TO THE LAKE SO I DECIDE TO LET HANK CHECK IT OUT. THREW IT IN THE BACK OF THE TRUCK AND CONTINUED OUT TO THE LAKE. I WAS HEADED OUT THERE TO LET HANK SEE SOME MORE WATER AND HOPEFULLY GET HIM TO GO IN PAST HIS BELLY. THE RABBIT DID THE TRICK! HE PLAYED WITH IT A BIT ON SHORE THEN I TOOK IT WITH ME OUT INTO THE WATER AND HE FOLLOWED. THEN AFTER I WAS SURE THAT IT HAD HIS FULL ATTENTION, I TOSSED IT IN, AND THERE HE WENT, INTO WATER DEEPER THAN HE IS TALL AND OUT HE CAME, RABBIT IN MOUTH. I DID THAT A COUPLE TIMES AND THEN KENNELED HIM. I DECIDED TO DO A COUPLE OF SHORT DRAGS FOR HIM JUST TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. I DRUG THE RABBIT 30 TO 40 FEET AND HID IT IN SOME TALL GRASS. I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH HANK ON "TRACK" SINCE ALMOST DAY ONE. I PLACE A SMALL PIECE OF MILK BONE OR A PIECE OF HIS FOOD IN SOME GRASS AND POINT TO IT WHILE SAYING "TRACK" HE NOW KNOWS THAT SOMETHING IS THERE. SO I POINTED TO THE START OF THE DRAG AND SAID TRACK, AND THERE WENT THAT DRAHTHAAR NOSE. DIDNT TAKE LONG AND HE FOUND THE RABBIT. WHAT AN EXCITING MOMENT FOR ME! I THEN KENNELED HIM AGAIN AND DECIDED TO MAKE IT A BIT MORE INTERESTING, I DRUG THE RABBIT IN A ZIG ZAG PATTERN AND MADE IT A FEW FEET LONGER, HE FOUND IT. GOOD BOY! I SUPPOSE THAT SINCE IT WAS DRY OUT AND THE RABBIT WAS WET, IT MADE IT MUCH EASIER FOR HIM BUT A GOOD EXPERIENCE NONE THE LESS. I ALSO LATER LEARNED THAT IT WAS NOT THE BEST IDEA TO USE A RABBIT IN WATER SINCE THIS WILL NEVER OCCUR IN A HUNTING SITUATION AND WET RABBIT CAN GET MESSY SO I WILL NOT USE THIS ANYMORE, BUT IT GOT HANK TO GO IN THE WATER SO I GUESS IT WAS ALRIGHT FOR THAT ONE OCCASSION. HANK HAS REALLY STARTED TO LISTEN TO THE "COME" COMMAND AND THE "KENNEL" COMMAND. WITH THE KENNEL COMMAND HE IS STILL HESITANT AND NEEDS ME TO LEAD HIM INTO THE KENNEL MOST OF THE TIME BUT SOMETIMES HE GOES IN WITHOUT HELP. HE IS ALSO RETRIEVING WELL(FOR A PUP) AND I AM SURE TO REWARD HIM PHYSICALLY AND KEEP IT FUN AND NOT OVERDO IT. A SITUATION THAT IS IMPORTANT REGARDING TRAINING CAME TO MY ATTENTION THIS WEEK. A NEIGHBOOR OF MINE FELT THAT IT WAS HER DUTY TO TRY TO TELL ME THAT BY PULLING HANK TOWARDS ME AGAINST HIS WILL I WAS "UNPROPERLY"TRAINING MY DOG. SHE ALSO MADE UP SOME STORY THAT I HAD "KICKED" HANK. UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE! KICK MY DOG? THE DOG THAT IS BECOMING MY BEST FRIEND AND THE DOG THAT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ME ENJOYING HUNTING THE WAY IT SHOULD BE ENJOYED. IT JUST GO'S TO SHOW THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY WITH KEEPING TO THEMSELVES AND STAYING OUT OF OTHER PEOPLES BUSINESS. THERE IS NO WAY I WOULD EVER KICK A DOG, NO MATTER WHAT!!! AND FOR SOME PERSON TO CONCERN THEMSELVES WITH MY TRAINING AND ALSO BRING UP ANIMAL CONTROL FOR SOMETHING THAT NEVER HAPPENED IS COMPLETELY OUTRAGEOUS AND DOWNRIGHT EVIL IN MY BOOK. I KNOW THAT NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE READ THIS(IF ANY AT ALL) BUT FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DO, MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE CAREFUL OF WHO CAN SEE THE WAY YOU ARE WITH YOUR DOG. SOME PEOPLE DONT UNDERSTAND THAT HUNTING DOGS ARE DIFFERENT THAN YOUR EVERY DAY HOUSE PET. THEY REQUIRE MORE STRUCTURE AND DISCIPLINE THAN A DOG THAT ALL YOU DO IS FEED AND TELL TO SIT. IN NO WAY AM I SAYING THAT ABUSING YOUR DOG IS RIGHT BUT HEY, WE USE E-COLLARS ON THEM DONT WE? THIS IS ALSO A SITUATION WHERE I HAVE TO EITHER LOOK OVER MY SHOULDER AND ALTER THE WAY I TRAIN HANK, OR GO SOMEWHERE WHERE WE CAN BE COMPLETELY ALONE AND NOT WORRY ABOUT SOME IDIOT WATCHING ME TRAIN MY DOG CORRECTLY! F#$%^NG PEOPLE!!!!!!