Strike-Back: The Basics

by: Mike Stewart

Strike-Back Training is nothing new at Wildrose, actually it is a combination of several

Photo by: Katie Behnke

training phases the company has transcended over the years which has involved Pointers, Retrievers, Spaniels and even Beagles. Strike-Back is training the Wildrose Labrador, a superb gamefinder, to work simultaneously, in harmony with other sporting breeds; Pointers or Flushers, one complementing the other while avoiding interference or frolic. The training emphasizes teamwork tapping each breed’s specific and best talents then blending them into field performance in a workable collaboration of hunting, pointing, flushing and game recovery. The effort is to provide sporting enthusiasts with the ultimate in upland gundog experiences.

Training emphasizes working the Retriever or Spaniel in combination with the Pointer in several key areas:

Wagon/strike dog
Quartering and flushing
Pointing and backing
Game recovery
Field obedience and control elements

But, where do we begin our training for Strike-Back? As always with the Wildrose Way, begin with the foundation skills and train to the point of habit formation. An excellent comprehensive training program for the upland gundog is the Wildrose Upland DVD available at wildrosetradingcompany.com. Here all the basic skills for field performance are fully covered in a progressive, positive, balanced methodology. At the outset it’s important to keep in mind that the upland hunting field can appear to a young gundog as quite chaotic so train for the distractions.

Core Principles

Obedience and control in a group setting.

Here we are developing obedience and steadiness around other active dogs and people as well as the distractions of flushing birds and distant gunfire. Our dogs work in group settings on basic obedience, walk-ups, short retrieves and steadying denials (including live birds). The starter must learn to maintain focused composure despite distraction.

Photo by Katie Behnke

Examples:

A Retriever hunting cover for a downed bird as a stylish Pointer slashes about the area. Will your Retriever stay on the hunt ignoring the distraction?
Will the Spaniel stay steady backing a Pointer as you approach to make the flush? Backing includes remaining steady to the flush and disregarding the Pointer’s actions afterward. Backing is remote steadiness at its finest.

Focused Initiative – Interdependence

Strike-Back requires a dog to focus on its individual sense of purpose despite the activities of other dogs. The Pointer proceeds on the hunt even as the Retriever works to recover birds down. The Lab marks well and holds his line to the fall despite the activities of the Pointers running about after the flush or other dogs also searching for downed birds.
To initially train for this situation, get the starters in a group at heel. Have a bumper in thick cover that will require a diligent search. Send in one dog and monitor the other dog’s steadiness.

Steady the group both at sit/whoa and on a walk-up to tethered flight birds.
Have a dog continue to hunt cover as you send another for a short memory or mark.
On the walk-up, as the Pointer hunts while others remain at heel, fire a shot and throw a mark simulating a flush. With all remaining steady, send one gundog from the pack to make the pick.

Remember Wildrose Law #7, “If it’s not right at heel (close proximity), it won’t be right in the field.”

Backing the Point

Our Strike-Back Retrievers understand the “whoa” command just like their Pointing partners. Have the Pointer locate a planted bird and hold steady as the Retriever or Spaniel approaches. Give the stay or “whoa” command to the approaching dogs behind yet in sight of the point. Walk in and make the flush while insuring our “back up” dog(s) holds their position without noise or creeping. Backing a point/flush is premiere steadiness and the behavior must be rewarded profusely. Do not call the backing dogs off position unless a speedy recovery of a runner is necessary. Return to each steady dog and reward the steadiness then release.

Developing Bird Savvy

The nose knows and there is simply no substitute to training with scent. Include the following:

Feather-laced bumpers (non-plastic)
Cold game
Live flushes
Variety of cover to hunt

These variables offer different scents identifiable in the conditions you will be hunting under: snow, wind, temperature variations, humidity, and types of cover. Birds should be found in training in places where they will likely be found on the hunt. Training as you will play. Today with the vast availability of preserve shooting grounds in most areas of the country, one can purchase birds for training or book an afternoon in the field on location for upland training purposes.

Strike

A “strike dog” is a flusher of upland birds from cover that have been located by Pointers. The purpose is to roust birds airborne from cover rather than have them run about clinging to the ground. The strike dog, either Retriever or Spaniel, is brought into position ahead of the point holding the birds. On command, the striker blasts into cover to get birds airborne while remaining steady to flush and shot. We practice this using planted birds only after both Pointer and Striker are steady to tossed bumpers with shots as they hunt cover.

Remember steady to flush is important for the dog’s safety (See 5-Option Drill on page 195 of Sporting Dog and Retriever Training, the Wildrose Way).

Finished upland Strike-Back gundogs are a refined team of gamefinders:

Steady to flush
Photo by Katie Behnke
Excellent at game recovery
Wise students of wind, scent detection and bird savvy
Not distracted by the activities of other dogs afield
Proficient markers by sight and by sound
Controllable by whistles and hand signals
Balanced to the pack with appropriate obedience behaviors

Strike-Back trained gundog are sporting dogs of duality blended perfectly for the ultimate Gentleman’s Gundog upland experience, all achieved “The Wildrose Way.”