Mount Rushmore Retriever Club

27/07/2025

𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝: 𝟓 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬

Before running any blind, it’s essential to take a few moments to fully assess the challenge in front of you. Effectively assessing a blind is a 5 step process:

🔹 𝐌𝐚𝐩 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭. Sketch the blind on paper. Include obvious landmarks and the wind direction.

🔹 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬. Note anything that will push or pull your dog off-line—terrain, wind, water, etc.—and estimate their intensity.

🔹 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠'𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐫. These elements will cause your dog’s momentum to break down or cause them to get out of control. They include scent, cover, water, a holding blind, perceived walls or obstacles, diversions. etc.

🔹 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐳𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬. Identify areas where you might lose sight of your dog—either on or near the line.

🔹 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞s 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞. These are the things the judges want your dog to go over, through, between, left or right of. Examples of these are key holes, a piece of cover, the corner of a pond, a gun station next to the line to the blind, a log, a point on line to the water blind.

26/07/2025

10/07/2025

Great overview!

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩?

Building and maintaining a strong training group takes significant effort. It starts with like-minded people who understand the group’s purpose—and are willing to do the work required to help *everyone* succeed.

Here are the key ingredients:

👉Access to Resources
Training groups need access to grounds, equipment, dead birds, live birds, and storage. Everyone should bring their own gear: radio, gun, ammo, bumpers, blind markers, chair, holding blind. For ATVs, launchers, electronics, and other high-dollar equipment—discuss expectations. Don’t assume. Share costs for birds, feed, fuel, freezer space, and more - these things are expensive and labor intensive.

👉Leadership
Every group needs a leader. Someone to coordinate, facilitate and communicate. This doesn’t need to be formal—but it must be agreed upon. Leadership ensures direction and accountability.

👉Communication
Communication is a two-way street and no single person is solely responsible for it. Use apps like Telegram or Slack to keep info accessible to the group.

👉Shared Responsibilities
There’s a lot to do. Grounds need reserving and maintenance. Equipment must be transported, repaired, and stored. Birds must be stored, thawed, bagged, caught, fed, and disposed of. ATVs need fuel. Training setups must be designed, built, moved, and cleaned up. Every member must do their share. Step up. Don’t wait to be asked. When training ends, jump in to clean up, gather equipment, and prep for the next setup. Be respectful. Save the socializing for later.

👉Trainer Education
Retriever training is complex. Success requires education. Attend seminars, read, listen to podcasts, watch videos, ask questions, observe dogs, and study interactions. You owe it to your dog—and your group—to contribute intellectually and help raise the collective bar.

👉Pre-Training Planning
Have your own two-week plan mapped out. You can’t cover everything, so focus on 4–5 key areas (marking, handling, drills, etc.). Plan, record, evaluate. Share your needs with the group ahead of time. Find common ground but also make room for individual goals. Compromise is essential, but balance is the goal.

👉Willingness to Adjust / Reset
If a setup isn’t appropriate for a dog, be willing to reset or adjust. Asking someone to “move up” doesn’t fix a poor setup. Include all members meaningfully.

👉Leave Egos at Home
Every group member is a resource. Don’t assume someone can’t offer insight. Listen with an open mind. Be secure enough to ask for feedback. You don’t have to take every suggestion—but one of them might be the pearl you need.

👉Committed, Dependable, Responsible
If you're joining a training group, commit. Help provide resources, bring your own gear, show up on time, and engage. This is what you owe your teammates—and what they owe you.

Happy training,
—Kevin

10/07/2025

Attention MRRC/MRHRC Club members: a nearby HRC test this weekend with openings!

Also, next weekend is the Dakota HRC hunt test in Sioux Falls. Another opportunity to get an HRC pass/title and not have to travel too far.

Both of these tests currently have openings at a all levels and allow late entries/walkups.

We have openings in all stakes at our hunt test this weekend July 12th and 13th. Walkups are welcome.

10/07/2025

Some important info on training n the heat

Summer brings long days of sunshine and outdoor adventure and for many dogs, that means backyard play, long hikes, training sessions, or athletic competitions. But with rising temperatures comes a real danger: heat injury. Just as you might crave air conditioning and ice water after time outside, yo...

04/06/2025

Hi all! Tomorrow is our the First day of our Double Masters event, Thursday/Friday and the 2nd event on Saturday/Sunday.

Participants, the Hunt test will start at 8AM sharp. The headquarters will be at the barn and the barn will be open at 7AM. You can check in with the Hunt Secretary at the barn or you can do it right at the test site, but it must be done by 8AM so we know if you are running or if we need to add a dog from the wait list.

Two reminders:
1. Please follow the posted speed limit on West View Road and McCurran Ranch Road, 25MPH. Also, please drive slower is necessary to avoid raising dust. It is important to our neighborhood relations.
2. Follow the map directions on our premium. If using a gps or internet map, do not follow any route which takes you via Hazelrodt cut-off as it is incorrect and it will not get you to our property. The only available route is via Sydney Park Road to West View Road to McCurran Ranch Road.

Looking forward to seeing you at our Hunt Test! Good Luck!!

26/05/2025

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐝?

For many trainers, the instinct is to correct. But sometimes, the best path forward isn’t to push harder—it’s to teach more clearly. That’s where attrition comes in.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧?

Attrition is one of the most effective (and under used) tools in retriever training. It's a way of communicating to your dog that he’s doing something wrong without employing correction. When used correctly, attrition encourages the dog to slow down, think, and problem-solve:

💡 “I tried X. It didn’t work. Maybe I should try something else…”

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐃𝐨 𝐈 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐈𝐭?

The most effective method of attrition involves:

1️⃣Blow a whistle as soon as you recognize the dig back
2️⃣Yell “Here!” Bring the dog in 2 to 5 yards at most. (Don’t use the whistle—your voice communicates disapproval and avoids triggering hunt mode.)
3️⃣Stop the dog and recast
4️⃣Repeat the process until you see the desired change in your dog’s behavior

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐈𝐭?

Attrition is a teaching tool. Use it to teach a dog how to respond to a given command, or behave in new and challenging environments.

In FETCH, I don’t just explain what attrition is—I walk you through when and how to use it, so you know exactly how to handle mistakes in the field without overcorrecting.

Because training is complex. Your dog isn’t a robot. And when things go wrong, you shouldn’t have to guess what to do next.

If you’re working through a training challenge, I’m here to help.

𝐅𝐄𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟖—and this is your chance to get the 1:1 coaching and step-by-step instruction that will help you earn advanced field titles.

24/05/2025

This is why we train & test with decoys. If your dog won’t ignore the decoys he can’t hunt, and we are testing hunting dogs! IMHO

24/05/2025

24/05/2025

My favorite ABCD drill configuration!

21/05/2025

We had our 2025 Double JR/SR Test this past weekend. It was a smaller event, with just 18/19dogs per day.

Mount Rushmore Retriever Club wants to especially recognize our club member, Larry Meagher, for Judging all 4 of our events over the two days, enabling us to qualify 1 new apprenticejudge and gain experience and points for 4 more judges. Without Larry’s support and willingness to give back to the club, we could not have accomplished this. THANK YOU LARRY!!!

We had a great event, but we fought the weather for 2 days. Sat turned out to be nicer than predicted. Sunday turned out to be as predicted, but the lightning came earlier than predicted.

Thank you to all of our participants and club members and volunteers for moving this event along as rapidly and efficiently as possible. Without all of your help, we would not have been as successful.

Shortly after the event ended Sunday, at 2PM, the fog rolled in, the rains came and the lightning came back. We had a 90 minute start delay, due to lightning, as well.

But, we got it all done! The next morning we had an inch of snow on the ground! Thankfully, it was the day after our event, not the day of the event!!

We had a Junior handler, Owen, who participated in our event and recieved 2 Junior passes. Owen was a crowd favorite. His dog was as big, or bigger, than him but Owen held on to successfully complete his tests and demonstrate his handling & teamwork skills.

We want to thank so many of our club members for volunteering to help at the event, and for many to also run the event. We are blessed, as a club, to have so many active members who are willing to volunteer their time and efforts to the club. THANK YOU!

Here’s a picture reel of our two days. We hope you enjoy it!