07/21/2026
Your dog isn't bad... they're doing exactly what comes naturally.
When a retriever walks into a field, the first thing they do is pick what they think is the destination.
Great handling dogs aren't born knowing there could be multiple destinations—they're taught.
That's why drills like the Four Pole Drill and Cold Blinds are so valuable. They teach your dog to trust that you know where the bird is, even when it isn't where they expected.
Building that trust is what separates dogs that fight the handler from dogs that confidently take casts.
This is just one lesson from Hunt Test Hobo Podcast with Dan Ihrke, where we break down the entire drill progression we use before running cold blinds.
What drill helped your dog become a better handling dog?
