I strictly use alfalfapellets for that reason. If they somehow do ingest it, it will pass through. I do not suggest pine.

Yes, it is very fun to see hunt tests from other countries! We have several different venues here in the US, and it is very enjoyable watching all. I enjoy watching all dogs enjoy doing what they were bred to do! Thanks for the comment, and thanks for watching!

Saying goodbye is very difficult but just focus on the DECADES of love you are handing away to their new families and that makes that day easier. Just a teensy bit. Thank you for watching. 💕 🐾🐾

Several questions need to be answered here. How old are they? How often are you physically in the kenneled area with them? Are they contained to a crate ever? Have you used lightly soiled pee pads to successfully transfer scent into the trays? Try to physically be with them as frequently as possible. By using a larger crate for them to puppy pile into as they sleep, you can intentionally wake them by saying Puppy, Puppy, Puppy and as they startle awake know they are going to pee within 20 seconds of being upright walking. Call them to the tray, physically carrying them to get as many their as possible. Do this frequently. Poopy: now that you are feeding them and they aren't nursing, you know that after they eat they'll need to poop so stay with them and watch for the cues: nose down, trotting off looking for the place to go, or even the hunched back just seconds before. Help them out by placing them in the tray. The process initially involves dedicated time on your end. They are smart creatures and will learn what you teach. But you must be the teacher. By week 6 things significantly improve and by week 7 almost all have it mastered if you've been there enough to do your part.

Great question! Yes you are, but be aware that the judges may be taking notice of how often you are telling your dog to heel. Once or twice is nothing to note, but 10x may drop your trainability score. Thanks for watching!

Thank you for the nice comments! ❤️ -I imagine you've ditched the soiled pee pads in the litter box by now; they seem to become something for play around week 4/5. Suggestions: sometimes I intentionally wake the entire litter calling, "Puppy, puppy,puppy..." startling them awake, knowing within 30-60 seconds they have to pee. Within their first steps I quickly move to the litter tray, calling them along, helping place as many in the litter tray as possible. I do this often. Also, when they are awake and palying, I watch for that instinctive "I need to go behavior," -the nose down, the trot off in search of "the place" to go. When I notice this, I intercept the pup to help them out with finding that perfect place -the litter pan tray! Sounds like you're doing great, just keep at it; I promise you'll see significant improvement in weeks 6 and 7! Thanks for watching! And enjoy your new little girl! 🐾🐾 💕

Not at all. Quite often, a handler will send for a "go bird" with a hand cue over their dogs head. This is an indicator to your dog that they are about to be sent. Once in a blue moon, you may be asked to do a "cold honor" in the upper levels of hunt tests. We start this habit in the very early stages of their careers. The routine is: last bird down, hand over head to cue, wait 1 to 2 seconds. Then send your dog. If you send your dog at the same time as you put your hand over their head, before you know it, they will learn that when they see your hand, they will go! Point is, wait a couple of seconds before you send! Does that makes sense? Thanks for the question!

I know, right? Our channel trailer says hunt test/field trial training and even some food and fun, we cover a wide variety of topics for friends in the dog world and outside of it. I even made an Appalachian Mountain sunrise hike video! You can consider it a bonus, but if you aren't interested, I get it, just pass it by. Thanks for watching! kzbin.info/www/bejne/bIqlYXV4erN_f68

Sure! I'm sending you the video that has all supplies linked in the description. 🙂 kzbin.info/www/bejne/moeym4yOaaeYf5o

You can fit a lot into a 15-20 minute session. I wouldn't do any more than that in one day. The pressure from these sessions could be more than you bargain for if things go south. I typically drive about an hour for my swimby pond and commit myself to driving it every day for a couple of weeks. The dividends will more than pay for itself. This isn't a process that you want to rush through. I have had dogs take 3 weeks, and some fly through in a week. Every individual can vary. Thanks for the comment, and thank you for watching.

@@TheRetrieverNation appreciate the thoughtful response!

If money were no object we would be feeding Orijen. But with 4 dogs we simply cannot afford it. We currently feed Inukshuk 30/25 and are very happy with it. We buy it by the pallet and split with friends. We are also on the trusted retailer program if you are located near southeast MN. There are hundreds of trusted retailers Nationwide. I hope this helps. 😉

Wow. I have to say this is extremely irresponsible of the breeder. Keep the puppy warm. It will no longer have the mom or litter mates to snuggle for warmth or make puppy piles with. Warm piles of blankets or towels in dryer and help pup snuggle in. Know how to make porridge/gruel and make sure the puppy is offered warm servings at least 4x a day until week 6 when you can back off to 3x a day, increasing amount and decreasing wetness with goal to be on dry kibble by week 7. (Early on at the 3 week mark you may be offering this by fingers if you are the one making the initial introduction) During feedings is when I play KZbin videos of sounds for desensitization (thunder, fireworks, traffic, horns, door knocking). Weigh and record every couple days to ensure puppy is gaining weight. Make sure puppy has water and that it is a shallow basin that they cannot drown in. You may have to make initial introduction by dipping puppy's muzzle into. Watch that over the course if the next day puppy has it figured out and is not getting dehydrated. ***Critical: Involve the vet from the onset (whether vy phone or appt). and discuss what your situation is. Ask when to worm and get initial vaccinations. Ask about supplementing with formula or adding formula to porridge. Spend as much time as you can with your puppy. Please keep us posted. What breed, sex, and what name? I'll keep you all in my prayers. Puppy's are my favorite. 🐾🐾💓

@@TheRetrieverNation thank you SO much for this advice. It’s a goldador… lab and golden retriever mix. I will be at work during week. I have already bought a pen and blankets for him, but I am concerned about him getting cold although I will up the air conditioning. What about a heating pad, or even a little heater put at a distance?

I'm late in seeing this. I hope all went well and your puppy is doing well. I'm sure he is, you sound very attentive. :)

There is no need for grates. You want the pups to be able to walk around and find "their spot" to go. This is an important aspect of their development. Thanks for watching!

I have had seen them drag toys into it, and lay and play with them but no, not sleep. If, just simply moving them to an open crate doesn't solve this, I would suggest closing the puppies in a crate large enough for the entire litter. They enjoy sleeping in piles and this can also help with the potty training, as when you let them out every 2-3 hours, you know they will need to go and you can pick them up and put them directly into the potty tray. I like to have them out every minute they are awake, but you said they are choosing this as a place to sleep so try enclosing them to a different place for sleep.

Glad we could help and good luck!!! 😃

They will get some pellets out of the pan. That is to be expected. Keeping a clean and tiddy play area is imperative though. We disinfect several times a day as we are in there with them laying on the floor and playing. Thanks for watching!

Very true! At the time that we produced this video, I had belonged to four different retriever clubs. This particular pond was about a 50-minute drive for me one way! It definitely takes a commitment!

In The HRC, they do a really great job of brushing in the gunners' stations. Sometimes, they are impossible to pick out!

Great questions! At a hunt test, once you call for the birds, no talking is allowed. In this case, during a walk-up, when the judge signals for the walk-up bird, you can say "sit" or blow your whistle to sit, but not both! That is it for talking during the duration of when the birds are being thrown. You cannot talk again until the judge releases you and your dog to start retrieving. As far as "challenging the line". Yes, you should always challenge the line as Teri did in this video. Her initial lines could have been better, but in Senior, most judges are a bit more lenient than during the Master level. Thanks for watching! .

Yes, I would say "go for it". 👍

Thanks! Glad you liked it and we appreciate the comment!

Great question! Make sure you have that bumper right at the waters edge and start recalling as they grab ahold of it. You want them thinking of returning as they pick up the bumper. Also it helps if the swimby pond isn't too narrow. Thanks for watching and good luck!

Thank you very much!

This technique trains them to desire to go to the bathroom in organic material, alfalfa. Transitioning to the outdoors is then, very easy but requires work on the owners end. Puppies need to have the opportunity to go outside frequently. The saying is: their age in months +1. This is the amount of hours they can hold it. So at 2 months (8 weeks) they can hold it for 3 hours. So the answer to your question is yes and no. Yes they will desire outdoor organic material, no they are not potty trained, but success is right around the corner and completely dependent on you and your commitment. All the litters we've used this on owners rave about the ease, often citing only one or two small accidents before fully trained (keeping in mind the equation). That's a great success!

Glad you enjoyed it!

Thanks! Glad it was helpful and thanks for watching!

You are so welcome!

Though the ideal time frame begins at 3 days, it can certainly still be done.

Good question! When you identify the pile by throwing a bumper, you are actually throwing a mark which means you then send by name. Each retrieve after that, no bumper is thrown so you are sending for a blind(even though the dog knows more bumpers are in the pile). This helps teach your young dog know that when you send on "back" even though they didn't see a bird go down, they have to go. I hopes this clears things up and thanks for watching!

Yes, beginningat day 3. We have a whole video on how to do it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4DPe5quiMirh5osi=jayRdYOvIqcbby5B

We choose to use alfalfa because it's absorbent and if by chance a puppy consumes any it passes through their system with no harmful affects, unlike woodchips.

@@TheRetrieverNation thank you! I bought the same thing from TSC and have been seeing great results. We're in day 3 and they're already getting used to it. Thank you!!

Solution: 1 tsp Karo corn syrup 4 Tbsp boiled water A few grains of sodium chloride (table salt) A few grains of potassium chloride (salt substitute) Pre boil water, mix solution and store in closed dropper bottle. Dosage: as soon as puppy is dry and breathing give: 5-6 drops per 100 grams of weight. Administer on tongue and not push directly into stomach so it helps to develop swallowing reflex, allowing each drop to be swallowed before next. Then place back with Momma for warmth. Repeat process every 4 hours: Weigh, glucose, Momma; increasing amount to a full dropper or more for each 100 grams of weight until puppy shows signs of gaining weight. Then every 8 hours through the first 48 hours. The pupoies may reject the glucose ariund 24 hours if they have a strong suck and are getting all the nutrients they need from their Momma. Goal is to have all puppies have very strong suck by 24 - 48 hour mark. Keep a close eye on the littlest ones. I hope this makes it to you in time. Good luck! What a wonderful Christmas gift. 🐾🐾🎄⭐️

I'm sure you could find something for her. As they get older, there is less need for mamma to check on them. The biggest reason she will try to go into the puppy area is to try to eat their food!

I don't think the size of the pellets matter. They probably don't make more than one or two sizes.

Good luck!

Great question. This video is for rearing a litter if puppies. I don't think the "real grass trays" could keep up with a litter of 8-10 puppies as you will be cleaning and replacing "litter" several times a day to maintain cleanliness. Thanks for watching!

Thank you very much for the review and the kind words!

We use Rik Rak. You can find it at most fabric stores.

No, this is just a head start program. There is enough going on in their lives for the first seven weeks. Crate/potty training is left to the new owners and is significantly easier because of this program. Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching!

Thats too bad. Is it just a few on the floor that she is trying to keep tidy? Or consuming large quantities?

I don't believe so. But who says you can't create your own certificates? 😉

This year we switched to Inukshuk 30/25. Excellent food with a huge savings when purchasing by the pallet. I don't know why, but I have always steered clear of Redpaw. I think it is the addition of bloodmeal that I'm not too keen of. Thanks for the comment! And thanks for watching!