Weekend Training Recap: Water Commitment, Punch Marks, and Short Retired Hens
Hello retriever enthusiasts,
This weekend we had a very productive training session focused on three consistent themes across six different setups: getting in and staying in the water, running punch marks (forcing the dog to run past previously retrieved birds), and working short retired hen pheasants — which are some of the toughest marks for a dog to find due to their small size and subtle scent.
It should be noted that these were very difficult setups despite not utilizing massive distances. Bird placement is key in great setups, not distance.
Although the setups looked somewhat similar from the air, each one had important variations that reinforced these core skills. Here’s what we worked on:
Day 1 – Marking Drill Setup for Water Commitment
We started with a marking drill that emphasized water entries.
In the first series, we threw the closer marks (near the gun). The dogs were then put up and brought back for the second series — the longer “back” marks.
This progression was very effective. The first series helped the dogs learn to confidently get into the water. The second series taught them to return to the water a second time and carry momentum across the body of water.
Day 2 Morning Series – Punch Marks, Short Retired Hens, and Out-of-Order Flyer
On day 2 we combined a long retired punch bird, a short retired hen pheasant (gun 2), and an out-of-order flyer in the middle of the test.
This setup taught the dogs to swing past the flyer from the long gun to the short gun. The long retired bird forced them to punch past the flyer fall (which was full of scent and attraction), while the short retired hen pheasant taught them to check down and mark accurately with their eyes rather than relying only on their nose — putting on smart, contained hunts.
We followed this with a down-the-shore water blind, which not only taught the dogs to get in and stay in the water, but also included two re-entries to improve momentum and commitment.
Day 3 – Reinforcing the Concepts on Land
On day 3 we stuck mostly to land, continuing to reinforce the concepts from the previous days. We did a morning tune-up in the water and then ran two series of land marks combining long punch birds, short retired pheasants, and out-of-order throws.
Day 4 – Final Setup
Finally on day 4 we started with a quad. There was a down-the-shore swim, punch bird, short retired hen pheasant — combining all of the themes of the weekend. The flyer to the left of the test was the last bird down, drawing the dogs’ attention wide.
We finished with a water triple combining a long confidence swim, with a multiple re-entry mark and a short middle bird providing suction to the dogs.
Apollo’s Progress
Apollo handled the water much better than in previous sessions and showed strong determination on the punch marks and short retired hens. He’s gaining confidence and learning to trust the line even when the visual is gone. I’m proud of how hard he’s working.
All in all, the weekend was phenomenal — promoting consistent themes and showing marked improvement amongst all the dogs.
These kinds of targeted setups are excellent for preparing dogs for Qualifying and Amateur stakes. They expose weaknesses quickly and reward honest effort and commitment.
If you’re working on water commitment, punch marks, or short retired birds, what setups have helped your dog the most? Share in the comments or on Instagram (@flyinghighretrievers). We all learn from each other’s experiences.
Here is to strong water work and purposeful hunts,
Ryan Fisher
Owner and Team Development Officer
Flying High Retrievers
Long Island, New York
