Apollo the Golden Retriever works on his swim-by drill in this honest training session from Flying High Retrievers.

He’s still learning, and it’s not perfect yet — but that’s exactly why we wanted to share it. This is a realistic look at what a lot of handlers experience when introducing or refining the swim-by with their own dogs.

The swim-by is a foundational water handling drill that teaches precise whistle stops, accurate casts (back, left over, right over), and proper lines in the water. It’s a key step in building the skills needed for field trials and hunt tests.

In this session you’ll see Apollo’s current level of understanding, including the typical challenges that come up during this stage of training. Whether you’re just starting swim-by with your retriever or looking for real-world examples to compare against, we hope this helps set expectations and gives you something useful to reference.

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💬 Comment below — how is swim-by going with your dog? Any breakthroughs or sticking points you’re seeing?

For more in-depth retriever training resources and guides, visit:

https://flyinghighretrievers.com

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