On your mark, get set

There are few things more impressive than watching a dog fly out to a blind retrieve. It is even better if the dog then winds the retrieve with little or no input from the handler. It always surprises me how quickly handlers want to jump to working on really difficult blind retrieves, often pushing their dogs too far too soon.

While I agree a good blind retrieve is wonderful to see, nothing looks more impressive than a smartly precise marked retrieve. A good marking dog is invaluable on any shooting field, whether it is rough shooting, picking-up or duck flighting. A dog that can mark a bird —