This is my uncles dog that I've been working with over the summer. She pretty much stays in a kennel all the time except for when I work with her...which makes things tough. Especially when I can only get there one or 2 times a week. The hardest part is teaching/maintaining OB when she doesn't get worked with every day. She is a real smart dog and has the basics and loves to retrieve the bumper. I've had her in the water a few times but not in a marsh/hunting setting. So today I decided to take her out for her first hunt. She followed on my left the whole way out through muck and water that was borderline swimming for her. She stayed right with me when I set the decoys out, then I let her explore the marsh alittle before LST. When it was time to hunt she laid right next to me without any fuss. About 20min in 4 geese came overhead and I hit one that sailed about 1/4 mile out. We went after it, and when we got close she chased it down but wouldn't pick it up, which was expected since the goose is damn near as big as she is. Ended up getting another later on with the same results. I threw the bumper and had her do a bunch of retrieves all morning, and for the most part she performed flawlessly. Even though she didn't retrieve the geese, the day was a big success. Can't wait till duck season!!!
Sorry for the novel.