ASCEND by Ducks Unlimited

Learn what it really takes to train and hunt with your first duck dog—without pressure or perfection.

Adrienne is joined by Addison Walker, an 18-year-old dog trainer assistant at Mossy Pond Lodge studying wildlife conservation, with hands-on experience training hunting and competition retrievers.

In this episode, Addison breaks down what beginners need to know before bringing a dog into the duck blind. From early obedience and marking to what to expect on a dog’s first hunt, she explains the process in plain language—mistakes included. Adrienne asks the questions many new handlers are afraid to ask, making this a welcoming entry point into hunting with dogs. The conversation also explores mentorship, patience, and how young women can find their place in dog training and conservation.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
  • What early duck dog training actually looks like step by step
  • How to know when a dog is ready for its first hunt
  • Common beginner mistakes when hunting with a new dog
  • Differences between hunting dogs and competition dogs
  • How to stay safe and focused when a dog is in the blind
  • Why patience matters more than perfection in training
Subscribe and join this exciting journey to explore, learn, and grow together in the outdoor world.
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Creators and Guests

Host
Adrian Jessen
Adrian Jessen is a reviewer, writer, and adult-onset hunter best known as co-founder and on-camera host of the YouTube channel Review This Thing. Since 2020, she and her husband Robbie have published thorough, real‑world reviews and tutorials on optics, firearms, archery, and outdoor gear—built around a promise to be complete, honest, and unbiased. Adrian also contributes to titles such as North American Deer Hunter and Crossbow Magazine. When she isn’t testing new kit, she’s likely chasing spring gobblers or helping new hunters choose reliable gear and build safe, ethical skills.

What is ASCEND by Ducks Unlimited?

Ascend is a multimedia platform that spotlights the millions of outdoorswomen across our country who go hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, biking, running, and perform important conservation work every day.

Our web series and podcast feature guests who share their experiences with a focus on entertainment, education, and authenticity. Our viewers and listeners will get to know them and learn all about their passion for the outdoors. Whether you've been in outdoor communities all your life or are just getting started, Ascend is the place for you to follow your story!

Brought to you by Ducks Unlimited.

VO:

Welcome to the Ascend podcast, a podcast by and for women in the outdoors. Every episode delivers real stories, practical how to's, and a welcoming community to help you start, sharpen, or rediscover your passion for the outdoors. Authentic women, real stories, outdoor adventures, Ascend. Presented by Ducks Unlimited, the leader in wetlands conservation. Your next adventure starts here, the Ascend podcast.

Adrian:

Welcome to the Ascend podcast by Ducks Unlimited. I'm Adrienne, and today, we're gonna talk about training new hunting dogs and hunting with them. I am joined by Addison Walker who is currently a dog trainer assistant at Mossy Pond Lodge in Paterson, Georgia. And Addison, I'm pretty excited about this because she is definitely the youngest guest that I have had. So I'm pretty pumped to just hear her story, hear how she got where she is, and to learn from her insights at at the age that she is to already have so many.

Adrian:

So, make sure you guys that you like these episodes whenever you're listening or watching them on YouTube. Also, if you are watching on YouTube, comment. Ask us a bunch of questions. Tell us what you think. The more that you interact with us and we interact with you, the more the they wanna push it out to even more viewers.

Adrian:

So just make sure you you participate and help grow this community. But today is actually gonna be a really fun episode for me as well because I told Addison, I know absolutely nothing about hunting with dogs and and even less if if there's less than nothing, even less in training them. So, Addison, thank you so much for being here.

Addyson:

Yes. I'm glad to be here.

Adrian:

So Addison is actually a new friend of mine. We haven't met in person. We've had a couple of conversations, but another friend who, JC Stone, who is gonna be on here in a few weeks, she introduced us and said, hey. This this young lady has a wealth of knowledge already. She's gonna be an amazing guest.

Adrian:

So especially when I know we wanted to to dig in a little bit more about hunting dogs, knew that that you'd be you'd be the one I wanted to reach out to. So before we get in all that, before we start talking about dogs, then, Addison, just let everybody know a little bit about yourself.

Addyson:

I'm 18 years old, and I'm currently at ABAC going to school. I'm a wildlife conservation major right now, and I've been working with dogs for the past two years through high school.

Adrian:

And I know you told me you grew up hunting.

Addyson:

Yes, ma'am.

Adrian:

So what kind of hunting did you grow up doing?

Addyson:

I did I started off deer hunting, and then my dad would take me to the dove fields with all his buddies. I actually went to a few pheasant hunts with my dad at Wassey Pond before I even realized I would end up working there. And then we finally got into duck hunting.

Adrian:

So how does that translate into deciding you wanna train dogs?

Addyson:

Well, so one of the trainers at Mossy Pond was a family friend, and his mom reached out to my mom because there's this thing called super Seaver Cheries University, and it's for all the high school and college kids to be able to get into the sport of competition dogs. And they reached out to me asking if I would like to do it, and I was like, sure. And from there, I ended up asking him if there was any jobs available helping train dogs, and it just went from there.

Adrian:

That's really cool. So you grew up hunting with dogs, I assume?

Addyson:

Sort of. My dad never had a dog, but sometimes some of his buddies would.

Adrian:

And then I'm assuming, like, if you went like, if you go to the lodge, they have dogs.

Addyson:

Yes.

Adrian:

They do. Was just kinda your first experience with the dogs. So but did you did you know? Like, were you like, man, I really wanna work out with these dogs, or was it just kinda like, oh, that might be fun? I was kinda just like, yeah.

Addyson:

It'd be fun. It's something new to try, and then I loved it. And I was like, I wanna do this.

Adrian:

That's really cool. And you so you told me you train competition dogs. So the the thing you were talking about, that's competition dogs?

Addyson:

Yes,

Adrian:

ma'am. How does that work?

Addyson:

Some competition dogs can hunt too, but most of the time when they're competition dogs, they're just competition dogs. And we put a lot of work into them.

Adrian:

And I again, I know nothing. So I have lots of questions. So this is the thing where you see people where they have the whistle and the dog goes and they're, like, pointing and

Addyson:

Yes, ma'am. It's based off of points. It's basically like golf, you want the lowest points and you win. And for handling, there's points. Blowing your whistle, there's points.

Addyson:

There's handling inside and outside the area. And then for blinds, they'll have corridors. And if you go out corridor, you'll get corridor points. And there's also poison birds. And for the non university and college kids, for the real thing, if you pick up the poison bird, you'll be disqualified too.

Adrian:

How do they is it, like, smell different? Like, how do they?

Addyson:

Well, so there's marks and blinds. Whenever they throw the mark, you'll have to tell your dog, don't go get that. Go get the blind that they don't even know it's there. They have to entrust you to go get it, and they have to go get the blind, and then they'll come back and then we'll pick up the marks.

Adrian:

I don't know. That's just cool. Like, again, having zero experience with it, it blows my mind that you can actually train dogs to do that. Like and, you know, I never grew up with dogs either, so just how specifically and perfectly you can train them to do what you want them to

Addyson:

do. Yeah.

Adrian:

Absolutely crazy. So what as a dog trainer assistant do you do?

Addyson:

I've helped cling the kennels, feed the dogs. I've thrown birds for training, And then I've also got experience actually being able to train some of them too.

Adrian:

So does the trainer go with the dog on the hunt or is that a different person?

Addyson:

We have outfitters at Mossy Pond too. Sometimes the outfitter will take certain dogs that they like to the hunt, but then also sometimes the clients will want the trainer to come, so the trainer will go too.

Adrian:

I gotcha. And then can you bring your own dog also if you come out to those places or, like, Mossy Pond? Yes.

Addyson:

That's cool.

Adrian:

I'm sure I'll have more questions about all that. But, in terms of of the training the hunting dogs, like I said, the only experience I ever had, we were on a snow goose hunt, and the guide had a dog, but the weather was awful. It was the field we ran was frozen, so the geese didn't come down because, you know, I I something about they didn't like the reflection. I'm not sure because I didn't know much about it, but either way, the dog didn't really get to do much because half the time, by the time we shot something, we were able to just get up and go get it. There was no need for the dog to really retrieve much.

Adrian:

So I do want you to talk me through. You told me that you got a puppy, and you actually got to train that puppy. So just kinda from from the beginning, kinda talk us through what that looks like for you.

Addyson:

Yes. The trainer I was under, he helped me a lot with it. He kinda walked he showed me how to train dogs with my dog, and we always start off with obedience. And then we move on to force fetch, and then you move into blinds and water forcing, and then you start teaching on little puppy marks, and then it just keeps growing and growing.

Adrian:

Okay. So, again, I'm very ignorant. So let's rewind. Tell me what each of those things mean. So what's a force fetch and and all that stuff?

Addyson:

Obedience is like teaching them here, heal, sit, place, and then we move on to force fetch, and we're basically teaching them, hey, if I tell you to go fetch something, you have to go fetch it. Water forcing is making sure they know they have to get in the water when you want them to get in the water. And then we teach just start teaching the blinds and we do it on a thing called a tee. It's basic it's just a mowed out tee and you teach them, like, when I say back, you're supposed to go where I'm pointing you and get the bird. And then we also start teaching hand signals in the tee.

Addyson:

And then we start doing this little puppy marks where we have somebody walk out just a few yards and throw some birds to just start teaching them to go get them.

Adrian:

So you train mainly, like, labs and goldens. Is that the the primary dog that you would train for a duck dog?

Addyson:

Yeah. And, we get some boykins in sometimes and sometimes a GSP.

Adrian:

I assume it's just in them. Like, it's they like, if you took a, you know, poodle out, it probably would not respond the same as one of these dogs.

Addyson:

It definitely would.

Adrian:

So they know what they're doing. They've got already got it in them that this is what's supposed to happen.

Addyson:

Yes.

Adrian:

That's really cool. Now so first, you obviously work on, like you said, just obedience first. Like, if they have to be able to follow simple commands before you can teach them bigger, get out there and do something crazy commands. Yes. So when you're doing this well, how old are they when you start?

Addyson:

They're usually around eight months, eight to twelve months.

Adrian:

How long would it take for you or to be like, okay. This dog is not gonna get it.

Addyson:

Easily within, like, the first month or two. You're like, okay. This dog's definitely gonna struggle.

Adrian:

So so either like, hey. We're good. This dog is gonna this is gonna be one we're gonna use forever or, like, not so sure this is a good gonna be a good one. So what what do you do with that dog? Like, can it still be trained and it's just definitely not gonna be competition, or is it just he's gonna be a good pet?

Adrian:

It can

Addyson:

still be trained for hunting, but sometimes I just don't have what it takes to be a competition dog. I gotcha.

Adrian:

And that's probably something bred too. Right? Like, most like, the the winners are, like, through a line. Yes. Yeah.

Adrian:

And if you, you know I'm assuming you if you wanna win competitions, you try to find a bloodline of winners. Yes. Do y'all do that there too? Like, I know there's a kennel. Do they raise them at Mossy Pond as well or just train?

Adrian:

We

Addyson:

have had a couple litters come through. Raising puppets is definitely fun.

Adrian:

I bet it is fun. Yes. Whenever you like, we talked about the red flags. Like, what is it that if you see this in a dog, you know he's probably not gonna be the best? What are those kinda things you see first that show you?

Addyson:

The major one is just, like, not having go, like, just not wanting to do it at all. That's really the main thing.

Adrian:

No matter what treat or what cue or what discipline or whatever, he's just

Addyson:

Don't wanna do it. Yeah.

Adrian:

Are most of these male or female, or does it not matter?

Addyson:

Majority are male just because usually females are smaller, and a lot of people like the bigger male dogs.

Adrian:

Do they perform the same, like, in terms of usually, like, following commands and stuff? Is that pretty similar, or is it

Addyson:

It's pretty similar. I have seen a lot of more males, and it's a lot of people don't like the females because they will come in the heat, and then you can't take them to competitions, and then they're don't really wanna hunt them that much when they're in heat too.

Adrian:

That I makes sense. If you can just get the male dogs and keep them away and do they okay. So if you're going on a hunt and let's say there's five people hunting ducks, how many dogs do you need?

Addyson:

I'd say probably around two, at least one on each end.

Adrian:

And do they like, do those dogs I'm sure it varies, but do they tend to get along well, or is it, like, they so they're not, like I guess they're trained enough that they're not gonna fight each other or whatever.

Addyson:

No. They won't.

Adrian:

That would not be that would be less than ideal. So how old

Addyson:

is your puppy? She is a year and a half right now.

Adrian:

And where is she in the process of training? She's

Addyson:

almost finished right now. And are

Adrian:

you training her to compete or to hunt?

Addyson:

Mainly to hunt, but I'll take her to a few, like, hunt tests just to get, like, seasoned and started passes on her so that way whenever I wanna breed her, she'll look better.

Adrian:

That's smart. Yeah. You said that you started about eight months, and she's almost a year and a half. So give or take about a year process?

Addyson:

For just a hunt and dog, yes.

Adrian:

What? So in about a year, they're ready to to hunt and feel good about what they're gonna do. How long does the competition training take?

Addyson:

Well, we have competition dogs that are eight, nine, 10 right now.

Adrian:

Oh, wow.

Addyson:

But we just had a three year old chocolate dog win the crown, the Super Retriever series crown last year. So he was only three when he did that. So it all varies.

Adrian:

And how many competitions is that?

Addyson:

The crown is like the Super Bowl. So it's five series, and they'll run them I think it lasts, like, four to five days. Wow.

Adrian:

And where where are those usually held?

Addyson:

The crown's in Louisiana, but the competitions, just the normal ones, are held just about anywhere.

Adrian:

I gotcha. Okay. So let's go back to the hunting dog. So your dog's about a year and a half. When did you take her out the first time hunting?

Addyson:

Her first season was last season.

Adrian:

So how like, she was still pretty young

Addyson:

She was.

Adrian:

When you took her out.

Addyson:

I'm pretty sure she had just turned a year whenever I first took her out.

Adrian:

You know, I had asked you a few questions before because just mainly to make sure I didn't ask stupid questions. But so whenever you took her out or any any dog that you're training to hunt, did they go out on, like, trial trips? Will a dog go out and just kinda hang out and watch? Or, like, the time the first time you take it, you expect it to to be involved?

Addyson:

The first time you take it, you want the dog to be involved, but you won't be as hard on your dog for making mistakes their first time hunting as you would in training because it's totally new to them, and there's multiple shots going off. There's ducks falling. Like, it's like a shock to the dogs, basically.

Adrian:

Because they've never done it.

Addyson:

Yes. Like, you still don't want your dog to, like, break from your side, but, like, if she can't find the bird in there, like, just be patient with your dog and because it's their first time.

Adrian:

Now when you're training them before you go out, how much, experience around guns do they have before they go hunt?

Addyson:

We have, blanks that we can shoot, so we'll definitely make sure. We'll start with, like, having somebody further off shoot the gun while we're sitting by the dog, and then you just start slowly bringing it closer and then making sure they won't break and making sure they aren't gun shy.

Adrian:

Is that I mean, I guess that'd be the the easiest way to make sure they're not gun shy is that, like, kinda desensitization

Addyson:

Yes.

Adrian:

The more they're around it. And like you say, start further off. You don't scare them to death the first time. I don't think that would that would go very well for them.

Addyson:

No. Definitely wouldn't.

Adrian:

I'm sure when you're training, you maybe have a couple of people out there.

Addyson:

It

Adrian:

is. And it's very controlled environment, I assume. Then whenever there's birds flying everywhere and people shooting all sorts of different directions, I guess that's kinda the what messes them up a little not mess them up, but, like, makes it a little more complicated.

Addyson:

Yes. They're definitely, like, on edge. Like, oh my goodness.

Adrian:

What is happening? I gotta go. So let's say the first time you took her out hunting. What like, this this is kind of a there's probably no right answer to this. What percent like, you would say she retrieved properly half the birds.

Adrian:

Like, what's a good expectation for a new dog?

Addyson:

If you send the dog for the dirt, definitely make sure they go and finish it. But, like, if they need casting help to get the bird, that's totally okay. If they don't, like, mark the bird completely and you need to cast them to the bird.

Adrian:

What what does that mean?

Addyson:

Casting's like whenever you, blow the whistle, it, like, give hand signals to tell them which way you want them to go.

Adrian:

So, like, if they didn't find it and go straight to it, you can be like, over there.

Addyson:

Yes. And

Adrian:

okay. That's cast. Okay. I'm learning. I'm learning all kinds of cool words.

Adrian:

This. I'm gonna know what I'm talking about by the end of this now. That's not yeah. I will not.

Addyson:

I will I will not.

Adrian:

So when when do you like, you're training them. You've got them. You've been doing shooting, the blanks so that you know, like, hey. He or she's cool with the gun right here near them. They've done a good job retrieving.

Adrian:

What's the the mark of being ready to take your dog out?

Addyson:

Usually, if they can pick up at least, like, a double, which would be, like, two marks being thrown, it'd be, like, before. So you have them sitting beside you, one mark will be thrown, they'll mark it, and then another mark will be thrown, and then they'll go get the second mark and then come back and pick up the first mark. They can do that and not be gunshot. They're usually ready.

Adrian:

Because I guess even in a hunting scenario, if two or three people are shooting, that dog's gotta be able to, at a minimum, keep up with a couple birds, but then be able to, like, tell it where to go to get the ones that it maybe didn't see.

Addyson:

Yeah.

Adrian:

This is a random question. How long can you like, let's say you've told your dog to get in place. Like, how long will that dog sit there? Will it stay there until you tell it to move?

Addyson:

Yes. They should.

Adrian:

Hours if you wanted it to.

Addyson:

Yes, ma'am.

Adrian:

I don't know why that surprise like, it doesn't surprise me because they're amazing. Like, you've trained them to do that, but I'd I I guess I've always had cats. Cats don't do anything you tell them to do, so I'm always amazed that they'll just, like, hang out and not bark or not whatever. Another question that I have, and I don't think I asked you this beforehand, I know there are some hunting dogs that, they're trained or raised to be like, they're just hunting dogs. They're not pets.

Adrian:

They're not how do you know when you're like, is your dog also a pet, or does it's just a hunting dog?

Addyson:

She's definitely a pet too.

Adrian:

So she's not the one, like, you're cuddling and this this is, like, your your baby?

Addyson:

Yeah. She she definitely does sleep in bed with me. A lot of people won't let their hunting dog sleep in bed, but she does sleep in bed with me.

Adrian:

What are the if you were, like, hardcore, what are, like, the rules about your hunting dog that you're not supposed to do?

Addyson:

Definitely make them sleep in their kennel and then, like, obviously feed them, take them out, use the bathroom, everything. Only give them dog food.

Adrian:

Again, it's I'm assuming because things stories I've heard, they're not intended to be like a snuggly, cuddly, like, fuzzy dog.

Addyson:

Yeah. Well, I think they can be both, really. That's my opinion, though.

Adrian:

Because you don't want a dog that you can't snuggle with.

Addyson:

So Exactly.

Adrian:

I mean, it makes sense. It makes sense. Well, I have a lot more questions. But before we get into those, we are going to take a quick break so that we can hear from our sponsors. Welcome back to the Ascend podcast.

Adrian:

We are with Addison Walker. Today, we've already talked a lot about training puppies, training, competition dogs, and training the hunting dog. So now I wanna talk a little bit more about actually hunting with these dogs, especially a new dog. It's their just their first, second, third time out. So we're hunting with a new dog.

Adrian:

As a hunter, what do you need to pay attention to?

Addyson:

Your main focus is definitely gonna be on your dog. Your focus should not just be on killing the ducks. Your focus needs to be on your dog, making sure they're doing, like, sitting and not breaking. I know a lot of people, their first time taking a dog, they won't even bring a gun with them sometimes, or they'll bring a gun just in case but won't even use it.

Adrian:

Like, do you think most of the time those people go by themselves or they go with people and just focus on the dog?

Addyson:

They'll definitely go with, like, a group of people and just focus on the dog, making sure they're not gonna break, they're not gonna be gun shy in the duck hole and are watching the birds fall.

Adrian:

They'll still get the opportunity to go retrieve.

Addyson:

Yes,

Adrian:

ma'am. So let's say that I've never hunted with duck dogs. Never you know, what do I need to know? What are the most important things if I've never hunted with a dog before whenever I do it for the first time?

Addyson:

If the dog's in order, definitely make sure you're not shooting low. That's, like, the main thing. And then while the dog's working, definitely don't, like, try to be yelling at it or saying its name, like, trying to play with it or anything.

Adrian:

Let's say a dog does break before. Right. Who is how do you like, I'm assuming then the trainer or the the owner of the dog is responsible to, like, let everybody know, hey, my dog's in the water. Don't shoot.

Addyson:

Yes. Definitely. But you try not to let them break even though it is their first time because that this puts everybody in a bad situation. So, usually, you're just kinda like, no. No.

Addyson:

Come back and put them back in heel.

Adrian:

So that's why you were saying the the person in charge of the dog usually will just be in charge of the dog the first few times to make sure they've they've got a good handle on how all this should be going. Yes. So here let's say there's a veteran dog. Like, this dog has hunted years and years versus a puppy. What sorta how does that change?

Adrian:

Like, if you take a dog out that knows what they're doing, how does that change in regards to the the trainer?

Addyson:

The person working the dog can pay less. They still pay a lot of attention to it, but they don't have to be, like, only focusing on the dog. They can shoot. And after they kill a duck or whatever, they can easily just send the dog for it and they'll go get it come right back.

Adrian:

And is that do you do mostly in water duck hunting or, like, over fields, or how does that work for what you do mainly?

Addyson:

I mainly just do in the water, but we do train on a lot of fields and everything a lot too.

Adrian:

Where you work, are there do they have, is it natural ponds, or do they flood them for the duck season?

Addyson:

We, like, dug out a swamp, so it's kinda natural water back there, and we'll take them the guided hunts and everything back there in the swamp.

Adrian:

How big is that?

Addyson:

It's pretty big. I can't remember exactly how many acres we have, but we have a lot.

Adrian:

Enough to have a bunch of ducks that that come in. Yes. Addison and I had a conversation before so that I could explain how dumb these questions that I have are, but I'm hoping my hope is that some of you listening to this are also brand new to the hunting with dog world, and you I'm asking questions that you would also wanna know, I'm hoping. Or maybe I just ask dumb questions. But anyway, so one question that I had for Addison is, so these dogs people that I know who duck hunt a lot say it is by far the coldest hunting they've ever done.

Adrian:

How do the dogs stay warm through all of this watering?

Addyson:

Their fur is naturally warm, but we also put, like, a vest on them. They keep added warped around their belly and bit it's, like, too too cold for them. If we can tell they're getting too cold, we'll, like, keep them out of the water.

Adrian:

And I saw too. Actually, I was watching the video from, Mossy Pond, and they have, little, I guess, benches.

Addyson:

Yeah. We call them play stands. We'll, like, attach them to the tree that we're hunting with, and we'll just stand beside the dog.

Adrian:

So he's out of the water?

Addyson:

Yes, Like,

Adrian:

hanging out. So he only has to get wet if he actually shoots something? Yes. Okay. And that's I'm sure that's helpful because they're not underwater just, like, getting freezing cold.

Adrian:

Yeah. Like, how do you know they're too cold?

Addyson:

Well, they will shake a little bit, they'll still be okay. But, like, if they, like, start getting, like, sluggish and everything That

Adrian:

makes sense. Like humans, hypothermia, all that kind of thing. Now while you're hunting, do you do they get treats? How does that go?

Addyson:

We don't do treat training. So, like, the bird is their reward, basically. Like, they wanna go retrieve, so, like, them getting to go get the bird is their reward. That's cool.

Adrian:

Because you're having to carry treats around everywhere. That makes sense. Another question that we had talked about that I was interested because, again, that video, the guy was right beside the what'd call it? A place stand?

Addyson:

Yes, ma'am.

Adrian:

And shooting, and the dog, you know, is just a feet a foot or two away. So how do you think that all the shooting affects the dog's hearing?

Addyson:

I don't think so. I think they, like, get used to it or something. I'm not sure either.

Adrian:

That's right. Because we we were talking about it, and we were we were saying that they can still hear when you call them, they can still hear, you know, whenever you blow the whistle or or whatnot. So if you are a dog trainer or a veterinarian and you happen to know the answer to that question, again, I'm certain it's not relevant to it to training dogs, but I just was very interested because I know if if, you know, people were shooting guns by my head for a few hours, it would not would not go very well for for me. So it's interesting. Anyway, so if you know, comment and let us know.

Adrian:

Do you retire the dog at some point? Like, how do you know when to do that?

Addyson:

Well and they can be retired at different ages. Basically, once they just, like, get where they don't real if they don't really wanna do it anymore and they're old, then usually that's a good sign to retire or if they're just, like, starting to get achy muscles and everything where it's, like, not fun for them anymore, that's when you retire them.

Adrian:

And then they just become pets? Yes. You have trained mainly retrievers. What was it you said? The three kinds of dogs.

Adrian:

The retrievers and then there were two

Addyson:

And then GSPs and Boykins.

Adrian:

I gotcha. What's your favorite of those?

Addyson:

Definitely a Lab.

Adrian:

Oh, yeah? Yes. What's different about them? What makes those your favorite?

Addyson:

Their demeanor, really. Like, I feel like they're just way more calmer and relaxed than, like, a Boykin or a GSP would be.

Adrian:

Which which dogs are larger?

Addyson:

Labs, definitely.

Adrian:

Okay. So kinda the same same deal. Okay. Okay. Again, dumb question.

Adrian:

Can a dog that you've trained for duck hunting also be used for other bird hunting, like upland hunting? Yes. How is that training different? It's kinda

Addyson:

all the same, but we'll definitely put them in, like, different scenarios. Like, for duck hunting, we'll do more water marks and blinds. And for, like, pheasant and dove, we'll do more, like, field scenarios.

Adrian:

What about so duck can a can a retriever point?

Addyson:

I'm sure they can. I've just never done it, but I bet they could if you trained them for it.

Adrian:

I guess, yeah. If you're taking like, let's say you're going through an upland hunt, do you do a lot of that as well or mainly just ducks?

Addyson:

We do a lot of those guided hunts too at Mossy.

Adrian:

Like, if you were using a retriever, how do they know what, like because you can't see the birds. So how do they know what to do and, like, not flush them till you're ready? Like, how do they know that?

Addyson:

We'll have some pointers out there that will go and point, and then we won't send our retrievers or flush dogs until we make sure all the hunters are ready.

Adrian:

I gotcha. So they're both. You're gonna have the pointers that just find them and stay put. That makes sense. And then the other ones do the a different job.

Addyson:

Yes,

Adrian:

ma'am. Do pointers also retrieve? So if you had a if you were dove hunting with or pheasant hunting with a pointer, would it go get the bird as well, or you have to have a retriever too?

Addyson:

That's kind of the same thing. If you train it for it, it could. But if you don't train it for it, probably not.

Adrian:

So best case, you'd have both. Yes, ma'am. I gotcha. The pointing dogs, is that a different competition, or are they in the same the that you were talking about?

Addyson:

I'd I had never really trained a pointing dog before, the point or anything. I'm sure there's competition somewhere for those, but I'm not sure.

Adrian:

And it's not. They they aren't in the competitions that that you were doing? No, ma'am. And what was what was the name of those competitions?

Addyson:

Super Retriever Series.

Adrian:

Super Retriever Series. And you said as a high schooler, you were doing that?

Addyson:

Yes. They have a they call it Super Retriever Series University, and that's just for high school and college kids, and we can have, like, a coach and everything.

Adrian:

I'm kinda backing up a little bit, but so as a as a high school girl, and you're you know, there's all the high school things that are going on. Like, were you still all into the the the dances and the clubs and all that, or you were like, no. This is what I wanna do.

Addyson:

I still did all the high school stuff because I played sports too. So I was doing sports and working there and doing the clubs and the dances.

Adrian:

That's a lot.

Addyson:

Yeah. It definitely takes balance for sure.

Adrian:

Oh, sure. And you said you're studying agriculture or conservation?

Addyson:

Yes, ma'am.

Adrian:

Do they have that competition at your school? Like, can you do that through your school?

Addyson:

They don't. Like, it's not through a school technically, but, like, when we sign up, we'll put what school we go to and everything.

Adrian:

So you're still getting to do it?

Addyson:

Yes, ma'am.

Adrian:

Okay. Well, that's fun. Will you get another dog and train it at the same time as the dog you already have, or is that too much?

Addyson:

You could, but I'm definitely gonna wait till I get out of college before I get a different dog.

Adrian:

I bet that would be a lot. How many hours a day are involved when you're training?

Addyson:

When at work when we train, we'll usually get there around five in the morning, feed which dogs need to be fed, let them use the bathroom, let them up on the trailer, and they go to the field. And then we won't usually start feeding in the afternoon till around 05:00 in the afternoon.

Adrian:

Oh, wow. So, like, a whole day?

Addyson:

Yes, ma'am. Wow.

Adrian:

Your dog is with you. How how much are you still working with her throughout a week, I guess, would be a better question.

Addyson:

Really as much as I possibly can with college and everything. She's not with me right now. She's at my house. So whenever I go home on the weekends, I'll take her out, take her to our little river and everything, let her play, make sure she's still doing good on marks and everything.

Adrian:

Is it possible for them to lose their training?

Addyson:

I don't think so. I think it's kinda just like for humans riding a bike, like, something you just don't really forget.

Adrian:

Like, then maybe they aren't quite as good at it.

Addyson:

Might be rusty. But yeah.

Adrian:

They're still gonna do it? Yes, ma'am. That's cool. What's your favorite part of the training process?

Addyson:

I'd say whenever they are starting to learn marks, getting them to learn to watch the bird and go get it and everything.

Adrian:

How long does that take? Like, is it, like, a thing most of them learn in a day or two, or is it a few weeks? What's the average?

Addyson:

Well, we start off with the puppy marks, the really, really short ones, and then we'll gradually get up the longer and longer marks. And we've had a mark that's probably a 100 yards before or sometimes further. Just depends on everything.

Adrian:

And they learn it pretty quickly?

Addyson:

They do. They'll start learning the mark real quick and and we just progressively make the marks harder for them.

Adrian:

That makes sense. Because if they're I mean, if they get it 10 yards, then you move it to 15 yards, then you kinda well, you know when they're ready to try 40 yards or whatever.

Addyson:

Yes, ma'am.

Adrian:

So then question two. So learn training marks is your favorite part of the training process. So when hunting with the dog, what's your favorite part of that process?

Addyson:

I love just watching the dogs work. It's just super cool. It's, like, amazing what they can do.

Adrian:

How does it feel when you see your dog, like, do her thing?

Addyson:

It's definitely a great feeling because you're like, yay. She's finally doing it.

Adrian:

All this work. It paid off. How often do you duck hunt?

Addyson:

I go just about as much as possible, trying to fit it in between school and everything.

Adrian:

So it's something you do on a on a pretty regular basis. Does your dog always go with you, or do you only take her if, like, somebody else doesn't have a dog?

Addyson:

I usually always take her. She's definitely getting better. The first time was definitely rough, but she's gotten a whole lot better. She's pretty good now.

Adrian:

That's good. And is she she does a good job staying in place and and not breaking and all that stuff?

Addyson:

Yes, ma'am.

Adrian:

So how many marks can she keep up with?

Addyson:

Three. Okay.

Adrian:

I feel like that's probably good.

Addyson:

Yes. That's pretty good.

Adrian:

What's the most you've seen a dog keep up with?

Addyson:

Usually, we only go up to, like, four. That's really good.

Adrian:

Yeah. So when you are in your the hole where you hunt on or wherever it is you hunt, how far are those retrieves usually?

Addyson:

It's usually not that far at all because I'm hunting on the river which is just like I'm just hunting on the little sandbar.

Adrian:

So however far across the river, that'd be about the most. Yes, ma'am. If you could only hunt or only compete with your dog, what would you pick?

Addyson:

I would probably pick hunting just because I love hunting.

Adrian:

Do you hope to keep competing?

Addyson:

I love it, so I'd like to continue still being in the sport.

Adrian:

How is it in broken up? By dog age or by trainer, or how do they break that

Addyson:

For the super retriever series, it's broken up by amateurs and pros. Pros are, like, the people who train dogs and get paid to train dogs, and amateurs are people that just train their own dogs and want to compete.

Adrian:

I gotcha. And is that broken up any further, like males and females or age group or anything or just

Addyson:

Just like that.

Adrian:

Wow. So, like, if you're in out there, you're competing against people who could have been doing it for twenty years? Yes. Wow. Who usually like, is it the same people often win?

Addyson:

Usually. Like, it's a lot of just the same people out there every time, so you just become friends with everybody out there.

Adrian:

Have anybody have any of the people that work where you work one?

Addyson:

Yes. The guy I work under is Carter Turner. He won the crown last year and the year before last.

Adrian:

Okay. So you're learning from a a it sounds like somebody that actually, like, knows what they're doing.

Addyson:

Yes, ma'am.

Adrian:

That's pretty cool that they are willing to or he, I guess, is willing to mentor and and teach you. Are there other people as well that he's doing that with that you know of?

Addyson:

He's definitely he had a few people, like, high school kids just trying to teach them, like, get more young people into the sport.

Adrian:

That's neat. We'll hopefully, we'll have some links in the description as well. We'll have some for Mossy Pond Lodge and for, the Super Retriever series. So especially on the YouTube video. So if you're interested in that stuff, we'll we'll make sure we put that below.

Adrian:

Well, Addison, before we're finished, is there anything else that stands out to you as to if somebody's listening to this and they think they may wanna get into dog training, what would you say to them?

Addyson:

Definitely just try. It's a great experience even if you just go out there and watch somebody else train a dog. It's fun to watch. It's fun to do.

Adrian:

Would you recommend hunting training or competition training?

Addyson:

Probably for the first one, I would def the first dog you get, I would definitely recommend starting off hunting and then start looking for a better bloodline or and then go into competition.

Adrian:

So what is the most important thing that you have learned in the past two years with the dog training?

Addyson:

Be patient. That

Adrian:

makes sense. Yes. I guess, yeah, if you if you expect too much too soon, everybody's gonna be unhappy. Good deal. I mean, I learned a ton again.

Adrian:

I'm hoping that some of you listening also didn't know anything, and and your my questions weren't too below standard for everybody, but I know that I learned a lot. So, Addison, thank you so much. Thanks for being here. Thanks for sharing all of your information. If you, tell everybody where they can find you, follow you if you would like.

Addyson:

Yes. I have Instagram. I don't know my Instagram.

Adrian:

They can just search Addison Walker and hopefully, they'll see your picture.

Addyson:

Yes. It should pop up.

Adrian:

It should pop up. Yeah. And then like I said, we'll put links to the Super Retriever series, Mossy Pond Lodge below if you guys wanna learn more about that. Like I said, if you have any questions, comment below. And if I didn't ask all the questions, then I can ask Addison and we'll we'll respond.

Adrian:

Please comment. Let us know your thoughts and share our episodes with all your friends. You can also head over to social media. The Ascend podcast has, know for sure, Instagram. Follow along.

Adrian:

Follow the journey. I know if you watched our episode with the four hosts, we really want all of this to be a community where people get to know each other. We answer questions. We provide some amazing resources, tips, tricks, all that good stuff. So be involved.

Adrian:

Be part of it. We want you guys to be as much part of it as we are. So having said that, I'm Adrienne, encouraging you to follow your story wherever it takes you.

VO:

Thank you for listening to the Ascend podcast. New every week, the conservation driven podcast one week and our adventure video series the next. Watch the Ascend adventure episodes on the Ducks Unlimited YouTube channel, and be sure to like, share, and subscribe. Opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect those of Ducks Unlimited. Until next time, follow your outdoor story wherever it leads you.

VO:

Ascend.