Is There Such a Thing as Over Training???

Yes!

The one thing about a good dog trainer is to be able to recognize how hard they can push a dog and when to stop and call it a day.

I think one of the most important things I have learned is to watch your dog.  They aren't new to this stuff after all.  We aren't teaching them anything that they really didn't already know.  We are just there to fine tune those skills and to be there to guide them in the right direction.  The only way to have a great hunting dog is to start with one that has the drive to do what you want them to do, hunt!  If a dog doesn't want to hunt, guess what?? It's not going to.  Even if you force it.

I believe I have found the point of working too much for Emma.  Today will mark our 5th day in the field in the past 7 days.  Yesterday was the point for her when I ran her in the field for 45 minutes with a 20 minute water retrieve.  Later in the day, my two boys and I were swimming and she got in with us and swam.  Then at 6 pm I took her back in the field to work her with birds.  After the second bird she was panting like crazy.  Needless to say, she got to ride in the nice air conditioned truck on the way home.

Please keep in mind that Emma is a very well conditioned dog.  We didn't just start training her this week.  It is just a combination of my drive to have a conditioned, field ready dog for an upcoming hunt and her wanting to do what she loves the most, be in the field.  What I saw in her today is wanting to do it but just not having the energy.  It is because I always have an eye on my dog that I am able to see when she has had enough before it drives the desire out of her.

In training remember these two things.  A dog will not always want or be ready to work as hard as you want them to and if a dog does nothing but work and not have fun, they won't want to do it.  Learn how to read your dog.  They may teach YOU a thing or two!