When Training Goes Wrong- Gun Shy Scare | Jason Albano’s Story

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Welcome to the Build From Here podcast.
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On this episode, I'm so excited to be introducing to you CGA member Jason Albano.
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Really an incredible member.
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His story is really encouraging.
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When he submitted it, and I kind of read over that, I was like, wow, you know, a lot of people have the same story.
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They start this journey, they go down a path, and then they find themselves at a place where they don't know if things are going to work out.
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And that's kind of where the story really begins with Jason and his teacher.
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Like he came to a place where he, you know, it was basically a hard pill to swallow on where his dog was at.
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Gun shyness was kind of one of the big uh concerns that, man, this dog may not turn out.
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So uh if that is you and if you've had that experience, I think you're really gonna enjoy this episode.
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But Jason has a lot more to offer in this, lots of tips, lots of um value that we're gonna be able to uh pull out from his story.
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And so I'm so excited.
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I also want to just say Jason is uh I want to honor him on this call before we get going and a model Cornerstone member.
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Uh I I mentioned this on the live leader call we had the other night.
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We have uh basically we have leaders within Cornerstone that are helping support the community.
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And uh we had this call, and uh Jason was out blowing some snow because of that northeast uh storm that happened up there, and he wasn't able to make it on the call.
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But I had hopped on one of their calls at the Boston chapter, he heads up the Boston chapter, and uh uh hopped on one of these calls, and I I don't even know if they knew I was on for a little bit.
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I just kind of popped in after I put the kids to bed, and Jason was just taking the time and listening to members and encouraging them and helping them on the journey.
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And honestly, it was uh I was like, wow, this is so cool to have people like this helping other people.
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And that honestly, him it really he is a model member in showing our culture, our culture is that we care about people, right?
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We prioritize relationships and connection, and Jason fully embodied that core value uh on that few minutes that I was able to hop on and hear what was going on.
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It was just so cool to see.
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So um that said, Jason, I'm so glad you're here.
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Welcome aboard, excited to share your story.
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Yeah, thanks for having me.
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Very excited.
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Yeah, man, it's gonna be it's gonna be great.
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I know uh I'm excited to talk about your pup.
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Or really you've got two pups now, so we'll kind of dive into that in a minute.
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But before we go into the pups and all of that, um let's just go in, man.
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Where did you grow up?
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I would love for people to get to know you a little bit, and then we'll dive into the fun stuff on the dogs and and then the really fun stuff everybody wants to see, which is the problems.
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Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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Right.
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Um, so from right outside Boston, Massachusetts, um, I own a landscaping company.
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Um, and you know, clearly it's winter right now, so we're not doing any work right now.
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Um tell me about that uh snowstorm you guys just had, because that we don't understand what that is like down here in Alabama.
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Like we the worst we've ever got was Snow Mageddon, and that might have been like you know 10 inches.
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So we got about two and a half feet with this snowstorm.
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Um, and the thing the the thing about this one, it was a blizzard, so it just it dropped four inches an hour, and it was just so hard for people to keep up with it.
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Yeah, it was it was what do you I mean when you say what does two and a half feet look like?
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I mean, does that like cover up the driveway completely?
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Like can you even get out of the the house?
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If you don't if you don't keep up with it, you cannot get out.
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It's it's really uh yeah, yeah.
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It's um and then there's things called snow drifts, so the wind will blow the snow, and what happens is you can have two inches on one side, but you can have five feet on the other side.
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Really?
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So like doors could be like kind of blocked off.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Whoa, yeah.
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So yeah.
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So um, you know, it all this all really started with, you know, I wanted a dog, had to get a dog.
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So it all really started with my wife and I before we got married, we got Maggie, who was a go a field golden retriever.
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And I I did not know what a field golden retriever was at the time.
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I was like, you know, oh, I just got a golden, you know, there's okay.
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Um, but then I when you got this, when you got Maggie, was that just like for y'all's family dogs?
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It was it was a fan, you know, I like I said, I mean, um, I have no hunting background whatsoever in my family.
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Um, my father never hunted, no, no one in my family.
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There's no history of hunting whatsoever.
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Um did y'all ever do any outdoor stuff?
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What we what we do, we're avid fishermen.
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We love fishing.
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We go to Cape Cod, we go to the Northeast, and absolutely love fishing.
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I mean, you can see it on the head.
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Um so go the nort go the northeast, fish, uh, black sea bass, striped bass, two and I, you name it, we're catching it.
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Um, so that's what we would do.
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There's no, but there was no hunting.
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Um, so we got Maggie and she was a family dog, and we just, you know, she was a great dog, you know.
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And then after that, we had about three kids.
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Um, three wonderful children, two two girls and a boy.
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And um, you know, the kids absolutely love Maggie.
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But again, how old are the kids now?
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I have 12, soon to be 12, 8, and 6.
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So wow, that's cool.
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Yeah, that's cool.
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Very, very, very, uh, very busy right now.
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Um, but they're great kids.
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So as the years went by, Maggie turned 12, and we I decided, my wife says, I wanted another puppy.
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So I went to get another golden, um, you know, right up in New Hampshire.
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But she, so Marlene, um, when we went up there, she is a English cream golden, so different, different breed.
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You know, I don't think English cream goldens were really bred to hunt.
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I think it was more of a family dog.
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So we got her, brought her home, and you know, then you know, a few years later, Maggie did pass away.
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Um, which which it's it's you know, it's never fun to have to lose a dog.
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Yeah, I'm curious, like where where did the where did the hunting come in?
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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So you got this, or were you when you got uh Marlene, were you thinking about hunting at the time, or was this still you're thinking, just repla getting another dog for the fish?
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Just getting another dog, just you know, hadn't wasn't thinking about hunting whatsoever.
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Um I fish from late April to mid-September.
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You can fish later than that, um, but I have three kids.
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They go back to school.
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I have no time to run down the cape and go fishing with sports school activities.
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God, for you, do you have is it like uh about an hour and 20?
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Hour and 20 minutes.
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So it's not bad at all, right outside Boston.
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Um so between October and I'd say January, I had really nothing to do.
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You know, I just I needed to fill a void or you know, fill a gap in a hobby.
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And I hate golf.
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I try golf and I'm not golfing, it's just not happening.
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I'm not too good at that either, man.
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It's uh I've spent a lot of money on golf balls, I'll say that.
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Yeah, exactly.
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I I gave up on it.
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My clubs are you know built like in the basement, buried somewhere.
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Um, so my friend Sam, he said to me, He goes, Why don't you try hunting?
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He Sam pheasant hunts, he deer hunts, he does some duck hunting.
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He goes, Why don't you try hunting?
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I said, sure.
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Like, what do I need to do?
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I have no idea how to start this um process.
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And he told me, get your LTC because you need a license to carry in Massachusetts and get your hunting license.
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So, okay, no problem.
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Um, did all that, got my Mossberg 500.
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You know, I went to an outdoor store and I said, hey, listen, I need a shotgun for pheasant hunting.
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And they said, okay, you know, Mossburg 500.
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It was like$500, and I was I was ready to go.
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20 gauge.
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So I was ready to go.
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20 gauge.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Um, so ready to go.
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And what happened, you know, Sam has a GSP, a um GSP hound mix.
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Sorry.
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Nice.
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And yeah, great dog.
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His name was Blue.
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His name is Blue, sorry, he's still around.
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Classic.
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Classic.
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Classic, right?
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GSP name.
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We so Sam says, you know, opening day is coming up.
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I'm gonna take you to a hunting spot a little further out that's stocked.
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It's a WMA, and they stock it once.
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So Massachusetts is they'll stock once, twice, or three times, depending on the size of the field and how many people they get.
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But he wanted to take me to a smaller area because it was my opening day and it was Blue's opening day.
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So he didn't want a bunch of shotguns going off and going crazy.
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Um, which I, you know, I was like, okay, thank you so much.
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You know, this is new to me.
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Um, because you know the only time I really shot my shotgun was at a shooting range or a skeet shooting.
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Well, I I gotta ask something here because I'm I'm just thinking is what you're telling me.
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I see a license to carry, that means to even have a gun like in the vehicle at all, or yeah, so you have a gun at all.
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What does that mean?
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That's so license to carry, um, or you so you can get a license, sorry, you can get a license to carry, or you can do, I don't know what the other class is called.
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I think it's class B.
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I could be wrong, people are gonna say no, no, no.
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Like, um, but um license to carry is pretty much you have to apply to get a gun.
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Um Wow.
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So yeah, yeah, you can't just go to a store and buy a gun.
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Nope, you need to go to the police station, fill up paperwork, background check, everything like that.
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Okay.
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Yeah, we have to do a background check here, but you don't have to go like apply.
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You could go and then they'll now I've been into a gun store one time and uh I think I was buying a shotgun, and uh this one guy uh was buying it and then they turned him down.
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Like I guess the background check didn't check out.
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So he's like, Yeah, we can't can't sell it to you today, come back the other day.
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I was like, Yeah.
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I was like, oh, that's a little that's a little funny, but uh then I ended up getting mine, no problem.
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But um I think that has to do with you the past history on someone and all that.
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But that's interesting right there because the culture, I'm the reason I'm asking, I'm curious for a hunter's as a culture, like where I'm at in Alabama, like hunting is a pretty big part of the culture, at least from where I grew up.
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I grew up in uh a school called Corner the Corn for short, because we had cows right next to our school and like we're out in the middle of nowhere, and all my buddies hunted.
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So like that's just part of like the culture.
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Seems like it's a little bit different up there.
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So that is uh that's interesting to me, and like getting into that's a little intimidating to be getting into something like that.
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I feel like if the culture is different, because that could there's some barriers to entry there.
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Oh, the yeah, the culture is definitely different.
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I'm not sure about down south, but can you guys hunt on Sundays?
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Yes, yes, we cannot hunt here on Sundays, we are not allowed to.
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Yep.
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Wow.
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Um, I'm not sure why.
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I think they're gonna change it, but yeah, the culture is definitely different up here.
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Anywhere, even on private land or just WMA?
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Anywhere, anywhere.
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Wow, even bow hunting, anything like that.
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Yep.
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Interesting.
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So, yeah.
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Um, so yeah, just so I, you know, we went to the hunt uh the WMA, and Sam brought me out there, and he says, Okay, Jason, you go to and sorry, Sam has trained blue.
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He trained him um blue himself.
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So um he told me, go to the right side of the field.
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I'm gonna go the left with blue.
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He goes, You don't have a dog, you gotta kick up all the thorns and everything, and you know, just go through it and see what you can get.
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Um, you know, he he wanted to focus on blue.
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He didn't want me really around blue yet, just because you know he won it's blue's first time, wanted blue to focus.
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Wasn't sure how it was gonna turn out.
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Um so I'm walking through, I'm getting all messed up with thorns and you know, sticks and everything going to my boots.
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And um, so I look over and I see blue walking around sniffing, and Sam's kind of standing there watching blue, falling blue a little bit, and all of a sudden I see blue point, and I'm just saying, you know, and then all of a sudden, pheasant pops up.
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Sam walks over, pheasant pops up, shoots it, throws it in his bag.
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I'm like, wow, that this is great.
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Like two, and I'm walking around trying to, you know, get a bird up by kicking myself, and you know, I'm I'm my dog, I'm my own dog.
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Um, wow.
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So again, blue does it again, points, Sam walks over, kicks up the bird, shoots it again, and he has his limit within 15 minutes.
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And I'm thinking to myself, I'm just like, wow, I'm like, this is amazing.
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I'm like, this is absolutely great.
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Um, and Sam's just a big smile on his face.
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You know, he asked me, he goes, Hey Jason, you take a picture of me and Blue with the birds, and I said, Of course, take a picture.
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And I'm looking at the camera, I just see this big smile on his face, and Blue's standing up so straight like this, like really proud.
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And I'm like, this is awesome, this is great.
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I I missed a bird, a bird flew by me, I missed it.
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You know, first time hunting, I was like, okay, I got to shoot my gun, it's okay.
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I missed it.
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Um, and on my way home in the truck, I'm like, I need a hunting dog.
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You know, this is my first day hunting, and I'm like, I need a hunting dog.
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And I'm thinking to myself, I was like, well, I have a dog at home, I have a golden retriever.
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And I was like, I can train Marlene to hunt, there's no problem.
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You know, Sam did it, you know, he you know, he did it with his GSP.
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Like, why can't I do it with my dog?
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Um, so go, I ordered a bunch of books.
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Books, books didn't really work out for me.
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I'm more of a visual person, so you know, I had to, you know, I was like, how can I do this?
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Got on YouTube.
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I'm a YouTube warrior.
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I mean, I'll watch fishing videos all day on YouTube.
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So I said, you know what?
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I'll I'll yeah, yeah.
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That's it, girls.
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They they love it.
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The girls love Gale Force twins because they're they're family friendly, so yeah, exactly.
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Yeah, yeah.
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That is a great great podcast as well.
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Um so got on YouTube and how old was Marlene at this Marlene.
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We're talking about yes, sorry, yeah, because Maggie passed away.
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Yeah, um yeah, Marlene is about she was about six months, seven months.
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Okay.
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So at this point you aren't thinking about having a hunting dog, and then now all of a sudden you've had this amazing experience, and it's like, I got a hunting dog now, let's go.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Because that's cool.
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You know, even even back then, like I didn't know people had dogs for hunting.
00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:43.679
I didn't know anything like that.
00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:44.639
I had no idea.
00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:50.080
Um, you know, when I had Maggie who was a field golden, I I I had no idea she was bred to hunt.
00:14:50.159 --> 00:14:54.000
Like I didn't know that was I know they're great family dogs as well, but I thought they were just golden.
00:14:54.240 --> 00:14:56.879
I didn't know there was like four different types of golden retrievers.
00:14:57.279 --> 00:15:14.799
Um so um, so I went on YouTube and I was watching a bunch of videos, and you know, I would take piece by piece of the videos, and I said, Okay, well, Marlene already knows how to sit, she already knows how to retrieve, she's okay at heel work.
00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:19.200
Um, so I was kind of like looking at them and I'm like, okay, she knows this, she knows this, she knows this.
00:15:19.360 --> 00:15:24.080
So in my head, I'm like, all she really needs to, I need to know if she's afraid of a gun.
00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:30.240
Um, which, you know, yeah, now looking back, I'm like, this, I I'm I'm a terrible person.
00:15:30.639 --> 00:15:36.080
Um hey, look, you that's the general thought.
00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:40.000
Like, so the truth is most that's a that's a reasonable thought.
00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:41.039
I'll say that.
00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:45.440
It's not that you you just if you don't know, you don't know, but that is a reasonable question.
00:15:45.600 --> 00:15:48.080
Like, okay, I'm gonna make sure my dog is good with gunfire.
00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:49.600
If you don't know, right?
00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:51.120
Uh I know where you're going with this.
00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:52.559
I uh based on what you just said.
00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:54.720
I already have a feeling on I know where this is going.
00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:55.840
Yeah, yeah.
00:15:56.080 --> 00:15:58.799
Um, so yep.
00:15:58.960 --> 00:16:07.440
So I I I buy the blank pistol, I take her in the field, and you know, I have her she was very good at steady.
00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:12.960
Like I, you know, with her food, I had her wait, and she was really good at that, you know, before and I tell her, okay, you can eat now.
00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:15.200
So she was actually really good at being steady.
00:16:15.360 --> 00:16:17.360
So I w had her sit, wait.
00:16:17.440 --> 00:16:21.440
I went a hundred yards, and I shot the blank, and nothing, like nothing.
00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:23.519
She didn't jump or anything.
00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:26.000
Um, got closer, shot it again.
00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:27.360
I didn't throw any bumper.
00:16:27.440 --> 00:16:30.399
Like, I when I watched the video, no one was throwing a bumper.
00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:31.600
So I was like, okay.
00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:36.080
So I shot the gun again, closer, shot the gun again, and so on, so on, and nothing.
00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:37.519
No flinch, nothing.
00:16:37.759 --> 00:16:41.120
Um holding her, or you just had her just sitting there.
00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:42.399
I just had her sitting there.
00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:43.519
That's pretty good.
00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:44.000
That's good.
00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:47.519
Yeah, she's very obedient dog.
00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:52.159
Um, but it, you know, as the story goes on, you'll hear more.
00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:56.639
Um so the next day, I really didn't waste any time.
00:16:56.720 --> 00:17:05.680
So the next day I got some blanks for my shotgun and did the shotgun shooting with the blanks just a little louder, and still nothing didn't move or anything like that.
00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:08.000
So I said, okay, she's ready.
00:17:08.160 --> 00:17:09.759
You know, I just did this once.
00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:11.279
There was no repetition.
00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:17.759
There was no um, you know, I wasn't con like doing it like every like once a week or anything like that.
00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:20.400
She did it once and I was like, she's ready to go.
00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:24.400
Um opening day came, we're ready to go.
00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:26.400
I got Marlene a new vest.
00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:29.599
You know, she's she's got a nice bright orange vest, she's excited.
00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:30.799
She sees the gun.
00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:36.480
She sees her, I ha I do have an e-collar on her just in case she runs to the road or something like that, just for safety.
00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:47.599
Um and we got out to we went to Medfield, Massachusetts, and it's another small WMA for Pheasant um opening day, and I was like, this is awesome.
00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:51.599
No one was there, so I'm like, this is perfect, no one's gonna show up.
00:17:51.920 --> 00:18:00.240
And we just got out on the field and you know started hunting, and she was sniffing around, and I was like, this is like she's doing awesome, like nothing can go wrong here.
00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:06.319
Um all of a sudden I look over the parking lot because it's small.
00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:17.759
I look over, one car shows up, another car shows up, about 15 cars shows up, and there's four people in each car, and they each have two dogs in each car.
00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:20.319
And I'm saying, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:22.000
It was like a war zone.
00:18:23.440 --> 00:18:24.400
Oh man.
00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:29.359
I but Marlene had like she saw the dogs and everything.
00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:38.559
I I got nervous in the beginning because I didn't know how she'd react with other dogs, hunting with other dogs, and she had no issue whatsoever, you know, running around with the, you know, with other dogs running around.
00:18:38.640 --> 00:18:40.160
Like she stayed with me.
00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:58.880
She went, you know, it was looking for the birds, went in, and a guy came up to me, started talking to me, and his dog, he had a black lab, you know, very nice guy, just started talking to me, but it there was a pheasant, there was a um rooster two feet away from us that Marlene didn't see.
00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:12.400
The black lab kicked up the rooster, the guy shot really close, you know, not too close to Marlene, but you know, shot near Marlene, and that's when she started um jumping on me.
00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:21.680
So she started jumping on me, and after that she started running around again looking for birds, so I didn't really think anything of it.
00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:29.759
Another shot went off, she started she kind of went down like that and then jumping on me uncontrollably, and I knew something was wrong.
00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:41.279
Um Yeah, so I just tried I got her, you know, we were walking back to the car, and I I wanted to be calm about it because I didn't want to bring it to her attention, like saying it's okay, it's okay, you know.
00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:43.119
I didn't want to bring it to her attention.
00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:47.599
Um, but another shot went off, and that's when she started to bolt to my truck.
00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:52.240
Um definitely, definitely got really nervous about it.
00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:55.039
Um so got her in the truck.
00:19:56.160 --> 00:19:59.440
On the way home, I'm thinking to myself, I just ruined my dog.
00:19:59.680 --> 00:20:01.759
I just like I I I ruined my dog.
00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:02.960
I thought she was ready.
00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:04.240
I felt terrible.
00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:06.559
I wasn't mad at her, I was mad at myself.
00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:11.680
I was like, I I did something wrong and I don't know how I'm gonna fix it.
00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:21.839
So I get home, I tell my wife about it, and she's just like, Have you thought about hiring a trainer um instead of going to YouTube?
00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:24.880
And I said, Yeah, you know what, you know, I'll make a few calls.
00:20:25.119 --> 00:20:26.240
Made a few calls.
00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:28.000
I can't afford that.
00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:29.440
Yeah, yeah.
00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:32.720
It's not cheap, I'll say it's it's not cheap.
00:20:33.200 --> 00:20:36.640
But they also wanted my dog for two years.
00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:38.480
Oh wow, yeah.
00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:46.160
They said, you know, master, you know, master hunter, 18 to 24 months for two years.
00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:50.160
And I was like, I I'm not you're not having my dog for two years.
00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:51.680
Like, um, we're not doing this.
00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:52.160
Wow.
00:20:52.640 --> 00:20:56.400
Um Yeah, it's it and it was a lot of money a month.
00:20:56.640 --> 00:21:12.640
Um so I went back on YouTube just to see what's going on, and all of a sudden, you know, you know, the ah moment when the cornerstone thing popped up um when I was on Facebook, and I said, let me let me just try this.
00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:14.559
Let me let me give it a shot.
00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:15.839
I went into it.
00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:20.880
I hadn't when I signed up, I had no idea there was like a community and a forum and everything like that.
00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:30.720
I thought I was just getting a list of uh things to do and um yeah, so you know, signed up for that, and I started from the beginning.
00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:41.359
So I did the 52 week, started from the beginning, and you know, even though I knew she knew sit, even though I knew she knew heal and retrieve, but she didn't know place.
00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:47.119
I had no idea what to teach place because I, you know, I wasn't I don't have a list of things on YouTube.
00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:50.240
I'm just clicking videos that pop up, so it was just random.
00:21:50.640 --> 00:21:51.279
Yeah.
00:21:51.599 --> 00:22:03.519
Um so we went through all that and we were just going through the whole program, and when when we were going through all that, Marlene's confidence level was just like through the roof.
00:22:03.599 --> 00:22:05.680
It was just a totally different dog.
00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:09.039
Her confidence level and my confidence level.
00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:35.279
And it's just yeah, so you know, after going through that and we're going through the lessons, um, you know, and then you know, we practiced the gun training on there, and I think with her confidence, and you know, because when I shot the first blank again, I thought she was gonna like jump on me or bolt, but she was just standing still, like her chest, like it was like blue, her chest was like out, like super excited.
00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:39.680
Just and like I think she was more excited the gunshot off than anything.
00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:42.079
That's awesome.
00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:43.759
Let me I gotta ask a question here.
00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:48.480
So you started from the beginning, so that took you a little bit of time to get back through there.
00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:57.519
Um what so you weren't in a hurry at this point, you decided, look, if we're gonna do this, we're gonna go back and we're gonna take our time and make sure we do it right.
00:22:57.759 --> 00:22:58.079
Yes.
00:22:58.400 --> 00:23:06.720
How was it going through the structured, you know, easy to follow system compared to the YouTube videos just in the first few weeks?
00:23:06.880 --> 00:23:13.039
Was there did you notice any difference for yourself in the first few weeks or for the dog?
00:23:13.119 --> 00:23:14.160
What what did that look like?
00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:16.880
Because that's definitely a different flow than getting on YouTube.
00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:19.680
And and the YouTube videos are cool, but there's a lot of good YouTube videos.
00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:25.119
But like you said, there you know, you're clicking random videos and there's just no structure.
00:23:25.440 --> 00:23:27.039
Yeah, no, there's no structure.
00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:39.599
So with the the cornerstone when when I went through so I'm gonna actually quote someone that um was on the the dream team meeting that says you need the ingredients for the recipe.
00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:53.200
Um so it's yeah, so I mean with the the cornerstone, I felt like I had it it gave me more patience with my dog when I was seeing everything on there.
00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:58.160
Um just having that list of things to do because everything adds up.
00:23:58.319 --> 00:24:04.960
Um like you throw this ingredient there, and then that that complements this ingredient and complements this ingredient.
00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:09.759
Um, so it definitely, you know, that helped me and my dog and Marlene.
00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:10.799
Um that's cool.
00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:12.799
Maybe took the pressure off you a little bit.
00:24:12.880 --> 00:24:13.680
I would imagine.
00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:14.960
Oh, for sure.
00:24:15.599 --> 00:24:21.119
Especially with how I mean it seemed like honestly, I mean what you're saying, it seems like training was going pretty good.
00:24:21.200 --> 00:24:26.799
You clearly knew what you're doing on the obedience, like to have your dog sit at 100 yards, that that shows that you're doing something.
00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:32.000
Yeah, but um after that experience, that definitely has you questioning everything, you know.
00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:36.319
Very, very hesitant questioning, yeah, questioning everything.
00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:47.519
Um and you know, like I said, when we started from the beginning, it it we did kind of speed through um the pro not, you know, speed through because she already knew some of it.
00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:55.920
Um, but like I said, when she was doing it, when I had her sit, like going through that process again, she did have the confidence to do everything.
00:24:56.000 --> 00:24:58.559
But yeah, it did take the pressure off both of us.
00:24:58.799 --> 00:25:07.519
Um so when we took her hunting, um, sorry, so we went through the process, did the gunshot, practiced everything.
00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:09.200
It was um Thanksgiving.
00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:12.960
Did you feel after going back through the gunfire?
00:25:13.039 --> 00:25:15.279
So you I'm sure that first session you're really sweating.
00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:18.880
Well, I was holding my breath the whole time.
00:25:19.359 --> 00:25:33.440
Um, we did we did it differently because so my my daughter came with me um and she held the leash um while I shot um and you know I threw the bumper.
00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:39.599
So it was I think throwing the bumper distracted her from the gunshot as well.
00:25:40.160 --> 00:25:43.279
But um it gave it gave her a purpose.
00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:50.480
So, you know, I when I did it in the the beginning the first time with the YouTube video, she didn't have a purpose.
00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:52.240
I shot the gun and she just stood there.
00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:58.559
You know, now when I shoot the gun and I threw the bumper, she's like, okay, like I had that's a bird, I need to go get it.
00:25:58.799 --> 00:26:10.000
Um so yeah, I was sweating bullets, and it's yeah, and she just did great, she did really well, and we did that many, many, many times.
00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:11.200
That just wasn't it.
00:26:11.440 --> 00:26:12.480
Made sure it was right this time.
00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:14.400
I made sure it was right.
00:26:14.559 --> 00:26:19.200
Um we we just yeah, practiced so many times.
00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:23.039
Um what did your wife say after coming back and things?
00:26:23.200 --> 00:26:27.039
I'm assuming she was pretty ecstatic that it yeah went good.
00:26:27.279 --> 00:26:27.759
Yeah, yeah.
00:26:27.839 --> 00:26:30.799
Well, she could just see on my face I was so discouraged.
00:26:30.960 --> 00:26:33.359
I think she felt more bad for me than anything.
00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:43.680
Um felt bad for Marlene, and yeah, she was very, very happy that you know Marlene, you know, handled the gunshots pretty well.
00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:46.799
So um practice, practice, practice.
00:26:47.039 --> 00:26:48.960
Pheasant season came up again.
00:26:49.200 --> 00:26:51.519
We this is the real defining moment here.
00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:53.119
This is a real defining moment.
00:26:53.359 --> 00:26:59.599
So, you know, I the you know, I wanted to practice some more, so I didn't take her a couple times.
00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:02.079
I was just I think I was just nervous at this point.
00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:06.400
I did not want to see that she was scared again, I was afraid.
00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:14.720
Um, but it was actually Thanksgiving morning, and my oldest daughter, um, she said, Hey dad, do you want to go pheasant hunting?
00:27:14.880 --> 00:27:16.960
And I said, I said, Great.
00:27:17.039 --> 00:27:20.400
I'm like, you know, your daughter asks if you want to go hunting, you say yes.
00:27:20.480 --> 00:27:22.480
You you you do not say no.
00:27:23.519 --> 00:27:26.960
Um and I said, This will be a tradition, we'll start this up.
00:27:27.039 --> 00:27:28.480
And she goes, Can we take Marlene?
00:27:28.559 --> 00:27:29.519
And I said, Yeah, for sure.
00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:30.559
Like, yeah, yes.
00:27:30.720 --> 00:27:32.079
I was like, you know what, why not?
00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:33.279
Let's do it.
00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:39.759
Um we take Marlene, we get we go to the same place in Medfield, it you know, because it's only 20 minutes away.
00:27:39.920 --> 00:27:44.000
Um couldn't waste any time on Thanksgiving, couldn't take too much time up.
00:27:44.160 --> 00:27:53.440
Um, so we went to, yeah, so went to Medfield, and Marlene jumps out of the truck, she's all ecstatic, and it's just a different dog.
00:27:53.599 --> 00:27:55.359
Just confidence level through the roof.
00:27:55.440 --> 00:27:56.319
Yeah, just totally different.
00:27:56.640 --> 00:27:57.279
This is the same place.
00:27:57.359 --> 00:27:58.720
You're going back to the scene of the crime.
00:27:58.880 --> 00:28:00.799
We're going back into the scene of the crime.
00:28:00.960 --> 00:28:01.519
Yeah.
00:28:01.759 --> 00:28:05.119
Um, so no fear of going back.
00:28:05.200 --> 00:28:07.119
I that's that's what ran across my mind.
00:28:07.200 --> 00:28:12.240
I was like, she's gonna see this place and say, no, I'm getting back in the truck, I'm not staying here.
00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:31.200
Um, but no, she she went out, she was wagging her tail, she was sniffing around, you know, and Maeve and I, we got our vest on, I got my gun and we started walking, and we're walking around, and Marlene um she doesn't point much because I just notice golden retrievers don't point much.
00:28:31.359 --> 00:28:34.400
So she kind of just sniffs and wants to, she scares the bird.
00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:39.359
So and I haven't really trained her to point, so that's on me too.
00:28:39.599 --> 00:28:42.319
But um she scared the bird.
00:28:43.119 --> 00:28:45.920
I go to shoot it and I miss it.
00:28:46.640 --> 00:28:57.119
And I I look over very slowly just to see if Marlene's still there, because I was like, if she bolted, I'm in trouble.
00:28:57.279 --> 00:29:03.279
I look over to see if she's still there, and she's still there, and she's looking at me like, dude, are you kidding me?
00:29:03.519 --> 00:29:09.920
Like, I just set that I set that bird up for you and you failed, and I felt so bad.
00:29:10.960 --> 00:29:13.599
I felt terrible, but she did not bolt.
00:29:13.839 --> 00:29:18.880
She actually, after I missed that bird, she just kept going, like searching around.
00:29:19.119 --> 00:29:27.599
Unfortunately, we did not find another bird that day because they, you know, it was a Thanksgiving, they stopped stalking, and you know, we were lucky enough to find that bird.
00:29:27.839 --> 00:29:33.839
But I was just so grateful that my daughter was there and got to see that, you know, training works.
00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:41.599
It, you know, she did not get scared, and you know, like I said, she was I think Marlene was just more mad at me for missing the bird.
00:29:42.480 --> 00:29:43.839
Dude, that's incredible.
00:29:43.920 --> 00:29:54.240
That that is a testament to the work he put in because you know, miss unfortunately, they didn't get to have that reward that that they need to reinforce.
00:29:54.400 --> 00:30:04.799
But I mean, clearly that I think that's also a testament to the style of training that you that we do with Coruscant and how you implemented it, because this whole thing is about gets to, not has to.
00:30:05.039 --> 00:30:10.960
So like there's no the dog is going to be happy no matter what happens when you train that way.
00:30:11.119 --> 00:30:13.759
Because it the motivation is I like what you said.
00:30:13.839 --> 00:30:18.319
It sounded like the dog wanted it just as bad as you, if not more, then you wanted it.
00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:19.839
And that's that's what we're after.
00:30:20.000 --> 00:30:21.440
So yeah, man, good job.
00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:22.559
That's incredible.
00:30:22.880 --> 00:30:23.440
Yeah, yeah.
00:30:23.519 --> 00:30:26.000
And it's, you know, between me and the dog, we're a team.
00:30:26.079 --> 00:30:27.119
It's it's teamwork.
00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:30.400
That's you know, it's like five basketball players on the court.
00:30:30.480 --> 00:30:31.920
Like, you all got to work together.
00:30:32.160 --> 00:30:41.119
So, you know, that's right now, like Marlene, we're we're just buddies, we're a team, and you know, yeah, I'm excited that she overcame that, and I also overcame it.
00:30:41.359 --> 00:30:43.119
So that's incredible.
00:30:43.359 --> 00:30:44.960
What uh what's the next hunt?
00:30:45.119 --> 00:30:50.000
Did you have you had a I'm assuming you've had a hunt since where you were able to close the deal on some birds?
00:30:50.319 --> 00:30:55.039
No, so I mean, so pheasant season um is over in November.
00:30:55.759 --> 00:30:56.799
Oh, it ends in November.
00:30:56.880 --> 00:30:57.519
Oh wow, wow.
00:30:57.680 --> 00:30:58.400
Yeah, it's early.
00:30:58.480 --> 00:31:07.519
So Massachusetts, it starts in October and sorry, it's over December 31st, but they stopped stalking in November.
00:31:07.839 --> 00:31:09.599
So it's pretty much over at Thanksgiving.
00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:10.880
It's pretty much over.
00:31:11.119 --> 00:31:18.799
Um we did I I didn't really get much duck hunting in um just because I just got so caught up with deer.
00:31:20.079 --> 00:31:21.839
I understand that now.
00:31:22.160 --> 00:31:22.960
I don't blame you.
00:31:23.119 --> 00:31:23.680
I don't blame you.
00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:26.160
Do you all have big uh bucks up there?
00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:33.680
Yeah, so I actually um I shotgun hunt a lot, and then this year was my first time bow hunting.
00:31:33.759 --> 00:31:35.759
Um you're addicted now.
00:31:35.920 --> 00:31:36.160
Yeah.
00:31:36.319 --> 00:31:37.119
Oh my god.
00:31:37.440 --> 00:31:51.279
So I hunt behind my brother's uh house in Hall, uh it's in Holliston, Massachusetts, out behind his house, and I got it would have been an eight-point buck, but he was he was a bully buck.
00:31:51.359 --> 00:31:54.960
He just got all beat up, so all his you know, antlers were gone.
00:31:55.200 --> 00:31:58.079
Um, but he was 180 pounds.
00:31:58.400 --> 00:32:03.039
And yeah, so I got my first buck bow hunting season this year.
00:32:03.680 --> 00:32:08.000
Wow, that's yeah, I mean, to kill a buck with a bow, it it takes something.
00:32:08.160 --> 00:32:10.880
I'm I'm uh I want to do better at bow hunting.
00:32:10.960 --> 00:32:16.640
I tend to do better when I'm about 500 yards away and that they can't see me or smell me or hear me.
00:32:16.960 --> 00:32:17.759
Yeah, yeah.
00:32:17.920 --> 00:32:19.039
I did everything.
00:32:19.200 --> 00:32:25.839
I I did everything in like my because my cousin bow hunts, and he's like, hey, you need to smoke your clothes, you need to do this, you need to do that.
00:32:26.079 --> 00:32:32.319
So I'm outside, like, you know, I have like I use the beehive can smoker to smoke my clothes.
00:32:32.559 --> 00:32:37.200
Um I'm smoking my underwear, you know, in front of people walking by.
00:32:37.359 --> 00:32:38.880
That's how crazy I got.
00:32:39.359 --> 00:32:42.640
Well, that yeah, that's uh that'll get you fired up right there.
00:32:42.799 --> 00:32:43.839
Yeah, yeah.
00:32:45.279 --> 00:32:46.160
Well, that's awesome.
00:32:46.319 --> 00:32:49.599
Well, so um I've got uh other questions.
00:32:49.759 --> 00:32:53.920
So that was a huge defining moment that went great, and so you've continued the training.
00:32:54.079 --> 00:32:57.039
Was that this past Thanksgiving uh 2025?
00:32:57.279 --> 00:33:00.880
So what made so now you've got another dog too?
00:33:01.200 --> 00:33:04.000
What made you decide to go ahead and pull the trigger and get another dog?
00:33:05.359 --> 00:33:10.640
Um yeah, so like you know, both dogs were my choice, my wife says.
00:33:10.880 --> 00:33:17.920
Um, so I you know, I like Marlene, like she still needs more training.
00:33:18.000 --> 00:33:26.319
Um, my two-year-old dog, and you know, we're still working on some things, but I I always wanted two dogs.
00:33:26.400 --> 00:33:28.000
I always like having two dogs in the house.
00:33:28.160 --> 00:33:31.440
Maggie passed away, that it was kind of like an empty void, you know.
00:33:31.680 --> 00:33:33.039
We needed two dogs.
00:33:33.279 --> 00:33:37.680
Um, you know, I feel like two dogs, Marlene needs a friend as well.
00:33:37.920 --> 00:33:41.759
So I said, why don't we get also a hunting buddy for you?
00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:45.359
Um, I don't know what I was thinking, but it's yeah.
00:33:45.599 --> 00:33:57.599
Um so we have a 12-week-old field golden now, uh, Goose, who's from Colorado, and her mom and dad are actually their um master.
00:33:58.000 --> 00:34:04.720
I don't really know the hunt test terminology, but I think they're master, like they they just passed their masters or something and and hunts that's great.
00:34:05.039 --> 00:34:11.360
Yeah, they're probably master master hunters, I would imagine, got their titles um maybe even master national.
00:34:11.599 --> 00:34:12.000
Oh, really?
00:34:12.320 --> 00:34:12.960
Okay, wow.
00:34:13.119 --> 00:34:13.280
Wow.
00:34:13.519 --> 00:34:14.559
Yeah, yeah.
00:34:14.800 --> 00:34:18.239
Um, so Goose is from a great bloodline.
00:34:18.559 --> 00:34:21.760
I got her because just I want to continue training.
00:34:21.840 --> 00:34:23.599
Like I I want to start over again.
00:34:23.840 --> 00:34:30.880
I know you I know with you know Marlene, like you know, you gotta um reintroduce things every year.
00:34:31.119 --> 00:34:41.440
Um, but you know, I enjoyed so much training Marlene, I wanted another puppy to train again to just do the same thing and watch her grow and see how and see her progress.
00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:42.719
Wow.
00:34:42.960 --> 00:34:47.199
How um so when did you get your puppy about eight eight or nine weeks?
00:34:47.599 --> 00:34:49.840
I got I got goose uh eight weeks.
00:34:49.920 --> 00:34:50.159
Yep.
00:34:50.480 --> 00:34:50.960
Eight weeks.
00:34:51.119 --> 00:34:54.159
So you're already going through some of the first few weeks of Cornerstone.
00:34:54.400 --> 00:34:56.800
How is that going for you with uh with Goose?
00:34:56.960 --> 00:34:58.639
Kind of you know, different this time.
00:34:58.719 --> 00:35:02.719
You're starting from ground zero following the easy to follow system.
00:35:03.199 --> 00:35:10.320
So training Marlene was a lot easier because she was older and she already knew some of the things.
00:35:10.639 --> 00:35:16.239
Training Goose is like training a firecracker right now, she's everywhere.
00:35:16.719 --> 00:35:33.760
Um but she it's so yeah, so Marlene was easier, but Goose also, since she has the you know the bloodline in her, she has you know the hunting DNA in her, she's also doing really well.
00:35:33.920 --> 00:35:42.960
Um but training in you know, she so Goose already knows place, she knows heel, she knows sit, um, she already knows steady.
00:35:43.199 --> 00:35:44.960
Wow, yeah, she's retrieving.
00:35:45.199 --> 00:35:47.360
Um because she was also training.
00:35:47.519 --> 00:35:49.519
She's a firecracker, very driven there.
00:35:49.840 --> 00:35:52.159
She's very driven and a high prey drive.
00:35:52.320 --> 00:35:59.519
Um, Marlene, I had to kind of get a prey like like build that prey drive into her.
00:35:59.679 --> 00:35:59.840
Yeah.
00:36:00.000 --> 00:36:03.039
But Goose has that prey drive and training her.
00:36:03.199 --> 00:36:09.280
Um it's it's they're both different in the same way, but also the same in some same in the same way.
00:36:09.440 --> 00:36:12.719
But using, you know, using Cornerstone, it just makes it easy.
00:36:12.960 --> 00:36:23.920
And you know, having that having those courses and you can just go back to those courses, um, it's great because like if you had YouTube, sometimes I'd lose a video and be like, oh, I gotta find a new one or do this this.
00:36:24.159 --> 00:36:28.159
But having that forum is just you know, you have it right there and you're you're good to go.
00:36:28.480 --> 00:36:28.960
Wow.
00:36:29.119 --> 00:36:29.760
Yeah.
00:36:30.159 --> 00:36:32.480
The I love the the drivey dogs.
00:36:32.559 --> 00:36:43.760
It's uh and there's nothing wrong with like a dog like Marlene, but it is nice to it's it is easier to hold one back than it is to push one forward, if that makes sense.
00:36:43.920 --> 00:36:53.519
It's definitely easier to kind of you you want you almost almost want them a little overboard so that you can kind of pull them back in uh if you if you like that type of thing.
00:36:53.679 --> 00:36:56.480
Some people may not, some people may want that more calm, relaxed dog.
00:36:56.639 --> 00:37:04.159
And I will say sometimes the the more drivey dogs are a little harder to handle, but once you get a hold of them, like and you get dialed in, it's it's money.
00:37:04.239 --> 00:37:04.800
They're they're good.
00:37:05.039 --> 00:37:05.599
For sure.
00:37:05.760 --> 00:37:06.239
For sure.
00:37:06.400 --> 00:37:11.679
Yeah, and yeah, and goose, I mean, one day she'll listen and one day she won't.
00:37:11.840 --> 00:37:14.159
Um, but we're getting there.
00:37:14.400 --> 00:37:21.360
And you know, some days I notice she has she doesn't want anything to do with me and you know the training, and I just I leave her be.
00:37:21.440 --> 00:37:23.519
I'm like, oh, you know what, let's do it tomorrow.
00:37:23.760 --> 00:37:31.280
Because I don't want her to like, you know, not like the I don't want her to not like me doing the training or anything like that.
00:37:31.519 --> 00:37:33.360
Um so yeah.
00:37:33.760 --> 00:37:34.960
You're doing the right thing.
00:37:35.119 --> 00:37:39.360
A lot of people, one of the big mistakes is they they force it.
00:37:39.519 --> 00:37:55.599
Um like I was talking to somebody the other day that maybe a similar story to you, they they had an older dog, they were not in cornerstone yet, and they I I think they actually just joined, but they were having uh a problem where the dog just was losing interest on things and it was quitting.
00:37:55.840 --> 00:38:03.599
And kind of the way uh they they actually were using another program and they had talked about that and I had asked questions and I was like, well, what figuring out what's going on?
00:38:03.760 --> 00:38:13.280
And one of the things that they were doing is they they were pushing to the point that the dog was tired of doing it, and then they it they would just stop when the dog quits.
00:38:13.519 --> 00:38:18.719
If you wait till the dog quits, you're teaching your dog that it's in control, that it can quit when it wants to.
00:38:18.880 --> 00:38:35.119
If you choose and you control when you quit, which means stop early, because we're not going to force a dog to pass what they want to do, at least at this earlier ages, you know, you might do some of that later when they're older, but um early on, especially you want the dog to quit on your terms and you want it to still be hungry for more.
00:38:35.280 --> 00:38:40.079
Leave gas in the tank so that that fire is there and it stays there.
00:38:40.320 --> 00:38:40.960
Exactly.
00:38:41.199 --> 00:38:52.159
So yesterday with goose, I was just working on some retrieving um in the house because it's just so much snow on the ground, it's impossible to keep her, you know, in line with me.
00:38:52.320 --> 00:39:00.000
Um so we're doing in the house yesterday, and she I I would throw this the small bumper, the puppy bumper.
00:39:01.119 --> 00:39:02.800
Didn't want to go get it, nothing.
00:39:02.960 --> 00:39:04.079
So I said, okay, we're done.
00:39:04.239 --> 00:39:05.199
Like we're done here.
00:39:06.960 --> 00:39:10.639
This morning we did we did some training, same thing.
00:39:11.119 --> 00:39:12.800
Grabbed it, brought it to me.
00:39:12.880 --> 00:39:14.960
We did it three, four times, and that was it.
00:39:15.199 --> 00:39:19.679
And she looked at me, she looked at me like when I finished and was like, We're not gonna do more.
00:39:19.840 --> 00:39:22.639
It's like, nope, I want you hungry tomorrow.
00:39:22.960 --> 00:39:23.599
Yep.
00:39:23.920 --> 00:39:24.239
Yeah.
00:39:24.559 --> 00:39:28.480
That is such a and that's one of the easiest things to do when you choose to do it.
00:39:28.559 --> 00:39:32.800
And it it's not hard to do, and it really does make a huge difference.
00:39:33.039 --> 00:39:33.760
Yes, yeah.
00:39:33.840 --> 00:39:35.360
And Marlene's the same way too.
00:39:35.440 --> 00:39:37.840
Some days she wants it, some days she doesn't.
00:39:38.000 --> 00:39:42.320
Um, but I'll tell you right now, it it it is hard to try to train two dogs.
00:39:42.480 --> 00:39:47.039
I mean, I I don't I tried it once doing it together, and I was like, never again.
00:39:47.199 --> 00:39:55.039
Um once once goose gets to be about a year or so, it'll be pretty easy to train them both at the same time.
00:39:55.280 --> 00:40:04.159
Yep, yeah, but there's I'm hoping to get goose on Marlene's level by you know this um October.
00:40:04.400 --> 00:40:05.119
Oh yeah, yeah.
00:40:05.440 --> 00:40:06.960
I don't see that being a problem at all.
00:40:07.199 --> 00:40:16.079
And then Goose will be uh approaching a year, maybe um you got December, yeah.
00:40:16.400 --> 00:40:18.079
They both have the same birthday.
00:40:18.400 --> 00:40:19.199
Do they really?
00:40:19.920 --> 00:40:20.639
That is crazy.
00:40:20.719 --> 00:40:21.280
That is crazy.
00:40:21.440 --> 00:40:22.239
Isn't that crazy?
00:40:22.400 --> 00:40:22.639
Yeah.
00:40:22.880 --> 00:40:24.480
I don't know how that happened there.
00:40:24.559 --> 00:40:24.960
That's wild.
00:40:25.199 --> 00:40:26.159
I have no idea.
00:40:26.320 --> 00:40:28.400
That's just the same time we got the puppy.
00:40:28.719 --> 00:40:33.920
Um yeah, but yeah, Marlene, you know, definitely defied the odds.
00:40:34.000 --> 00:40:44.639
I went on retriever um training sites, like Facebook pages, and they just I said I have an English cream golden, and instantly they're like, that's not a hunting dog.
00:40:44.880 --> 00:40:46.719
You can't hunt with that dog.
00:40:47.039 --> 00:40:58.159
And I just I you know, and you know, that's the thing about Facebook and YouTube forums and Cornerstone, Facebook and YouTube, they're gonna tear you apart.
00:40:58.400 --> 00:41:02.719
There are some nice people, don't get me wrong, there are some great people that want to help you.
00:41:02.880 --> 00:41:05.599
But when you go on Cornerstone, it's all help.
00:41:05.760 --> 00:41:12.639
And you send a message out, and you like two minutes later, you're getting nine responses on how you know you can get some help.
00:41:12.880 --> 00:41:13.199
Wow.
00:41:13.360 --> 00:41:14.159
Which is amazing.
00:41:14.320 --> 00:41:14.960
Yeah.
00:41:15.360 --> 00:41:17.039
But yeah, it is unfortunate.
00:41:17.119 --> 00:41:18.559
That's I guess that's the way of the world.
00:41:18.639 --> 00:41:19.039
I don't know.
00:41:19.199 --> 00:41:25.280
It's uh I I've seen some nasty threads on there, and I'm like, ooh, yeah, that's bad.
00:41:25.519 --> 00:41:28.320
I feel bad for the person because I'm like, man, they genuinely wanted help.
00:41:28.400 --> 00:41:31.519
And then you get these bozos on here that are just like shredding them.
00:41:31.599 --> 00:41:32.639
I'm like, that ain't any good.
00:41:32.800 --> 00:41:33.599
Like that's not gonna help.
00:41:34.639 --> 00:41:39.360
No, it's it really comes uh from self-serving one of the things about cornerstone, like you said, people are helping.
00:41:39.679 --> 00:41:47.199
We have a culture of like we're gonna serve others, and if if I take care of you, someone else is taking care of me, I don't have to worry about it.
00:41:47.440 --> 00:41:55.840
I think that's where it comes down to the the just, and this is not just dog forms on Facebook, this is just general social media land.
00:41:55.920 --> 00:42:05.760
It's it's a self-serving ecosystem of I'm going to make myself feel better, and sometimes that involves putting other people down, which is unfortunate because that is a dead end street, anyways.
00:42:05.840 --> 00:42:09.280
But yeah, um, we're glad you're we're glad you found us, man.
00:42:09.360 --> 00:42:12.320
I'm I'm glad you you got into the culture that's supporting you.
00:42:12.639 --> 00:42:15.599
I'm so happy it just popped right up on Facebook.
00:42:15.760 --> 00:42:26.880
You know, the the forum that I was getting beat up on, all of a sudden, Cornerstone pops up and one of those sponsored and said, Hey, you know, I was like, this is awesome, you know.
00:42:27.360 --> 00:42:39.599
Um, but I like, you know, like I said, Marlene was, you know, don't they one guy even told me to get rid of my dog and you know, oh get her get rid of her and just get a field gold.
00:42:39.760 --> 00:42:42.559
And and um after that, that drove me.
00:42:42.639 --> 00:42:46.320
I was like, no, like she's gonna be a hunting dog, she's gonna be great.
00:42:46.559 --> 00:42:51.760
Um cornerstone, it you helped me out a hundred percent.
00:42:52.239 --> 00:42:52.880
Wow.
00:42:53.039 --> 00:42:56.880
Yeah, I believe most dogs can be trained, and most dogs can be trained to hunt.
00:42:56.960 --> 00:42:58.239
Like it's it's in there somewhere.
00:42:58.400 --> 00:43:00.559
Um, most dogs can be trained.
00:43:00.639 --> 00:43:04.960
It really comes down to, I mean, you clearly your resolve is there and you put in the work, man.
00:43:05.039 --> 00:43:10.159
And it seems like you had already had a really good dog trucking along there and uh had those challenges.
00:43:10.239 --> 00:43:11.360
I mean, your story's incredible.
00:43:11.440 --> 00:43:19.599
I hope it I know people that are out there that have that gunfire issue are maybe feeling a little bit of relief right now, knowing that okay, it is possible to work this thing around.
00:43:19.760 --> 00:43:21.679
Um what let me ask you this.
00:43:22.320 --> 00:43:35.679
What was so would you just say the secret to fixing your problem a gunfire was to go back and not try to actually directly fix the problem, but go back and work through a process so that the confidence was built?
00:43:36.320 --> 00:43:37.360
Yeah, a hundred percent.
00:43:37.519 --> 00:43:46.800
So I think going back and doing the uh beginning of the training kind of it helped Marlene forget about the gun shyness.
00:43:46.960 --> 00:43:49.440
Um, like I said, it built that confidence up for her.
00:43:49.599 --> 00:43:56.000
So I because if I think if I went right back to it, she I I don't think she would be a hunting dog right now.
00:43:56.639 --> 00:44:02.800
I think if you know, yeah, since I followed The steps from the beginning until then.
00:44:03.039 --> 00:44:12.480
I think you know, I it definitely helped her because if yeah, like I said, if I went in there, she she would have saw that blank pistol and the shotgun and said, no, running back to the truck.
00:44:12.880 --> 00:44:24.719
Um I recommend staying the course and don't skip any steps and you'll you'll find yourself that you you'll have a great hunting dog.
00:44:25.360 --> 00:44:26.639
Yeah, that's awesome.
00:44:26.880 --> 00:44:28.079
Yeah, that's awesome.
00:44:28.320 --> 00:44:31.199
Um trying to think what else I got for you.
00:44:31.360 --> 00:44:32.559
I think I've got one.
00:44:33.679 --> 00:44:34.800
Ah, goodness.
00:44:35.280 --> 00:44:37.760
Let me ask you, actually, I do have a couple more questions.
00:44:38.079 --> 00:44:38.480
Yeah.
00:44:38.960 --> 00:44:42.800
What are you most excited about with both Marlene?
00:44:42.960 --> 00:44:46.480
So, Marlene, you still got uh a time plan for her.
00:44:46.639 --> 00:44:48.960
Like we're going here, we've got a vision where we want to go.
00:44:49.039 --> 00:44:50.719
You've got it, you're in a good place now.
00:44:50.880 --> 00:44:54.960
You overcame one of the greatest challenges that you could have, which could prevent her from being hunting dog.
00:44:55.199 --> 00:44:56.400
Now you've got a hunting dog.
00:44:56.800 --> 00:44:59.440
What are you most excited about for uh Marlene?
00:44:59.519 --> 00:45:03.440
And then what are you most excited about for Goose as far as this next year of training?
00:45:03.599 --> 00:45:07.920
Obviously, I think you mentioned you know you're planning to have you know goose pretty well trained by October.
00:45:08.159 --> 00:45:12.480
Any things on the horizon that stands out to you that you're most excited about?
00:45:12.880 --> 00:45:22.400
I'm just excited to get you know Marlene back out in that field because it it was kind of unfortunate that you know pheasant hunting season was almost it was pretty much over.
00:45:22.639 --> 00:45:27.280
And I'm just excited to have her back out there and you know see what she can do.
00:45:27.519 --> 00:45:33.280
Um, you know, I'm bringing her back, like I bring her back to that field when I can when there's no snow on the ground.
00:45:33.440 --> 00:45:38.480
Um, and she absolutely loves it, and you can just see in her face that she's like looking for birds and everything.
00:45:38.559 --> 00:45:41.519
And I'm just you know, I can't wait to get her back out there.
00:45:41.679 --> 00:45:53.280
Um what I'm excited for Goose is um so for Marlene, she's not um she likes the water, but she's not in love with the water right now.
00:45:53.519 --> 00:45:55.119
So we're working on that with her.
00:45:55.199 --> 00:45:58.559
So there's always work to be done with her on that.
00:45:58.800 --> 00:46:01.840
Um what I'm excited for Goose is she loves the water.
00:46:02.000 --> 00:46:05.360
So I can't wait to get um duck hunting with goose.
00:46:05.519 --> 00:46:07.039
Um, you know, I don't know.
00:46:07.199 --> 00:46:09.440
I think Marlene's gonna be able to do it.
00:46:09.599 --> 00:46:11.679
You know, she knows all the commands and everything like that.
00:46:11.760 --> 00:46:13.599
It's just that water issue right now.
00:46:13.760 --> 00:46:17.599
Um when you get them both working together and Goose is old enough to do it.
00:46:17.760 --> 00:46:19.760
Oh, you will that won't be a problem at all.
00:46:20.079 --> 00:46:23.280
That's if I've ever had a problem, I always get another dog involved.
00:46:23.519 --> 00:46:28.960
Like at member weekend, like you'll see like some dogs that have never been in the water, and then all of a sudden you see like 10 other dogs jump in the water.
00:46:29.039 --> 00:46:30.239
This dog's like, man, that looks fun.
00:46:30.400 --> 00:46:31.760
They go and jump in, and then it's a good thing.
00:46:31.920 --> 00:46:33.119
That's what I'm excited about.
00:46:33.360 --> 00:46:38.800
That's what I'm excited about because I know Goose and I know like her parents were very you know, they're water dogs.
00:46:38.960 --> 00:46:41.840
Maggie, a field golden, she was down the bay.
00:46:41.920 --> 00:46:44.159
When she ran away, I knew where she was.
00:46:44.559 --> 00:46:45.760
Maggie was not trained.
00:46:45.920 --> 00:46:47.599
Maggie was not trained whatsoever.
00:46:47.840 --> 00:46:49.280
Great dog, but not trained.
00:46:49.360 --> 00:46:54.239
And when we got home from the beach and she wasn't in the house, she was down the bay swimming chasing ducks.
00:46:54.480 --> 00:46:57.280
So um she would have been a great hunting dog.
00:46:57.440 --> 00:46:59.440
Just I had no idea what to do.
00:46:59.599 --> 00:47:04.960
Um, but for Goose, yeah, I'm just I'm totally excited for her to be able to hunt with her sister.
00:47:05.119 --> 00:47:13.199
Um, you know, get out there and just see that her because Goose has a great prey drive right now, and I can't wait to see that in action.
00:47:13.679 --> 00:47:14.880
Oh, that's awesome, man.
00:47:14.960 --> 00:47:15.760
Well, I'm excited.
00:47:15.920 --> 00:47:17.920
We're gonna have to have a uh another episode.
00:47:18.000 --> 00:47:25.440
We'll have to follow up uh this fall sometime after uh you get a couple of those hunts, and uh we'll we'll talk about Goose and Marlene.
00:47:25.519 --> 00:47:30.400
That's gonna be excited for you, and I'm excited we got this next you know series of months to train.
00:47:30.480 --> 00:47:32.320
That'll that'll really set you all up for success.
00:47:32.400 --> 00:47:34.719
So you ought to be able to gain some good traction this summer.
00:47:34.960 --> 00:47:35.840
Yeah, oh yeah, for sure.
00:47:36.000 --> 00:47:46.800
I mean, we're gonna get some warm weather coming up and daylight saving, so it's it's it's it's gonna be um you know just amazing to get out there and have them run around and get to work.
00:47:47.360 --> 00:47:49.519
So yeah, I can't wait, man.
00:47:49.599 --> 00:47:53.519
I'm I'm excited for you, and I just want to just say thank you for hopping on, man.
00:47:53.760 --> 00:47:55.119
This has been an incredible episode.
00:47:55.280 --> 00:47:59.599
I I know it's encouraging because there's a lot of people out there that need to hear that.
00:47:59.840 --> 00:48:09.440
I mean, honestly, if you look at some of the biggest gun dog problems, it's water fear and then uh gunfire fear, like the dogs, you know, something goes wrong.
00:48:09.679 --> 00:48:11.840
So I I hope this word spreads.
00:48:11.920 --> 00:48:18.880
I hope everybody that's got a dog listens to this podcast because I know it will help them and encourage them because it the truth is it's not over.
00:48:19.679 --> 00:48:22.320
And I will say you did things right.
00:48:22.559 --> 00:48:25.119
So looking back on it, like you I love what you said.
00:48:25.280 --> 00:48:27.519
You you avoided some of the major mistakes.
00:48:27.760 --> 00:48:32.880
One of the first mistakes someone makes is when that dog gets fear, they start saying, Oh, buddy, it's okay.
00:48:32.960 --> 00:48:35.519
That's a reinforcement, and then you've reinforced that fear.
00:48:35.679 --> 00:48:39.920
You chose not to do that, you did a lot of things right, even before the course.
00:48:40.079 --> 00:48:41.840
So that really, really helped you.
00:48:41.920 --> 00:48:44.880
Had you done the others, it would have probably been harder to unravel.
00:48:45.039 --> 00:48:48.960
But even if that happens, and even if someone's done that, like you still can overcome it.
00:48:49.039 --> 00:48:54.960
It just you just don't want to attack the problem head on because that in oftentimes makes the problem worse.
00:48:55.119 --> 00:49:03.599
Doing what you did, stepping back, going through, and then rebuilding the dog's confidence is pretty much the most proven way to solve those problems.
00:49:04.159 --> 00:49:04.719
Exactly.
00:49:04.880 --> 00:49:08.320
Yeah, and once you see that confidence boost, I mean there's no stopping the dog.
00:49:10.079 --> 00:49:10.559
100%.
00:49:10.960 --> 00:49:12.639
Well, Jason, thank you for hopping on.
00:49:12.719 --> 00:49:13.440
It's been a pleasure.
00:49:13.599 --> 00:49:15.280
I look forward to the next episode with you, man.
00:49:15.360 --> 00:49:18.400
I I can't wait to share the story of Marlene and Goose continued.
00:49:18.800 --> 00:49:19.920
Hey, thanks for having me.