British Training for American Retrievers

Book excerpt: There has long been a disconnect between the retriever training methods in the United Kingdom and in North America. British Retriever Trials are primarily a test of the dog's skill as a game finder, while American Field Trials are a test of the handling techniques of the owner. The Brits teach their dogs to find every bird, while American handlers are training for an event in which tracking cripples plays no part. The British manner, for many American and Canadian hunters, makes more sense to them on a day-to-day basis because its aim is to produce a finished gun dog who is steady, quiet, and reliable in the field.