Flick, the springer that both quartered and did basic blind retrieves, delivers a pheasant to the author.

First, I didn't start blind retrieve training until he was two years old and quite comfortable with quartering; second, I kept his blind retrieves short and basic, like Dave Elliot's original design, not like what you see today in retriever dog-games. If, in addition to all his regular spaniel training, I had pushed Flick into even moderately challenging blinds, his delightful spirit would have suffered irreparable damage.

I've never trained a retriever to do flat-pattern quartering, for the simple reason that it isn't necessary. In blind retrieve training, a retriever learns all he needs to know to "hunt to the gun" successfully in the uplands. By this, I mean the dog hunts within easy gun range of the hunter, flushes (or points, if you prefer) and retrieves birds. Here's how it works.

To start your dog hunting, you give him his release command, "Okay" (or whatever), which every dog should know. If he gets too far ahead, you stop him with the sit-whistle (a blind retrieve staple) and make him wait until you catch up, after which you release him to hunt again. If he swings too far to either side, you recall him with the come-whistle (another blind retrieve staple) and release him again as soon as he's back where he belongs.

If he's trailing a runner and gets too far away from you, you stop him with the sit-whistle, catch up, and then release him to continue trailing. You might occasionally stop your dog this way several times over a long distance and finally watch him flush a bird within 10 or 15 yards of you. Incidentally, when this happens, you'd better down that bird! Your dog has really earned that particular retrieve!

Frankly, I've never steadied a retriever to wing and shot in the uplands. After a flush, I've always let them break and chase. I can stop them from chasing a fly-away too far with the sit-whistle, so why not let them have a little fun? I'm strict enough with them in all non-slip retrieve training, both marks and blinds, so I lighten up and make upland hunting fun and games for them. (I'm not so kind with spaniels, because upland work is primary for them.)

If you wish, you can train your retriever to do flat-pattern quartering, provided that you wait until after he's really comfortable with his blind retrieve work. But why bother? It's not at all necessary, and it could take something out of your dog, something you'd miss.

Nota Bene:
Jim Spencer's books can be ordered from the Gun Dog Bookshelf: Training Retrievers for Marshes & Meadows; Retriever Training Tests; Retriever Training Drills for Marking; Retriever Training Drills for Blind Retrieves; Retriever Hunt Tests; HUP! Training Flushing Spaniels the American Way; and POINT! Training the All-Seasons Bird Dog.