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A great duck dog isn’t born in the blind—it’s built with smart timing, simple habits, and a plan you can actually follow. We sit down with Richard Gebhart of Royal Gun Dogs to map the path from roly-poly puppy to safe, steady retriever. Richard shares the milestones that matter: crate comfort and socialization, a leash the pup can drag to learn pressure, and early bird exposure that creates desire before any formal pressure begins. Then he opens the playbook on his two-week puppy camp, where live-chukar excitement pairs with a careful gun-intro sequence so the dog learns that loud noise predicts the best reward in the world: birds.

From there we move into the foundation that keeps you safe and makes retrieves predictable. Richard explains why he delays the down command, how he conditions the e-collar so dogs learn to turn pressure off, and what a thorough land-and-water force fetch looks like. We talk through hunt scenarios you should practice—decoys, dog hides, stands, deep-water swims, and thick cover—and why steadiness starts at your side before it transfers to the blind. He even covers common pain points like breaking at the shot, whining in the morning, and chasing diving cripples, with practical fixes that don’t create new problems.

If you’re juggling family life and field time, Richard’s advice lands: 10–15 minutes a day beats marathon sessions, stake young dogs on a quick-release their first season, and train for momentum so perfection can follow. We close with pedigree pointers—choose breeding for performance over color—and a three-step checklist to be ready by next season: get birds, build a foundation with obedience and force fetch, and let the dog set the pace. Subscribe, share this with a hunting buddy, and leave a review to help more waterfowlers build reliable partners.