This is Lexi, a Pointing Labrador Retriever. She is about 14 months old. She belongs to Doug and Tristen Olson of Salt Lake City Utah. On April 24th and 25th 2010, Lexi completed her CPR (Certified Pointing Retriever) test and her APR (Advanced Pointing Retriever) test held in Orchard Colorado.

The CPR test entails upland game hunting in the field, pointing, and retrieving. This includes a single 50 yard water and land retrieves.

The APR test entails the upland hunting of four birds and being steady to the flush and retrieving to hand. This includes a 75 yard land and water double retrieve and a 50 yard blind retrieve. A blind retrieve is where the dog has not seen the bird shot or thrown because it was placed prior to the dog coming to run. The handler is required to get the dog to the downed bird by using whistles and hand singles. Only four dogs of eighteen passed the APR.

Congratulations to Lexi and the Olsons!

Month 1 (9 months to 1 1/2 years)

• Proper vaccination and diet.
• Test the drives of the dog and their natural
  ability.
• Nose-tracking – fun and easy.
• Retrieving – land and water.
• Live birds – pigeon or quail.
• Intro to the gun.
• Obedience: heel, sit or whoa, come, kennel, and down.

Month 2 (1 1/2 to 2 years)

• Extend tracking and retrieving on land and in water.
• Shoot a variety of birds – pigeons, pheasants, chukkers, huns, and quail.
• Keep the dog birdy!
• Encourage retrievers to hand – start hold and packing if needed.
• Start to steady on point or in the blind.
• Mix – fly away birds, birds shot and retrieving, tracking for cripples.
• Start force fetching if needed.
• Multiple retrieves.

Month 3

Advanced