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.

About the Author

Vic Barlow is the UK Correspondent for The Retriever Journal, but he is in the States more than he is at home.

And there's a good reason for it: He keeps getting called back by people who appreciate the way he trains people to turn dogs into steady, reliable, and companionable field performers.

Barlow's methods are built on one very important precept: What does the dog really need to know to be a good performer for the gun? Everything else, as they say, is elaboration.

His methods are built on common sense because they train for the situations your dog will see in the field or marsh, not for a once-in-a-lifetime blind quad on 300-yard ducks.

For those who are brave enough to take "the path less traveled," the rewards for both owner and dog will be a revelation.