A quick peek at BlazE working through some retrieving drills at Three Doves — sitting steady on his Cato board with a dummy bird in his mouth, watching another dummy fly through the air, then bringing it back and settling right back into place.
It looks simple in a 30-second clip, but there is actually a lot packed into this short exercise. BlazE is practicing four skills at once:
- Steadiness. He holds his position on the place board even while a bird is thrown — the temptation to break is huge, and resisting it is one of the harder things to teach a young, drivey Springer.
- Delivery and hold. He carries the dummy in a gentle, calm mouth — no chomping, no dropping — both before the throw and on the way back. That same skill, scaled up, is what makes the difference between a clean retrieve in the field and a chewed-up bird.
- Place-board work. The Cato board is a slightly raised, textured platform that gives a dog a clear, defined "home base." It teaches him exactly where to plant himself when he's done working. We use it constantly — at the start of a drill, at the end of a drill, and as a stationary spot during distractions.
- Clean return. No detours, no zoomies — straight back to the board, sit, hand off. That return is what hunt-test judges are looking for, and what makes a hunting partner pleasant rather than chaotic.
BlazE brings his usual enthusiasm and drive to every session, but what we love most is watching him think — staying focused, doing his job, then coming right back to his spot. That blend of high drive and biddability is exactly the temperament we breed for, and exactly what we hope to see in every puppy from his upcoming "Game On" litter with Etta (due May 27, 2026 — read more at https://three-doves.com/?page_id=2071).
For full credit: BlazE is CH Vinewood Three Doves Plays With Fire RA BCAT THDX DS DJ CGC TKN FITB.
The Gear We Use
If you're a fellow trainer (or a new Springer family wondering how to start a structured retrieve), here are the two pieces of equipment in this video:
- Cato Board — small, durable, textured place-board with replaceable surfaces. We use it indoors and out, summer and winter. → https://amzn.to/4dqfsAl
- Dummy Duck / Pheasant / Dove — a 3-pack of soft, weighted, feathered training dummies in three game-bird shapes. Perfect for building a gentle mouth and getting puppies and young dogs used to the feel and look of feathers before they encounter the real thing. → https://amzn.to/3Rg2RYY
Disclosure: the links above are Amazon affiliate links. If you click through and buy something we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only link to gear we actually use here at Three Doves.
Thanks for watching, and stay tuned — more training clips and litter updates coming as we count down to whelping day.
Warmly, Dr. Albert & Terra Collver Three Doves Kennel — AKC Breeder of Merit, English Springer Spaniel 636-751-3971 (Terra) · info@three-doves.com · www.three-doves.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThreeDoves · Private buyer group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/227598322484779 · YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@threedoves
