This episode is a mix of two things. A full recap of a killer Christmas weekend with Stormy Crook and Aiden, and then a real talk discussion on using treats in retriever training.

I start with why a simple comment I left on a Facebook video turned into a bigger conversation. The video showed a young pup being sent to a place board using treats, and I explain why I personally avoid treats with average to high drive retrievers. I get into intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation, why I want my dog working for the relationship and teamwork, and why I believe that foundation matters later when you are asking a dog to trust you on blinds and fight factors like wind and pressure. I am also going to ask Chris Jobman about this directly on the Flatlander Kennels Podcast, and I am open to being corrected.

Before we get to that, I take you through one of my favorite stretches of the year, Christmas break, Mallard season, and the obsessive nature of waterfowl hunting. Then I break down an unforgettable weekend hosting Stormy and Aiden. We hunted hard, dealt with ice, ran the boat where other guys could not, and ended up with back to back three man Mallard limits with a bunch of feet down finishes. It was one of those rare weekends where expectations were low, the hunts were incredible, and everything came together. Wives had a great weekend too, and the new muck room got put to use the way it was meant to be used.

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