8 minute read
From Field to Fire: Training that mentally stimulates gun dogs; rice- paper-wrapped salmon and veggies
A DOG’S MENTAL FIELD STIMULUS PACKAGE
TRAINING SHOULD EXERCISE YOUR FOUR-LEGGED HUNTING PARTNER’S MIND TOO
BY SCOTT HAUGEN
The past two falls I spent a couple weeks in Cold Bay, Alaska, hunting puddle ducks, sea ducks, Pacific black brant, emperor geese and willow ptarmigan with guide Jeff Wasley of Four Flyways Outfitters (fourflywaysoutfitters.com). That’s also where I met Josh Powell and his Verein Deutsch-Drahthaar, Eudor.
The instant I rolled into camp and saw Eudor I fell in love with him; partly because he looked nearly identical to my black male pudelpointer, Kona, but largely because of his demeanor, which was also a spitting image of Kona’s. Eudor had the exuberance, fun spirits and desired mannerisms you like seeing when you first meet a dog. But Eudor also showed respect for the newcomers in camp, and immediately obeyed Josh’s calm commands.
When it comes to gun dogs and their owners, it takes a lot to impress me, and Eudor and Josh made an instant impact. During my time in camp, not only did I hunt many times with these two, but I also observed their daily training sessions. It’s one of the most authentic relationships I’d seen, and Josh and Eudor held the utmost respect for one another, but there was never any question who was in charge.
Josh is a professional dog trainer and breeder. The more I watched Josh and Eudor work together, the more intrigued I became.
“I want to keep things fun and build a dog’s mind as much as its body when training,” Josh shares. “It really starts with simple things that can prevent problems and bad habits from forming before they begin. For instance, I never give a dog squeaky toys, as this
Professional trainer Josh Powell gets ready for a bumper workout with his dog Eudor. Josh and Eudor have one of the best relationships the author has seen, something all gun dog owners would appreciate and should strive for.
(SCOTT HAUGEN)
FIELD
RICE PAPER PERFECTION FOR YOUR FROZEN SALMON
BY TIFFANY HAUGEN
It’s time to start cleaning out the freezer, as fishing season will be here before you know it. Well, hopefully. It’s been a long, harsh winter in Alaska, but with spring in our sights, now is a great time to use up that salmon that’s been sitting in the freezer before it’s too late.
There are endless places to find inspirational food videos, from social media to streaming services to YouTube. My favorite personality is Beryl Shereshewsky, because she focuses on unique, interesting recipes contributed from all around the world, and she radiates sunshine.
Highlighted in one of Beryl’s videos last year was a French chef who simply goes by Alex and made salmon wrapped in rice paper. This was a recipe I had to try, and because it was so delicious, I had to share my version with you. Prepare salmon fillet by removing skin and any pin bones.
Fill a large bowl half full of cool water. Dip rice paper in water for 10 to 15 seconds or until slightly flexible. Place on a large, clean surface in a flower pattern, overlapping like a Venn diagram. Place cabbage, carrot and bell pepper in the middle and spread to the size of the salmon fillet.
Place salmon on top of cabbage mixture and add a sprinkle of granulated onion and garlic, ginger slices and herbs. Top with a dash of soy sauce and sesame oil.
Wrap rice paper securely around salmon and place seam-side down in a steamer basket. Steam over boiling water for eight minutes.
Then carefully remove salmon packet from steamer and serve immediately.
Banh trang, or rice paper, can be found in the specialty section of any large grocery store. It takes a bit of practice working with rice paper, but it’s well worth the trial and error. The added flavors to this dish can be as simple or complex as you wish, and it works great with any of Alaska’s salmon species.
Ingredients per portion, increase as desired: One 4- to 6-ounce salmon fillet Three sheets rice paper 1 tablespoon shredded cabbage 1 teaspoon shredded carrot 1 teaspoon minced red bell pepper One thin-sliced fresh ginger, optional Fresh dill, parsley and/or cilantro, chopped Sprinkle of granulated onion and garlic Dash of soy sauce Dash of toasted sesame oil
Inspired by a YouTube chef’s recipe, Tiffany Haugen offers up her own twist on salmon fillets prepared by wrapping the fish in
rice paper. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)
Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany’s popular book, Cooking Seafood, plus other best-selling titles, visit tiffanyhaugen.com.
promotes hard mouth (chewing). I also avoid playing with rope toys, as this leads to displays of aggression and fights for dominance, be it two dogs tugging on it or one dog wanting to play with you. You, the owner, need to be in charge at all times, and eliminating problematic toys and games is important, especially early in a pup’s life.”
IF YOU’VE RECENTLY BROUGHT home a new puppy, Josh offers several helpful tips.
“Be sure and crate train it right away. Make the crating experience a positive one, as the dog, and you, will rely on it for the life of the dog. Also, start playing with the dog’s mouth early on, as you'll be inspecting its teeth and gums its whole life. And no matter what you do with your pup, always use hand signals,” he says.
“Even when my dogs eat, for instance, I direct them to the bowl with hand signals, be it left, right or in a line. These hand signals carry over into many hunting and future training applications, and they’re a great way to communicate with your dog.”
Josh also suggests using dummies only for training, not play. “Dogs quickly learn the difference between work and play, and they should not be confused by mixing up toys and training tools. Also, be sure to play with the puppy in the area you’ll later be training in, as this allows it to get familiar and comfortable with the environment.”
Josh is a big advocate of stimulating a dog’s mind when training. “So many people think of only the physical work and overlook the mental aspects of training,” he says. “These dogs are so smart, and their noses are so, so good, they need much more mental stimulation than people realize!”
“For instance, don’t just throw a ball in the same place and in the same direction every time. Your dog will get bored and just start going through the motions. Take them to different places to train, toss different objects and always change things. Breaking routines when training is a great way to stimulate their mind and challenge them, something dogs need regularly.”
JOSH IS CONSTANTLY MIXING up bumper colors, and he also includes duck and goose bumpers when training. He has dogs regularly run obstacle courses in order to engage their mind.
“Have them walk on a teeter-totter, through tunnels, over pallets – anything
Powell works a flock of geese in Cold Bay, while Eudor, his male Verein Deutsch-Drahthaar, has ’em pegged, yet he sits calmly amid the excitement
of the moment. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
FIELD
FIELD
The author’s dog Kona gets after a goose training dummy. Changing out bumpers, dummies and never using them as toys are key tips to successful
dog training. (SCOTT HAUGEN) that forces them to think. This is fun for them, and they need that change and constant mental and physical stimulation,” he says.
This dog owner is always calm and patient when working with Eudor and never in a rush. “You attract a lot more bees with honey than vinegar,” Josh said with a smile when I shared my respect for his calm approach. “A dog will tell you when it’s ready to learn. Its muscles will be relaxed, the ears down, they’ll start licking their lips and making eye contact. When a dog looks to you for direction, you know you’re doing things right.”
Whether you have a new puppy or an adult dog in training, don’t overlook the value of building mental stimulation. No matter how old the dog or how bad of habits it may possess, it can be trained. Gun dogs are highly intelligent, but it’s up to you to bring out the best in them. ASJ
Editor’s note: To watch Scott Haugen’s series of puppy training videos, visit scotthaugen. com. Follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.
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