# FUN POST-"You know you're a dog trainer/handler when..."



## Nick Toti (Feb 3, 2011)

I know everyone has experiences or laughs to share. Feel free to join in, that way we all can have some assurance that we aren't the only crazy ones out there. 

You know you're a dog trainer/handler when...you get your Fiancee her own whistle and duck call on a lanyard for Valentine's Day!

You know you're a dog trainer/handler when...when you are repeatedly asked to start using all the frozen training ducks that you are hoarding in the freezer!

You know you're a dog trainer/handler when...you use the engineering graphing paper at work to draw to scale setups of your training grounds!


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## polmaise (Jan 6, 2009)

Brilliant!:razz:


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## cpmm665 (Jan 6, 2009)

You know you're a dog trainer/handler when....you make vehicle purchases based on crate configuration and training gear storage space


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## downbirds (Jan 19, 2012)

When you tell your kids to kennel when they are being bad.


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## JustinS (May 17, 2009)

You know your a dog handler when you use google earth to scope out training areas before you book a hotel


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

When you try to thaw out your training birds in the wife's microwave!


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## polmaise (Jan 6, 2009)

Approaching a crowded bar to get a drink, and you say ''come in Judy'' , and the guy's make a path 'looking for your dog', and your wife gets her way to pay for the drinks.


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## shawninthesticks (Jun 13, 2010)

When your garage burns down and the first estimates you get are on new kennel's.


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## jd6400 (Feb 23, 2009)

When you walk around after the last dog has been worked with the whistle sill in your mouth.
When you go out to the kennel in your undies to quiet them down at night


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## KwickLabs (Jan 3, 2003)

*You know you're a dog trainer when you* arrive back at the house and discover a piece of equipment is missing. After checking everywhere, you drive back to the training grounds for the retrieve and discover it was in the van all the time. 

Heeling sticks need a bungee cord regards, Jim


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

You go in a store or restaurant with you whistles around your neck and the attendant ask you if you are a coach.


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## cakaiser (Jul 12, 2007)

When people have asked to buy ice cream from your dog truck.

When your relatives/friends have said to you.."Don't you have enough ponds already"??


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## Jen Marenich (Jan 20, 2013)

When husband takes you to watch a field trial for your birthday.
When husband asks what you'd like for valentines day and you reply "Total Retriever Training dvds and journals"
When you purchase a new puppy for yourself "for your birthday"


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## Mark AB (Oct 20, 2010)

When you point your wife in a direction like your lining your dog on blind!!


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## jb504079 (Feb 7, 2011)

When your buddies ask if they can have one or two of your frozen training ducks to mount for their office. 

When you take that chance to see if your dog will fetch you a beer from the ice chest.


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

When your co-workers ask you how the "dog show" was...


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## jb504079 (Feb 7, 2011)

When your future mother in law asks, "your dogs can really do all that?"

Tip: the correct answer is NOT: Yep, now if only your daughter would learn this.....

She totally took it like I meant I was training her daughter. When what i meant was now if only your daughter would get into this training stuff with me!!!! Baaaahahahaha


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## Jon Hass (Aug 21, 2008)

When you spend more time looking for places to train during duck season than you do scouting for ducks.


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## Breck (Jul 1, 2003)

You wake up one day thinking about all the other cool things you could have done with 100's of thousand's you've spent on dogs and then get on the phone looking for a new puppy.


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## thelast2 (Dec 7, 2012)

When you show up for work monday and the guys ask how you did at the doggie wars this weekend.


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## jecartag (Feb 25, 2011)

You know you are a dog trainer/handler when...your SUV seats five, but there is only enough room for one other person.

You know you are a dog trainer/handler when you get invited on a duck hunt and "can only go" if there is enough room for the dog(s).

You know you are a dog trainer/handler when....it is not television, video games, facebook or youtube that distracts you from your schoolwork...it is that website that they refer to as RTF!!!!!!


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## BuddyJ (Apr 22, 2011)

polmaise said:


> Approaching a crowded bar to get a drink, and you say ''come in Judy'' , and the guy's make a path 'looking for your dog', and your wife gets her way to pay for the drinks.


How do you know my wife?


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## beezleydogs (Jun 6, 2009)

...when your pants are soaking wet...generally on one side...all the time.


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## polmaise (Jan 6, 2009)

BuddyJ said:


> How do you know my wife?


Her name must be Judy?..


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## RookieTrainer (Mar 11, 2011)

When you come home from church, lovingly open the door for your wife, look deep into her eyes, and say "kennel."


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## glock (Mar 23, 2012)

When you ask your wife to get something for you. As she is walking towards you, you start to clap your hands and say good girl!


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## Tnken (May 11, 2010)

When you put an object down that might roll, slide or move and you say tell it to SSSIT


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## Dos Patos (Oct 15, 2012)

When you lose your wedding ring two days after you were married!I was running a blind and had lost weight.When I put my hand down all she wrote.


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## Cleo Watson (Jun 28, 2006)

When you FF your first dog and she holds the bumper while she takes a potty break and then returns to hand. You begin to think you just might be able to train a dog.


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## 2tall (Oct 11, 2006)

When you get to work after driving up a snow covered mountain at -10˚ and go to pull your office keys out of your pocket and realize you have brought the whistle lanyard instead of the office keys.


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## Sundown49 aka Otey B (Jan 3, 2003)

well when the judges call everyone when you get ready to run your dog....... telling them that this will be fun one way or the other.......dog will be special or will mess up so bad you will see what not to do... Maxx you have definately got me some review on training......LOL. One of my favorite judges Carol Rombauer (RIP) used to like to have a winger throw the 3rd bird of a triple right over the dog and handler's heads. Maxx heard the winger go off and jumped straight up and caught the bird in flight........and sat right down at heel..... I asked "DOES that count as the first.bird?" ....LOL. Between tears of laughter was told WHY NO.........


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## Elliott Labradors (May 19, 2009)

When your daughter says, "Mom & Dad, I'm getting married in September. When is there NOT a Hunt Test? I'd kinda' like ya'll to come."

Wally


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## Glenn Harrison (Oct 5, 2011)

When you buy a truck with a tooper and really should have spent money on something else LIKE FOOD!!!!!


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## sunnydee (Oct 15, 2009)

When you inform your kids that their inherits is being spent on training equipment and entry fees.


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## TDB87 (Apr 8, 2011)

1.When you propose to your girlfriend in November. The next day she sets a date in March and the first calendar you look at to finialize a date is hunt secretary. 
2.When you wonder if you can register at hunt'em up.com for wedding gifts (need a new shock collar to speed up the training process :razz
3.When with a group of friends or at a social party (non dog related) the significant other gives you ''that'' look when she catches you on ''doggy-space'' ''doggie-book'' and all the other names she has created for The RTF.


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## Jill Chalmers (Mar 9, 2008)

1. When almost all your time is spent looking for that perfect training pond and every pond you ever come across sets your mind whirling at the possibilities.
2. When every vacation is either spent at a trial, hunt test, or training.
3. When it's absolutely normal to drive across the country (or to another country) to run a trial.


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## Howard N (Jan 3, 2003)

Elliott Labradors said:


> When your daughter says, "Mom & Dad, I'm getting married in September. When is there NOT a Hunt Test? I'd kinda' like ya'll to come."
> 
> Wally


Ya done some good training there with your get.


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## luvalab (Oct 10, 2003)

When the other girls at the party start talking about how important it is to have extra clothes and shoes in the car... And so you chime in about muck boots and jacket colors, and then, after moment of confused silence, they talk about black dresses and heels.


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## Mary Lynn Metras (Jul 6, 2010)

When you keep trying to tell your family that this is only sport.
When you are trying to explain to family and friends where you are all day????
When the neighbors see you snowblowing your lawn in WW pattern??
When there are dead ducks lying in your garage and friends ask "what is up"??
And on and on....


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## luvalab (Oct 10, 2003)

When your colleagues ask if your dog did okay at Westminster... again... 

And instead of correcting them you say, "maybe next year."


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## luvalab (Oct 10, 2003)

When you start making mental notes of churches with extra big lawns... 

.... And then you make mental notes of when there are no cars in the parking lots!


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## Elaine Mitchell (Jun 4, 2009)

When at least 30 of the previous 40 odd posts are something you've either done or seriously considered. 

Qualified for a 12 step program regards ...


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## JoeOverby (Jan 2, 2010)

When riding in the passenger seat of the car you tell people to turn right or left by "casting" them in that direction...


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## sdnordahl (Sep 1, 2012)

When you marry your wife because she came to you and said I think you need a new another lab. And she was serious!

when your planning (as I now am) to drive 300miles to attend a picnic test to see if we're ready for a HT in may that's another 300 miles away


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## roseberry (Jun 22, 2010)

cakaiser said:


> When your relatives/friends have said to you.."Don't you have enough ponds already"??


and others say......."i want to be your friend too!"

luvalab=the property of our church has orange stakes in the form of a cross, one of my three legged pattern blinds.

you know you are a dog trainer whenever your dog does something well!


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## obxdog (Aug 21, 2004)

New vehicle purchases are based solely on room for kennels crates, dogs and training paraphenalia you have accumulated.


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## fishduck (Jun 5, 2008)

When "the white house" refers to the state cattle ranch in Greensboro & you sleep like a baby 100 feet away from the residents.


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## cakaiser (Jul 12, 2007)

fishduck said:


> When "the white house" refers to the state cattle ranch in Greensboro & you sleep like a baby 100 feet away from the residents.


Haha. Good one.


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## Glenn Norton (Oct 23, 2011)

When you can't sleep at night - because your fantizising about running the final series in the National !!!!!


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## firehouselabs (Jan 23, 2008)

*When you send the teenage daughter to the basement freezer for the bucket of birthday ice cream and she yells back, "I can't find it" and you answer: "Look under the dead ducks!" Not sure why she came up all "grossed out", the ducks were all wrapped in newspaper and double bagged and the ice cream was in a 5 qt pail!!

*When you direct your teenage daughter out in the yard while mowing (she was supposed to be picking up branches and other "stuff" too big to hit with the riding mower) with a whistle and hand signals. Got a lot of dirty looks but she "sat" crisply on the whistle and took precise angle backs!!! 

*When your new fall wardrobe consists of new camo shirts and pants instead of the "other" type of clothes. 

*When you complain about gas prices and having to drive an hour for major shopping (clothes (besides new camo of course!), large meat purchases, and going to a movie) but routinely drive 5+ hours for hunt tests and training days, and over 8 hrs one way for breeding a female in heat


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## MooseGooser (May 11, 2003)

luvalab said:


> When the other girls at the party start talking about how important it is to have extra clothes and shoes in the car... And so you chime in about muck boots and jacket colors, and then, after moment of confused silence, they talk about black dresses and heels.



I KNOW !!!!! RIGHT?????

Gooser


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## Mark AB (Oct 20, 2010)

When no one in the family will ride with you since putting your truck in a ditch because you are always " rubber necking " when you see a pond or water and it has training potential.


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## Jamee Strange (Jul 24, 2010)

You know you're a dog trainer/handler when......

A) while driving down the interstate or new roads you take notice of every open field/pasture/pond that might have training potential and start making mental notes of various setups you could run! (I never understand why my friends are shocked by this when riding along with me )
B) You bought a truck a year ago to haul bumper boys/kennels, then realize after purchasing some wingers and other equipment that said truck is NOT big enough to haul everything at once so you buy a bigger one! 
C) You drop something on the floor and use the closest of your highly trained retrievers to "fetch it up"

Joining RealMcRoy's 12 step program regards,....


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## Sharon Potter (Feb 29, 2004)

When you step out of the stall leading your horse and say "Heel"!


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## Gawthorpe (Oct 4, 2007)

When you and your boss have a code phrase to cover you when you sneak away to train your dog
"frank, I will be hard to get ahold of this afternoon"


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## Matt Duncan (Feb 21, 2011)

Sharon Potter said:


> When you step out of the stall leading your horse and say "Heel"!


My son (4 years old) has been told to heel on several occasions..


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## cwilson (Feb 18, 2011)

When you can't sleep at night because you are thinking of how to set up new marks on a field/pond you use on a regular basis.

When you can't sleep at night because you are thinking of what you need to accomplish in training tomorrow or trying to figure out what went wrong in today's session.

When your wife asks the inevitable "what are you thinking about" question and the answer is always ducks, dogs, or the combination there of.

When you have your county assessor's website saved to your favorites so you can find land owners to ask permission to train.

When you buy a freezer knowing full well that you'll never have food in it but promise your wife you won't FILL it with ducks just so she'll let you buy it.

When you walk your dog at the park and he's the only 1 that doesn't act like a complete retard when people and other dogs walk by and people ask you how you got him to mind so well.

When you spend as much time at work searching google maps looking for training grounds as you do working.


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## Bartona500 (May 23, 2011)

... When you have thoughts at work like, "if only these people aimed to please as much as my labs."

... When you see your wife calling 10 minutes after you left the house, and you immediately wonder which one won't stop barking or which one got out.


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## Jen Marenich (Jan 20, 2013)

When you have an entire extra freezer dedicated to "training birds" and won't allow any extra foodstuffs in there in case you get lucky enough to acquire more after a hunt test.


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## BonMallari (Feb 7, 2008)

You know you're a dog trainer when you go to a Jack Nicklaus designed golf course and wonder if you could run a water blind on the signature hole ....Without getting caught


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## Jamee Strange (Jul 24, 2010)

Jen Marenich said:


> When you have an entire extra freezer dedicated to "training birds" and won't allow any extra foodstuffs in there in case you get lucky enough to acquire more after a hunt test.


Or you already had a deep freeze and realized with all of the food in it you couldn't keep near as many training birds, so you bought another freezer...


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## Jamee Strange (Jul 24, 2010)

BonMallari said:


> You know you're a dog trainer when you go to a Jack Nicklaus designed golf course and wonder if you could run a water blind on the signature hole ....Without getting caught


That is awesome! Did you ever do it???? :razz:


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## BonMallari (Feb 7, 2008)

Jamee Strange said:


> That is awesome! Did you ever do it???? :razz:


Yes, but by the time I did it the golf course was closed


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## pmw (Feb 6, 2003)

This time of the year here in Aus - looking at every paddock you pass to see if it might hold quail then trying to see the farmhouse it might belong to without driving off the road


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## mohaled (Oct 7, 2007)

When 'bitch' is regular word in your conversations and you not even from the gettho


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## sunnydee (Oct 15, 2009)

When the last sentence of your online dating profile says “throwing dead ducks is a plus”.
I don’t know if it’s my looks or that last sentence but I don’t get many responses, thank god I have my labs.


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

Gawthorpe said:


> When you and your boss have a code phrase to cover you when you sneak away to train your dog
> "frank, I will be hard to get ahold of this afternoon"


Good Boss;-)


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## DEN/TRU/CRU (May 29, 2007)

You know when you pore a cement slab on what used to be the vegetable garden!


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## BonMallari (Feb 7, 2008)

Not from me but my brother's clinic: You know you're a dog trainer when the staff knows not to book any patients on late Thurs and all day Friday and they have a copy of the FT schedules so they know when the doctor will be out of the office


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## Pete (Dec 24, 2005)

After a long hot shower you still smell like a dog
When you constantly hear dog's frantically barking in your head and your alone in the middle of no where
And every thing you own smells like dogs and you can't detect the small any more but every body else can.
Pete


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

When you are teaching your toddler something and the wife yells at you "he's not a dog"


Did I say ex?;-)

(Years ago)


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## Marty Lee (Mar 30, 2009)

fishduck said:


> When "the white house" refers to the state cattle ranch in Greensboro & you sleep like a baby 100 feet away from the residents.


I KNOW the crew you run wif and i would be MUCH more concerned with them than the "normal" residents of the cattle ranch. runnin wif a ruff croud regards,


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## DSemple (Feb 16, 2008)

When you hope your 3rd wife will be more understanding of not having enough money or time to paint the house, but that you can afford the time and money for the next new prospect.


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## Eric Fryer (May 23, 2006)

When touring a duck club as a hopeful new member the first question you ask is..... Can I train my dogs here in the off season. 
Then during duck season picking up early so you can run a setup or two since you are already out there...


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## Flying Dutchman (May 1, 2009)

...when you drive ANYWHERE thinking, "Man, I'd sure like to run a blind in that field or across that pond." Even in places you will never be again!

...when you give your four-year-old daughter a "Back" cast and then an "Over" to help her find her lost frisbee in a grass field behind the house, making your friends laugh hysterically, but all you can think is, "Damn, why won't that kid take an ANGLE back?"


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## Elaine Mitchell (Jun 4, 2009)

Gawthorpe said:


> When you and your boss have a code phrase to cover you when you sneak away to train your dog
> "frank, I will be hard to get ahold of this afternoon"


You must have a way cool boss! 



cwilson said:


> When your wife asks the inevitable "what are you thinking about" question and the answer is always ducks, dogs, or the combination there of.


or when your husband catches you doing a double take on a field/pond while driving down the road ... and he doesn't ask anymore because he already knows.

Just might need more than 12 steps for this one....


Or when you email the FT running order to your smart phone so that when call backs are posted on RTF it'll be easier to see which of your friends carried to the next series while your traveling. 

Yep ... way more than12 ...


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## mwk56 (May 12, 2009)

I wrote a column for Front and Finish magazine for a few years, and one of the articles was about just this subject. Couldn't figure out how to attach a PDF, so here is the link:

http://www.crittercreeklabradors.com/Htarticles/You_are_hooked.pdf

Meredith


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## mja9346 (Jul 7, 2011)

when you purchase a few thunder bumper launchers and other training equipment that cost more than your upcoming honeymoon


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## DuckTruk (May 18, 2005)

THe phrase "Handling your wife" means something totally different....


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## truka (Oct 13, 2010)

...your friends ask what the metal contraption is on the back of the truck.
...you have to warn your family not to use the garage freezer during the holidays, it's for the training ducks.
...you would rather get a dog for your 10th anniversary! Who says diamonds are a girl's best friend?

-Trudie


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

DuckTruk said:


> THe phrase "Handling your wife" means something totally different....


Ha! easy this is a family channel;-)


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## Pals (Jul 29, 2008)

wrote this a while back when a non-dog game friend asked me why I had changed so much in the last 15 years. This was my explanation for becoming a retriever junkie. 

*“Getting Hooked”*

Dog people are weird and retriever people have their very own ‘club’. They become obsessed with their “breed” and their dog’s wonderful, stupendous, superman accomplishments. They look with distain down their nose at anyone who has ‘one of those other breeds’. Heaven help you if you actually have more then one type of breed—many would consider you a traitor. Want to start a fight? End a friendship? Begin World War 3? Just make a snide comment about their dog and stand back, game on! Dog people are weird. 
I orbit around the retriever world of hunt tests and hunting. I watch with fascination and envy the ‘big time’ field trial dogs and handlers. I am such an amateur. I attempt to do all my training—emphasis on attempt. I go to seminars, read books and call my dog friends for help. I’ve been training, competing, and hunting for 15 years. I have discovered, much to my dismay that my real job gets in the way of my dog training. Yet, I have to work to support my dog habit. I’m a weekend training warrior and weekday drill queen. I never have any vacation time built up at work because I use it to train on those perfect spring and fall days. My neighbors think some kind of very loud shooting and whistling camp takes place on our farm. People stop on the road and stare as I’m handling the youngest through the wetland, doing a strange choreographed dance of arms stretching in and out, while the dog zig zags over and back chasing some unseen object. I’m sure they all think I’m nuts, they may not be far off base. 
I can honestly tell you once you start “training” you are hooked. If any of the following pertain to you, well let’s just say; your days as a normal person are so over.

Here we go:
You will sink thousands and thousands into dog equipment and “stuff”. You will sell your Honda and buy a truck or you’ll gut your van and turn it into a kennel on wheels. You will have separate cars, a ‘dog’ vehicle and a ‘normal person’ vehicle—for those times when you try to pretend you’re not weird. You finally just buy a dog trailer. Your spouse knows not to touch, move or borrow any of your training and hunting stuff. My husband has learned over the years that removing the crates from the back of my truck or touching my training stuff will result in instant, painful death—or a lot of screaming and a week of the “fix your own dinner & wash your own clothes” silent treatment—he prefers death. You’ll pour concrete, make kennels, put up fence, tear up your yard and remodel your house to accommodate your new “dog habit”. Every house should have a dog room-WHAT? What’s wrong with that? You will spend 1 to 2 grand for a puppy and actually try to explain this expenditure to your family and friends. YOU HAVE DOGGIE HEATH INSURANCE. You think Camo is most certainly appropriate evening wear, heck-I’ve even wore camo to church. You’ll think nothing of spending hours in Bass Pro Shops or on-line with Gun Dog Supply—but cringe and start blubbering like a baby if you have to go to the people mall. You are becoming proficient in Vet speak and have a ‘running tab’ at the local dog docs office. I have 42 different first aid and doggie vet books scattered throughout the house, followed by bottles of strategically placed Benadryl, just in case there is a bug bite or God Forbid, an allergic reaction to something. Researching dog food becomes a graduate thesis and a serious argument among friends. It’s not unheard of to see flashlights following your beloved dog around the yard at 2 am, waiting for the sock to show back up or the medicine to start working—we call this ‘poop patrol’. Every weekend from March thru December is booked, “Sorry Mom & Dad—I won’t be there for (insert holiday), I’m competing/training/hunting”. Your idea of a vacation is going to a new hunt test or field trial in a different state. I know every rest stop, crappy restaurant, and hotels that let you have dogs in the room-- from Illinois to Wisconsin, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama and Missouri. You will bore your “non-dog” friends and family for hours with stories of training, hunting and the simply incredible things your dog, and only your dog can do. You’ll seriously consider asking your kids high school to reschedule graduation because it is on the same weekend as the Madison Hunt Test. You can rattle off the name of the top FC dogs in the nation and yet have no idea who your local mayor is. The idea of a new puppy tearing up your house and destroying your socks makes you giddy. You have the bumper sticker that says: “The more I’m around people, the more I like my dog!” or you wish you had it. You’ll spend hours on-line, cruising doggie web-sites and picking out “good” judges to run under (*oh yes--you know you do that*). 
Face it, you are hooked. 
You are now an official “Retriever Junkie”. 
Welcome to the club-you weirdo.


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## boyetthunter (Jul 21, 2009)

When EVERY piece of water you see, you try to imagine a set-up on.

When you fiancé says, "you know you can't train our future children like you do your dog."

When you spend more time at work on rtf than actually working.


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

Nancy... you are a piece of work! not that there's anything wrong with that


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## Pals (Jul 29, 2008)

huntinman said:


> Nancy... you are a piece of work! not that there's anything wrong with that


I was asked a few weeks ago by a very very well known dog trainer "I wonder why your dogs are always just this side of wild? Could it be they take after you?"


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## curlcoat (Feb 27, 2010)

... when you tell your truck to Stay when you leave it...


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## Marvin S (Nov 29, 2006)

Pals said:


> I know every rest stop, crappy restaurant, and hotels that let you have dogs in the room-- from Illinois to Wisconsin, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama and Missouri.


& each of those is rated on the quality of airing areas nearby .


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## Lonnie Spann (May 14, 2012)

fishduck said:


> When "the white house" refers to the state cattle ranch in Greensboro & you sleep like a baby 100 feet away from the residents.


I'd sleep with my back to the wall and there's no way I would take a shower there!

Lonnie Spann


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## Mike Perry (Jun 26, 2003)

Lonnie Spann said:


> I'd sleep with my back to the wall and there's no way I would take a shower there!
> 
> Lonnie Spann


I slept upstairs there one night several years ago rather commuting home and then back in the AM. Did not see the ghost. Did not get any other "visits" either.
Don't drop the soap regards
MP


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## Brokengunz (Sep 3, 2011)

One of my training buddies came to a hunt test to watch my dog run. I introduced him to some of my HT friends. He has been running field trials for about 60 years. (he is in his 80s) One of my friends asked how he broke his front teeth>>>>>>>>>>>>I explained it was wear from blowing a whistle for 60 years. When you are looking for an experienced trainer, have him show you his teeth and measure the wear.


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## Carol Cassity (Aug 19, 2004)

... you let the kids in your class know you will not be there on Friday and they ask if you getting the "dog flu".


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## g_fiebelkorn (Jul 31, 2006)

cpmm665 said:


> You know you're a dog trainer/handler when....you make vehicle purchases based on crate configuration and training gear storage space


Been there,


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## Dan Storts (Apr 19, 2011)

Your wife says, "why don't we adopt", instead of having kids. Then, there is a immediate chance I would never have to throw birds again.


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## Brian Welch (Jan 30, 2013)

When you see your kids casting one another to certain area's and you tell them that was a good cast. And make sure you slow down so your brother doesn't start auto casing.


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## RockyDog (Nov 18, 2008)

When you hear your husband introducing himself to your friends as "her fourth dog".


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## jeff evans (Jun 9, 2008)

Brian Welch said:


> When you see your kids casting one another to certain area's and you tell them that was a good cast. And make sure you slow down so your brother doesn't start auto casing.


Crying with laughter, winner!!


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## cwilson (Feb 18, 2011)

boyetthunter said:


> When you fiancé says, "you know you can't train our future children like you do your dog."


My wife has told me this before...joke's on her!!

When you are trying to plan your anniversary trip around hunt tests and the vacation time it will take to do both (gonna have to miss some tests!).

When you try to plan your wife's pregnancy & the birth of your child around duck season.


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## RookieTrainer (Mar 11, 2011)

Marvin S said:


> & each of those is rated on the quality of airing areas nearby .


This for sure. Or maybe when you are posting on RTF before 5AM because you can't sleep any longer on the day of you and your dog's first hunt test. Just a thought.


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## Kenneth Niles Bora (Jul 1, 2004)

when ALL refusals are met with an ear pinch! 

catechism afore retriever regards
;-)


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## DOG MAGNET (Feb 22, 2011)

When you consider dog hair a side dish to be eaten with your lunch.


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## GiGi Grant (Nov 15, 2009)

When, while getting undressed for the night, you pull unused poop bags out from inside your bra because your show skirt didn't have pockets...


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## RedstarKennels (Dec 22, 2007)

When Your Bosch Dishwasher starts your Kitchen on Fire...and you grab all 6 dogs...and Pray and then Thank the LORD you trained your dogs to...Two side heal...and March the entire gang out to the safety of the Barn with 3 dogs healing on your left and 3 dogs healing on your right...all while trying to get 911 to answer their phone.... Run back in and put out the fire yourself by soaking dog towels and throwing them on the flames ...and using more water from your Big Dog water pails....and have the fire out by the time the Police and Firetrucks arrive.... Still saying my prayers ....that my dogs, house and I are wonderful  (kitchen not so cute).


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## sdnordahl (Sep 1, 2012)

When you spend 5 hrs online researching dog foods then 2 hrs driving around town to see what's available locally and then back to the computer to check on what you found b4 settling on a food.


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## Ron in Portland (Apr 1, 2006)

...when you're sitting in a large grass seed field, in the pouring rain, when it's 33 degrees out, throwing dead stinky ducks, and the guys working on the irrigation system ride by on the tractor and look at you and comment about "that looks like a tough way to make a living", and I didn't have the heart to tell them I had taken a vacation day from my "real" job to be out there training...


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## Rob Paye (Jul 22, 2009)

Ron in Portland said:


> ...when you're sitting in a large grass seed field, in the pouring rain, when it's 33 degrees out, throwing dead stinky ducks, and the guys working on the irrigation system ride by on the tractor and look at you and comment about "that looks like a tough way to make a living", and I didn't have the heart to tell them I had taken a vacation day from my "real" job to be out there training...


So very true!


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## Kenneth Niles Bora (Jul 1, 2004)

GiGi Grant said:


> When, while getting undressed for the night, you pull unused poop bags out from inside your bra because your show skirt didn't have pockets...



and the top post of the thread goes to GiGi


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## holly krohn (Feb 26, 2010)

When your husband's question changes from "what's going on this week-end" to "what time you will be home from training".


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## fishduck (Jun 5, 2008)

Marty Lee said:


> I KNOW the crew you run wif and i would be MUCH more concerned with them than the "normal" residents of the cattle ranch. runnin wif a ruff croud regards,


I KNOW that is the TRUTH!! See you this weekend & will have the grill going. Y'all come by & eat lunch.


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## Splash_em (Apr 23, 2009)

fishduck said:


> When "the white house" refers to the state cattle ranch in Greensboro & you sleep like a baby 100 feet away from the residents.


Is it worse when the residents know your name and wave when you pull up?


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## DuckTruk (May 18, 2005)

When you know more about what food your dogs eat (and have eaten) than you know about ANY human food


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## fishduck (Jun 5, 2008)

Splash_em said:


> Is it worse when the residents know your name and wave when you pull up?


Yes that is worse, I know!


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## sdnordahl (Sep 1, 2012)

DuckTruk said:


> When you know more about what food your dogs eat (and have eaten) than you know about ANY human food


I second this one


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## RookieTrainer (Mar 11, 2011)

Splash_em said:


> Is it worse when the residents know your name and wave when you pull up?


Can you guys even imagine the conversations that go on at supper amongst those residents? They have to think we are all slap crazy to spend two (or three) solid days out in the cold and wind like we had at the Cattle Ranch this weekend watching dog rear ends go out across a field. I wondered about my own sanity a couple times.


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## NateB (Sep 25, 2003)

A guy who trains dogs in his spare time, develops an affair with a secretary from work. One afternoon, he and the secretary steal away blowing off a meeting and end up at a motel. After a rather vigorous "session" they end up falling asleep. When they awoke it is dark outside and he knows he has to think fast as he is way late to be back home with the wife. As he is leaving the motel he detours thru the flower bed of the motel. When he gets home his wife is pretty aggravated, asking what he has been up to and spitting out questions before he can answer a one. Then she looks down at the mud he tracked in on his shoes and screams at him "you crazy SOB, you have been dog training again haven't you!! Don't try to deny it!!" He hangs his head and admits yes I was dog training.


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## RF2 (May 6, 2008)

TDB87 said:


> 1.When you propose to your girlfriend in November. The next day she sets a date in March and the first calendar you look at to finialize a date is hunt secretary.
> 2.When you wonder if you can register at hunt'em up.com for wedding gifts (need a new shock collar to speed up the training process :razz
> 3.When with a group of friends or at a social party (non dog related) the significant other gives you ''that'' look when she catches you on ''doggy-space'' ''doggie-book'' and all the other names she has created for The RTF.


Bwaahaaahaaahaa!


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## Marty Lee (Mar 30, 2009)

fishduck said:


> I KNOW that is the TRUTH!! See you this weekend & will have the grill going. Y'all come by & eat lunch.


sounds good, i will bring some deer sausage and some green onion sausage from LA


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## fishduck (Jun 5, 2008)

Marty, that sounds great! Menu won't be out from my end until Friday night.


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## Twin Willows Labs (Feb 4, 2014)

cwilson said:


> _*When you try to plan your wife's pregnancy & the birth of your child around duck season.*_


I may or may not be guilty of this.


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## krazybronco2 (Jan 31, 2013)

you know your a dog trainer/handler when the first thing you do when you get back from a mission trip out of the country is take the first day of work off to go see/train your dog with the trainer/friend who has kept your dog for the last week.


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## Paul Brown (Sep 1, 2011)

...you spend 24 minutes reading a thread on RTF to see if you're a dog trainer/handler.


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## weathered (Mar 17, 2011)

You know you are a dog trainer/handler when your 18 month old throws a hand up and tells the dog "back."

And when you give your child or spouse hand signals to find something or go to a certain place.


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## HuntinDawg (Jul 2, 2006)

When you tell your kids to "heel" and they do.


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## waterdog711 (Jan 18, 2011)

You know you are a dog trainer when your dogs are fetching bumpers in the neighborhood pond for exercise, come out of the water holding the bumper, come straight to heel and people walking by repeatedly ask you if you train children too. 

AND, when you respond that you can train children just the same if you use crates and collars, you can see the parents actually considering it for a moment...


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## EJ (Dec 5, 2011)

1) First thing you read in the morning is read RTF with your coffee
2) Your bank account is empty and your "dog poor"


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## JBell (Feb 10, 2011)

When every time your wife mentions that she may be ready for kids, you bring home a new pup. 
When wife asks if we can attend a co-workers wedding in another state and you jump on entry express to see if you can catch a test before you answer. 
(this was a friend) your gender reveal party consisted of dogs running blinds and picking up blue and pink bumpers to "tell" the family that the new twins were each one boy and one girl. My response was "I'm glad you have good dogs. I would have prolly had to pick mine up!"


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## Scott R. (Mar 13, 2012)

When you're job is as an airline pilot and you voluntarily bid away from a great airplane that flies to nice European/west coast cities to a smaller, older, lowering paying airplane so your job schedule doesn't get in the way of your dog game addiction. Yep, checked that box this week!


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## Gold Strike Labradors (Jan 8, 2014)

You know you're a dog trainer/handler when you go back to substitute teaching - "SIT, STAY!" - in order to afford training and Hunt Test entry fees!


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## crawfordw2 (Jan 8, 2013)

When your son does something good and you rub him on the head and tell them good boy.


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## Dave Farrar (Mar 16, 2012)

Gold Strike Labradors said:


> You know you're a dog trainer/handler when you go back to substitute teaching - "SIT, STAY!" - in order to afford training and Hunt Test entry fees!


I blow my whistle 3X to get my class to line up after recess or PE. A single "sit whistle" stops them in place.


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## Justin David (Apr 11, 2014)

You know your a trainer/handler when........ you threaten your wife with and ear pinch until she does what she is asked..


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## bjoiner (Feb 25, 2008)

huntinman said:


> When you try to thaw out your training birds in the wife's microwave!


Been there. Done that.


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## DSemple (Feb 16, 2008)

When you haven't run a field trial or owned a retriever for 20 years but still keep up with trial results and pedigrees.


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## rotcsig443 (Apr 8, 2013)

you know your a dog trainer when... you use a dog crate as a timeout space for kids. 
you know your a dog trainer when... you chose a wife based on who throws the best marks. 
you know your a dog trainer when... you spent more on training equipment in your truck, then on the actual truck.
you know your a dog trainer when... you know more about your dogs family tree than your wife's.


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## waycool (Jan 23, 2014)

TDB87 said:


> 3.When with a group of friends or at a social party (non dog related) the significant other gives you ''that'' look when she catches you on ''doggy-space'' ''doggie-book'' and all the other names she has created for The RTF.


When you have to qualify a "Social Party" as being ... NON Dog related


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## Gold Strike Labradors (Jan 8, 2014)

This has been just 'pure' fun to read what 'quals' folks as 'trainer/handler.' Keep it up!!!


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## paul young (Jan 5, 2003)

-when you have surgery on your right elbow on Monday and you're throwing ducks with your left arm on Saturday while it's still in a sling.....and you call that having fun!


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## Dave Burton (Mar 22, 2006)

While driving done the road and you see a nice training pond and you tell the wife "look at that pond! that's sexy"
When you go to a HT on your first anniversary(did it and she is still here 8 yrs later)


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## Dave Burton (Mar 22, 2006)

I have done that after shoulder surgery and getting ready to do it again after elbow surgery. Kinda funny to give a right back with left arm,I just turn around and look over shouler and throw the left arm to the right.



paul young said:


> -when you have surgery on your right elbow on Monday and you're throwing ducks with your left arm on Saturday while it's still in a sling.....and you call that having fun!


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## Rhenee Fadling (May 23, 2008)

Love this post!

You call staff meeting of unruly bankers to order with a "tweet, tweet"!

When you're on the road and stop at a fast food restaurant, the person behind the counter asks if you're a lifeguard?

You have a freezer for food and one for ducks!


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## Dave Burton (Mar 22, 2006)

Almost forgot, Monday is my 8 yr anniversary and I'll be in Bristol training with Pat Burns lol She's a keeper. (PS I did get permission before commiting)


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## Kevinismybrother (Aug 3, 2009)

When you pick your spouse because she was a vet tech and now an equipment rep to treat your dogs for free


when your daughter checks on when you are getting another pup and possible names to be sure she can use a name your first grandson


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

labman63 said:


> Almost forgot, Monday is my 8 yr anniversary and I'll be in Bristol training with Pat Burns lol She's a keeper. (*PS I did get permission before commiting)*


From Pat or your significant other?;-)


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## moonstonelabs (Mar 17, 2006)

When your doctor tells you made it 13 years post transplant because you have something to look forward to each day....

Bill


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## copterdoc (Mar 26, 2006)

Rhenee Fadling said:


> ....When you're on the road and stop at a fast food restaurant, the person behind the counter asks if you're a lifeguard?


True story, I stopped at a gas station after training one day, with my whistle still hanging around my neck.

At the counter, the cashier pointed at it and asked "What is that?"
I said, "It's a rape whistle."

Her response, after a short pause, was "Well, I'm sure that you need it."


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## BHMB02 (Jun 1, 2012)

When as soon as the kids graduate you move to a location closer to better training grounds.


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## Dave Farrar (Mar 16, 2012)

7-8 hours driving on Saturdays for a 3 hr group training. I spend 1/2 of my free time and money on dog stuff. The rest I just waste.


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## Marvin S (Nov 29, 2006)

Dave Farrar said:


> 7-8 hours driving on Saturdays for a 3 hr group training. I spend 1/2 of my free time and money on dog stuff. The rest I just waste.


In 1969 I judged a Derby with Gus Rathert of NAFC Reber Chief of Heber fame. 
His complaint was the day's drive to get to most competitions - 5 day weekends 
are no fun!


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