--- title: Off-Season Gun Dog Training Calendar | Royal Gun Dogs url: https://royalgundogs.com/guides/off-season-training-calendar/ business: Royal Gun Dogs trainer: Richard Gebhart (professional gun dog trainer since 2002) phone: (530) 341-4496 email: royalgundogs@yahoo.com trains_at: Hastings Island Hunting Preserve, 7758 Hastings Island Rd, Rio Vista, CA 94571 (Solano County) booking: call or text Richard directly --- - [Home](https://royalgundogs.com/) - [Guides](https://royalgundogs.com/guides/) - An off-season training calendar for California hunters # What should I do with my hunting dog in the off-season? Use the off-season to rest, rebuild fitness and fix one or two skills, then ramp up about six weeks before opening day. A simple calendar keeps the work short, regular and aimed at the season ahead. Key points - The off-season is when fitness and skills are rebuilt, not when training stops - Pick one or two skills to improve rather than everything at once - Water work is easy on joints and works in California heat if done early - Ramp up about six weeks before the opener Most dogs that struggle in October were not trained in July. California's seasons end in winter and begin in fall, and the months in between are your longest training window. Here is a calendar you can adapt to your own dog and local game. ## Why the off-season matters Ducks Unlimited notes that retrievers often gain weight in the off-season when they are less active, and that a dog's muscles weaken faster than a person's from lack of use but can be rebuilt with exercise and good nutrition. A calendar keeps that from sneaking up on you. Dates in this guide are loose. The 2026-27 duck season in most zones ends January 31, pheasant runs November 14 to December 27 and chukar runs through January 31, per the CDFW season pages checked October 27, 2026. Dates differ by zone, so confirm yours at [wildlife.ca.gov](https://wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Waterfowl) before you plan a final hunt. ## February and March: rest and review Give the dog a couple of easy weeks. Check feet, ears, coat and weight. Write down what went wrong last season: the dog that broke on the third bird, the blind it would not take, the gunfire it flinched at. This is also the time to book lessons or a board-and-train stay for the problems you listed. Spring is when hunt-test clubs run their weekend events, so you can see handlers and dogs working before you commit to anything. Check the [California hunt test calendar](https://royalgundogs.com/hunt-tests/california-calendar/) for how to find events. ## April to June: obedience and marks Cool mornings make this a good stretch for focused work. Rebuild the foundation: recall, sit, stay, heel and delivery to hand. Add marks in short, easy setups before you increase distance. Choose one skill and give it three short sessions a week. A dog that can do one thing reliably is better than a dog that half-knows five. ## July and August: water and fitness Ducks Unlimited recommends swimming as summer conditioning because water reduces the risk of heatstroke, as long as the dog is not overworked in warm weather. Pick early mornings, keep sessions short, and let the dog rest between retrieves. Start easy and watch the dog's breathing and footing. Long swims build slowly, and a dog that comes out of the water tired is telling you the session was long enough. ## September and early October: the pre-season push Start about six weeks before the opener, as Ducks Unlimited advises: 10 to 15 minute sessions three or four times a week, with rest days, adding intensity slowly. Run the blind rehearsal described in [getting a dog ready for the waterfowl opener](https://royalgundogs.com/guides/ready-for-the-waterfowl-opener/). Upland dogs get their own tune-up on planted birds. The rules for training birds are covered in [pheasant and chukar training birds in California](https://royalgundogs.com/guides/training-birds-california-rules/). ## A sample week in the pre-season A pattern many owners use, adjusted to the dog's age, weather and your schedule. The point is to be regular, not heroic. - Monday: obedience and delivery, 15 minutes - Wednesday: marks, short and clean - Friday: water or road work, early - Weekend: one rehearsal that looks like a hunt, then rest ### Sources (3) - Ducks Unlimited : [ducks.org/hunting/retriever-training](https://www.ducks.org/hunting/retriever-training) (checked October 27, 2026) - Ducks Unlimited : [ducks.org/hunting/retriever-training/10-retriever-tips-for-waterfowlers](https://www.ducks.org/hunting/retriever-training/10-retriever-tips-for-waterfowlers) (checked October 27, 2026) - California Department of Fish and Wildlife : [wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Waterfowl](https://wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Waterfowl) (checked October 27, 2026) ### Your trainer Richard Gebhart has trained dogs professionally since 2002, learned the Rex Carr method for Retriever Basics under Billy Sargenti, and has run and qualified at an AKC Master National. [Meet Richard](https://royalgundogs.com/richard-gebhart/) ### Keep reading - [Getting a dog ready for the California waterfowl opener](https://royalgundogs.com/guides/ready-for-the-waterfowl-opener/) - [Board-and-train](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/board-and-train/) - [California hunt test calendar](https://royalgundogs.com/hunt-tests/california-calendar/) - [Retriever training timeline: puppy to hunt-ready](https://royalgundogs.com/guides/retriever-training-timeline/) - [California 2026-27 waterfowl and upland seasons](https://royalgundogs.com/data/california-seasons-2026-27/) ## Questions owners ask [All questions](https://royalgundogs.com/faq/) ### Can I train in summer heat? Early morning and water work are safest. Ducks Unlimited cautions that dogs should not be overworked in warm weather. ### How many days a week should I train? Three or four short sessions a week is the pattern in the Ducks Unlimited conditioning advice, with rest days in between. ### Should puppies follow this calendar? Puppies need shorter, gentler sessions and plenty of play. A trainer can help set the pace for a young dog. ### When should I book a trainer? Late winter and spring give you the most room to fix problems before fall. Call and ask about timing.