BUXTON — Eric and Melissa Bartlett of Hollis Center got into retriever training because they love dogs. Now they love the Saco River Hunting Retriever Club and are trying to save it.

Both avid duck hunters, the husband-and-wife dog-training team is sponsored by companies that make dog-hunting gear. But much of the training they do for the Saco River club is free, because this is their passion.

Eric and Melissa Bartlett of Hollis Center are decorated hunting-dog trainers and the backbone of the Saco River Hunting Retriever Club. Deirdre Fleming photo

Their four dogs, even the 7-month-old black Labrador, are like small robots that know the specific steps required in a retriever-hunting test. At the sound of Melissa’s command, these dogs watch intently for the “mark,” the duck decoy dropped somewhere in a field. Their heads then whip around to see the second mark drop.

When Melissa blows her whistle the dogs know what to do: Race to retrieve the first decoy where it fell, with very little searching, then race back to their handler, who promptly tells them to fetch the second decoy in the same speedy fashion.

It’s an exercise in precision, memory, speed and discipline. Seeing a seasoned dog run the drill perfectly brings smiles to Eric and Melissa’s faces. They love this stuff.

So are you both pro trainers?

Eric: We are closer to amateur trainers. But we are sponsored by pro companies. I started 15 years ago. I was just a guy with a dog. I ended up getting a championship pedigree dog. I did volunteer work for Ducks Unlimited and bought the dog from someone with DU. I didn’t recognize it or understand what a pedigree dog was. I researched it, how to train them. Their drive is incredible. You just see it in their faces. When they look out to the field, they want to go so hard. He likes to go in a straight line. It’s a real clean line. That’s the pedigree.

A pedigree dog learns the field trial fast. They’re bred to do this. I never taught Blue to heel or sit. He just did it.

So you two are officers in the Saco River Hunting Retriever Club. What does the club do?

Eric: The club existed before I joined. I went to a hunting trial and brought Blue. The Saco River Hunting Retriever Club was actually going on tough times, having membership decline. I went to a meeting of the club and it literally was going to be the last meeting. They asked me if I’d be the president to save the club, and I said I’ll do it. I did it for six years, then I had to step down for a while. I wanted to take Blue to the Grand Hunting Retriever Championship (national competition). There were 400 dogs, and many pro handlers. We were running against the best dogs in the country. It was in 2012, and Blue made it through three of four (tests). I was real happy. This small-town guy with his first retriever beating about 200 dogs.

So what happened to the Saco River Hunting Retriever Club?

Melissa: It rebounded. We put it on Facebook last year. That’s been solely responsible for about a half-dozen members. We have 25 paying members in the club now. Some are from New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Dog handlers belong to a number of hunting-retriever clubs. They support a lot of clubs.

Do you think you’ll return to nationals?

Eric: I’d like to. Right now we are working toward becoming judges.

Melissa: There are three categories you run a dog in: started, seasoned and finished. Just like a dog, a judge gets so many passes (successful tests) before they move on to the next level. I’m judging in the started division and Eric is in seasoned. In Region 2 (Maine’s region) there is a great demand for judges.

How many in the club hunt with their dogs?

Melissa: Quite a few. The oldest handler is 75 or 76 and the youngest is 22. We enjoy teaching them how to train their dogs, walking them through the drills. Retriever-hunt tests simulate a real hunt so it’s good practice for the fall.

Once a month we have a club-member training day, when everyone is welcome to come with their dogs. It’s open to the public. We had one in April in the snow and a dozen showed up. Four people walked away paying members.

Eric: One thing you need while training is to excite the dogs with other dogs. You need distractions, to teach them to focus.

What does someone with a dog need to get into this sport?

Eric: A duck call and a whistle, and then a hand full of bumpers (duck decoys). With just a duck call and a whistle you can get a dog to do great things.

What is the goal of the Saco River club now?

Melissa: We’d like to see an active membership, people who are not just training their dogs to hunt but traveling with them to venues to compete. You can go anywhere in the country any month and run a hunt test.

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