# Tito's Training Journal Today



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Back to Dan's for the first time in a couple of weeks!! Yay!
Started with some land stuff. Dan is MEAN MEAN MEAN. He set up a drill with some SERIOUS factors. 
I guess this is blinds of some sort, I just can't wrap my head around calling anything a blind if you show the dog where it is in any way, but that's just me and semantics. ANYWAY, we set up two poles about 50 yards away from us with a pile at each one. Poles were about 20 yards apart from each other. Didn't show him the bumpers, but the poles were fairly visible.
On one side, about 10 yards away, was the pond. Yikes, a huge suction for Tito. 
On the other side, (this is why I said he's mean) not 5 yards off the line, was the BIRDMOBILE complete with crate of live ducks. The truck was about 10 yards from the pile. (Radarsdad, I think this is a polaris drill). MEAN MEAN MEAN. 
Set him up and sent him "back" toward the pile closer to the birdmobile. Um yep, he swerved off to take a big snootful of bird smell, but did correct himself and head to the pile. Then sent him "back" to the other pile, he didn't veer off toward the pond, so we were pleased.
Then we did it with him facing me instead of facing the poles. He did fine.
Backed up to about 65 yards away, repeated it. And again at about 85 yards, at which point he seemed to fall apart. At that point I was about 75 yards from him, and he was much more intent on getting near the bird mobile when I was that far away. We worked thru it, and we now know his "control" range with heavy factors. Interesting way to figure it out. So that's where I'm supposed to start working with him now, 75-80 yards, and then stretching him out to 150 yards plus. 
I got chastised several times for not being fast enough with the whistles and commands (while correcting a crooked sit). At one point Dan told me to shut up and put the whistle in my mouth :doh:. I need to be much faster on the whistle.
On to water. Three piles across the pond, this is only about a 25 yard swim at this place on the pond. Cover is moderately heavy at both edges of the pond, but mowed grass a short distance from the pond. A fair slope upward away from the pond on both shores. Bumpers were in the mowed grass, not visible to Tito when he's in the water, but very apparent when he gets out and goes thru the cover. All 3 piles marked with poles, the piles about 15 yards apart from each other.
Two of the 3 poles had caution tape on them, which was blowing a fair amount in the wind. The center pole did not, which ended up causing a bit of a problem as he kept focusing on the movement of the tape and trying to head for one of the 2 side poles when he was in the water. He'd start out okay on the line toward the center pole, but when he was in the water he couldn't see it, but could apparently see the "flags" blowing in the wind on either side. It took a LOT of whistle stop and casts to get him to the center pole each time. The side poles he went right to, had no problem with the angle entry/exit, but that center pole was a major battle each time, which seems weird since it was a straight on entry/exit. (to be honest it took us a couple times to figure out the problem was the flag/tape on the other 2 poles catching his eye). 
And then the grand finale....into the bird mobile and out to one of the bird fields.
Dan set up 2 cold blinds, not much in the way of factors, cover medium, the first one about 60 yards away and the second one about 85 (yep, he picked that distance for a reason!). 
I have to say I was just tickled, he lined the first one, and only got about 5 yards off on the second one. He took a whistle sit and an "over" cast to the bird, and came up with it without a problem! We were both thrilled at his willingness to take the whistle and the cast, he pretty much turned and said, "ok, tell me where it is" when he got the sit whistle. FINALLY!! We did a happy dance! 
And then what Tito lives for...2 live birds thrown as easy marks. The first one was only about 60 yards away, but BARELY restrained so it was a big time runner. Tito chased it down, POUNCE, was so darned pleased with himself I wish I could save that moment forever! Then another one at almost 100 yards away, same thing, he had to put up quite a chase and he loved every second of it. The proud look when his head shoots up with that live bird in his mouth is what this is really all about! (both birds were unharmed, which also pleases me because of the chase/pounce). 
So that was today.
Now if you've read this far....today's disappointment. I asked Dan when I can enter Tito in Senior hunt tests. He said, "do you honestly think he's ready to run Master?". I said, "no no, I want to run Senior". He said, "I know, not until he's almost ready to run Master." Sigh.
He also said that he has very little doubt in his mind that Tito would pass the land series, including the blind, and would do great on the water marks. BUT. The water blind he said Tito only has a 75% chance of passing (I think he was being nice), IF it's an easy, straightforward blind. He said if we got a tough water blind, it could get ugly. And Tito might start messing around with cast refusals, ignoring the whistle, and learn real fast that I can't do anything about that in a test situation.
I was very disappointed, there's a double Senior test in early November I had really wanted to enter him in. It's the last test until Spring. I'm disappointed because I know Dan is right.


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

Don'tcha just hate it when they burst your bubble, but know they're right. Sounds like a awesome session as usual. Dan sounds like he is not only a great trainer but a good teacher as well. Thanks for sharing your training journal, I always look forward to reading them.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

yeah, if truth be told I probably would have lost a lot of respect for Dan if he had said, "oh yes, he's ready, go ahead and enter".
Sigh.


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## wakemup (Feb 6, 2011)

I love reading about your training sessions, I almost feel like I'm there watching! The good news is that you're working with someone who sounds like they will definitely know when your ready for Senior AND Master. Keep up the good work, and thanks for sharing!


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## Radarsdad (Apr 18, 2011)

Patience, you are getting there!
The Polaris drill is walking singles using a Polaris or 4 wheeler at distance, because it's too far to walk.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

oh can't I call it a Polaris drill, too?? He had to run PAST a Polaris....


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Amazing report  Tito has really come a long way in a short time !


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## Radarsdad (Apr 18, 2011)

hotel4dogs said:


> oh can't I call it a Polaris drill, too?? He had to run PAST a Polaris....


I guess that qualifies it then. Maybe Polaris drill 2.0 would work??


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Polaris run-by? 




Radarsdad said:


> I guess that qualifies it then. Maybe Polaris
> drill 2.0 would work??


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

Oh Barb, I know you wanted to run Senior this year. When Tito SLAMS the Senior tests next spring you will be glad you waited. You will go to the line thinking " Something really crazy has to happen for us not to pass". 
Patience is not something that comes easily to me so I can sympathize.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Now that he can't run SH this year, I had to break down and enter him in some agility trials instead


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

You guys are doing great there is no hurry!


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