# Field January 2013



## EvanG (Apr 26, 2008)

Do you keep a training journal? I don't plan very far ahead because you never know what may develop along the way. By reviewing my journal I can plan my training for the specific areas my dogs need most. If there are no special maintenance needs, there's always the Flow Chart!

EvanG


----------



## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Training journal? You're reading it right now 

I've gone back to basics with Slater. We are on a steady diet of singles and cold blinds. We have to get on the same page and confidence strong and then I know everything else will fall into place. 

Fisher is doing great in training, I run him on about 75% of what we run the younger dogs, he is knocking it out. If I have the extra cash I will enter him in the same master tests as Slater and the Jacksonville qual. It is such a relief to have him be sound after training.


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

This is our training journal, too!
We, too are on a steady diet of singles, but no blinds at all. Haven't run any for ages, except for one a couple of weeks ago to be sure he remembers the concept, and he clearly does. We have done a couple of casting drills in the yard just to keep him in balance, but blinds are totally out of our picture until we fix our popping issue on memory birds. 
Also working on being steady to flush. That's a lot of fun!
Planning to head to Dan's today, the weather is cold but clear. Normally we go on Thursdays, but today's weather forecast is better than tomorrow's.


----------



## EvanG (Apr 26, 2008)

Great! So, based on those journal entries, how will you plan your training to best benefit each dog?

EvanG


----------



## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

With both guys I am doing nothing but singles, on mowed grass (hay field that they've baled), 50-150 yds and the gunner is hand throwing a small white bumper so it goes a long way from the gunner. I noticed that Slater was tending to run AT the gunner then hunt off of him rather than going to the mark. I am reinforcing steadiness with a pinch collar & tab, as I realized that Slater was starting to leave as I put my hand down..."tie goes to the runner" -- not a good habit to ignore. I don't want to correct him with the ecollar or by calling back so am letting him correct himself with the pinch collar. We are doing water work too, just looking for interesting marks that we haven't run before. Blinds are actually going quite well, can't complain. 
Both of my dogs know how to count to three, run some technical blinds, diversions honor and all that jazz, so sticking to basics is our plan.


----------



## EvanG (Apr 26, 2008)

K9-Design said:


> ...I realized that Slater was starting to leave as I put my hand down..."tie goes to the runner" -- not a good habit to ignore. I don't want to correct him with the e-collar or by calling back so am letting him correct himself with the pinch collar.


Have you considered a heeling stick?

EvanG


----------



## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Haven't used a stick yet as the pinch collar is working quite well. You know now that you mention it though, I have used the stick in the past for exactly this situation except I started with hand thrown bumpers in the yard rather than marks, to keep any poor attitude from creeping into marks. Anyhow thanks for the reminder.


----------



## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

The grounds here are still covered in ice so we have not been able to do much outside. It is even worse at the cabin (can't even get there). So we have been practicing with the paint roller (Evan's great DVD). Also we have been doing marks around the house with the bumpers. 
Haven't done much this past couple weeks since everyone has been sick with the nasty flu.


----------



## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

I worked Lucy yesterday on doubles. She's having trouble remembering there is another item. When I use bumpers she seems to be doing better. When I use treats on top of a bowl, she just comes back to me and doesn't remember the second item. Not sure why with food she has more trouble on memory. I'm trying to do better with my body language so she understands what I want. I think I need to spend time with her every day for a few minutes at a time on short doubles. I'm working on hand signals and learning how to communicate better. My Reilly boy is just fine with doubles and seems to be working better on distance. I'm super happy with his progress. Our hunt trainer is turning our group over to another trainer for obedience work. So she won't have to do both obedience and hunt training. So we'll do an hour of obedience class on Wednesdays and a couple of hour of hunt training on Saturdays. I think spliting it up with make best use of hunt training time. Both trainers specialize in goldens and have trained for both hunt and obedience. We are so fortunate here to have such great golden trainers in town. By the way it's all women in both groups and trainers. Isn't that interesting?


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Back from a c-c-c-c-c-c-old training session at Dan's. 20 degrees, a bit windy, and about 3 inches of snow on the ground there.
Started with some very, very hard single marks. Which of course Tito didn't mark correctly, but that's okay, our focus was to get him to put up diligent hunts and he did. Very pleased with that.
Then on to upland, working on steady to flush. Hmmmmm.....he's getting REALLY good at catching birds as they take off. That was not exactly what we were hoping for today! He caught 4 of the chukkars/pigeons today! But he also clearly understands the concept of putting the butt on the ground when the bird clears the cover, and also understands that some of them are going to get away and there's no point in going after them (a HUGE relief for me for pheasant hunting!). Hurrah for using homing pigeons in training!


----------



## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

20 degrees!??? That is mental. WOW
It was overcast and 73º here today.
Found a new field near an office park and ran blinds with the guys today, they did well and had a good time.


----------



## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

30 degrees and 73 degrees, you all have it too good! Here's to a warm spring soon!


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

The real problem is that we don't have any snow (60 miles north of Dan), so I wore regular tennis shoes!! If I had known he had snow on the ground, I would have thought to wear my boots. Needless to say, my tootsie were frozen!!!


----------



## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Try Icebugs :: Welcome to ICEBUG :: they make a nice variety of metal studded winter running shoes and boots. They are insulated too. I wear mine to about -15F then I switch to insulted hiking boots. Cold feet is no fun it will really ruin your day. Be good to yourself! If you train when it's cold just think how much better you will be when it is warm. Now if it would ever be warm up here I'd be so happy.


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

wow, those icebugs look really great! I have to look into them!


----------



## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

you lost me at "snow"


----------



## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Hey we only made it up to 70 degrees 3 times in 2012! I've never lived anywhere else that you can wear a heavy wool sweater in July.


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Anney you need a smack ! ! ! 
:slap:
:


----------



## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

I don't have much to say since it's like 9 degrees with 4 inches of snow and ice and what feels like 1 hour of daylight here; but since I'm killing time while my files upload, I'll sketch out my training plans for this year.

We left off doing singles, doubles, steady, honor, diversions, running pattern blinds, sight blinds and starting simple cold blinds, and doing all kinds of drills in dog skool, culminating in "run by" - which she did! albeit with a very confused expression.

Gladys should be back from nursing her puppies at the end of January. We'll get her readjusted to our routine, the usual obedience, and hopefully go back to dog skool mid-to-end of February session, to get back in the drills groove. Then at least these 4 areas to focus on:

a) As the pattern field conditions allow, back to pattern blinds and back in the collar groove. Then incorporate concepts w/ the pattern blinds 

b) run by then swim by (in the spring)

c) sight blinds, simple cold blinds, then ramp it up

d) singles, doubles, diversion birds, honor; mix it up, alternate with drills and blinds

Addendum: I forgot, she was starting to do triples and delayed triples too, we'll build back up to that. Keep it mixed up.

We're lucky we have dog skool teecher to tell us what to do and make sensible training setups; plus one of our training buddies has surpassed us to starting to train for Master, so he makes good setups. Looking forward to spring


----------



## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

LOL - our bird-y dog. Ever since Barb posted the pheasant pictures I was simply craving pheasants. For New Years we ordered two pheasants and the beef brisket from nbsmokehouse. Since I was bed-bound with the flu we were finally able to have our New Years dinner yesterday. Wow Wow Wow - I should have videotaped Rose. 

She really really wanted to "fetch" those pheasants. I was amazed at her restraint not to jump on the counter. 
She has tried every trick possible, around, sit, down, high five, shake voluntarily to show me how much she deserves them. She even went and found her favorite toy "chicken" and brought it over to trade. 

Still hoping for the ice to melt. It is pretty dangerous in the back yard. Bunch of snow footprints that are now frozen. Maybe I am too much of a mother but I told DH that if she breaks a foot or gets injured running in the back yard he is the one to take her to the vet.


----------



## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

EvanG said:


> Do you keep a training journal? I don't plan very far ahead because you never know what may develop along the way. By reviewing my journal I can plan my training for the specific areas my dogs need most. If there are no special maintenance needs, there's always the Flow Chart!
> 
> EvanG


I find that my training journal is very useful in tracking my progress. I like to look at how far I have come. I also use it to analyze what needs work. I actually write up a lesson plan before I go out to train and record my successes and failures in the journal.


----------



## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

Yes, I keep a training log (besides GRF). The drawings of some of the setups are unrecognizable and initially I wondered at the value of the exercise. However, I now like it even though my artistic talent has not improved. It's helped me see trends. For example, in our mark blind drill Winter was not having a problem with under the arc or backsiding the winger, but with whatever side she ran second. She would ignore the holding blind hiding the winger on the first side we ran (either under arc or backsiding) but would lock on to the holding blind on the second side. Drawing it out helped me see it. 

We have a steady diet of singles going on here too, but throw in multiples about once a week. All of these setups have blinds that are long or have suction/factors or both. We run our lining drill and the mark blind drill about once a week, but not on the same day. Since until last week to was in the 40's during the day, we were running splashing water blinds and short swim marks, sandwiched between land marks or blinds. But now the temps are around 30 so we are out of the water until it warms up. 

I'm wishing for an early warm spring so we can get back in the water.
I hope to give Finished a try this year and tackle Master next....


----------



## EvanG (Apr 26, 2008)

hollyk said:


> Yes, I keep a training log (besides GRF).


It's encouraging to see trainers keeping journals. Even if it's an Internet post now and then, it's better than most trainers are doing, and you've seen the value. All Weather Retriever Trainer's Kit. $44.42. There are several others. This one is a good one and much like what I use.


hollyk said:


> The drawings of some of the setups are unrecognizable and initially I wondered at the value of the exercise. However, I now like it even though my artistic talent has not improved. It's helped me see trends. For example, in our mark blind drill Winter was not having a problem with under the arc or backsiding the winger, but with whatever side she ran second. She would ignore the holding blind hiding the winger on the first side we ran (either under arc or backsiding) but would lock on to the holding blind on the second side. Drawing it out helped me see it.
> 
> ...I'm wishing for an early warm spring so we can get back in the water.
> I hope to give Finished a try this year and tackle Master next....


I keep my drawings simple, but make sure they show important factors like wind direction, ditches, logs, hay bails, ponds, etc. I usually only draw the portion of the shoreline that affected the running of a route.

Good job!

EvanG


----------



## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

I used to keep a training log but haven't in a long time.
I also like to draw pictures, especially of drills, because that's the only way I remember anything! If someone hands me a picture I probably wouldn't understand it, it helps me to draw it myself after doing it.

Actually writing and drawing helps me commit items to memory. I wonder if typing will have the same effect, if so, this forum will help me 

Sometimes when we go to obedience our friend Sunrise has a written out plan of what to work on with each dog that day. I think that'll be a good idea for me going forward because I have like 4 sets of things to be worked on that need to be mixed up so it would help to plan, what to do when and how to move forward with it.


Although I agree adjustments need to be made. Like if bad habits or problems creep in.


----------



## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Today we focused on water blinds. There are several blinds available at the place we train, that are quite difficult (mainly, down the shore with an island off the shore, big angle entry). Every new set of judges they bring in for the tests here, sees them and goes, There's our water blind! The last master test I ran there, last year with Fisher, he one-whistled the one they picked out and everyone thought I was a genius. To Fisher it's basically a pattern blind, we've done them so many times. So anyways we worked on those same blinds (3 different ones) today with Slater & Millie, and they did GREAT!!! Really happy with everything.
A funny thing happened though...lining up for the first blind, which was down the shore to the left, down a channel formed by the shore and an island, instead of facing forward Slater is air-scenting to the right and clearly indicating he wants to go that way. Well, 100+ yards across the big pond (big open swim) is the OTHER blind with bumpers I had placed. The wind was blowing right at us. Great opportunity to do a big water swim, so I turned, lined him up and BACK. Out he went! 
The last blind we set up I taught it like a pattern blind, with rather mixed results with Slater. I won't try to describe it other than to say it was huge, over two points and they ran it as the open water blind last year. Anyways Slater did a pretty good job as I built it, when I finally got it to full distance, he was being really weird lining up, bugging at me, I finally did a heel-burn-heel, and then he was off like a shot. Came back, repeated it, this time he lined up fine, no bugging and went 100 miles an hour off the line, as he's about 2/3 the way out there I'm blowing my whistle trying to get a cast and he's completely blowing through it. Now, that same strong wind was coming at me, and he knew the destination and trying very hard to get there quickly, but geeze!!! Once he was coming back I look at my transmitter, and my FREAKIN COLLAR WAS OFF. So he totally "faked" a correction for bugging and no wonder why he blew through the whistle. Hmmm...
Slater came back from that one like he had won the lottery, even though I felt it wasn't that great, he thought it was. 
Fisher was up next, I ran the same blind from about halfway, took 2 casts to it, then backed up immediately to the full distance, and he one-whistled it. Fisher was on, and fast. Maybe if I run the qual again they'll pick that same blind 

Lastly we went up to the hay field and again ran singles with white bumpers and really launched them. After a few corrections for breaking with the pinch collar the other day, Slater has been solid as a rock. These big singles have worked WONDERS for his focus and marking. WONDERS.


----------



## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Yesterday in hunt class we admitted a black lab. Wow what a difference in energy. This new pup comes from total field lines and is super hard core. The rest of us goldens have been working together for a few months now so it was fun to see a new pup work. We still are working only inside for class. Our trainer doesn't like it when it's cold and icy. So I work my girl outside with my husband. We worked on getting the pups to retrieve with only a hey hey and hand signals. No come or back or any other verbal commands. Some pups did better than others. We also worked on heeling and honoring. My girl just has a hard time honoring. Maybe because its her siblings? Wednesday we start obedience with another trainer. We will still be hunt oriented, but this trainer only competes in hunt and field and doesn't train dogs for it. So obedience on Wed. and hunt on Sat. The pups are doing great!


----------



## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

We trained hand thrown walk away singles and blinds the last couple of times out. It was a mixed bag. One day the long mark gave her trouble. It was a long low arcing throw that landed behind a hill. The next day a short inward thrown mark that landed on the backside of a hill. She charged up the hill and blew over the top of it. I believe Miss Winter has a lot of hand thrown singles in her future, she may have been seeing too many marks out of wingers.


----------



## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Holly that's exactly what we've been doing and wow what a difference. I am loving the results. Since it's winter the cover is down (cows eat it or they've mowed/baled) so even small white bumpers are easy to find. But I really felt our dogs were so used to a hand-thrown duck (which as you know, doesn't go real far) or a duck out of our little winger. We show up at a test and those big wingers really launch the duck and the dog ends up running where the mark "would be" thrown! Ugg. I also felt Slater wasn't marking it well and rather, running toward the gunner then hunting. Not good.
Anyways we've trained the past, oh gosh I think 4 days in a row, maybe 5, things are going well. Just singles but even twice I ran singles on a multiple setup and neither of my dogs headswung, gee funny how that works. Anyways things are good.


----------



## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

K9-Design said:


> Holly that's exactly what we've been doing and wow what a difference. I am loving the results. Since it's winter the cover is down (cows eat it or they've mowed/baled) so even small white bumpers are easy to find. But I really felt our dogs were so used to a hand-thrown duck (which as you know, doesn't go real far) or a duck out of our little winger. We show up at a test and those big wingers really launch the duck and the dog ends up running where the mark "would be" thrown! Ugg. I also felt Slater wasn't marking it well and rather, running toward the gunner then hunting. Not good.
> Anyways we've trained the past, oh gosh I think 4 days in a row, maybe 5, things are going well. Just singles but even twice I ran singles on a multiple setup and neither of my dogs headswung, gee funny how that works. Anyways things are good.


Yes, lots of ducks or dokkens out of wingers lately. 
The first day I trained with my friend Sandy. We both wanted to do hand thrown singles and I asked her what she wanted to throw. She said "let's throw small bumper I need to work on marking". Wow, was she right. It makes me laugh, we had two cars full of equipment, wingers, electronics, holding blinds, dokkens.....and here we are hand throwing 2 inch white bumpers and getting in great training. I think I will be backing down multiples to once every couple of weeks and doing hand thrown singles, like Annie. I was worried about Winter not marking the last mark of triples. She too seemed to be using the gunner (or winger) to pick up that third mark. We are throwing _very easy triples_ right now. The last couple of times she stepped on them so I'm encouraged that we can build them. She even gave her little quick head turn glance to the 3rd mark when she was running back with number two. This has been her tell that she knows where the next bird is and I was glad it see it. It may take us awhile but I think we can get there.
I don't know if I have mentioned that in my training group there are 3 women in their 70's. All three of them have dogs that are training at the Master level. They have done it all, bench, obedience, tracking, field. They're very encouraging and a riot to train with. Plus they know where all the bodies are buried. 

I believe I will have the pleasure of training with a Fisher grandpup soon.


----------



## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Super!! Someone must be getting a Puzzle puppy


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

A really good day at Dan's!
We went today instead of tomorrow, because it was 50 degrees, sunny, although windy. But 50 degrees in CHICAGO in JANUARY??? Unheard of!
Did some lining and casting drills, just to be sure he's still okay on them. We're still not running blinds with him, but both are convinced he's not forgotten the skills.
Then some really hard marks, his hunts were wonderful. Long, thorough, intelligent hunts. Again, quite pleased. He did have some trouble with over running the shorter marks angled in from the gun after running longer ones angled out. Something to work on next week.
The best part was the upland hunting. I can now officially say Tito is steady to flush. No whistle, no command. Bird goes, if he doesn't catch it on the takeoff (which he is pretty good at, btw) butt hits the ground. It was so exciting for me!
And now I have 4 nice cleaned chukkars to cook


----------



## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

It has finally gotten better here and half our yard is no longer icy. So we took Rose outside after working with her in the house with the paint roller - she did great - took it great, held it (getting great - she is not quite steady) and gave it on the "leave it" command. 
Now, outside she stays good and waits for the marks, brings the bumper back to your left, around you (which drives DH crazy  - I instilled in poor Rose that every time she comes to me she goes around and sits at my left) but then she drops it, she doesn't hold it to wait for the "leave it" command. grrrrrrr I have been munching all day on how to correct this.


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Claudia, just curious, if you use "leave it" for her to give something up, what do you use if she is to leave something alone, i.e., not pick it up at all?
I use "leave it" to mean "don't even think of touching that".
I use "out" to mean, "put it in my hand"
I use "drop it" to mean "drop it onto the ground"


----------



## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

I was wondering if you all would mind sharing how often you train and how long a training session might be. I'm sure seasons have something to do with it too.

Normally we train outside once or twice a week in the winter. Those training sessions are short less than 1/2 hour each. My girl is only 6 months old. Then indoors we have one training session for hunt on Saturday for 2 hours. Then we start obedience class tonight for 1 hour. Just curious what everyone else does.


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Very seasonal....we try to train once a week, at Dan's for 1 hour. It's a private lesson, so it's pretty intense as he's kept moving the whole time. Other than that, we also do an agility private lesson (1/2 hour) once every-other-week.
It would be much better if we trained more. My bad.


----------



## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Thanks Barb - I actually use "Leave it" with everything, Leave It when the cat is trying to get her attention, "leave it" when the squirrels are running in the back yard, "leave it" when we walk in the neighborhood and other dogs are around or people running, and "leave it" when she has something in her mouth including what she is not supposed to have or the paint roller, bumper etc. 
But the problem is she drops it before I can even say "leave it". She just drops at my feet on my left. 
I will try to figure out how to teach "out" to put it in my hand. Any input is sincerely appreciate it.


----------



## EvanG (Apr 26, 2008)

Alaska7133 said:


> I was wondering if you all would mind sharing how often you train and how long a training session might be. I'm sure seasons have something to do with it too.


Once or twice per day, 3 days per week. About 15 minutes per dog on most drills and exercises.

Choose whatever word you like as a command or cue. Dogs do not speak English. Keep it simple; no sentences if you're going to require compliance. To convey that I don't want a dog to pick something up when he's reaching for it, it's "No". That's what 'no' means; don't do that.

To release a fetch object, it's "Drop"; whether in my hand, or for remote drop - same command. Keep it simple.

EvanG


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I taught the distinction between "drop it" and "out" because of the obedience ring. I want him to understand he needs to put the glove, article, dumbbell, in my hand, not just open his mouth and release it. It's worked well carrying it over into field, too, as "out" means put the bird gently in my hand. 
I did it by teaching the "hold" command first. Then I would gently grab whatever was in his mouth, and tell him "out". Generally he was quite ready to release it anyway, so it was natural for him to just release it when I said "out".
I taught "drop it" with the tennis ball in the yard. When he comes back with the ball, he has to drop it at my feet...or it won't get thrown again, which in his world would be a major disaster. So I would say "drop it", and he would, and the reinforcement would be another retrieve. It transferred over to other things easily.


----------



## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Rose would leave the paint roller quite quickly - she hates that thing in her mouth. I did the take it, hold it and Leave it. 
She may actually know that I would not want dead birds in my hand and she is practicing in advance by just dropping it to the ground. 

Will work also on Drop it and out. 

Thank you Evan - I only use short commands. The full sentence story telling is when she lays with me in bed - otherwise is boot camp command.


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I find the "drop it" command to be one of the most useful ones he knows. For example, putting away his own toys  which is a combination of the commands "take it", "go", and "drop it". 
Also good for when he has something, like my shoe, and I see him from across the room and don't want to get out of my chair to go get it from him, I just tell him "drop it" and then "leave it". Or if I want the shoe, "bring it". He has never chewed on a shoe, but he does tend to carry them around the house, making them hard to locate when I want them!
On the other hand, if I send him to get the remote, or my cell phone, for example, I do NOT NOT NOT want him to drop it on the floor. Hence the command "out" is pretty useful, too. 
He's a good boy.


----------



## EvanG (Apr 26, 2008)

You frame the context of commands during training. They certainly recognize when you reach for the fetch object that they do not release it until the command is given. That's one situation. Using the same command, aka "Drop", mine release and remote drop as commanded, and they understand that context because of the training situation. Honest; it's not the word, it's the training.

EvanG


----------



## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

Alaska7133 said:


> I was wondering if you all would mind sharing how often you train and how long a training session might be. I'm sure seasons have something to do with it too.
> 
> Normally we train outside once or twice a week in the winter. Those training sessions are short less than 1/2 hour each. My girl is only 6 months old. Then indoors we have one training session for hunt on Saturday for 2 hours. Then we start obedience class tonight for 1 hour. Just curious what everyone else does.


I can usually train least two days a week, try my hardest to get in three days, and occasionally get a bonus forth day.
The session length depends on how many dogs are running. We usually do some sort of drill, and then a set-up. After which we decide if we want to do something else or not. I have been training in small groups lately, just one or two other people. We try and decided what we are going to do before we get there. For example, I'm training tomorrow and I already know we are going to do walking singles and a lining drill.


----------



## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

hotel4dogs said:


> I find the "drop it" command to be one of the most useful ones he knows. For example, putting away his own toys  which is a combination of the commands "take it", "go", and "drop it".
> Also good for when he has something, like my shoe, and I see him from across the room and don't want to get out of my chair to go get it from him, I just tell him "drop it" and then "leave it". Or if I want the shoe, "bring it". He has never chewed on a shoe, but he does tend to carry them around the house, making them hard to locate when I want them!
> On the other hand, if I send him to get the remote, or my cell phone, for example, I do NOT NOT NOT want him to drop it on the floor. Hence the command "out" is pretty useful, too.
> He's a good boy.


I have "leave it" and "give" but have never thought to have a remote drop. How did you teach that?


----------



## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Wheeeee I am so happy. I got to go to the trainers last week, and we are going tomorrow. It's supposed to be partly sunny and near 60 degrees!!!! This is mud Michigan folks in JANUARY!!!!

My trainer got very sick before Thanksgiving, I got there once after but he didn't look too good after a couple more weeks in the hospital he is on the mend. Started training again the week before Christmas. I'm so glad he seems better. 

Last week there was a huge crowd for "snow camp". We just ran a series of simple doubles and singles. It's what Gabby needed, to run for bumpers. She was still relaxed on Sunday when we went for a walk. Hopefully the crowd won't be "too" big for our warm day tomorrow. 

We are taking Quinn too but she can't work yet. She is doing well post op. she is 3 months post op today. We figure she can go hang out and work some more on patience. She is walking about a half hour a day, exercises twice a day, physical therapy 2 times a week. It's coming. She looks fantastic but we want to take it slow, we want her strong and hopefully hold off #2 knee as long as possible. 


Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Once they understand that "drop it" means let go of it and let it hit the ground, the remote drop is very easy. Just back off from them a little at a time, and over time they will be able to do it from quite far away.


----------



## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

Something else you might try is a tidbit a friend brought back from a Bridget Carlson seminar. Bridget apparently uses it in both a field and obedience context. She teaches the dog to scooch back an inch when the it command is repeated. So not only does sit mean plant your butt, it also means, you move, you twitch, you move away from your desired bird, you have to move back--a little negative momentum to counter that self-sending/nearly breaking trend. And that is something you can use on the line in a test once you are released!



K9-Design said:


> Haven't used a stick yet as the pinch collar is working quite well. You know now that you mention it though, I have used the stick in the past for exactly this situation except I started with hand thrown bumpers in the yard rather than marks, to keep any poor attitude from creeping into marks. Anyhow thanks for the reminder.


----------



## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

We are in a training layoff right now as Breeze came in season last Sunday and will be bred later this week. Her daughter Bonnie also came in season now this week, so my girls are all a bit hormonal, and my boys don't know where their brains are! Once the craziness of running around to get progesterone run, and pick up shipments and getting the breeding done is over we will get back to refining Bonnie's handling. Miss Breeze certainly took her time and messed up my plans--pups will be due in March, which means no Alabama training trip for us this spring.


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Shelly, sure wish you guys were closer. I'm looking for a teaser right now, want to do another freeze on the monster boy....


----------



## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Thanks Barb - After "pulling teeth" with DH whom I still cannot get back into training mode, we decided to go with NO - for no touch at all, "Leave it" put in our hand and "Drop" to drop everything in the mouth to the ground. 
That little brat after only two days of training has gotten it. Maybe she was just happy to get back in training after the vet scare we had over the weekend.


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Good job!! It's amazing how smart our little beasties are, isn't it? 
You will be surprised some day at how useful those commands will be, possiby even avoiding another vet scare!




Claudia M said:


> Thanks Barb - After "pulling teeth" with DH whom I still cannot get back into training mode, we decided to go with NO - for no touch at all, "Leave it" put in our hand and "Drop" to drop everything in the mouth to the ground.
> That little brat after only two days of training has gotten it. Maybe she was just happy to get back in training after the vet scare we had over the weekend.


----------



## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Barb - call your repro vet - all the girls are coming in around here - even Ms Towhee just came in... Last time Towhee was in there were I think 9 studlies called in that had been on a wait list so your vet probably keeps a list as well



hotel4dogs said:


> Shelly, sure wish you guys were closer. I'm looking for a teaser right now, want to do another freeze on the monster boy....


----------



## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

Yes, something must have turned in the air. In the week since Breeze came in season her daughter Bonnie and granddaughter Wings have now come in season as well. Breeze got to be a teaser at the vet last night when we went in for another progesterone test. i am wondering if they are slowing her down now. We are at day 12 and she still has not hit 5ng!!!


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

We were at the repro vet yesterday for a semen evaluation for *something* that's coming up, and apparently no one in this area is in season!!


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

A great day at Dan's today. I guess we have to have one like this every so often to keep me going.
Started with a few casting drills, and then ran just 2 blinds. We haven't run any blinds in ages because of the issues we're trying to work through (think popping...). Anyway, he lined both of them. The first one was pretty easy, the second was a rather tricky 125 yard blind thru some fairly heavy and changing cover, down a small incline and back up, across a little ditch. Dan said that that's the stuff that gives a trainer happy goosebumps....when you don't do it for ages, set up a hard one, and the dog just goes out ("trusts the line" he said) like he's been doing it daily. So happy dance there.
On to some marks, we worked on angle in singles off multiple gun stations, to both sides of each gun. Last week he was having some trouble checking up and hunting back in for the angled in marks, which is why we did this, but this week he had no trouble. I suspect the big difference is that we were using ducks, whereas last week we used chukars which are pretty hard to find when they hunker down in the cover. 
Finished off with upland steadiness stuff using homing pigeons and chukars, he was completely steady with no collar nicks. 
A very good day! Too bad it was cold and windy....Tito's kind of weather for sure, but not mine!


----------



## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Hunt class went well this morning. Only 3 puppies could make it, so it was nice and small. The pups turned 7 months this week. Today was all about doubles. We are working inside due to the weather (we had a complainer). So we set up 2 bowls in the far ends of the arena - probably 20 feet away from the person in the center. The 2 bowls are at 90 degrees from the handler. We put a cookie on each upturned bowl. We had each dog mark each bowl, then sent them to pick up the cookie on one bowl and come back. Then sit before we sent them again to the second bowl. We had to be very careful make sure the puppy did go to both bowls for cookies before coming back to the platform. We also tried to speak as little as possible and use body language to direct the pups. Lucy did super well and didn't make any mistakes. Then we moved onto bumpers. We just set the bumpers on the floor where the bowls had been. We did not do any hey, hey. This was a little harder since food wasn't involved. Until today we have not used food in any of our retrieving. So my girl ran to the bumper but looked all over the ground for the treat. She eventually picked up the bumper and came back. When I sent her for the second bumper she did fine. We ran the drill several times and she was great every time. I think we are ready to increase the distance and go outdoors. 

Next weekend our group will be at the dog show watching our breeder show our puppies mom and older sister. Then the weekend after that we are in a Connie Cleveland seminar. She will be here in Anchorage Feb. 2 & 3. She is good friends with our trainer. So we will all be working together for a couple of days. I did take Lucy to a fun match last Sunday. She just flows when she moves across the arena. So if she doesn't make it as a field trial dog, maybe she'll be a show puppy!


----------



## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

We have been doing "marks" like that in the house. 

Said mark and threw a cracker to the right and said mark and threw one to the left or vice versa. She waited next to me until released with her name to the last one thrown, come back and then released to the second. Also made her whoa and took a bumper put it in the opposite side of the house, switched rooms, put it on the floor, on the bed (trying to make her look above ground as well as on the ground) for her to retrieve.


----------



## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Claudia,
Sometimes I take them out to my shop and make them retrieve bumpers that are thrown over boxes and under things. It's not the field, but it does make them look around and find things. It's so much fun to see thei faces when they are marking. I wish I had started our puppy younger than 4 months. I keep hearing that was too late. 
Sterregold,
You've done both hunt/field test and conformation on the same weekend, how do you manage to be ready for all that at virtually the same time?


----------



## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Don't know about being too late Alaska. Some training books (the oldies) recommend not to really start until they are one year old. Retrieving is their natural instinct - in one book I was reading about a field champion dog who would not even chase a ball until he was nine months old - it was all a matter of when those instincts kick in.


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I totally disagree that 4 months old is too late. The instinct is there, or it isn't. We started at 3 years old, and he's done just fine.


----------



## EvanG (Apr 26, 2008)

Alaska7133 said:


> Claudia,
> Sometimes I take them out to my shop and make them retrieve bumpers that are thrown over boxes and under things. It's not the field, but it does make them look around and find things. It's so much fun to see thei faces when they are marking. I wish I had started our puppy younger than 4 months. I keep hearing that was too late.


As a pro I started one at 3 years of age that had no previous training. In about 7 months he had won a Qualifying. I started another totally untrained 18 month old that is now an AFC, and needs a win to get his FC. Sound too late now?

EvanG


----------



## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

It's been so bitter cold and snowy here. I hate it. It better at least kill the ticks and mosquitoes down this year. Haven't trained much because of it. Roads have been like a giant slip n' slide. But we finally got out and had a nice training day. Scout nailed her marks and lined her first blind (second one was choppy once she hit cover--I blame a large part of this on handler. When I couldn't see her I should have called her back).

(In other news got engaged a couple weeks ago. Not a dog trainer, but a dog lover who I can sweet talk into throwing the occasion dead duck and being bumper boy for a day.)


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Hey Lisa, good to see you!
Congratulations on the engagement! Is a day set?


----------



## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

Lisa! I have been wondering where you have been. 
Congratulations on your engagement.


----------



## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Hahaha - I had to put my glasses on to read the little fine print. Congratulations!


----------



## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Well I did not want to distract from the training thread...I've just been real busy lately. Training when I can although with our cold weather not as much. No date officially. Africa in June is going to be a big trip so the plan is next year, maybe May. We just want to do a simple destination wedding and get away from all the planning, cost, and hassle!


----------



## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

How fun, congratulations!!! 


Today we trained after the breed show, did KRD drill then some singles. Slater was rockin and rollin and did great. On the KRD he lined one blind and one-whistled the other two. Cute stuff.


----------



## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

Still no training for us. I hope that by the end of the week we will be mostly done with the in-season girl stuff and they can get back to work!
Saturday I went to the airport and picked up a shipment of Trooper swimmers. Yesterday we did a breeding. So now we will be waiting on tenterhooks for Trooper X Breeze puppies on March 22nd!


----------



## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

sterregold said:


> Still no training for us. I hope that by the end of the week we will be mostly done with the in-season girl stuff and they can get back to work!
> Saturday I went to the airport and picked up a shipment of Trooper swimmers. Yesterday we did a breeding. So now we will be waiting on tenterhooks for Trooper X Breeze puppies on March 22nd!


Best wishes on your spring litter. I look forward to hearing about them. 
We see a young Trooper bitch at training sometimes and I really like her. Her owner lives in Canada and comes down to day train with my Pro occasional. 

I saw a photo of Miss Wing recently, it was a head shot. WOW, she is a pretty girl.


----------



## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

Our breaking problem is now a major creeping problem so we're working on that. Other than that we are just working on the usual stuff.

Did I mention that my Pro is headed south in Feb and will be gone until May 1st. Yikes!


----------



## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

hollyk said:


> Best wishes on your spring litter. I look forward to hearing about them.
> We see a young Trooper bitch at training sometimes and I really like her. Her owner lives in Canada and comes down to day train with my Pro occasional.
> 
> I saw a photo of Miss Wing recently, it was a head shot. WOW, she is a pretty girl.


Thanks Holly! Wings is a very pretty girl--and she likes her birds, too! She is a little gangly right now. I hope she fills out a little bit so she can go out and show a little bit before she ages out of puppy.

I am hoping to get a lovely batch of good working Goldens from this breeding to Trooper. I certainly liked what I got last time when I bred to his grandfather, Trey! Lots of potential with these babies to be!


----------



## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

We almost didn't train yesterday. It finally started to warm up this weekend which brought rain, but then it froze. When I got to our field I watched Scout slide all over the crunchy snow sheet and she had no sense of being careful--running full speed only to find out her brakes were not quite working. Yuck.

I did end up finding an area with less snow so there was reasonable traction. Still the dogs were punching holes in the crunchy, icy snow. They didn't seem to mind so we ran a few marks and blinds. Scout did awesome the first set-up. She did a nice double, a blind off to the side, and even one down the center of the blinds. She didn't pin it like one dog did, but she handled nicely. The second round we did singles and she did swing her head, but did not have trouble finding the marks. Blinds were not as smooth, but we got there.

We have a new training buddy who has pointing labs. I didn't know such things existed. I must confess I really like his dogs. They run very slick and I like the small, sleek package. One of them has a master for the pointing lab club--something that is a combination of marks, blinds and pointing skills. Pretty cool! 

Of course he asked me yesterday if I woke up that morning and crimped Scout's hair, lol. One of these days I am just going to go with it! Yes, I get extreme pleasure waking up and crimping my dog's ear and butt hair so she looks purdy for field training where she is running in the icy, snowy mush. Meanwhile, I care nothing about my own hair which is pulled back and tucked under a beanie!

I am so sick of this cold, icy weather though. I am ready for January to end. Yesterday was the first time in weeks that I could see the bottom of my street. I have had a few close calls nearly falling on my a** in the parking lots, and I am tired of my car sliding around. (I guess the silver lining is the small happiness I get driving this thing off road on a pile of snow).


----------



## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

This morning I went out in the empty cow field with Rose to train, she was sliding all over the place and then she started jumping like a donkey or something in that same four legged family. I ended up just letting her do whatever she wanted and brought her back in the more leveled terrain behind our house just so she can burn some energy. Should I say I hate this weather!


----------

