# First Time Training With a Group



## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

So, I’m up in Cashiers, NC (mostly) for August and decided to google to see if I could find anyone to field train with up here. I came across a Golden Retriever breeder in Highlands (about 20 minutes away) and checked out her website (Gaylan‘s Goldens.) I noticed her website mentioned her dogs are versatile and she had field training in her list, so I sent her an email and asked her if she knew anyone/or groups in the area who field trains and she invited me to bring Logan to train with a group she trains with.

She is such a nice lady and was so helpful today. There were four Goldens (including Logan) and two Boykins of varying levels of experience, but most were running singles.

I’m so proud of Logan! He was such a good boy. We did land first and two of the land retrieves were quite a bit longer than Logan usually does. The first land retrieve was thrown completely into a wood/heavy shrub area and I wasn’t sure what Logan would do because he’s never done it. She told me later the first time can be like hitting a wall if they haven’t seen that kind of cover before. Logan did stop and start going back and forth right in front of the wooded area. I yelled “fetch it” and she hand-sign shushed me up (this happens to me on occasion  ) because Logan started heading back to me after I opened my big mouth, but she redirected him and he went in, got the bumper, and came back towards me when I called him. He dropped the bumper about 20 feet from me, but immediately picked it up and came into heel beside me holding it.

The second retrieve was much longer and Logan did great at being steady at the line for all of his retrieves (I was wondering if he would in a group situation), went straight to the area, did a short hunt, and brought the bumper back to me into heel.

The last was more of the same. Logan did great, was steady, retrieved the bumper, and came back into heel position with it. I thought this one would mess Logan up because my husband, Brian, was throwing the bumper. Logan brought it back to me though.

I thought Logan wouldn’t go as fast as he normally does for a duck, but he hauled boogie after those bumpers. It was beautiful to see.

For the water retrieves Gayle suggested we keep Logan in the water since he has not done any water to land retrieves yet, which is what they were doing. He did a shorter water retrieve first and came back into heel. For the second retrieve which was medium distance he ran up onto the land on the other side and the gunner(?) threw the bumper back into the water for him & he retrieved it and came back to me in heel position. On the first or second I opened my mouth when I shouldn’t again, but I can’t remember what I did. lol

The last water retrieve was super long and Logan did so well for that one. It was more tempting for the dogs to go to land on this one, but Logan swam all the way there and back, returning it to hand In heel.

That was so much fun!! I was so happy she invited us to come along. What a nice lady and the experience was very helpful to Logan. She has a beautiful place. She said she was going to keep training and we are welcome to come back, so I hope I get to do it again.

I only got a couple of photos of the pond and none of Logan as I was busy. Brian (hubby) went along, threw bumpers, and helped move equipment. He said he really enjoyed it also.

Logan is now all bathed and smelling pretty again.


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## Hildae (Aug 15, 2012)

diane0905 said:


> So, I’m up in Cashiers, NC (mostly) for August and decided to google to see if I could find anyone to field train with up here. I came across a Golden Retriever breeder in Highlands (about 20 minutes away) and checked out her website (Gaylan‘s Goldens.)


I've heard great things about Gaylan's goldens, nice that you got to train while you were there!


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## Golden Gibby (Jan 8, 2011)

Glad it worked out and you enjoyed it. Training groups are really important in field training.


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## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

Golden Gibby said:


> Glad it worked out and you enjoyed it. Training groups are really important in field training.


Thank you! I’ve contacted two groups in South Carolina where our full time home is and hope to join them beginning in September when the weather cools down a bit.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Have to chime in here!

Gayle is simply amazing - you are in the best of hands for guidance & learning all things golden. 

Enjoy


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## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

AmberSunrise said:


> Have to chime in here!
> 
> Gayle is simply amazing - you are in the best of hands for guidance & learning all things golden.
> 
> Enjoy


She is so nice! She was really helpful and let me know when I was doing something I shouldn’t in such a nice instructional way without me feeling like a big dummy. She has a great smile and personality also. I hope we will get to train with her again. She’s quite close to our home up here in Cashiers.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Gosh, you trained with golden retriever "royalty"! She is incredible - founding president of Avidog, MBA from Harvard, Ph.D. from Stanford ... among other things ... She visited our training facility a few years back, on a seminar tour, and it was wonderful. You are in the very best of hands!


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## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

ceegee said:


> Gosh, you trained with golden retriever "royalty"! She is incredible - founding president of Avidog, MBA from Harvard, Ph.D. from Stanford ... among other things ... She visited our training facility a few years back, on a seminar tour, and it was wonderful. You are in the very best of hands!


It’s a stumbling into it kind of thing for me in the dog world because I’m learning, but I’m glad I did. I read about her a bit after she invited me and someone mentioned Avidog to me. I didn’t know what that was. When I read her experience and education, I thought “Oh Lord. She’ll think I’m a ding dong.”  If she did, it sure didn’t show. 

Anyway, I lucked up and that was a fun and educational experience! I’m meeting so many nice people via finding and training Logan! And I’m so proud of Logan. He’s a really good and smart dog.


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## JerseyChris (10 mo ago)

sure sounds like a great session.. nice work Logan !!


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## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

If there is a record for who has bred the most VC Goldens, I’m guessing Gayle holds it or is in the top 3 at the very least.


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## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

ArkansasGold said:


> If there is a record for who has bred the most VC Goldens, I’m guessing Gayle holds it or is in the top 3 at the very least.


She was so sweet to Logan. She said he did very well! I had a bit of land pond envy. Haha She had a fake alligator on the edge of her pond/beach area. Brian said, “Honey, that’s fake isn’t it?”  Angst from having had a place at Kiawah. 

Logan usually flies off a bank with some cover into the water. He slowed down on the beach entry, which seems like it would be easier. I guess hurling his body is easier to Logan. Lol


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