# Starting Anew



## FTGoldens (Dec 20, 2012)

My puppies turned 6 months old a couple weeks ago. 

As with many 6 month olds, they are both jerks ... some of the time. Over the weekend I began CC on sit. "Boy," who is typically more jerkish than "Girl" and was often compliant to the sit command only with a hydraulic (i.e., _sloooooow_) sit, took to it just fine and sped up his sit. Girl, however, was hilarious ... when she first received the stimulation, she turned around to see who in the world was back there doing that; shortly thereafter, she stopped trying to discover the culprit and complied. Boy began to slow down when we restarted heeling after a sit commend, which is not atypical (they often quickly learn that sitting is safe), so with the next session, he'll probably get a nick on heel.

Their marking seems to be quite good. They get marks as often as I can get out with them ... they only get singles, typically with multiple gunners or stickmen in the field; bumpers only (no birds until we get through FF); they have made 75 yard retrieves in 3' tall broom sedge and 300 yard retrieves on short grass; I try to have some sort of concept designed in the marks, whether hip pocket, or looking LONG past a real short gunner, or side-hill, or a mark thrown downhill, etc.; energy level is very high, especially with Girl, which is exactly where I want it. Unfortunately, they haven't been in any water since probably October, so there will be a lot of H2O catch-up work to do, but since they will be CC'd and FF'd by the time we can go to water, progress will hopefully be rapid.

Puppies are fun, in particular I like to observe the rapid progress they make.

Hey Lee, how's your puppy doing?

Who else has a puppy?

FTGoldens


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## MillionsofPeaches (Oct 30, 2012)

sounds awesome!! I bet they are so much fun to train together. Double the trouble double the pleasure!! Funny when Shelly was getting decheated she was already CC but still turned around and looked everywhere when she was getting nicks on the bank, ha ha. It really surprised her for some reason. 

I can't believe your two are already 6 months and going through that stuff. Man how much time flies.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Well Brix is 16 months but still the baby. Today was the first time since starting FF (ear pinch) that I've had him retrieve bumpers out of the water and held him to the standard of not dropping the bumper. HE DID AWESOME and I thought today was a really positive and productive session! He totally "got" the corrections and at the end did three perfect retrieves coming into heel and sitting and not once dropping it. And of course kept his happy attitude.
After that (and a little rest) I had my training buddy throw four marks for him, just walking singles on land, first one was probably 200 yards -- he stepped on it! Brix doesn't have a lot of gas in the tank and I've noticed his marking (ability to put his face on the bird) goes down when he's tired. Rather start with short and have each walking single get longer, and have him always with a big hunt on the last one, I did the longer one first. I was real happy as every bumper he delivered perfect, no drops 
I love this stage as every day they learn something new and improve.


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## Edward Lee Nelson (Jan 2, 2017)

FT Goldens, Going real good. The weather and snow has set us back some. I really don't like her hard charging in ice or slippery snow. Its not worth it. Right now we are finishing up the T, doing multiple 250 yd lining drills and singles off of every triple concept I can think of. She loves to work but needs to mature some, she is a goof ball. She is very focused and a good marker but when she knows where the mark is she will take a nice line then go to the BB and jump up and try to kiss them then right to the bird. Before the long marks now I am doing two 30yrd or so marks and when she wants to kiss the BB I jump on her and recall until she goes right to the bird. It has worked for the most part. Recall doesn't bother her a bit or discourage her, actually a part of me thinks she likes verbal and non verbal pressure to keep me straight. Love these puppies though!


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## FTGoldens (Dec 20, 2012)

Edward Lee Nelson said:


> The weather and snow has set us back some. I really don't like her hard charging in ice or slippery snow. Its not worth it. Right now we are finishing up the T, doing multiple 250 yd lining drills and singles off of every triple concept I can think of. She loves to work but needs to mature some, she is a goof ball. She is very focused and a good marker but when she knows where the mark is she will take a nice line then go to the BB and jump up and try to kiss them then right to the bird. Before the long marks now I am doing two 30yrd or so marks and when she wants to kiss the BB I jump on her and recall until she goes right to the bird. It has worked for the most part. Recall doesn't bother her a bit or discourage her, actually a part of me thinks she likes verbal and non verbal pressure to keep me straight. Love these puppies though!



It sounds like your pup is doing well, despite the goofing off! :smile2:
The weather (and work) has impeded my progress with the pups as well. Although I don't have a time table and can take all the time that I want to get my goals accomplished (which is one of the benefits of being an amateur!), I do have one time sensitive goal to meet ... *33* Derby points with one of these pups!:wink2:
FTGoldens


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Lesson #2 with Brixy today. ALLLLLMOST perfect. The first retrieve out of the water he brought it all the way into heel position, sat, then right as I was reaching for it, dropped the bumper and shook off. Squashed his little ear to it. The next two retrieves he shook off while holding the bumper right before getting into heel, never once dropping it! YAY!!!! The last few he waited until I took it from him and told him to shake off before doing so, and no more drops. By the end he was bringing it 10-12 feet up the shore where I was standing from the water's edge. Really happy with his progress so quickly


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## Edward Lee Nelson (Jan 2, 2017)

FT Goldens:33 Derby points with one of these pups!!! Good luck with that one! That would be great. I'll root for you but you know the linage of the 32 Derby point dog is related to both of us! Go Goldens!!!


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## MillionsofPeaches (Oct 30, 2012)

you guys are cracking me up. I truly hope you guys get more than 33 points on your pups!! Nothing like goldens kicking black dog butt! I remember wanting to beat a certain somebody's points too. Now i have a new goal...you know what it is!

Lee it sounds like your pup is doing really great!!! Goldens sure do have the personalities, don't they. They make me laugh. 

Anney, sounds like BWOAB is doing awesome. I'm so glad. Interesting about the running the longest mark first. sounds like it is helping.


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## FTGoldens (Dec 20, 2012)

MillionsofPeaches said:


> I remember wanting to beat a certain somebody's points too.


:smile2: And I remember that as well ... and I'm beyond delighted that you did so with such certainty!



MillionsofPeaches said:


> Now i have a new goal...you know what it is!


And I am cheering you two on to reach that goal!!!


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## MillionsofPeaches (Oct 30, 2012)

its a hard uphill battle that I already know I won't make in the same time frame but maybe, just maybe in the end I can pull out an extra point, ha ha! Its hard when you pick the best dog ever as your standard...


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

My “puppy” is just past 2 years old now. I look back and see how much fun we had! He was such a good pup. He was so easy and fun. His breeder read me the riot act (no pun intended), for running Riot on 100 yard marks at 3 months old. But if they want to do it and do it well, it’s hard to hold them back. 

I’m happy that I’m only training one dog right now. I don’t think I’m good at training more than one dog at a time. Sometimes though I see a really good breeding and think about getting another puppy. Then reality comes knocking and I don’t put down a desposit on another pup. My husband has actually been pushing me towards getting another pup. But I’m not up to all the work right now.

I wish you all well on your journeys with your pups. I hope you all get on the derby list and move on to bigger stakes... Young dogs are so much fun to see grow and develop. 

And hey you all, please share photos!! I don’t see one photo of any pups having fun on this thread!


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