# Hunt and field training plans for the week of January 29-February 4



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Ok guys, what's on the calendar for the upcoming week???


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

More off leash heeling around the area. We have training on saturday. I am going to go out twice a total of 4 birds I plan to do this all off leash and after we have done that I will decide if I want to run Jige in the upland test. The guys I train with think he is ready my sister thinks he is ready but I am worried he is going to mess up and I will just be out that 120$. Maybe I should quit thinking about the cost of it and just do it to have fun.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

The plans are to do the same set-up we had last week tomorrow. Advanced dogs will the do the hip pocket double with the diversion bird thrown somewhere in the middle. intermediate dogs will do the hip pocket double. Beginners just singles. Then a flower pot double. 

Having gone through the 'I'm learning doubles so all I want to do is doubles..oh crap now my dog is head swinging stage' I've learned to be more careful about how often I practice multiples. Last week I ran the flower pot singles for that reason. So I think I am going to try a diversion bird since we've been practicing it and run those as singles. Then do the flowerpot as a double but build it. It just isn't going to be nearly as beneficial to run it as singles. It's so hard trying to find that balance of multiples and singles. Hmmm...


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

We truly need to get out and train, I've been so slack about it. We haven't been to Dan's in 3 weeks (bad weather) and not sure about this week. In fact, we haven't really done anything. 
I want to enter him in a double SH test the end of March (very, very early for this area for water, but we'll see) and I'm thinking that _wishing_ he would be ready to enter isn't going to get him ready....


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

hotel4dogs said:


> I'm thinking that _wishing_ he would be ready to enter isn't going to get him ready....


This cracked me up because our Pro will say "You are just wishing and hoping that your dog is going to take the correct line to the blind. Put a whistle on that dog."


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## Radarsdad (Apr 18, 2011)

Marks tomorrow morning. T work afternoon


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Barb do you have other hunt tests later in the year close to you? What's the hurry to enter him?

PS Did you train today?


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Well I caved and did two both doubles today (hip pocket and flower pot) since I felt like both were good teaching moments. I ended with a single for measure but next week I have to not let myself do any multiples. Scout did great. 

We also did our modified t and she did great. No problems...but then I knew if I wasn't mixing backs and angles it wouldn't be a problem. Hmm. Now I need to find time to visit Pete's which is hard.


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

Well, I may have a line on someone to work field with. He is not a pro but has trained several dogs (labs) for field trials. If he will work with me just to make sure I understand the different drills, I think I can do better than just trying to wing it on my own. Plus, he throws bumpers/birds for me, I throw them for him (my biggest issue-having someone to throw for me)!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

We do have some coming up, a bit closer, but to be honest I have no idea at all what to expect from a SH test, never even SAW one, or from Tito at a SH test, and I don't know how many tries it might take him to title?? I've set a time frame on myself that I want his SH by mid-August, because I want to show him in the "hunting retriever" class in the breed ring at National, which is the first week of September. You have to be at least a SH to show as a hunting retriever at National. 
So that's the hurry!
<hanging head> no, didn't train yesterday. Not going to train today. Or tomorrow.
But Wednesday looks kind of promising!




GoldenSail said:


> Barb do you have other hunt tests later in the year close to you? What's the hurry to enter him?
> 
> PS Did you train today?


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Well Barb I think you should go for it in March -- first off I think you will be underwhelmed by a SH test, and secondly, you will learn A LOT more by running one than just watching one! Unless the dog has some sort of training hangup that bombing a test might perpetuate or encourage, I say run him.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

Barb,
If you are diligent about going out and running blinds every day you should be okay for that early Backwater test. The Senior judges are quite nice--I know and/or have run under three of them and would say they will set up fair tests. Maybe working towards that test date as a goal will be the motivation to get your tuckus in gear! 

Blinds are something you can do on your own without travelling to Dan's, so long as there is not so much snow blowing that Tito cannot see you! Most dogs that fail Senior do so on the blinds, at least that has been my experience when I have the pencil in my hand!


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

We got out for the first time in two weeks yesterday. Had 6 stickmen out and threw three different long-short combinations: gunners in line, throwing out with a cross-wind; gunners inline both throwing l-r for inline marks; and gunners outside throwing in for a pinched in-line, and then a blind to be combined with each pair of marks. We ran everyone on the concepts first as singles, running long then short. Breeze did a good job on the first set, then did not want to check down on the short bird in the second, and a good job on the third. Butch and Bonnie also wanted to go long on that one, so checkdowns are something we obviously need to do a little more work on. 

Days are starting to get a bit longer, so also plan to be getting Bonnie out to finish her basics work. I have just enough light to get her drills in after work, but not enough time to get marks set up for everyone.

I am ring stewarding at our club obed trial on Saturday, so will not be able to train then, so next Sunday will be our next time for marks.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Thanks Anney and Shelly.
No, he doesn't have any training problems that bombing a test would make worse. At least not right now, LOL.
The only thing he has going on with the land series I *hope* we have worked through, it's been getting better. We ran so many blinds that he lost the CONCEPT of a multiple. I thought his memory was shot, Dan says no, it's outstanding (as evidenced by his being able to find an old AOF or go back to where a previous blind had been with no problem:doh::doh. 
He would go out for the second bird of the double, and seem a bit confused as to why he was heading back out, was it a blind or a mark? So we stopped mixing blinds and marks, I got very specific with my cues (Dan says I don't communicate with him nearly enough) in terms of "mark, where is it?" or "dead bird, back", and so on, and that seems to have fixed the problem :crossfing.
We've had 2 training sessions in which we worked on that issue, so we haven't had much time to fix it, but I think he'll be fine with that by the end of March.
Dan feels that Tito is running "finished level blinds" with no problem. So I'm assuming that those are at least as hard as senior level.
The real issue is the water.
He hasn't been in the water since early November, and it's doubtful he'll get any water training in between now and the tests. Our water is iced over.
We have done almost no cold blinds in water. Dan thinks if Tito's land blinds are 100% it will carry over to water enough to pass the tests. 
I really don't know what to expect. If he has to get out and back in over 2 or more points of land, he's going to have a really hard time. (On a blind he'd have the problem; he'd be fine on a mark). Would I see that in a senior test? If there's just one point, I could handle him over it, but I think he'd fall apart with two.
If he has to get out and go through some heavy cover on the other shore before he gets to the blind, I don't know how he'll do. He does fine being handled thru heavy cover on land blinds, so maybe he'd be okay. If the blind is in a direct line with one of the marks, he may have a problem with it, may hunt the area of the old mark instead. The thing is, I just don't know what it will be like? If it's a straight swim, 100 yards or less, he should be fine. But if they start throwing in lots of suction or factors, well, we could have a problem.
It's hard for me to get weekends off, it will be a $500 weekend by the time I pay gas, hotel, entry fees, so I don't want to go if I'm sure he'll fail. But I sure do want to go if I think he has even a 50-50 chance of passing!
So I'd love to hear what to expect at a SH test!!!


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## Radarsdad (Apr 18, 2011)

Derby doubles as singles today. Four stations in the field. Marking is showing a lot of improvement. Four more stations set out at varying distances, (worked on holding focus to the station I want,getting a little head swinging) modified ABCD.
Junior test coming up on 2/19


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Barb, not that I've seen every senior test in the world but generally they are pretty straight forward. Get in, swim and follow basic directions. I think you are more likely to have to get the dog to swim past a point rather than over it, and over two points would be one extraordinary senior test!


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Well shoot my car found black ice this morning and did a nice 180 on the road and slid over a curb to give me a flat tire and a torn rim. That's going to really limit my training plans this week until I get it fixed--I'm not driving anywhere on my spare that I don't need to go. Ugh.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

K9-Design said:


> Barb, not that I've seen every senior test in the world but generally they are pretty straight forward. Get in, swim and follow basic directions. I think you are more likely to have to get the dog to swim past a point rather than over it, and over two points would be one extraordinary senior test!


That would be my perception of it as well, from the AKC tests I have run--my CKC Senior blinds were tougher! And from what I have heard Blake say, much of the water they use in the spring is running water as they are aware the deep ponds would be pretty chilly still.

If you get some good hard-pack snow on your ponds to provide traction and the ice is thick enough for it to be safe you could teach some concept pattern blinds at this point on the hard water, that you can come back to in the spring and incorporate into marking set-ups.


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

I don't mind hearing about Senior tests also.
We just started water blinds last fall and still have a lot of work to do. We will probably try out our skills with a Seasoned HRC attempt first since we run both.
So hard to plan your summer when you don't know when your dog will be ready. lol


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

thanks, that's good to know. I just don't know what to expect, and since Dan runs almost all HRC/UKC, he's not being much help.
edit to add....he also believes in being well into training for the next level before running in a test, so I'm not sure sometimes if we are training senior or master level concepts.


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

Barb, I know it's not the same as being there, but you could search Youtube to see if they have any videos of a Senior test or two. 

Lisa, I hope you are okay and able to get your vehicle back up and running soon.


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

Lisa, 
Hope you came through it without a scratch.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

GoldenSail said:


> Well shoot my car found black ice this morning and did a nice 180 on the road and slid over a curb to give me a flat tire and a torn rim. That's going to really limit my training plans this week until I get it fixed--I'm not driving anywhere on my spare that I don't need to go. Ugh.


Yikes! Scary--glad you are okay.


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## MarieP (Aug 21, 2011)

Well, Riot and I tried out the big field today (thanks for the advise, Evan). I taught him the line and forced him on two sends, and he was doing really well at 100 yds. So I decided to try him back on the mini T since thats what we were working on in the other field. He did great! When I sent from my side, I was able to tell when he was looking at the correct pile, and I was able to pull him off the incorrect piles with just a "no" or "no-heel." His whistle sit is great. He sits very square and quickly, with just the tiniest of looping. 

I plan on working on the mini T for the rest of the week, hopefully backing up to a full T by Sunday. But it depends on how things go, of course.

PS: My old dog, Mocha, is not doing so well. Please send her good thoughts. If you want to read more, I'm going to post something in the health section.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Lisa, how scary! Glad you weren't hurt!!
Marie, sending good thoughts for Mocha. I"m so sorry to hear she's not doing well.


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

Marie,
Way to go Riot Dog!

My heart goes out to you and Mocha.....


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

Marie, sending thoughts and prayers to you, your parents and Mocha.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Awww, hope Mocha is feeling better soon!

Barb -- searching youtube for senior videos is a GREAT idea. 
Of all the levels I think senior is more like seasoned, depending on the judge, and minus the handler's gun, than master is like finished.
If you haven't done any cold water blinds then trust me you are not working on master concepts  Said with the nicest sincerity possible! 
There are several particular rules for AKC vs. UKC that you will need to be aware of so hopefully you can find a judge's seminar or train with some experienced people before entering.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Trained today at the L pond. Set up sort of a "swish drill" for Slater, running him to a stake from all different directions across the water. Of course he did perfect. If nothing else it was good practice for our mechanics. I am trying to hold my hand over his head a little longer before saying BACK until he really commits and almost breaks. We'll see if that helps. He is a little odd or shall I say, different than what I'm used to with Fisher....Fisher always leans a little forward right before I send him for a mark or a blind so that is a good indicator to me of whether we're on the same page or not and if he's ready to go. Slater doesn't do that and in fact doesn't move a muscle until I send him so it can be a little more difficult to read his body english if he's ready to go. I did wagon wheel with Slater the other night and worked on waiting so long before sending that he did lean a little bit and I think that might be a good thing to do.
With Fisher & Sophie we did shoreline blinds and I was THRILLED. The last time I did a shoreline blind with Fisher he got a big correction for cheating the entry. Well guess what, it made a HUGE difference. The blind today was about 110 yards long along the side of the pond (straight) with a square entry at one end, but the shore at the end made a nearly 90º corner so it was very black and white what was cheating the entry and what wasn't. I sent Fisher three times, once from about 5 feet from the shore, then 10 yards, then 20 yards, and each time he took the PERFECT line into the water, did not cheat. The true line for the blind was only about 2-3 feet off shore in running water, for the whole 100+ yards of the blind. The first blind he got sucked too deep by decoys in the middle of the channel but the last two repeats he lined it. I am so happy he is FINALLY choosing correctly the FIRST TIME.
Kristin filmed Fisher's blinds on her new camera so if she can get the videos to upload I'll post.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Can someone explain this fake gun thing to me for senior tests? What am I supposed to do with it (be nice, ha ha) ??


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

<gulp>
See, now that's the kind of stuff that scares me. We work on in-line marks, in and out of water (several times) marks, mark-blind-mark, etc. , blinds that require going around trees or bushes, blinds with major cover changes, blinds 150 yards out, blinds with strong crosswinds and so on...and I was hoping those would not show up in senior tests, was hoping they were master level concepts....



K9-Design said:


> _If you haven't done any cold water blinds then trust me you are not working on master concepts  Said with the nicest sincerity possible! _
> There are several particular rules for AKC vs. UKC that you will need to be aware of so hopefully you can find a judge's seminar or train with some experienced people before entering.


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## KathyG (Nov 21, 2011)

Barb, there is a small group training this weekend at DesPlaines (where GRCI holds their test). We have dogs at all levels training. PM me if you are interested in joining. [email protected]

Kathy Guerra


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

hotel4dogs said:


> <gulp>
> See, now that's the kind of stuff that scares me. We work on in-line marks, in and out of water (several times) marks, mark-blind-mark, etc. , blinds that require going around trees or bushes, blinds with major cover changes, blinds 150 yards out, blinds with strong crosswinds and so on...and I was hoping those would not show up in senior tests, was hoping they were master level concepts....


The blinds will be outside of the marks, and will not be 150 yards long as that is outside of the 100 yards AKC suggests retrieves should not exceed. But aside from those restrictions, the judges can pretty much set up whatever blind they want--some judges are better at applying common sense in selecting something that is appropriate for a Senior test, some not so much! I have seen Senior blinds with crosswinds, big cover changes (even on an angle), past points/islands, along shorelines, with land entries, and with straightforward re-entries (not multiple). I'll go into Google Earth and mark up some of the blinds Breeze and Win had to run, as well as a couple that I set and post them.

You will be expected to carry a gun that you will not shoot. However you must handle it and treat it as if it were a live, loaded gun. Shoulder it at the top of the arc on marks as if you were shooting the bird. AKC has decided to get much more firm about the gun-handling issue as people were doing stupid things with the handler gun, such as holding it out at arms length as a pointing device.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

thanks Shelly, seeing some actual ones will be incredibly helpful! I do plan to check youtube as well, just haven't had a chance yet.


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

I took Tag to a guy who runs field trials and has force fetched lots of dogs. I wanted him to evaluate where I was and if it looked like it was correct. He said I am 95% there, and was impressed that he is the first dog I FF. The one thing he wants me to work on is getting more drive to the bumper by holding him and making him work for it. While he was showing me, with Tag, I bit the dirt and really scraped up my knee and palm of my Left hand. The knee is going to hurt for a while, it's all swelled up, but hey, I'm tough, so I'll just ice it and grin and bare it. He wants me to start collar conditioning him so we can start working at more of a distance.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

DNL2448 said:


> I took Tag to a guy who runs field trials and has force fetched lots of dogs. I wanted him to evaluate where I was and if it looked like it was correct. He said I am 95% there, and was impressed that he is the first dog I FF. The one thing he wants me to work on is getting more drive to the bumper by holding him and making him work for it. While he was showing me, with Tag, I bit the dirt and really scraped up my knee and palm of my Left hand. The knee is going to hurt for a while, it's all swelled up, but hey, I'm tough, so I'll just ice it and grin and bare it. He wants me to start collar conditioning him so we can start working at more of a distance.


That's good (the feedback, not the knee!)--you want them to dig for that bumper. That is what some people use the pulley system for on their FF tables--they can add resistance with it. I do not have a table, so I do something a pro I know does--I hook a long bungy to a fence post and to a harness on the dog and make them pull against that resistance--then you know they understand the command and will dig through pressure to fulfill it. That is what I now do before walking fetch.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

sterregold said:


> That's good (the feedback, not the knee!)--you want them to dig for that bumper. That is what some people use the pulley system for on their FF tables--they can add resistance with it. I do not have a table, so I do something a pro I know does--I hook a long bungy to a fence post and to a harness on the dog and make them pull against that resistance--then you know they understand the command and will dig through pressure to fulfill it. That is what I now do before walking fetch.


I do a similar thing but rather just toss the bumper maybe 10 feet, say "take it" then hold onto the leash. Dog has to drag me to get it.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

K9-Design said:


> I do a similar thing but rather just toss the bumper maybe 10 feet, say "take it" then hold onto the leash. Dog has to drag me to get it.


That'd work, too. Nice thing about the bungy is that you can get in there for an ear pinch if needed without the resistance being removed.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Drove almost 3 hrs each way and met with Jim (marshmop) to train at his pond today. Well not really his pond but might as well be  It is a wonderful pond. About 125 yards long and probably not more than 40 yards across at any point, but has several points and coves, and is COVERED with huge lily pads. REALLY nice!!
He started with a big blind right down the long channel of the pond, and Slater was up to bat. I wanted easy and he got the hard stuff right away. Well he did AWESOME. I am learning to wait a little longer to send him until he is practically breaking to leave. Once he is in the water he handles pretty well, and has about 10,000 whistles in him  We repeated that blind I think twice and set up another long blind over a point, Slater did well on both (well as can be expected as his level). 
We ran simple singles with Harvin and let him get used to the lily pads, something he's never seen before.
Fisher we did the big blinds from several different points, the highlight was getting a correction for not going straight over a point on the first blind, and then he totally nailed the over-the-point on the other blind (different point and he went straight over it with no handles). We also had a longer angle entry blind and he actually got in a little soon, which was great. I need to work him on wagon wheel as he's lining up a little antsy but taking good initial lines.
We ended with sending Slater across the short width of the pond, set up two blinds and had Jim throw a single, then run a blind, throw another single then run the other blind. Slater did well, although once on the first blind I had him lined up, I put my hand over his head to send and he looked up at me and stood up like "I'm not ready!" I re-heeled him and repeated the process, and he went no problem. Bad line but he went and took just one handle to the bird. We clearly just need to work out our communication.
THANKS JIM I appreciate your help more than you can imagine!


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## MarieP (Aug 21, 2011)

Today was a good day for Mr. Riot. I lined him to the pile from the baseline and forced him on a couple sends. He did well. Then we worked on the mini T, and it was fabulous. Very easy to get him to the main pile, versus the side piles, and he only tried to pop on me once. Love him! 

There is one issue we are having. He consistently takes an "interesting" line to the pile. It is pretty straight, but not 100% straight. I attached a picture of it below. The blue line is his line, the red is ideal. I just don't want to nit pick him over it, unless I should be. And this is how he runs it almost always, no matter what position I send him from. Any thoughts?


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Marie is this your long 100 yd pile or your short mini-T pile?
Is Riot running HARD or is he lolly-gagging out there?
If he's running hard and with purpose to the pile but just doesn't run perfectly straight then I would just handle if he gets really far off. Otherwise let him roll. If he seems to be half-assing it, jogging out or looking around and veers from a straight line, that is when you need to force en route.
Is the pile marked at all (cone, flag, stake etc)? I don't advocate marking the pile in a pattern blind such as this but it may help initially when he is learning the game. Actually now that I said that I realize you are on T so I would have white bumpers at the backpile so he has a visible aid. That will probably help his line immensely. (IOW I do put white visible bumpers at the T/double T backpile as a visual aid but no visible markers when you get to pattern blinds.)


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## MarieP (Aug 21, 2011)

Thanks Anney! That is the line he takes when I just send him straight down the middle. He does better on the mini T, probably because it's closer to the pile. Today, I watched to see how he did, and I forced him en-route one time and another time from my side. That seemed to get him rolling a little faster and straighter. One time he started out straight then veered off toward one of the side piles. I just called him back and he did fine on the rerun. I guess we are basically doing the full T now since I backed up to the baseline and have the two side piles out, not the four for the double T. On one that I stopped him and gave an over, he went back instead. I sat him and casted again and he got it. That was the send after I forced him, and I hadn't sent him to that side pile yet, so I think those factors pulled him to the back. Trying to not be wrong. Silly boy  

I know we were having this discussion somewhere just a bit ago, but I can't remember the answer... Should I be stopping him and casting him back, or should it only be overs? From what I read in the Lardy articles I have, it sounds like he wants to make sure the dog can distinguish between overs and backs. And that sounds like I should be stopping him and back casting.


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## Radarsdad (Apr 18, 2011)

Really proud of my little man today. Set up a difficult Master Test longer than master distance. Marking was not good on doubles I ran him on. But these were very technical marks and tight.
What I am proud of is, on a handle to a mark (never done before). Tried to switch, sat him, pulled him past the mark. Right over, took it and held it for about 50 yds (let him carry it too far on purpose) across the line until my whistle, sat him,left angle back which took and carried until he got a little right of the line. Stopped him to keep tight to the line and the tree line on the right where the bird was. Straight up left back which he took until he got within about 15yds left of the line to the bird. Stopped him, straight up right back which he took perfectly and nailed the bird. No cast refusals, perfect sits and took every cast.
Good Dog
And no I will not make a habit of handling to mark with him (young dog)


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Good Dog Gunner!!!


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

WOW! Impressive!!!


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Marie you should PRIMARILY be sending him on back casts when you stop him. Trust me every dog LOVES the over piles and will be drawn to them. There's no need to send him to an over pile more than once or twice a session (if that). It's the back cast you should focus on. Not only is this the cast you will rely on most but handling BACK rather than over is setting up the dog to cast away from suction, a lifelong lesson.
If the dog is still not getting his casts right the first time about 85% of the time then go back to baseball casting.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Quick session tonight with Fisher and Slater. I took out the wingers and set up an easy double on our church field (small field w/ mowed grass). Set up two blinds on the outside of the marks. Ran Slater on the double then two blinds, he did great. Lined the first blind then 2 whistled the longer 2nd one, casting was good.
Fisher I launched the double, then pulled him off it and ran the closer blind. Picked up the go-bird. Then ran the 2nd blind which was very tight to the back of the memory bird gun. Had a hard time lining him up for that (!) blind and had several casts to keep him away from the memory bird. WHOA! Once he got the 2nd blind he picked up the memory bird. WOW that was a lot of effort for Fisher and a challenge! Tomorrow we are going down to train at Monteverde which is where they hold the MFGRC hunt test.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Went to Dan's today for the first time in a couple of weeks. I almost didn't go, because we had very thick, heavy fog. Not only was the driving miserable (almost 70 miles) but the training was challenging, too, because you couldn't see 100 yards in front of you.
We started with some drills in the obedience yard, which were singles and blinds, where the marks were birds and the blinds were bumpers. But the blinds were very evident, and there was a white pole and a pile of white bumpers at each one, so that he would be successful. That went fine. 
We did some lining, and his lining was off. You could tell we hadn't done it for a while. I need to do more of it, obviously. We had 3 piles out about 75 yards, they were about 20 yards from each other, and he seemed to have a hard time heading to the correct pile a couple of times.
Then out to the field. Because of the weather, we had to keep things in pretty close, so we worked in very very heavy cover instead. Ran some doubles, which he did fine on. Ran a single that he should have gotten (IMO) but he over ran it and Dan helped him out (he was the thrower, I was handling). He told me to do some drills with the thrower in the middle of the field throwing in, then out, then angles, etc (it's in Carol Cassity's book) to help Tito learn that the bird is always within a certain basic distance of the thrower, and running WAY past the thrower isn't going to find him the bird.
Also did some cold blinds with him, he did *okay* but he was having an *issue* with the cover (as in, when he gets in heavy cover he starts hunting rather than paying attention to me!) and we were having a big problem seeing each other. The cover was so tall that when he sat I couldn't see him, and that, coupled with the fog, made for some tough running conditions. Dan handled him on one of the blinds because it was just plain too hard, given the conditions, and Dan had to run way in to give him the casts because they just couldn't see each other.
Overall, not a bad day. Could have been better, could have been worse.
Dan says I need to get much harder on Tito, I am letting things slide that he KNOWS by now and I shouldn't. I am not supposed to train in situations that are anywhere near as hard as what Dan sets up, but rather in situations where I know he will be successful and then really come down on him if he makes a "mistake" because he is way past the point of making "mistakes" now. Mistakes such as heading left on a right cast....that kind of thing.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Barb glad you had a good training session at Dan's today. Did you use the gun on your doubles??????
I am surprised that using bumpers at the blinds is a novelty to you. We do this almost always. That way you don't have to reset the blind for every dog, and you can repeat it right away without having to set it. (Also birds on the ground invite ants....well....maybe not a problem with everyone.) If the dog refuses to pick up a bumper b/c he wants a bird then that is a hole in FF. I will say however I do not use orange bumpers with no markers, the dogs literally cannot see them so that is why I will put a stake or a few white bumpers with it.

We had a GREAT training session today -- SOOOOO HAPPY!!!!!
Kristin and I drove down to the Monteverde training property which is where MFGRC and CFHRC hold their tests. Set up at the big pond which has many points, coves, one area with wooden piles sticking out of the water (about 20 of them) and one area with floating logs (they are attached so they won't float away but are buoyant and move if the dog climbs over them). 
We started with hand-throwing bumpers through the piles and over the floaty logs for Harvin, who has never seen anything like that. He didn't mind the piles at all but didn't want to climb over the logs. Instead he swam around them, which was fine. He wasn't afraid, and figured it out.
We set up two marks and two simple blinds outside them. I ran Slater on the memory bird as a single first then put it together as a double. The go-bird was behind the piles and the memory bird was on land behind the floaty logs. He did a very nice job, a little slow leaving for the memory bird (compared to his doubles on land, which is at lightening speed) but he didn't hesitate and got it no problem. YAY! Both blinds he did great, no issues lining up or sending and handled well. The 2nd blind he took a perfect line for the first half of it including climbing over the floaty log.
Ran Harvin and Millie on those same marks, as singles.
We then switched sides and ran a triple and blind for Fisher & Sophie. Mark #1 was to the left, behind the piles. Mark #2 was short, cheaty and to the right, and the mark came almost directly AT the dog, mark #3 was long and up the middle, required about a 70 yard swim and another 30 or so yards climbing up a sandy steep bank, and the bird was behind the road. The blind was between the right and middle birds, about 100 yards, over the floaty logs and over a point. Both dogs did GREAT. I was really happy with both of them! 
I then ran the two outside marks as a double with Slater -- no single first -- and he did PERFECT!!!! YAY
They got to run around like crazy dogs afterwards and got REALLY DIRTY. I posted a very muddy pic on FB if you saw it earlier 
A GOOD DAY!!!
No training tomorrow but Saturday is the mock hunt test at this same property.


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## MarieP (Aug 21, 2011)

Today Riot ran the full T, focusing on back casts instead of overs (Thanks for the info Anney!). We had some issues with the back left. I think it was because he wasn't 100% square. But then when I turned him around again, he was even more not-square. So then I had to call him in a bit then cast again. Then he tried to go over instead of back. So I stopped him again and called him in to resend. Then it took a bunch of tries the next time to get him to go back instead of over. I moved up a bit to make it a little easier. Attrition, attrition, and more attrition.... I think I need to go back to mini T and work some stop-backs. The last few I did were mini T distance and he did great. Finally got a great left-back and then quit. 

I'm working the night shift Friday and Saturday, so I don't know how much training I'm going to be doing this weekend. Probably depends on how much he is bugging me


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Sounds like you did great Marie. They get hung up on a certain cast a lot of times where it seems like they want to take any cast BUT that cast. Just gotta be patient and work it out. I think doing fewer overs will make everything else go smoothly.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

You guys are ready to roll for your tests! Great job!
No, no gun, but for a silly reason. I had (have) a really bad stiff neck and couldn't even turn my head. It's better today, but still not good. What a pain in the neck, pardon the pun!
I do think if we had used a pile of white bumpers, or even a stake to mark the blind, Tito would have known what to do. But he was sent out to one orange bumper, in heavy cover, with no visible marking. SHEEESH. (For everyone else, this is something that happened with my training partners, not with Dan). 
I guess the reason we haven't mixed bumpers and birds is that I do it at Dan's, and he sets a bunch of blinds in different places, and Tito is the only dog. No worries about having to re-set blinds every time!
(prima donna training, LOL)



K9-Design said:


> Barb glad you had a good training session at Dan's today. Did you use the gun on your doubles??????
> I am surprised that using bumpers at the blinds is a novelty to you. We do this almost always. That way you don't have to reset the blind for every dog, and you can repeat it right away without having to set it. (Also birds on the ground invite ants....well....maybe not a problem with everyone.) If the dog refuses to pick up a bumper b/c he wants a bird then that is a hole in FF. I will say however I do not use orange bumpers with no markers, the dogs literally cannot see them so that is why I will put a stake or a few white bumpers with it.
> 
> We had a GREAT training session today -- SOOOOO HAPPY!!!!!
> ...


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

hotel4dogs said:


> I do think if we had used a pile of white bumpers, or even a stake to mark the blind, Tito would have known what to do. But he was sent out to one orange bumper, in heavy cover, with no visible marking. SHEEESH. (For everyone else, this is something that happened with my training partners, not with Dan).
> I guess the reason we haven't mixed bumpers and birds is that I do it at Dan's, and he sets a bunch of blinds in different places, and Tito is the only dog. No worries about having to re-set blinds every time!
> (prima donna training, LOL)


Prima donna training! LOL is right!
I remember a training session we had a long time ago, where the blind was super short, like 30 yards and just orange bumpers at the base of a large tree. Not sure what we were trying to accomplish as I don't remember what else we had set up. What I DO remember is the dogs had a HELL of a time FINDING the pile of orange bumpers! #1 they didn't want to run right AT the tree and #2 they could not smell them or see them at all. I must have boxed Fisher around that tree about 50 times before he literally ran into the bumpers and was like "Holy crap, here they are!!!!" That was an eye opener! 

Oh, and we have a term for bird boys who do dumb stuff. "Bird boys from hell."


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Oh, training with Dan is awesome. Not just because he's not bad looking, LOL.
He and his assistants set all the set-ups, put stakes out, plant the birds, throw the birds, basically do EVERYTHING including chauffer me around in the 4 wheeler. I just hop out and run my dog, then hop back in and go to the next set-up. And he has over 1000 acres with all kinds of different fields, technical ponds, etc. 
Yep, prima donna training! I wish we could get out there more often. I'm thinking I need to go live in his clubhouse for a while  .

My primary training partner is pretty good, but also pretty new to this. Just got a JH on his dog. My secondary training partner is worse than the bird boy from hell. Seriously. Training with him is counter-productive most of the time. (He's the brilliant person who planted a single orange bumper in heavy cover for our blind....)

On a different note, Dan designed and built the coolest thing EVER. It's a bird launcher that launches multiple birds, like a bumper boy but with birds. You just stuff 4 birds into the 4 tubes, and you can launch them one at a time from across the field without having to reload like you do with a winger.





K9-Design said:


> Prima donna training! LOL is right!
> I remember a training session we had a long time ago, where the blind was super short, like 30 yards and just orange bumpers at the base of a large tree. Not sure what we were trying to accomplish as I don't remember what else we had set up. What I DO remember is the dogs had a HELL of a time FINDING the pile of orange bumpers! #1 they didn't want to run right AT the tree and #2 they could not smell them or see them at all. I must have boxed Fisher around that tree about 50 times before he literally ran into the bumpers and was like "Holy crap, here they are!!!!" That was an eye opener!
> 
> Oh, and we have a term for bird boys who do dumb stuff. "Bird boys from hell."


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Geeze oh pete you have it good! You mean not only do you do no work but your instructor is hot!?!?!?! WHY does this not happen to ME!?!?!! HAHAHAHAHA
Don't worry when you get sick of the snow and come train with us you'll be expected to pull your weight around a little more. Those who sandbag it get pushed in the pond first to test for gators.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I'll bet Dan would like to get away from the cold and train in the nice weather, too, I'll just bring him along .



K9-Design said:


> Geeze oh pete you have it good! You mean not only do you do no work but your instructor is hot!?!?!?! WHY does this not happen to ME!?!?!! HAHAHAHAHA
> Don't worry when you get sick of the snow and come train with us you'll be expected to pull your weight around a little more. Those who sandbag it get pushed in the pond first to test for gators.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

OK if you bring Dan along you can sit in the cart the whole time and will run Tito for you to get a little more "individual instruction"


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## Radarsdad (Apr 18, 2011)

On T work I like to pull the dog back to where he made the mistake then recast. Bringing him back to the spot where he made the foul is a correction. I also think it tells them to go where you want them to go not where they think you want them to go. Also on full Double T I use only orange bumpers for the side pile once I have established the T with white bumpers. I want them to be watching me not the pile of white bumpers and take the cast I give.


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