# August Field Training



## goodog (May 6, 2013)

*A long year ups and downs of training.*

Kai has had to put up with a team mate thats been sick much of the year. We got out to run blinds yesterday. He did a nice job. Occasionally he is convinced he knows where the blind is --I couldn't have a club, but happens far less than it once did. Might take a whistle sit or two to turn him around with a big cast but he getting it. 

We also worked on what looks like a simple single T but its lots harder. After he picks up the bumpers, I send him to the other stations. Sometimes out to a spot Ive chosen in the field. Doesn't matter. The key is I want him looking at me as soon as I hit the whistle for "whats next." Good boy.

He finished the session by swimming a channel blind but not before bring me a duck that looked like it needed picking up.
#1SHleft #Pickupboy


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

I think I'm bringing Molly out of "retirement". We will see what happens but we're taking baby steps, going all the way back and building confidence and momentum.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

This is the time of year when we get up every morning and look out the kitchen window to see if we have snow yet on the hills. The days are getting chilly and the fall rains have begun. It's getting windy and ready for the weather to change. We had to turn on the kitchen light this week in the morning because the sun hadn't quite come up yet. For us, fall is here. Upland season opener was last week. Crane season is open. Duck season opener is Sept. 1. 

This coming weekend is our last retriever event of the year. I'm judging a junior test one day. That will be fun! I hope we get to pass out some title ribbons. 

The weekend after is our last spaniel hunt test weekend. I'll be apprenticing for the last time for judging. It's really interesting to learn the breed's style of judging and judge to that standard. Let's face it a clumber spaniel hunts up very differently than a Labrador. Lucy will run, hopefully, her last senior test. We only have 2 double header weekends in a year here for spaniel hunt tests, so it makes titling a dog difficult. 

I've been working with Lucy on sit to flush. I'm going to run her in master next year. If I can get her sitting on the flush, we could get that master title. She can handle all the other series for master.

I'm looking forward to seeing Riot next month! Hope he's enjoying hot weather and swimming in warm water. I hope he doesn't freeze when he gets home from Minnesota.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

I can't believe Alaska has such a short summer. I don't think I could handle that. I'm already sad about summer coming to an end here.

Maisey's season ended early, so no more tests until next spring. I am a little bummed that she won't have any passes towards qualifying for the 2018 Master National, but it is what it is and I'm not going to dwell on it.

It's hilarious now that I'm working with Molly again I see how holy sh*t fast Maisey truly is. Her trainer told a funny story about how she attacked the cover at a recent test when a flyer landed in the cattails. He said he had never seen a dog hunt cover so fast and that she acted as if she thought she was the Washington State Pheasant Champion. Now I call her that as a joke.


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## ArchersMom (May 22, 2013)

Vhuynh2 said:


> I can't believe Alaska has such a short summer. I don't think I could handle that. I'm already sad about summer coming to an end here.
> 
> Maisey's season ended early, so no more tests until next spring. I am a little bummed that she won't have any passes towards qualifying for the 2018 Master National, but it is what it is and I'm not going to dwell on it.
> 
> It's hilarious now that I'm working with Molly again I see how holy sh*t fast Maisey truly is. Her trainer told a funny story about how she attacked the cover at a recent test when a flyer landed in the cattails. He said he had never seen a dog hunt cover so fast and that she acted as if she thought she was the Washington State Pheasant Champion. Now I call her that as a joke.


But with Fall comes real duck hunting! And Punpkin Spice  
Don't they have several months in 2018 to qualify for the national?


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

ArchersMom said:


> But with Fall comes real duck hunting! And Punpkin Spice
> Don't they have several months in 2018 to qualify for the national?


And days of endless gloom!

Yes they have until July 31st but I would feel better if she didn't have to hustle and earn all six next season. I'm going to think positive and focus on the fact that she'll be going into next year with much more experience.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Vivian I hope you get your 6 MH passes! Have you looked at the calendar to make your plan yet?

Yesterday I judged Junior. We had 19 dogs start. So not a big crowd. Almost everyone here knows everyone and I've trained with most of the dogs running, as had my co-judge. So it was a lot of fun when we could all encourage each other. More chessies than goldens were entered in the hunt tests this summer. There was one golden I've been in love with this summer. He's a young guy out of Trek. Super to watch. I've never seen a dog so into water as this guy. He's never been force fetched, so when he gets back to the line his manners could be a little better. But boy was he a stylish dog! I've never seen a water entry from any dog like him. At the water marks, the owner would walk him to the line. Tell him sit. And that dog drops into a crouch like he is a super predator just waiting to see where that bird lands. Then when he's sent, he launches like nobody's business! He's a super marker and a super swimmer. Fearless for sure. But he likes to parade his birds like goldens sometimes do. I give style points and overlook other shortcomings. The show labs are always questionable. I train with them, but boy their weight does not help them in the water. It's hard to watch an obese dog try to scramble up the bank of a pond. It makes you cringe. The chessies were of course the biggest cheaters of all. I don't know why, they are supposed to be known for water hardiness, but I've yet to see that. I think goldens are much more water dogs.

Wednesday I'll get my list of breeds running the flushing (spaniel) hunt tests this weekend, so I'll know how to judge. I still think golden retrievers are the best flushing breed. After watching so many different breeds, goldens put them all to shame. The closest are chessies, then sprinters.

Snow is in the hills. Fall rains have begun. Every day I look for our first frost now. The bears will be irritable trying to get as much food in them before they go to sleep for the winter. Moose will be rutting and moody. Biking the trails with the dogs will be a bit more challenging for awhile with all the critters in unrest. The trees are turning. Fall is here.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Haven't been training for like three to four weeks---heat, some work, blue green algae, etc. We did get out today, it was really nice weather. We did some handling drills, a double, and some blinds. Thor decided to roll in a mud ditch---he came out completely brown. OK, a walk to the pond with both dogs. Hey, I had two bumpers in hand. We did a steadying drill at the pond. Thor's first time at steadying off lead and done at the water ended in success. 

We had a good day.

PS I should have said steady on the honor, water then land. Thor has been steady. I was impressed.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

I finished my second spaniel hunt test judging apprenticeship last weekend. I can just junior, senior, master, but only with an 8 point judge until i get some points.

Lucy finished her senior upland title. We've been training for master. I thought she was doing pretty good. So after the hunt test, DH and I went back to the field to hunt up some lost chukars. We flushed several. Unfortunately, DH missed them all. Lucy ran off chasing them and wouldn't sit on the whistle. Not even with an e-collar at the highest setting. **** she is determined to get her bird. I'm not sure if she'll ever get to master at this rate. When she has a good shooter, she gets all her birds. She never overlooks a bird in the brush. Unlike the spaniels that run over the top of so many birds. Goldens have the best nose in the business. After watching so many different breeds run these tests, goldens are definitely the best!


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

HAZARDS OF FIELD TRAINING

When I trained on Friday I got some scratches from thorn bushes. Well today I ended up in the doctor's office. I have cellulitis in my right arm and am now on antibiotics.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

Yikes. Hope that heals quickly.


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## goodog (May 6, 2013)

Vhuynh2 said:


> I think I'm bringing Molly out of "retirement". We will see what happens but we're taking baby steps, going all the way back and building confidence and momentum.


 Good luck. Take a look at Bill Hillmann's training program. Its positive and my dog loves it. Never bad news. With a vet you are brining out of retirement, might be helpful. BillHillmann.net | Retriever Training with Bill Hillmann


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