# Cold Weather Training



## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

I'm in the same boat with Bonnie right now (she's 15 weeks old). This morning it is -4F _before_ the windchill!! For socialization I've siogned her up for a show handling class--it is not field work but it is getting her out around other dogs, and building communication and a working relationship between us--a regular puppy obedience class would do much the same. We're also doing basic obedience exercises at home (come, sit, down, here, heel, kennel-up).

For retrieving we are doing little retrieves down the hall with her paint roller and dummies, and a little bit of food-bowl casting. Do what you can until conditions improve!


----------



## BetterThanYourBentley (Oct 16, 2010)

What do you do for the food bowl casting? sounds like it could work good while its so cold out


----------



## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

I started taking obedience classes with Gabby. The trainer actually works with our field trainer with her dogs obedience. The obedience trainer understands our primary interests are agility and field, but I do want to dabble in obedience, and we will see how far I go there, but obedience training is never a bad thing in my book. 

She taught us some games to work on with Gabby. The purpose of one of the games is to work her 'go out' so it could help with her retrieves and "marks". What she suggested was with a target starting short, put a treat on it, make her sit, mark it with your hand and release, encourage them to return quickly. 

I have been doing bumper retrieves in the house. I too want to do more but it is so hard in the winter, and I don't want to do anything to screw up my dog LOL Gabby is about to start losing teeth so we can get into FF and hold once we get past this phase. I am trying to familiarize her with the hold command as she walks around with things in her mouth. I tell her 'good hold' I do not take them from her. Unless of course it is something she is not supposed to have. She is understanding of the word give, and it goes in my hand.


----------



## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

*Food Bowl Casting*

Carol Cassity has a version of this game; this is how I have been doing it with my little girl. The pup needs a good sit command. It works on the mechanics of casting and on the idea of going on a back command.

Start with the bowl in the back position, only a yard or two away from the puppy. Let the pup watch you or a helper put a kibble or treat in the bowl. For the first session I did it where pup was at heel and sent on back, like pile work. 

Then I did the back from a remote sit position. I set it up so that I passed the pup on the side I want her to cast from. From a position facing the pup I then took a step in the direction of the cast to influence pup to turn over the correct shoulder, and combined the verbal command with it when the pup started to lean the right way. I have now had her turn both ways to go back.

Next step is to try some overs. I figure that once she is casting to a single bowl reliably with all four casts I will put out a bowl for one over and one back, but only put the treat in the one I want her to get so there is no reward for taking the wrong cast. 

She's getting nice momentum on this exercise. I don't know how it will translate to 3-handed casting once we get there, but I figure it cannot hurt, and she is at least learning some of the mechanics of turning and going!


----------

