# We've climbed mountains



## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

As the summer ends I can't help but smile when I think about where we were at the start and where we are now. Today I took Scout out with real birds and had someone throw her some marks. It was beautiful to see her settle and watch quietly and intently as the marks fell then race out after the bird. The real dead partially frozen bird. She picked it up right away, brought it back, came to heel position and waited for me to take it. Such simple things, but we've come a long way. And I am proud. For the first time the thought crossed my mind--'we can do this.'

Ok, there's a lot more work to do if we are hoping to go beyond junior, but being very new and training my dog by myself--I feel like we've climbed mountains in just a few short months. Going from a dog who ate a pigeon, wouldn't pick up ducks, and would drop bumpers or prance around before bringing them in. To this


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

it is such an awesome feeling, isn't it??!!
We've enjoyed being there with you every step of the way


----------



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Progress is a great feeling.  We climbed a few feet up the mountain, sat on a ledge to look at the view, and then fell asleep there (sorry, I'm an english teacher, I dig extended metaphors).


----------



## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

LOL, once we reached the top we found another mountain to climb just beyond the valley.


----------



## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

I have so enjoyed reading your adventures in field training threads. I think Winter and I are on a similar trek.

"Just come out to a club practice, the dogs love it" that is what roped us in. Her excitement and focus when hearing her first "duck call" and retrievering her first bumper from a winger was all it took. The dog does just love it..... and we get to be outside.


----------



## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

hollyk said:


> I have so enjoyed reading your adventures in field training threads. I think Winter and I are on a similar trek.
> 
> "Just come out to a club practice, the dogs love it" that is what roped us in. Her excitement and focus when hearing her first "duck call" and retrievering her first bumper from a winger was all it took. The dog does just love it..... and we get to be outside.


You do realize that this stuff is more addictive than cocain, and there is no 12 step program. I've been hooked for almost 30 years.


----------



## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

hollyk said:


> I have so enjoyed reading your adventures in field training threads. I think Winter and I are on a similar trek.
> 
> "Just come out to a club practice, the dogs love it" that is what roped us in. Her excitement and focus when hearing her first "duck call" and retrievering her first bumper from a winger was all it took. The dog does just love it..... and we get to be outside.


When I first got Scout...while I thought I might try this some day I never dreamed I would do it with her. I avoided reading threads from this section at first because they seemed over my head. When I met a fellow golden person I reluctantly said I was perhaps interested in doing field work.

So I went to my first field day with a friend. I probably wouldn't have had the guts on this one to go alone, and I probably wouldn't have stuck with it alone at first. She ate her pigeon, was super naughty, and it seemed no amount of coaxing could convince her that ducks were cool.

But I am not a quitter, and once I decided I was going to do this thing (even if just a JH for my first dog) I bit my lip and pushed forward with training. One of the ladies I trained with evens said she thought she might never see me again. But here we are


----------



## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Congratulations  It truly is addicting and even 'bad' days of training are so worth the time outside with your dog(s) and then there comes a 'click' where you become a team.


----------



## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*GoldenSail*

GoldenSail

Quite an accomplishment!

Congratulations!


----------



## HiTideGoldens (Dec 29, 2009)

That's awesome and must feel like such an accomplishment! We're where you were in the beginning, so it's nice to hear from someone who has been through it!


----------

