# June Hunt & Field Training



## Claudia M

June has not started very well for us. At first I was wondering if maybe I was pushing Rose too much. She has been acting like she has never done a double before, she would hit a nice long mark and on others just piddle around. This weekend was even worse. She started walking back to me, not trotting, not running with the duck. Then I started putting her behavior changes together. She was in heat in March, in May she started going behind my bed a lot. Then she started scratching the carpet as if nesting. Then the lethargy and scatter brain behavior. Took her to the vet yesterday and well, we have milk. This would be her second false pregnancy (that I know of).


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## Alaska7133

Claudia I feel for you. We have 3 double header hunt test weekends per year up here. June, July and August. One of those weekends Lucy will be in heat that is always certain. So I passed on running her in the June tests since we're not good on water blinds yet. So I'm crossing my fingers no heat for July or August. But then when? Hope not when we go to national in September. Bitches sometimes are such a pain in the neck...

We're having a good time now. Lucy seems a lot happier. We worked really hard all winter to get a solid force fetch and FTP. I feel like she's finally there and connected. My daily run through is FTP, 3 handed casting, 6 or so walk out blinds to one pile sending from various locations, and one cold blind that will only take 1 handle. Keep trying to stretch a bit. On water we stick to FTP and marks. I need to think about swim by. Finding the right pond is a bit challenging.


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## Claudia M

http://hpathy.com/veterinary-homeopathy/false-gestation-and-nervous-lactation/5/

After research and discussing with other people who have had a girl with false pregnancy (FP) I have started Rose on Pulsatilla yesterday. After only two doses I can see an improvement at home. Until yesterday I had no idea about how many holistic treatments are out there for FP. 

I am going to try to keep her ovaries for as long as possible. Mammary cancer while a risk it is much easier to detect and notice than any internal tumors.


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## Alaska7133

Wait a minute, isn't Rose spayed? I thought she had OSS already. Doesn't that prevent false pregnancies? Ouch if it doesn't.


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## Alaska7133

I'm really excited, Lucy just got asked to be the test dog for the derby this weekend. Not often a dog 2 years old gets another chance to run a derby (even if it doesn't count). I'm so looking forward to seeing how her marking is on these nice long distances of the derby. She so loves to run long distances and she's in excellent shape.


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## K9-Design

The ovaries produce the hormones that cause the estrus cycle (and thus false pregnancies). So OSS gets you all the benefits of a regular heat cycle with no ability to ever breed your dog.


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## Claudia M

Alaska7133 said:


> Wait a minute, isn't Rose spayed? I thought she had OSS already. Doesn't that prevent false pregnancies? Ouch if it doesn't.


Rose had the OSS (ovary sparing spay). Her uterus has been removed so the risk of pyo is eliminated. I was not that worried about pregnancy as I was worried about pyo. She still has her cycles (minimal to no bleeding) since her ovaries are left in with the OSS surgery and still has all the hormonal changes attached with the heat. 

But since many of the cancers in goldens have been associated with the full spay and the elimination of the hormones I have decided to go with the OSS. We had a pyo scare with Rose's first heat which turned to be a false pregnancy. Otherwise I would have left her completely intact.


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## gdgli

Got a chance to train today.

I had Buffy do two singles, 200+ yards. We haven't been training marks like this. I wanted to get her running some distance. she did quite well.

Thor got walking singles. I found out that medium-heavy cover plus distance is a disaster for a puppy. He was OK until we stretched it out. I really do know better and won't push like this again. We did have success once I modified.

Tomorrow is another day.


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## K9-Design

Quick training tonight at Santa Fe field -- I conned my mom into coming to throw for me. Three marks, three blinds for Bally, all blinds off the back side of the gun or past the old fall depending on which way the mark was thrown. Slater did the same except a poison bird on the one mark that was closest to the line. (Slater lined all blinds!!)
Singles for Harvin & KC
Pile work for KC -- very good session and I think we are making progress


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## MillionsofPeaches

we haven't been training very much lately as we have been traveling around visiting family. Yesterday morning I took the dogs out with my husband on some fairly flat areas with little cover. All I wanted to do was stretch them out as they have been getting antsy at home. Worked at 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150 yards. With Katniss I used these and incorporated some triple memory marks just to work on her memory. Proof did awesome but I notice around 100 yards he starts to curve to the left and will have a small hunt for those marks. Up until that he lines the marks like nobody's mother, lol. But after that he curves so I have some exercises I will work with him to keep him lining further out. We have finally fixed his recall situation and knows he MUST deliver to hand. So if he drops it he will rush down to get it and bring it to my hand. So I'm very happy with that progress. Also stretching his pile work out too. He really loves pile work as I think he takes it as an opportunity to run! LOL!

Also did some blinds with Katniss as well. She did decent for not working on them consistantly but we will need to get on lining drills again.


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## hotel4dogs

A good day training today, of course any day training is better than a day working. Did some technical singles, and then a nice blind up the middle of the marks. A diversion bird (Tito sits when the diversion is thrown, LOL....upland training) and that was about it on land. 
Water triple, nothing too hard. First bird out to our left right on the edge of the shore, about 40 yards away. Second bird a big plop into swimming water, 75 yards out (love my range finder!). Go-bird on land across a fairly narrow finger of water, about 30 yards, but the bird was way up on the land, about 25 yards, and fell behind a big pile of scrub (that wasn't intentional). Anyway, he did a great job with it. 
Several water blinds, today's concept was the blind being WAY far up the land. Up a hill, and one of them a keyhole, too. Don't want him to think that when you get out and run 20 yards, you're done....that bird could be anywhere!
Oh, and a big channel blind, I was very pleased with that. No inclination to cheat either on the way out or the way back. Improvement!!


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## Alaska7133

Barb, has the heat and humidity started for you yet? Or is it still early summer nice weather? We actually got warm enough for a few days to wear shorts. Well we were wearing shorts, the tourists were still wearing winter coats. But to us it was shorts weather. Then it got cold again.

I've started to finally keep a journal. One I just jot down what I did that day. So like: 5 or 6 walking singles between 75 and 100 yards in rough cover, 10 walk out blinds between 50 and 100 yards, 3 handed casting and whistle sits, the single pile work at 50 yards. I'm trying to do a better job of looking for holes in my program. So far I'm seeing not enough consecutive days of training... So maybe it's the consistency that's my problem.

I'm looking at a lump on Lucy about the size of a pea. Right where I picked a live tick off her after we returned from Tennessee 3 weeks ago. I took her to the vet to make sure there's nothing in it. We don't have a snap test here unless we send it to the states. So not sure if I want to start her on doxy. Horrible things ticks are. Maybe we should re-think DDT.

Saturday we're running the derby as test dog!! I'm really looking forward to seeing how Lucy does. Another opportunity to train.


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## K9-Design

Stacey, ticks always leave a welt, it means nothing. Don't worry about it.

We trained at Betsy's today, lots for all doggies, great training. Started with 3 water blinds for the big guys, multiple re-entries. Two of them had water early, then long land, then get in a small pond at the end. Slater got to run these and did a nice job.

More decheating drill with Bally --- just when I think he's got it, he totally falls for it again
Marks with multiple straight re-entries for everyone.
Land-water-land marks for KC and Tuuli. KC was perfect. She understands now


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## hotel4dogs

Yes, Stacey, it's already hot and humid here. Yesterday was 84 degrees and humid. Our weather just plain sucks in this area. We're only going to tracking every other week now due to the heat. 
The water is still pretty cool, though, not like bath water, which it will be soon.


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## K9-Design

Stacey you should start a journal thread on this forum like I've done with Slater and Bally. Not only do I enjoy keeping up with it but I think other people may be helped by it, and it's fun to go back and read it. Just an idea!


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## goldlover68

We have been running our girl on SH tests this spring. Her first shot was in April, our trainers ran her and she got her first pass on the second day. A few days later we met them further down South for another run on Saturday and Sunday. She nailed the marks and land blinds on both days, but had some weird things happen on both water tests...so no passes.

We brought her home with us and I began working with her full time. She needed to spend time with me as I have not ran her a lot since we got her JH last year. A week or so later I ran her in another weekend test. Saturday, we began the test on water. On the second Mark, she took a good line initially, but as she pulled out of the water she turned a started a hunt back towards the old mark I was not able to get her under control, so she did not pass. The next day she was back on track and Nailed the land marks, and lined the blind in real heavy cover. In the water she nailed both marks but struggled on the blind. I had 2 refusals and 2 pops...then she calmed and handled well to the bird....thankfully, she passed!

We have had tons of flooding rain, and training has been difficult. But when we can I am working with her on Marking, Lining, and handling drills...more than anything getting her used to my cadence and style and getting me used to reading what is going on with her....

We have a test on Sunday and then in 2 weeks a double test back up North. Hopefully, she will get two more passes out of these 3 tests.....

Good day today so we will train morning and evening....


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## gdgli

I did some urban training with the dogs today, training in a local park with 3 ballfields.

I just did some casting drills with Buffy and then I ran a blind next to the ballfield. While training someone stopped by to ask me what I was doing. He said he has seen me before. Great. I got to demo her.

I took Thor for a walk in the woods after fooling around in a small field, actually a field where I trained my first retriever 35 years ago. We fooled around but there was learning. Recall with the distractions of an active schoolyard. Short retrieves into heavy cover. And focus drills. This is the puppy that didn't want to please and was very distracted. I am thrilled with his progress. And he is delivering to hand. (Of course FF is in the future.)


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## boomers_dawn

We have trained sporadically like once every week or two. The girls do well when we do go, they almost seem to do better training less than more. Although it's impossible to build up Gladys' skills and experience enough for Master by training once a week or two.

Dee Dee went to field class but I had to miss some due to work. I entered her in JH at our golden club; I hate to take up a full weekend day, but it's so close, I decided to do it. I entered Gladys for fun, since she's not ready for Master. She really belongs in Senior or Master but I can't commit 2 days to goofing around at this time.

Although we are rate limited by my work schedule, the girls are in a good place. Gladys has done some master level blinds including stuff like under logs and down the shore between slots. Dog school teecher makes me adhere to more than 90 degree right angles. She does well with doubles and delayed triples and rehearsed triples, but not straight up triples yet, hasn't embarked on swim by or incorporating the gunners, falls, and poison bird into our pattern blinds. 

Dee Dee does really well these days getting out there, staying out there, and figuring it out. She often goes farther than she needed to and figures it out. If she can not stop at the decoys at her test, that will help keep her memory from diluting.

I'm about to give up on handling, she sits but gets up and wants to come in. It's not just in field work, she can't do sit / stays in obedience, and wants to come in. Work in progress :--heart:


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## K9-Design

I attended an AKC hunt test judges seminar yesterday -- VERY interesting and I learned a lot! I am anxious to apprentice. There was a lot of interesting discussion and very differing viewpoints during the seminar. Our club is going to organize and advanced seminar for next fall/winter. 
Of course after sitting in a room all day talking about running dogs I was itching to get out and train  I've got over 2 months until I want to run Bally in his first Senior tests, so it's now or never!! (haha) After we watched the Belmont we ran out to the field, set up wingers and pitched him a pretty long land double, which Bally totally stomped, and then two-whistled the blind. OK feeling better


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## Alaska7133

Good for you Anney!
I took mine last year and I will be apprenticing this fall. The trick will be finding a test to judge as an unknown. But I'll be on it!


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## KNorman

Good for both of you!


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## Claudia M

Had a nice day training. It was hot and we finished right before the thunderstorms started. Each girl got 6 birds. Belle did wonderful in the water. Extended her a little on land. The older girls had 5 marks and one water blind. On the marks we concentrated on steadiness at the line. It is time to learn that. 
Afterwards we improvised. Had Darcy's uncle and Rose at the line. Used the RRT Versa Launcher (that thing is awesome) and released all four bumpers one by one with both at the line. Then we alternated sending a dog to the marks. Worked great as far as memory and also going to where you are lined to go.


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## KNorman

Our group is pretty scattered with us sending 3 dogs to Ronan....so, we're taking it easy on the older dogs. Just simple stuff, like holding lines on retired marks and picture blinds, loose dry pops then run a blind, etc.
It's too hot to run big sets, so little Q type sets. It's been nice to dial stuff back. 

The young dogs are getting their basic marks and handling drills. 
Really nice progress with this (Flash x Looky) Firemark pup.


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## MillionsofPeaches

yesterday we had great access to some wonderful land with a tech pond thanks to my friend, so we worked on a few things. The field was newly mowed but scattered with hay bales and hilly. Proof did okay on the land but there are a few things I want to work with him with. He is getting better and better at line manners. He has a flyer and enjoyed that. He enjoyed using birds for a change. Katniss had a flyer (fine) but then wouldn't or couldn't see the far one out mark and missed it. But she did run a blind about 200 yards out right past the bird box through some hills and a small patch of cover. It was a nice blind, she hasn't run one in a month, I've been terrible with finding time. So the first go around she did pretty well the second time much better. Good thing is that my husband finally figured out why I was having a hard time lining up the dog. 

On water Prood was a power house. I was so impressed. Crossed the peninsula and went on to pick up bumpers thrown on the bank. Water/land/water/land and back. He impresses me every day. Doing things at 5 months that Katniss learned not too long ago. Didn't try to cheat the channels. Just overall his love to try to make a water entry, ha ha, made him take the right line into the water without trying to square. He loves to jump in the water. 
Katniss on the other hand suffers in tech ponds. Someone at the WCX mentioned that some dogs have a hard time with them because the dog doesn't realize that in the water that little bank is now out of their view, blocked by the peninsula or island. I see this with Katniss. I think she needs to work on one consistantly to learn how to take better mental images in her head. All her marks were cheating marks. She did good on some bad on most. LOL. its okay we haven't trained in a while and I was just enjoying being out there. The dogs had fun. Its so hot here its hard to get serious on the dogs. Well, at least for me it is. My car has been in the shop so I also haven't gotten out in the early mornings. I don't like working in the evening but I will if I have too.


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## Alaska7133

MOP,
I'm really hoping to see your boy running derbies. I think he's fabulous! I. So glad you are able to really invest the time training him.

Yesterday we had a great time spaniel training. The local spaniel club had a training day. I'll have to say that Lucy and Reilly out spanieled the spaniels. Barb you are so right. Goldens are upland hunters. I had the same reaction from the spaniel people as you have had. They were excited to see a dog quarter the entire field with little handling. Both dogs worked perfectly. Even blind Reilly using his nose and his ears was perfectly suite to quartering. We planted 2 for Reilly and assumed he would flush them, but not find the birds once they were shot. So I set up to have another dog sweep after Reilly. That wasn't necessary. First bird he flushed, but it flew too low to get shot, so it went off into the woods. Crazy Reilly ran it down in the woods and brought it back alive! He was amazing! Then his next bird he flushed, it was shot, and he brought it to hand nicely. He had a bit of trouble finding me in the brush so I had to talk to him so he could find me. It's amazing how much he compensates for loss of vision with his ears and nose. Good dog.

I ran Lucy 2 times with 2 birds each time. The first time the birds were put to sleep a little too well and she trapped both. Later in the afternoon she trapped one and brought one back after being shot. She's quarters like a dream. She runs the entire field side to side. Just the occasional over. She's so sharp. 

The spaniel people thought Lucy should run senior this summer. Her sit on a whistle for the flush needs a lot of work, so probably not master this year. Reilly they thought junior or maybe senior. So we'll see. Goldens were bred from spaniels and you can really see it in them when they are working on flushing. Barb I'd say my experiences so far have been similar to yours. Spaniel people have no problem telling us Goldens are great dogs to shoot over.


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## Claudia M

Since we worked on line steadiness yesterday we worked on water doubles and water blinds. Belle had land walking singles and water singles. She tends to hunt short with the birds so we are working on improving that by using white bumpers. All in all not bad for only training once to twice a week. With the heat, kid's graduation and college we are lucky if we do twice a week. 
We have started also the hold command. Hold the bumper, kiss kiss kiss.... on top of the head and leave it. We do not have problems on land delivering to hand but with water the ducks seem a bit too heavy to carry. As she grows that will solve on it's own.
Until now we have done mostly "visible" (either white bumpers or poles - white at first switched to orange) blinds. I have adventured more with Rose in actual blinds; now we are working to increase the blind distances.


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## hotel4dogs

Glad to hear you like it as much as we do. Sure shows you what these guys were bred to do! We were warmly welcomed, and recently I've gotten emails from a couple of people in various spaniel clubs asking if we're going to come run their upcoming tests. I probably will run at least one, just for the fun of it.




Alaska7133 said:


> MOP,
> I'm really hoping to see your boy running derbies. I think he's fabulous! I. So glad you are able to really invest the time training him.
> 
> Yesterday we had a great time spaniel training. The local spaniel club had a training day. I'll have to say that Lucy and Reilly out spanieled the spaniels. Barb you are so right. Goldens are upland hunters. I had the same reaction from the spaniel people as you have had. They were excited to see a dog quarter the entire field with little handling. Both dogs worked perfectly. Even blind Reilly using his nose and his ears was perfectly suite to quartering. We planted 2 for Reilly and assumed he would flush them, but not find the birds once they were shot. So I set up to have another dog sweep after Reilly. That wasn't necessary. First bird he flushed, but it flew too low to get shot, so it went off into the woods. Crazy Reilly ran it down in the woods and brought it back alive! He was amazing! Then his next bird he flushed, it was shot, and he brought it to hand nicely. He had a bit of trouble finding me in the brush so I had to talk to him so he could find me. It's amazing how much he compensates for loss of vision with his ears and nose. Good dog.
> 
> I ran Lucy 2 times with 2 birds each time. The first time the birds were put to sleep a little too well and she trapped both. Later in the afternoon she trapped one and brought one back after being shot. She's quarters like a dream. She runs the entire field side to side. Just the occasional over. She's so sharp.
> 
> The spaniel people thought Lucy should run senior this summer. Her sit on a whistle for the flush needs a lot of work, so probably not master this year. Reilly they thought junior or maybe senior. So we'll see. Goldens were bred from spaniels and you can really see it in them when they are working on flushing. Barb I'd say my experiences so far have been similar to yours. Spaniel people have no problem telling us Goldens are great dogs to shoot over.


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## Alaska7133

Barb,
The thing I noticed that the spaniel people had trouble with was picking up the birds once they were shot, returning to the handler, and returning the bird to hand. All things that retrievers get more training with. I think if the spaniel people ran retriever tests they would get better in those areas. Retriever training is more calculating, I can't think of another word. They were impressed that mine came into heel, sat, and gave me their birds. Well except for Lucy did have to parade one bird. I do think we can learn from each other. I do like that NAHRA lets spaniels run their tests. I have a friend with spaniels and hers do really well at the retriever tests. But she trains with us retriever people and her dogs do well. We can all learn from each other. Last week Lucy had trouble with her overs on a land blind. Yesterday she did not have any problems with overs at spaniel training. Will she do better now at retriever land blinds now that she got what I wanted at spaniel training with her overs? That will be an interesting question to answer...


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## hotel4dogs

I have found that the two compliment each other tremendously. I do have to ask what level you were watching/running, as I haven't seen that at all at the Master level with the Spaniels. Beautiful retrieves/returns/deliveries. 
The word I would use for retriever training is not more calculating, it's more controlling. The retriever game is about how much control you have over your dog. In the Spaniel game, it's more about how much ability your dog has. Both are fun, just different.


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## Alaska7133

The spaniels were at the junior and senior levels. One guy had just gotten a bitch back from field trials in the states. We don't have a large enough community up here to have spaniel or pointing field trials, so only hunt tests. The field trial bitch was ready to rock and roll, very high energy like any field trial dog. Other than that I think most of the dogs were similar in level to mine. And that's why they were working in things specifically like picking up birds and returning to hand. Which of course I didn't have to work on. So early in the day we did little set ups for people trying to get their dog to pick up a bird. So I helped and I think maybe they understood a little of what my dogs did. They just don't do force fetch or hold like we do. Seemed to be the master dogs did go all the way to force fetch, but the lower level dogs had not been FF. 

Now the trick will be teaching sit to flush. My spaniel friend lives quite far away and it s difficult to work together. But sit to flush is my next thing. Lucy sits on a whistle for blinds, but I tried it on the flush, and she totally ignored me. I didn't nick her, I was a bit scared to since she was so hyped up. Any ideas?


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## krazybronco2

Ran an ABCD drill with Millions of Peaches today it was hot and the dogs were beat when they were done. both dogs did well considering the humidity but Proof won the training day today he put his face on 3 of the 4 marks one of them being the long mark. Proof can MARK no questions asked, but he was also holding really good lines to all the marks. G1 110yrds G2 75yrds G3 142yards G4 175yrds.


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## MillionsofPeaches

Thanks for posting! that little MOFO is crazy. And crazy fast too. I'm telling ya, Proof is an exciting little dog.


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## gdgli

Thor staring into the field, ready to do some work.


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## gdgli

Thor, first time in swimming water. When we were done he jumped back into the water and swam into the lily pads.


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## MillionsofPeaches

Love that trail photo


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## Alaska7133

We need more puppy photos!

Went shooting at lunch today. Been concentrating hard on relaxing and getting my clay pigeons. This time I didn't shoot with any grade school girls, so I didn't get demolished. So in the adult scheme of things I shot 40% at the 5 stand. This weekend I'm shooting for hunt tests and want to make sure I get all my ducks. Can't disappoint the dogs! I'm shooting for the Started dogs, so I'm hoping to see some good puppies out there. I'm running Lucy in Hunter category. 

I have noticed an interesting pattern with Lucy. She will sit to the whistle on blinds most of the time. But on a retrieve if I decide to handle her, she refuses to sit, even with a collar correction. She is determined to find that bird. Are most dogs like that? Refuse to sit on a retrieve, but will on a blind? I don't want to dampen her spirit, she's very serious about finding that bird. And yes sometimes I am wrong and she finds her bird without me handling. So she gets her reward for not listening. When you use a launcher and you're by yourself, you can't really run out and pick up the bumper. Just curious what you all do...


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## gdgli

She thinks she knows where the bird is, she marked it, so why listen to you?

The simple answer is, IMO, that you need to retrain whistle sit or let's say proof it. Also, every time she slips a whistle she is learning to be disobedient, especially if she gets the retrieve.


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## FTGoldens

Alaska7133 said:


> I have noticed an interesting pattern with Lucy. She will sit to the whistle on blinds most of the time. But on a retrieve if I decide to handle her, she refuses to sit, even with a collar correction. She is determined to find that bird. Are most dogs like that? Refuse to sit on a retrieve, but will on a blind? I don't want to dampen her spirit, she's very serious about finding that bird. And yes sometimes I am wrong and she finds her bird without me handling. So she gets her reward for not listening. When you use a launcher and you're by yourself, you can't really run out and pick up the bumper. Just curious what you all do...


You say, "But on a 'retriever,' ...." Do you mean "on a mark?"

If so, what situation makes you decide to handle?

FTGoldens


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## Alaska7133

Yes I meant "mark". Here was one situation. We were test dog at a derby a couple of weeks ago. She over ran one mark by about a mile. I wanted to handle her back to where the bird was. She ended up figuring it out by some miracle. 

Here's another situation. Send her to a mark, I'm by myself so I was using a launcher. She runs to the opposite side of the launcher, she must have blinked. Anyway, I tried whistle sit and handle her to the other side. She ignored me. E-collar had no effect. She found that bumper too.

So I think I'm reinforcing, you don't have to sit on a whistle when you are hunting...


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## Claudia M

How many bumpers do you have on the launcher? Can you release another bumper instead of handling her?


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## Alaska7133

I have the big sling shot launchers that only send one bumper at a time. They shoot like 25 yards or so. I wish I could load more than one, but I'm not that talented.


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## Claudia M

The best ever Christmas present from DH was the RRT Versa Launcher. It has 4 bumpers. When I train with Darcy's breeder we combine with her 2 bumper Bumper Boy and that way we have 6 possible shots from one station and a thrower on another station. 
I have been told by many much more experienced handlers not to handle on a mark unless absolutely necessary. So if needed on the launcher side we use the remote duck call with another bumper out.


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## MillionsofPeaches

I agree with George, it sounds like she is not completely whistled sit conditioned. There is a fun little game I do with Proof, I swing the bumpers around and say hey hey and get him all worked up. Then I act like I'm throwing it and he takes off to go get it. I whistle sit him while he is running off and if he doesn't sit immediately he gets no real throw. But if he does sit immediately then I will throw it and release him on his name to go retrieve it. That might help Lucy as it is similar to a thrown mark and not a "dead" bird. Maybe it will help her conceptually


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## FTGoldens

I agree with all of the above. (Now that's really taking a position!  )

If my dogs are hunting on a mark, I very rarely handle, even if their hunt has taken them out of the immediate area of the fall (the answer may be different (sometimes) if while en route they fall to a factor and are thus going to end up out of the area of the fall). Unless they are just screwing off, they are still trying ... and finding a mark IS the dog's responsibility.

And yes #2, I'd put her back through some whistle-sit training, then drills before using that tool in the field.

FTGoldens


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## goldlover68

Since we are now a SH, our focus is WCX...I see one in July, I might try. 

So we started working on that this week, again. Entered in one last month, but my pup injured her foot, so had to lay off a week.

I have a double Bumper Boy (BB). It works well if you do everything correctly. They will throw two individual bumpers one at a time and you can throw them in different directions. It has a duck call built in. I have to different shells one throws about 35 yards and one about 70 yds. My third thrower is my wife....! Our kids are all grown up with kids of their own. Although, 2 of my Grandkids are visiting in July...guess what they will learn to do....!

So I am setting up two or three stations all with folding chairs with white shirts. That gives our pup a chance to 'survey' the marks. Then I will throw from one station, and wait, then send her. I will do this 3 time before I do a double. If she does not head bob, or look away from the first mark (memory), I will give her a double or maybe a triple. But, if she looks away from the first memory mark, prior to me moving or the duck call, boom, I will send her on that first mark. Teaching her to lock on to each mark until I move, signaling her of another mark to lock on.

Hoping these drills will get her well set up for the WCX.....and of course we are running our other dogs and making her honor. She was a bit sloppy on this when running the SH, so we will reinforce it with her.....daily until the WCX...

Any comments would be appreciated.....


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## Claudia M

In my inexperienced opinion I think it depends on the dog. I think I read or heard somewhere that you count to two before you move to the next mark. But there are some dogs that do not need that count before you go to the next mark. 

What happens if Foxy looks away and you throw another mark? Does she remember the first?


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## KNorman

krazybronco2 said:


> Ran an ABCD drill with Millions of Peaches today it was hot and the dogs were beat when they were done. both dogs did well considering the humidity but Proof won the training day today he put his face on 3 of the 4 marks one of them being the long mark. Proof can MARK no questions asked, but he was also holding really good lines to all the marks. G1 110yrds G2 75yrds G3 142yards G4 175yrds.


Very nice.....you've come a long way on your marking theory. 

Now let me pose a question to you and the forum....How would you, as a trainer, adjust this drill for an All Age dog? A Junior Hunter? A Master level dog? 

Order of throws?

For discussive purposes....let's keep this as an ABCD drill. Visible guns and singles.


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## hotel4dogs

I had the privilege today of watching a very talented little girl run an outstanding started test.
We did some training yesterday, and the first time she was launched out into the field a very well known AKC judge who happened to be training with us said, "wow, she's a little firecracker!" 
She showed everyone that the Goldens can truly get out there and burn up the field. Then today in the test she and her handler were an awesome team, they were truly working together especially on a rather tough water mark (due to extremely heavy cross winds) that a lot of other dogs cheated on. 
I know that if her handler has the time and the inclination, the sky's the limit for this little girl. 
Great job guys!!! (And someone gets wet tonight  ). Very proud of you guys, so glad I was there to watch.


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## hotel4dogs

hmm....I see Fourlakes said thanks but didn't comment.....you would have been mighty proud of this little girl today


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## hotel4dogs

This has been posted several times in various sections of GRF, but today seemed like a really good day to re-post it (by Sandy Mowery, originally referring to obedience titles where of course the dogs are owner trained and handled. I edited out the word "obedience", apologies to the author)

What is a Title, Really?

Not just a brag, not just a stepping stone to a higher title, not just an adjunct to competitive scores; a title is a tribute to the dog that bears it, a way to honor the dog, an ultimate memorial.

It will remain in the record and in the memory for about as long as anything is this world can remain. Few humans will do as well or better.

And though the dog himself doesn’t know or care that his achievements have been noted, a title says many things in the world of humans, where such things count. A title says your dog was intelligent, adaptable and good natured. It says that your dog loved you enough to do the things that please you, however crazy they may have sometimes seemed.

And, a title says that you loved your dog, that you loved to spend time with him because he was a good dog, that you believed in him enough to give him yet another chance when he failed and that, in the end, your faith was justified. A title proves that your dog inspired you to that special relationship enjoyed by so few; that in a world of disposable creatures, this dog with a title was greatly loved, and loved greatly in return.

And when that dear short life is over, the title remains as a memorial of the finest kind, the best you can give to a deserving friend, volumes of praise in one small set of initials after the name. A ... title is nothing less than love and respect, given and received and recorded permanently.


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## goldlover68

Claudia M said:


> In my inexperienced opinion I think it depends on the dog. I think I read or heard somewhere that you count to two before you move to the next mark. But there are some dogs that do not need that count before you go to the next mark.
> 
> What happens if Foxy looks away and you throw another mark? Does she remember the first?


No, she cannot remember her marks, unless she watches it fall! 

When I got her back from training, I was very concerned as she would head bob on marks and then have to do a gorilla hunt on the memory birds. She actually failed a hunt tests doing this. I did some talking to my trainer and then did some reading. I found an article in a book I have, with a drill to stop head bobbing/or movement on Marks. 

That is where I got that drill after using it with her for one week, she was perfect on her marks and we were stretching them out to 150yds in heavy to moderate cover by the end of the week. She then proceeded to get passes on the next 3 SH hunt tests...so now I do this drill once a week every week, but I am starting to add some complexity.


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## hotel4dogs

In training, if Tito swings his head he gets sent for the mark that just went down, regardless of what the original plan was. That way he has learned to keep his eye on the bird that just went down, because he never knows if he's going to get sent or not.


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## goldlover68

Yep.....that is exactly what I have learned to do...initially as a drill now as a way of life. It was actually an easy fix, the hard part for me (not very experienced trainer) was to figure out what to do to fix the head swing....

Thanks for sharing your comment


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## fourlakes

hotel4dogs said:


> hmm....I see Fourlakes said thanks but didn't comment.....you would have been mighty proud of this little girl today


Fourlakes is kicking herself for not being over there today to see this certain, unnamed girl run! I am very proud of both this lovely, talented little red girl and her handler!!! (I congratulated them over the phone....) I will see you and them tomorrow, if only for a visit. Sorry to have been a party pooper today :-(


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## hotel4dogs

You will get to see her run tomorrow, and you will be mighty impressed!


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## hollyk

WooHoo! Congrats to the smart tater and her handler. You go girls. 
That must have been very fun to watch Barb.


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## Claudia M

Had a nice set up yesterday - so proud of my girls!


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## Claudia M

I am not good at editing pictures but here are the marks Belle did this weekend


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## Alaska7133

Whew! Lucy broke on the first mark of a double at a test on Sunday. I yelled NO HERE and she put the breaks on and flipped around back to my side. Just in time to watch the second mark, a live flier, go down. She's such a little rocket ship. Picked up both birds easily. Judges kept her in, we were very lucky. Time to work on some serious breaking drills. 

This week we are prepping for our golden retriever specialty show. Hoping to pull off another winners bitch. I know we won't beat the boys again this show, those local boys are amazing right now. So must keep Lucy out of peat bogs this week. Must find glue to keep fur on. Daily trimming of ears and feet and hocks until perfect for Saturday...


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## MillionsofPeaches

Stacy what test were y'all running?


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## Alaska7133

I like running Lucy in NAHRA Hunter. Double on land, double on water, and a trailing test (follow the trail of a dead duck through the brush and bring it back). 

MOP, ever run NAHRA? I know Dawn really likes NAHRA too. I chickened out and didn't run intermediate: double on land, land blind, double on water, water blind, trailing test, no honors required, but walk to and from the line off leash.


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## MillionsofPeaches

*June Hunt &amp; Field Training*

No Ive never even seen that around me unless I'm missing it. No one I ever talk to mentions it so I'm not even sure they are anywhere near here despite being in a big dog test/ trial area. Sounds very similar to a senior without the honor but with a trailing test. It might be fun to watch! You should have just tried intermediate for the hell of it girl. Seriously I'm going to bring proof to a couple HRC tests just to get him used to being in a test environment with my nerves before I try him in any derbies or anything. Gives both of us an idea on how we will do together at a test! I'll be running katniss in seasoned so started will be just for fun for Proof. Point- you never know till you try as well how will you ever know what you are even capable of if you never try


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## Alaska7133

I think Proof already has it all figured out! He'll do great!

I'm a total chicken. Saturday Lucy blinked her memory bird on the water. She normally does perfect on a water double, so I was surprised. She ran around trying to figure out which way the bird went. I chickened out and didn't handle her. I was afraid of what might happen had she not sat on the whistle. In NAHRA you get a tremendous amount of feedback from the judges. Of course they gave me a hard time and said I should have handled. I just had that fear after her craziness at the derby 2 weeks ago. Anyway that evening when I got home, for the heck of it I ran Lucy on a few land blinds. All short ones only needing 1 or 2 handles. I made sure to nick her every sit. She was perfect and ran all the blinds just fine. Then I looked down at my transmitter and realized, I didn't even have the right collar on the controller selected. She never got one single nick! I really should have far more confidence in my dog... :doh:


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## MillionsofPeaches

I do have to say out of any commands for katniss until she mastered sit on whistle we really were stuck in limbo. Now even if she doesn't line something I know we can work through it as she is a good sitter. Get that with ms Lucy and you will feel so much more confident. Right now with proof I'm always just randomly sitting him on the whistle. That is something I want him to have down for sure


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## MillionsofPeaches

So this past week has been more training than we've done for the whole past month put together, ha ha! Or at least in the field, that is. Always working on stuff at home with Proof. 
It has just been blistering hot. That means leaving the house by 630 am to beat the heat.

Saturday we had a training day with my club and both dogs did really well. Katniss is not flashy or fast but she did mark all three birds, lined two and the third one she avoided cover but still immediately got herself back on line and went right to the bird. I need to work on her cover again. It is something I have to continually work on with her or she avoids it. If we work on it consistently then she is okay. Water was a tech pond and squared the marks for her so I can get her better with in and out and then in and out again. For some reason that patch of land just messes her line up badly. Her mental picture changes and she can't seem to get back on track. I think this is something that I have to expose her to over and over again till she gets better at it. Water blind was so so. She returned to me with all the marks with no handling and she got her blinds. So no complaining after her being so rusty and it being so hot.
Proof did GREAT at the training day. First time to train him with the club since I've gotten him. Wow! He is so fast, he is like a bullet, and it sounds like a horse stampede when he takes off. He pins his ears back and his body gets so small when he runs, I love it! We left one of the marks as is and then shortened the other two marks down a bit. One more than the other. There was a lot of factors; cover, hills, trees, hay bales, the guns behind blinds, and of course ducks which I don't work with him every day with. He lined two, one of being the original, unaltered mark, and the gallery clapped! the third, well, he didn't line it and instead of hunting he found the bird bucket so fast that the bird boy couldn't stop him. But every bird he brought back to me with only mild tug on handing it over. He has really gotten better at that. I'm amazed as I haven't force fetched him yet, just working on delivery over and over again. Water for him, he does great, he doesn't seem to have the issues Katniss has as far as marking a bird across the peninsula of the tech pond and going in/out/in/out and back. 
One thing that I do recognize I need to work on with Proof is learning to hunt it up better. He runs so fast I do not think he uses his nose at all and only his eyes. This is a problem if he gets tripped up. He stops and looks everywhere instead of hunting. So I'll try some find it games with him and hopefully that will teach him something. 

Proof is so odd to me, I know he just turned 6 months old but he is no puppy. Occasionally he lets himself be known when he jumps up to try to snatch a bird you are holding or barks in his kennel but really he is all business when it comes to training or retrieving. He gives me the bird or bumper and then immediately heels and is ready to go again. Seriously, no "fun, love me I did good" or look everyone at what I brought in at the line with Proof. It is throw me another mark and lets get to it. He needs little praise. It is so different than training Katniss. I guess I am such a novice with dogs, that this is just very interesting to me....


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## hotel4dogs

Do you really mean that she blinked it (found it and refused to pick it up), or that she couldn't find it?




Alaska7133 said:


> I think Proof already has it all figured out! He'll do great!
> 
> I'm a total chicken. Saturday Lucy blinked her memory bird on the water. She normally does perfect on a water double, so I was surprised. She ran around trying to figure out which way the bird went. I chickened out and didn't handle her. I was afraid of what might happen had she not sat on the whistle. In NAHRA you get a tremendous amount of feedback from the judges. Of course they gave me a hard time and said I should have handled. I just had that fear after her craziness at the derby 2 weeks ago. Anyway that evening when I got home, for the heck of it I ran Lucy on a few land blinds. All short ones only needing 1 or 2 handles. I made sure to nick her every sit. She was perfect and ran all the blinds just fine. Then I looked down at my transmitter and realized, I didn't even have the right collar on the controller selected. She never got one single nick! I really should have far more confidence in my dog... :doh:


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## Alaska7133

Oh gosh no. She missed where it landed, she looked away just as it landed. She spent time running the shore looking for it. Maybe I shouldn't have used the word "blink"? I just thought of it as a blink and maybe that was what she was doing when the bird landed. Sorry for using the wrong word.


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## hotel4dogs

Blinking a bird means the dog deliberately avoided it, although she knew where it was. That's why I asked, I couldn't imagine her having done that!
She just missed a mark. No big deal. Blinking is a problem.




Alaska7133 said:


> Oh gosh no. She missed where it landed, she looked away just as it landed. She spent time running the shore looking for it. Maybe I shouldn't have used the word "blink"? I just thought of it as a blink and maybe that was what she was doing when the bird landed. Sorry for using the wrong word.


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## Vhuynh2

A month ago I saw my trainer and I told him I wanted it to be a motivational day for Molly -- she was just losing the spark because things were getting hard. We used live pigeons for marks and ran a memory blind. I know we haven't trained much in the past two months, but it was still a memory blind so I expected Molly to line it but she didn't and I ran it very tight. After my trainer watched me run the blind, he basically said I can't come out and say I want the session to be motivational but then run her on blinds the way I see other people run them. That has haunted me all these weeks because it made me kind of sad that he had to tell me that, as if I don't know how to make training motivational for Molly. We have trained about 3 times since then, and it has all been really easy stuff and I'm making sure that she does a lot of marks and not too much handling. All very motivating stuff. I guess we are also sort of just taking a break from it all at the moment. I know I'm wasting time since summer is prime time for water work. She has definitely regressed without regular training, but I'm confident we will be able to pick it back up eventually.


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## goldlover68

Heat and humidity was stifling to day. I prefer not to run my girl if it is 80 or above in the summer. Tomorrow it will be cool until afternoon. So we will work on marks tomorrow. Working on getting ready for WCX...


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## Claudia M

goldlover68 said:


> Heat and humidity was stifling to day. I prefer not to run my girl if it is 80 or above in the summer. Tomorrow it will be cool until afternoon. So we will work on marks tomorrow. Working on getting ready for WCX...


We've had 90+ weather lately. Belle does not like heat much. I had to condition her to it slowly. Rose gets slower in the heat but she never lays down on a return because of it. Darcy would lay down but after 5 to 10 minutes she is ready for the next round. Unfortunately the lower temps come with rain and thunderstorms.


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## Claudia M

KNorman said:


> Very nice.....you've come a long way on your marking theory.
> 
> Now let me pose a question to you and the forum....How would you, as a trainer, adjust this drill for an All Age dog? A Junior Hunter? A Master level dog?
> 
> Order of throws?
> 
> For discussive purposes....let's keep this as an ABCD drill. Visible guns and singles.


Sorry - thought this question was for krazybronco. I can only tell you what I have done. On a Junior I would move the line closer to a max of 100 yards to the G1 and G4. Also moved the line more in front of G2 and G1 and then again in front of G3 and G4. At a higher level I'd move the line between G2 and G3 increase the distance and still run them in numerical order. 

What would you do?


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## krazybronco2

KNorman said:


> Very nice.....you've come a long way on your marking theory.
> 
> Now let me pose a question to you and the forum....How would you, as a trainer, adjust this drill for an All Age dog? A Junior Hunter? A Master level dog?
> 
> Order of throws?
> 
> For discussive purposes....let's keep this as an ABCD drill. Visible guns and singles.


first for the distances every dog would run the same distance marks 

for a junior hunter i would do like we did with proof just one gunner in the field. and most definitely have the gunner hey hey or blow a duck call before the shoot and throw.

a QAA or master dog most likely how belle ran it. but the gunner would have just a shot and a throw and paying attention to head swinging. if they head swing sit stick sit and re throw the mark.

for an All Age dog tighten the outside guns to the middle guns get those tight lines past a short gun or to check down with the mark landing inline with a longer gun. i might not have the gunner make any noise or shoot and with the tighter guns i will be watching the dogs eyes to see if they are head swinging with out swinging their head and hold them there for an extra sec or two before releasing for the mark, with the same correction for head swinging as the QAA/MH dog.


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## gdgli

Re: Blinking

At our hunt test this weekend I was shooting flyers at Seniors. A very nice chocolate Lab was sent for the flyer after retrieving the dead bird (handler's selection). As the dog was picking up the bird, his mouth open and ready to pick up the bird, the duck flapped it's wings and hit the dog in the eye. The dog then dropped the bird. He ran around and was handled to the bird a couple of times but would not pick up the bird, thus blinking it. As a gunner, I could see this but a handler would never know it. 

Bottom line, ask your gunners if they saw exactly what happened for any issue you see. You might want to take the whole thing into account before you decide how the problem is handled.


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## Alaska7133

Lucy never blinks, if the bird is hissing or going after her, she rotates around the bird to the best angle and generally picks it up by the back. She doesn't set the bird down and readjust position ever. Last weekend saw a young dog run into a hay bale on the return with a duck. Took a moment to collect her thoughts, got up grabbed the bird and ran back to the line.

Just to rub it in, it was 50-55 degrees for our hunt tests last weekend. It didn't rain, but it was cloudy. Oddly only a few Mosquitos. Dogs love running in cooler weather don't they?


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## Claudia M

Alaska7133 said:


> Lucy never blinks, if the bird is hissing or going after her, she rotates around the bird to the best angle and generally picks it up by the back. She doesn't set the bird down and readjust position ever. Last weekend saw a young dog run into a hay bale on the return with a duck. Took a moment to collect her thoughts, got up grabbed the bird and ran back to the line.
> 
> J*ust to rub it in, it was 50-55 degrees for our hunt tests last weekend. It didn't rain, but it was cloudy. Oddly only a few Mosquitos. Dogs love running in cooler weather don't they?*


Yeah - Thanks!  I was thinking to wait until winter to throw it back at you but with our last couple winters I doubt I can do that; plus I am a wuss when it comes to cold temps.


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## hollyk

Hunt test this weekend and the forecast is 95+...IN SEATTLE, IN JUNE...we are going to melt!!!! 
Where are the gray skies and rain?


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## Alaska7133

Holly wow! You normally are still rainy this time of year, what happened?


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## MillionsofPeaches

Holly that is really hot for a hunt test! Holy smokes!


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## goldlover68

hollyk said:


> Hunt test this weekend and the forecast is 95+...IN SEATTLE, IN JUNE...we are going to melt!!!!
> Where are the gray skies and rain?


They are in Missouri....we have had rain all Spring! It is raining now and it rained yesterday. The weathermen/women cannot even get it correct. Forecast for yesterday was like 91 with no chance of rain. It clouded up in the morning and rained all day. I wish I had a job where I could consistently make forecasts with an accuracy of 50% or less.....some job?

It is either 90+ with scorching humidity or damp and raining....very little in between, all Spring!


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## MillionsofPeaches

awww man, Holly, I was wondering how things went. Stupid last bird...


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## gdgli

I met with my training group. Buffy did some singles to warm up ,and then a double with a long memory bird followed by an honor. We next ran three cold blinds.

Thor did walking singles and we are increasing his distance. We next ran four singles in 6"-8" grass that hid the bumpers. He has awesome focus and marks exceptionally well. His return and delivery gets increasingly better.

My friend ran her puppy who is two and has done almost no field although he has a working background. He has never picked up a bird until today. He was finally coaxed into picking up a chukar and then he couldn't get enough of it, leaping to get at it while we were holding it. Very nice!


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## Vhuynh2

hollyk said:


> Well, it was darn hot on Saturday but Sunday unexpected cloud cover moved in and we had a nice cool down.
> Winter and I had a nice run going until the last bird in the third series. Arrgg!


I know it won't be long until we hear about Winter's new title.


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## Poppy2

Were those 3 cold blinds run in the same field as your warm up and double set up?

Were other dogs running with those cold blinds out there?


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## gdgli

Poppy2 said:


> Were those 3 cold blinds run in the same field as your warm up and double set up?
> 
> Were other dogs running with those cold blinds out there?



What would you do and why?


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## Poppy2

Buffy sounds talented, I would have run her last( this of course if you were running all this in the same field) she can deal with the factors better(old falls)
Why-
I would want to keep things simple for the younger dog. Your friends dog would go first. A good day would be that dog just picking up a thrown bird from the line and bringing it back.Seeing as it never saw a bird before.


Thor would go next. Run young Thor on the walking singles as planned. No need to fight with old falls if you ran buffy's set ups first. Thor needs confidence building  
Then set up for Buffy's stuff. Jmho

I bet your gonna tell me how wrong I am ;-)


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## gdgli

Poppy2

Thank you for your input.
As for wrong or right, I do not think that there are any absolutes.


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