# Hunt and field training plans for the week of March 18-24



## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

Planning to get out tomorrow--my last day of March Break freedom. :--sad: Weather is suppos to be good into the new week though so hopefully we will be able to get out after work.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Boy I tell you, hunt tests have nothing better than what my little amateur training group had this morning! It was wonderful!
We had a new couple with their 2 goldens, Tito and me, my usual training partner with his yellow lab, and a relatively new training partner with his black lab. So we had 5 dogs, enough for a nice little group. And do these guys have the toys, wow.
We were on my way cool designated dog training area. The alfalfa is now about 6-8 inches tall, so it just covers the ducks so they can't be seen but the dogs can find them readily. 
We had two coolers full of dead ducks, probably well over a dozen.
7 holding blinds
5 wingers with electronics
full body goose decoys
goose silhouette decoys
popper guns, shotguns, gun stands, buckets
CD player with "Guns Up" simulated hunt test sounds CD

We set up 3 wingers in the field, each behind a holding blind. One was along the right side of the field, about 60 yards out, right next to a tree line. The bird was launched parallel to the tree line. The next one was in the field so that the dog had to run over two small "hills" to get to the mark, about 80 yards, and the final one was an easy but long mark, about 150 yards on the far left side of the field. 
We also set up a walk-up single so that the bird launched from a winger behind a row of about 25 foot tall spruce trees. The dogs couldn't see the winger, so it came as a bit of a surprise to them.
We set up a series of 4 holding blinds for people to work their dogs on the way up to the line while other dogs were running, so it really simulated a test nicely.
Everyone got to run their dogs several times, working on whatever they wanted to. I ran Tito on the walk-up, followed by a double, then a single, then the blind. He did a great job. On our second run we moved the starting line so the dogs would have a different perspective. I ran a single, then a double, then a different blind, and again he did a great job. 
It was a really fun morning. Everyone was relaxed (we didn't invite the guy that drives me NUTS) and the dogs all did really well.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Well Scout was um, naught girl today. Woke up to slight drizzle that turned into slush then snow by the time I arrived. I was really bummed as I wanted to swim her, but it was just too cold for me to push it. 

I wanted to do a walk-up single but we biffed it as Scout picked up a goat head in her foot and I had to pull it out then convince her that it was indeed out of her foot so she could walk normal again. It was a long mark and she couldn't hear him quacking so with all that and the goat head I just sat her down and ran it as a single. But I got a no-go. This is the third time now on a mark and so now I am worried there might be a problem where before I was just hoping it was a weird thing. I told her fetch and nicked and chased her out to get her rolling and she went. Re-threw it again and another no-go. Granted, it was a difficult mark for a lot of the more advanced dogs I think with length and the fact that it was snowy and hazy could have made it hard to see a white bumper against the background...yet I am certain she saw it. I *think* this might be a confidence thing--when she starts being pushed beyond what she thinks she can do...not good.

Ran second mark and she easily pinned it and came back. Third mark she pinned but she blinked the bumper. Sniffed it and continued up the hill before coming back to pick it up and come home. Not happy with that...I had moments when she was first learning where I thought she had blinked but it was unclear, but is has been a very long time since I've seen that. Don't know what it is about, but I think I got the paw today.

However, we did run a fairly long blind that was up a hill and she did pretty well with that one. She took one wrong cast and I called her back and recast the same again and then no problems.


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

It is cold, windy and spitting something-rain, snow, hail-stuff. However, I took Tag out with a canvas bumper and let him run around in the pasture exploring. Every once in a while when he got quite a ways ahead of me, I would "hey-hey" and throw the bumper opposite where he was so he got a good long mark (otherwise the wind prevented me from throwing far enough). He slammed the marks and brought it back so nicely on all but one. He found a good 'sniff' and thought it was more important then the bumper so he decided to investigate further. Well, mean ol' mom came out and 'splained to him that the bumper took precedence over whatever it was that caught his attention. Overall, I came back in with a great big smile on my face. He is such a goof-ball, it is going to be hard making him toe the line, cuz I'll be laughing at his antics when I shouldn't be.


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## Kmullen (Feb 17, 2010)

Cannon was naughty today!!!  

I was not sure how he would do because I have just been working with him by myself with no help from anybody (except hubby). He has not ever had a fresh dead duck.................especially one that was like 20 pounds....not kidding!! He was the 2nd youngest entered. The pond was NOT clean which we have been used too. It had lily pad all along the side and stuff sticking up in the water (lovely Louisana water/marsh).

I knew it probably would not go well even going into the blind. He was scared to death of this dead tree trunk on the ground. We get up to the line and the bird is launched. Makes a good splash and Cannon flies in the water. I was like "ALRIGHT!" Well....about 5 yards before the bird he stopped and like freaked out and came back to me. So, I called him to me and he sat and was looking out at the duck again...so I resend him. He jumped in the water again and did the same thing. I knew he had failed by this point, so I asked the judge if I could send him one more time to see if he would finally go get it. He did the same thing!!! I have no clue what happed.

It was not the distance because...shoot, I have been throwing bumpers across the other side of the pond, so he would swim then drive up on land because I know he will be doing that for Juniors. 

So, I am left with if he was scared of that big huge duck that he has not seen before?? Or if something underneath him got him spooked (like his foot caught or hit something). 

He loves the water...so I was certain, he would have passed that part. Otherwise, his water entry and swim and coming back to me was great.

Well, now I know, what I need to work on. We need to work on MORE Marks and work in a pond that is NOT clean. 

And of course he was the ONLY golden out of 30 dogs! He entered and swam better than most labs....just my inexperiened training made him fail not him. I can not be upset with him. So, hopefully I can go to my trainer's house this week and we can work a little.

I will try to post the video my husband took of us...he stopped it after his 1st return back...haha!


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## Kmullen (Feb 17, 2010)

And we are in the middle of force fetch...


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

I got out today with Bonnie, Butch and Breeze. 

First Bonnie did her pile work in the school yard. Got her back to the full 100 yards today, going with lots of purpose, both from my side and from remote send. So we will start adding in stops on return this week.

Then we headed up to a little field outside of town in a recretion area. Set up three marks, and threw the shorter two as a double for Butch and Bonnie, and then the long mark as a single. Butch was TOOOOO happy, but got both birds. It was Bonnie's first big girl double and she hammered it!

Yellow lines are the two marks in the double. The other is the long single. Marks in the double were right as memory, and left as go bird.

Bonnie 
http://youtu.be/nFEW1Jc4KM0

Butch
http://youtu.be/r2ZXUL3kDrM


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

I did T work, whistle work and lining drills today. Faelan did well; a few uncertains when there were only orange and black bumpers but he did them and is learning to trust that when I send him there will be something out there. Then agility and obedience. Now all 3 are on another hike = Faelan's 2nd and the others their 3rd. They should be tired pups tonight.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Sunrise said:


> I did T work, whistle work and lining drills today. Faelan did well; a few uncertains when there were only orange and black bumpers but he did them and is learning to trust that when I send him there will be something out there. Then agility and obedience. Now all 3 are on another hike = Faelan's 2nd and the others their 3rd. They should be tired pups tonight.


Good to see field training is still calling your name


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

Breeze got a triple with a blind today. The blind was under the arc of the long mark. She was a pokey dope coming back from the first bird, and took a really weird line out to the long memory bird--not her best work, but she dug it out.

BreezeTriplewBlind.mpg - YouTube


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

Great videos Shelly. Thanks for posting them. Butch and Bonnie are too cute!


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

Breeze is beautiful! I love how her tail never stops wagging.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Hehe I love the little clap when Breeze picks up the bumper.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

kfayard said:


> Cannon was naughty today!!!
> 
> I was not sure how he would do because I have just been working with him by myself with no help from anybody (except hubby). He has not ever had a fresh dead duck.................especially one that was like 20 pounds....not kidding!! He was the 2nd youngest entered. The pond was NOT clean which we have been used too. It had lily pad all along the side and stuff sticking up in the water (lovely Louisana water/marsh).
> 
> ...


My guess would be something under the water. Especially if it was a lily pad-y sticky pond. My Butch is that way. One day he will hammer out to a 75 yard water mark, and the next something will touch his tummy underwater and he freaks out at 40 yards.


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## Kmullen (Feb 17, 2010)

sterregold said:


> My guess would be something under the water. Especially if it was a lily pad-y sticky pond. My Butch is that way. One day he will hammer out to a 75 yard water mark, and the next something will touch his tummy underwater and he freaks out at 40 yards.


 
That is what I am thinking too. I mean just the other day I threw a mark for my girl to get. Cannon even watched her get it....then he jumps in the water and spends 10 minutes trying to find it, like it was still there! He went swimming from one end to the next and in circles. Very determined. Silly boy. Oh well, Now it is just work work work on marks and keep force fetch going.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

kfayard said:


> That is what I am thinking too. I mean just the other day I threw a mark for my girl to get. Cannon even watched her get it....then he jumps in the water and spends 10 minutes trying to find it, like it was still there! He went swimming from one end to the next and in circles. Very determined. Silly boy. Oh well, Now it is just work work work on marks and keep force fetch going.


Yup. And find some ponds with stuff in them to work him in. Have your live gunner out there with a pocket of rocks to keep splashing just deep of the bird to give him the incentive to get out there so he can learn it will be okay.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Great videos Shelly! Bonnie is lovely, and Butch is having a grand time!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Just watched Breeze's video, she does a great job on that blind! BTW, are you training next to a runway? Sheesh, noisy!


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

We had our backs to a fairly busy regional road--that plus Butch singing in the truck makes for interesting audio....


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

This week I plan to work on more distraction from ATEM with Jige. We did pile work yesterday. He already knows "back" but I want to some re-enforcement drills with him. I want to start teaching him "over" I hope that by the end of the week we will be doing some T training. 

We start therapy training on wednesday too.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Yesterday (Saturday) I drove up to the Tallahassee HT to watch Kristin run Sophie in master -- well it took me 3 hrs not 2 and I missed their first series, which apparently Sophie did just fine (triple, double blind & honor on land).
3rd series was ridiculous and really, not a good setup -- Kristin didn't run until this morning and too late of a whistle on the water blind sunk her -- so she didn't pass. 
I drove down this morning to Montverde to train with Mitch White and friends -- what a WONDERFUL time! Morning setup was sort of an ABCD type thing with four holding blinds with wingers and two blinds, pick and choose what you want. 
In the afternoon we did drills on a small pond.
Mitch asked me what I wanted to do, when I told him Slater wasn't decheated yet he asked me if I wanted help to start him which of course, the answer is yes! So we did decheating drill (Mitch's version -- which is fantastic) and Slater was a superstar. He "got it" after the FIRST correction, and only needed one more for the whole session. It was genius 
We also did a neat drill, which I'll have to look up the name of it but it was basically, we set up a back pile parallel to the long shore of this rectangular pond, and put an over pile halfway down the long side, on the opposite side of the pond. So basically it's a T but one side pile is across the water. Cute stuff. I love training with Mitch.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

kfayard said:


> Cannon was naughty today!!!
> 
> I was not sure how he would do because I have just been working with him by myself with no help from anybody (except hubby). He has not ever had a fresh dead duck.................especially one that was like 20 pounds....not kidding!! He was the 2nd youngest entered. The pond was NOT clean which we have been used too. It had lily pad all along the side and stuff sticking up in the water (lovely Louisana water/marsh).
> 
> ...


Underwater vegetation growth that has not yet emerged can in fact tangle a dog's feet or at least surprise him. Root growth can do the same thing. This is why I hate to train a young and/or experienced dog in a pond with a lot of vegetation.

The underwater growth can also cause the dog to stop and maybe even dive, thinking that it is a duck. It depends upon the dog.

If I thought that I had a problem I would go through an introduction to water routine.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

I had a fun terrific fun filled weekend.

Saturday Training session, all flyers at the, at the Wilson's. Their house is located on several acres of the remnants of the family farm. Buffy did well and we all partied afterward. And when I left, the hostess gave me a dozen duck eggs, a goose egg, and three dozen oysters that she had collected.

Sunday We worked the last continental style shoot of the season. The shoot was 1000 birds and Buffy made 80 retrieves. She was very tired at the end of the day. Although this is supposed to be fun, I tend to pick a behavior to watch and work on at the shoots and this time I worked on diversions. Several times on the return a second bird would be dropped right next to her or close enough to test her on switching. My whistle has suddenly become magic---she gave these birds a look but the whistle pulled her right in. I was VERY HAPPY. And then several shooters complimented her work (pardon me for this "brag"). I had a great day.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Tito has decided to retrieve every algae bubble.....it's a very annoying habit. And he dives under if underwater growth tickles him too much. I worry he will get caught.



gdgli said:


> Underwater vegetation growth that has not yet emerged can in fact tangle a dog's feet or at least surprise him. Root growth can do the same thing. This is why I hate to train a young and/or experienced dog in a pond with a lot of vegetation.
> 
> The underwater growth can also cause the dog to stop and maybe even dive, thinking that it is a duck. It depends upon the dog.
> 
> If I thought that I had a problem I would go through an introduction to water routine.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Brag away, you should be proud! I love to hear of goldens doing a great job!



gdgli said:


> I had a fun terrific fun filled weekend.
> 
> Saturday Training session, all flyers at the, at the Wilson's. Their house is located on several acres of the remnants of the family farm. Buffy did well and we all partied afterward. And when I left, the hostess gave me a dozen duck eggs, a goose egg, and three dozen oysters that she had collected.
> 
> Sunday We worked the last continental style shoot of the season. The shoot was 1000 birds and Buffy made 80 retrieves. She was very tired at the end of the day. Although this is supposed to be fun, I tend to pick a behavior to watch and work on at the shoots and this time I worked on diversions. Several times on the return a second bird would be dropped right next to her or close enough to test her on switching. My whistle has suddenly become magic---she gave these birds a look but the whistle pulled her right in. I was VERY HAPPY. And then several shooters complimented her work (pardon me for this "brag"). I had a great day.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

General V said:


> This week I plan to work on more distraction from ATEM with Jige. We did pile work yesterday. He already knows "back" but I want to some re-enforcement drills with him. I want to start teaching him "over" I hope that by the end of the week we will be doing some T training.
> 
> We start therapy training on wednesday too.


SLOW DOWN!!! Do not rush it. You need to spend enough time on 3-handed casting that he is proficient there before you move to T work. Even then you have to teach that centre line and introduce stopping on the return before you add the overs into it. Rushing through basics and not fully consolidating the lessons is one of the biggest reasons dogs have difficulty when they transition to true cold blinds.


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## Kmullen (Feb 17, 2010)

K9-Design said:


> Yesterday (Saturday) I drove up to the Tallahassee HT to watch Kristin run Sophie in master -- well it took me 3 hrs not 2 and I missed their first series, which apparently Sophie did just fine (triple, double blind & honor on land).
> 3rd series was ridiculous and really, not a good setup -- Kristin didn't run until this morning and too late of a whistle on the water blind sunk her -- so she didn't pass.
> I drove down this morning to Montverde to train with Mitch White and friends -- what a WONDERFUL time! Morning setup was sort of an ABCD type thing with four holding blinds with wingers and two blinds, pick and choose what you want.
> In the afternoon we did drills on a small pond.
> ...


Is mitch in florida now?? I would so love to meet up with him one day!!


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

sterregold said:


> SLOW DOWN!!! Do not rush it. You need to spend enough time on 3-handed casting that he is proficient there before you move to T work. Even then you have to teach that centre line and introduce stopping on the return before you add the overs into it. Rushing through basics and not fully consolidating the lessons is one of the biggest reasons dogs have difficulty when they transition to true cold blinds.


The guys I train with say he is ready. He does do 3handed casting. I have been doing that with him since he was little. Thank you tho. for the imput. BaWaaJige is extremely smart.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Now remember I'm new to this, too, but I just want to put this thought out there. And this isn't saying that Jige is or isn't ready, only you know the answer to that. It's just a comment to agree with and expand on what Shelly said.
To me, a lot of it has to do not with knowing what it means, but being able to do it reliably in any situation, anywhere, with any distractions. That's when the dog is truly ready to move on. 
If your (rhetorical "you", not you specifically!) dog knows sit in your house when you are alone with him, great. But if he can't sit when told to in a strange place full of people, including a child who is waving a piece of pizza under his nose, he doesn't *really* know sit. If he can heel off leash in an obedience ring, swell. But if he can't do it out in public, with other dogs around even maybe sniffing him, he doesn't *really* know heel. And so on.
The same is even more true in field. Being able to do it in the obedience yard, in the same place, with the same piles, and the same bumpers, is a wonderful achievement. But the difference between doing it there, and doing it in the field with live birds (among other things) distracting him, is like the difference between kindergarten and college.
So a big part of it, in my humble and often wrong opinion, is doing it enough times that it becomes a totally conditioned response no matter where the dog is or what is going on around him, just like "sit" becomes a totally conditioned response. And I think that is part of what Shelly is talking about with moving on too soon. It doesn't mean the dog doesn't know a skill, it may mean that the skill isn't so ingrained yet that the dog will do it reliably anywhere, any time. If my right hand, palm open, gets to chest height, no matter where I am, my dog had better be thinking he's getting sent on a right "over". 
(As evidenced by last time we were in an obedience ring and I gave him a right over for directed jumping :doh:, luckily he figured it out after seeing there was nothing to retrieve in the back right corner of the ring!)




General V said:


> The guys I train with say he is ready. He does do 3handed casting. I have been doing that with him since he was little. Thank you tho. for the imput. BaWaaJige is extremely smart.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

kfayard said:


> Is mitch in florida now?? I would so love to meet up with him one day!!


Yes he is actually driving today to Panama City to train with Sean Hagar & Renee Adsit, if you want to try to get in touch with them, I think Mitch is staying there for a few weeks.
Sean & Renee are also wonderful trainers if you are still looking for a pro I would highly recommend them. They winter in the FL panhandle and summer in OH & NY. Their dogs are always happy and very well trained, and they are super friendly folks themselves


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Decheating drill session #2 this morning for Slater, went very well, much like yesterday. Tomorrow I will try him on some real marks and see where we get.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Sounds like a great weekend  Buffy must have looked wonderful!



gdgli said:


> I had a fun terrific fun filled weekend.
> 
> Saturday Training session, all flyers at the, at the Wilson's. Their house is located on several acres of the remnants of the family farm. Buffy did well and we all partied afterward. And when I left, the hostess gave me a dozen duck eggs, a goose egg, and three dozen oysters that she had collected.
> 
> Sunday We worked the last continental style shoot of the season. The shoot was 1000 birds and Buffy made 80 retrieves. She was very tired at the end of the day. Although this is supposed to be fun, I tend to pick a behavior to watch and work on at the shoots and this time I worked on diversions. Several times on the return a second bird would be dropped right next to her or close enough to test her on switching. My whistle has suddenly become magic---she gave these birds a look but the whistle pulled her right in. I was VERY HAPPY. And then several shooters complimented her work (pardon me for this "brag"). I had a great day.


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

Thanks Barb, I fully understand what you guys are saying and yes I believe and the guys I train with believe that Jige is ready to move on. I do alot of training with him. since I am not working right now I train him everyday. I train in many different areas and I am always looking for new distractions. Last week we trained next to the baseball diamond while the high school kids were practising. He did great stopped at looked at them once. I do need to get him out more with his wrestling buddy ATEM so Jige realizes that they are both training ( do ing that today it isnt as windy and we can train in the big field). 
I also dont push him if he seems to be having an off day we go back to the basics and try it again another day. 

Happy training everyone.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

General V said:


> The guys I train with say he is ready. He does do 3handed casting. I have been doing that with him since he was little. Thank you tho. for the imput. BaWaaJige is extremely smart.


Not a prob--just rying to get a handle on where he is developmentally. Is he back the full 100 yards on the back pile and casting to the back pile both from your side and remotely? If yes, then the next step is to do sit on _return from_ the pile. If he will reliably sit on return from the pile, then do sit _on the way to_ the pile and have him reliably casting both turns to the pile. Most sends still need to be straight through. When all of this is in place, _then_ add in your over piles. Sequencing is key--which is what I was trying to get at--from your description it seemed that some of the sequential teaching was being leapfrogged over. First is momentum and carrying a line, and then adding in the stop control, and then the changing direction control.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

K9-Design said:


> Yes he is actually driving today to Panama City to train with Sean Hagar & Renee Adsit, if you want to try to get in touch with them, I think Mitch is staying there for a few weeks.
> Sean & Renee are also wonderful trainers if you are still looking for a pro I would highly recommend them. They winter in the FL panhandle and summer in OH & NY. Their dogs are always happy and very well trained, and they are super friendly folks themselves


Second this!


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## Kmullen (Feb 17, 2010)

I will have to get their contact info!!!!


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

kfayard said:


> I will have to get their contact info!!!!


Here is Sean's website 
Home


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## Kmullen (Feb 17, 2010)

I just sent an email...hope he checks it! I feel awkward calling and asking a total stranger to help me!!! Haha


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## ashleylp (Jul 23, 2011)

We had our club hunt test this past weekend and it was a blast! I had never been to one before and I watched Juniors and worked the blinds which was very enjoyable. After seeing everything I feel fairly confident that once Remy gets more reliable on bringing to hand we will be ready to go for his JH.

This week we continue to work on FF!


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Hey Kelli, if you talk with Sean or Renee tell them that Anney with Fisher recommended them. I'm trying to get Mitch's # for you, I thought I had it but it wasn't in my phone.


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## Kmullen (Feb 17, 2010)

Thanks anney i just hate to impose on someones training!!


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

They are pros--working with people and their dogs is what they do!! If their training roster is full they will let you know, but you will never know unless you ask!


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Another short training session tonight, mainly because I'm bored and trying to avoid work. Set up another no-no drill this time using my trusty boxes-taped-to-boxes-taped-to-a-big-cardboard-roll no-no-drill jump thingy I made for Fisher probably 5 years ago and has been sitting in my garage since then. Anyways the first 3 times I did the no-no last week with Slater we used a row of car tires for him to jump over; today with the boxes he knew exactly how to run it, only one time did I have to stop him, and that was on the way back when he tried to go around the boxes, I stopped and handled him back over it with the bumper in his mouth then called him in again. We ended with the boxes about 70 yards away so pretty far. I think he has generalized the message, I think next time I will do two chairs like a keyhole, same concept. Ran Fisher on it too and he definitely remembered the drill.


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

Shelly, I always think of Bon Bon as a pup but she is growing up and looking good! 
No lack of get up and go in Butch, and Breeze had great drive off the line on that blind. Looks like a fun hunt test season for you.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

hollyk said:


> Shelly, I always think of Bon Bon as a pup but she is growning up and looking good!
> No lack of get up and go in Butch, and Breeze had great drive off the line on that blind. Looks like a fun hunt test season for you.


Butch has lots of get up and go on land--but he can be a real weenie about water which is why I laid off serious training with him. He gets to play for exercise, and I may do his WCI this summer, but I am mainly focusing on showing him for his CH to get OD points for Breeze.

Breeze loves running blinds--that is usually the part she nails!

Bonnie is finally starting to be a grown-up girl. She had FF and CC up to FTP last year, but was just not mentally ready for it when I tried to start FTP last fall. So we are back to it now, and she is just soaking it up like a sponge. Last night I reviewed whistle sits with her and then went to our pile. I incorporated a couple of stops on return, and she looked at me like "So I can do this back thing and this sit thing in the same exercise...?" When I told her she was a good girl she gave me the little twitchy wag of the end of her tail. When I stopped her on return again she started wagging right away, like she knew she got it! When we were down to two bumpers I left her 15 yards out from the baseline and cast her back from there, and then finished with a straight through from my side. She was _*so*_ pleased with herself. We'll do another session of those skills tonight.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

A good day today!
It was just me and my main training partner. We went to the local conservation area. Set up a nice double with a blind, and Tito did a really good job on the double. He could have taken a better initial line on the blind, but he responded promptly and correctly to the whistle, found the bird with a few whistles, and I was quite pleased. From there we moved to the water, I had intended to do a blind followed by a double on the water, but the blind took a long time to get him to, and then by the time he picked up the first mark, which was a pretty long swim, he came back in real slowly so I didn't have him pick up the second mark (which was an in and out, so it was on land and easy enough for me to go pick up). I think he was cold, the water is still very cold here and he had been in it for quite a while. Ran the other dog, then tossed some short marks into the water for Tito and he was fine, so I think he was just really cold and swimming slowly because of it. Did some water honors, it's the only time that Tito vocalizes (quiet whine) and we need to put an end to that.
Back on land, did a couple of nice long marks to warm the dogs up. I did them as singles, and he nailed both, so I quit for the day!


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

OK, I'm offically jealous of the weather in the midwest. It has been crummy here for the past month, cold, rain, wind, sleet, snow, aarrgg! We will not be running the spring hunt tests, it has just been too miserable to get into the water and we have too much work to do before we will be ready. Come on sun and warmth Seasoned/Senior is calling our name.


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## Kmullen (Feb 17, 2010)

Well Sean did email me back last night. They are too busy on the weekends now with hunt test. They are leaving Florida at the end of the month anyways. But, he did tell me that they are there from October to April every year  So, I plan to actually send Cannon off in October with him for training. The price is no different than what I had been paying for Remi. So, I am excited.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

kfayard said:


> Well Sean did email me back last night. They are too busy on the weekends now with hunt test. They are leaving Florida at the end of the month anyways. But, he did tell me that they are there from October to April every year  So, I plan to actually send Cannon off in October with him for training. The price is no different than what I had been paying for Remi. So, I am excited.


Excellent!


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

We hit 77F here today--the last three days have broken temp records going back to the 1948!!

Bonnie had another excellent session on the T-field. She was hammering her whistle sits on the return, so we added one on the way out today and she sat and spun to face me. Yeah, Bun-bun!

She was pretty warm after our session though, so I decided to do water for their marks today. We have one pond we use that is relatively shallow (my goose pond!) so we went there. Set up two marks, plus a blind for Breeze. Both girls hit the water hard on their marks--they appreciated it!

This is the earliest we have ever been in the water at home!!


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

hollyk said:


> OK, I'm offically jealous of the weather in the midwest. It has been crummy here for the past month, cold, rain, wind, sleet, snow, aarrgg! We will not be running the spring hunt tests, it has just been too miserable to get into the water and we have too much work to do before we will be ready. Come on sun and warmth Seasoned/Senior is calling our name.


I hear you. Woke up to 4" of snow this morning. Bout fell on my arse letting the dogs out in the dog yard.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

our weather is insane. We just had our 6th consecutive day above 80 degrees, our normal high for this time of year is 46 degrees. Tomorrow is supposed to get close to NINETY ! 
My fruit trees are all in full bloom. If we get a hard freeze now, I will lose the whole fruit crop


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Out to Lazy J today, did decheating drill again with Slater this time with marks thrown by a gunner. 
Set up a drill with bumpers to teach in-line marks, went really well and I thought a good learning session! 
Have had a headache all day. It goes away or at least I forget about it when I train, then it comes back. Yuck.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

An 80F day here today, so a shortened session on the T-field for Bonnie, and then off for water work.

Breeze got three marks (blue lines) and two blinds (orange lines). We went "round the horn" from right to left so she ran mark, blind, mark, blind, mark. The red blob on the third point is where the geese are nesting so she had that temptation out there.

Bonnie ran the three single marks (blue lines) and then we moved down the shore for a little hand thrown double (purple lines) to work on the mechanics of a double on water.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Sunrise said:


> Sounds like a great weekend  Buffy must have looked wonderful!


I was really pleased as her obedience was flawless. Then when Buffy flushed a lightly hit hen out of the brush and had to run it down, I heard one gunner say "Holy ____! Look at that! What action!" It's good to know that these guys were paying attention to the dog work and not just shooting.


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## ashleylp (Jul 23, 2011)

Hey all! We've been working on force fetch but today we decided to just throw a few singles for Remy at the park. He did GREAT except for one thing... I still have to hold his collar at the line. I understand he's a puppy and that they allow that in juniors but I'd really like to start training out of it and I'm just not sure how. Any pointers? He understands that "REMY!" is his release word, but he gets SO EXCITED that he just can't stand to stay until I release...


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Hi Ashley I like to use a pinch collar and a short tab (6-8"), keep the tab LOOSE and only pop back if he moves forward. Say NO -- SIT! 
The first few you will have to physically pop him back and repeat NO- SIT and have the gunner go pick up the mark.
Again tell him to SIT -- MARK and re-throw. Make sure you keep the tab loose -- no pressure on it unless he moves. Just let go of the tab when you send him.
It may take a few corrections but if you are firm he will understand he needs to stay put until sent.
Best of luck!


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

K9-Design said:


> Hi Ashley I like to use a pinch collar and a short tab (6-8"), keep the tab LOOSE and only pop back if he moves forward. Say NO -- SIT!
> The first few you will have to physically pop him back and repeat NO- SIT and have the gunner go pick up the mark.
> Again tell him to SIT -- MARK and re-throw. Make sure you keep the tab loose -- no pressure on it unless he moves. Just let go of the tab when you send him.
> It may take a few corrections but if you are firm he will understand he needs to stay put until sent.
> Best of luck!


I do something very similar to this, but just with a flat collar. I also put my hand in to send, just above the head, sort of between their eyes but high enough it is only in their peripheral vision. No hand means no going, so it is an extra cue to steadiness. 

I hold the tab lightly with my right hand, remind to sit when the mark goes down (and pop and rethrow like Anney if they move), put in my hand, again reminding them to sit, and then release. When teaching this, I do this with marks that are easy to see, and visible on the ground (like a big white bumper with streamer flags) so they do not get into a big stupid hunt after all that, and they have a visual reference on which to focus.


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

sterregold said:


> (like a big white bumper with streamer flags).


Anyone...

Do you make your own streamer flags for bumpers or do you purchase them? If you make them, any suggestions on material to use?


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

I have done both. Wide grosgrain ribbon works well. It is what my purchased flags are made from, and is what I used to make my own. I just got a roll of white and a roll of black at Michaels, and a package of grommets, and then a package of S-hooks at the hardware store. I cut the ribbon with pinking shears and then ran a bead of fabric glue along both cut ends to seal them well. Line them up, whack the grommets on, attach the s-hook and then attach it to the rope hole on the bumper.


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

Thanks Shelly! 

Next time I head to town, I'll have a project to buy for.


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## KathyG (Nov 21, 2011)

DNL2448 said:


> Anyone...
> 
> Do you make your own streamer flags for bumpers or do you purchase them? If you make them, any suggestions on material to use?


You can just cut strips from a white plastic garbage/shopping bag and tie them on. No cost and easily replaceable if needed.

Kathy


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

I can be crafty but the bumper streamers from Dogs Afield are very well made and very inexpensive so I just buy them:

Flagman Replacement Streamers (6 pack)

6 for $10


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Just back from training. We are gearing up (or I should say, gearing DOWN) for the hunt tests now. Did some really nice water work, but it was dumbed down from what he usually does so we could get really good success. Same with the land blinds, he did a terrific job, but again they were dumbed down.
On land, he did perfect on the walk up single. On the doubles, he ran into a bit of trouble again. Couple of things going on, one of which we're not going to fix this week or next, so I won't mention it at the moment. But the biggest thing is we were asking him to run a line that was really tight to the blind he had just run, and he didn't have the skills to deal with it. We moved to a different area of the field and did a couple more (easier) doubles, and he was fine.
Time for nerves to set in....


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

When is the test? Good luck!!


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Yay warming up again here. Starting to hit mid-60s this week and later supposed to reach 70s. Took Scout swimming and she had a blast and was hitting the water pretty hard and doing really well at not cheating as well as driving up on the land and searching (hand thrown by me, so not super far). Re-ran the blind we did a few weeks ago that was between a hill and brushed against a leaning tree and she did great this time and wasn't pushed away from the tree.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

tests are March 31 and April 1. I'm already not sleeping at night, LOL.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Hmmm. Weather is starting to get hot. 85º today, although low humidity. 
Just went out and did another no-no drill, this time with two chairs about 5 feet apart. Both boys did perfect so I think they have the picture. I think next time I will set up a pile with both chairs and a jump and run it full length and see what they can do.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

It has cooled right off here. With Breeze in itchy treatment today I just did drill work with Bonnie. Her natural cast seems to be a right cast, so we did quite a few remote left-backs this time. She was going so hard to the pile that I added in an enroute stop--she sat as soopn as she heard the whistle and took the cast back! It is always so cool to see them start to fit the pieces together!


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