# Field Training August 2013



## hotel4dogs

Wow, we're into August!! Who's training what? Who's running tests?
What's going on with everyone??


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## FTGoldens

Geesh, how'd that happen?!
The mild-ish summer has allowed us to continue training even through the end of July and we're hoping that August temps will be moderate as well. Plus, unlike last year(!), the rain has been quite satisfactory.
The baby is learning rapidly with a little obedience and marks, marks, marks ... we'll be getting into FF fairly soon. The "middle child" is still working on learning the long list of all age stuff ... retiring guns, triples, QUADS, and the whole "blinds" thing (marks are much preferred by this one). Fortunately I have one on cruise control!
No trials around here until early September.
FTGoldens


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## AmbikaGR

Training both Brooke and Oriana on the Single T. Have done Oriana here and there over the past 2 years but not having a place to do it close to home it never really got done. Have a place about 20 miles away I can use when I want. Went there 4 days last week and twice this week. Oriana is doing VERY well. Brooke is still struggling a little on the left overs (her right). But overall not bad. 
Also getting to expose Brooke to live/cripple birds. Friend has some pigeons with pulled feathers. After a few minutes Monday got her to go pick it up. Once she has it she is fine and will prance and hell all over the field with it. She has 2 JH legs but this is an issue I would like to get past before entering again.
Also working on Brooke's water courage. She will go full speed ahead into and through lily pads and then turn around after she gets past them and return to shore. resend and she will go through and retrieve. I believe it is a issue of distance. Seems once she goes distance is not an issue. Tuesday at water first mark was about 40 yards - 15 yards of pads, then clear (well layer of duck weed on top). She cleared the pads and promptly turned around and returned. Resent and she went the distance. Next mark was 75+ yds and she nailed it the first time. 
Oriana's biggest issue is her mouth. While it may not be hard it is "active" when using "FRESH" birds. I chose not to let her retrieve a pigeon as I am quite sure it would have been killed. And I think that would just make it worse. Need to get to work her on shot flyers but that is so much easier said than done. I truly believe if we ever get past this issue she can go on to senior work.


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## Swampcollie

August is going to be a busy month. Maxi is getting her new teeth so FF is not too far away. The early goose season opens on the tenth so Angel will be able to get after the real thing again. Then I have a couple of tests to judge as well. No time to snooze this month.


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## Claudia M

I just posted this under the thread about Dary the flat coated retriever we are fostering/considering adoption: 
We have been doing play/train outside with the bumpers, mixing take it, leave it, bring it, front sits, side sits, go play, distant sit. She definitely needs more muscle on her so getting her exercised at her own pace in my main concern. 
I wish I had a camera with me - DH called Darcy to him, Rose decided to follow right behind Darcy. Darcy comes to a front, Rose still behind Darcy, DH says sit. Both sit. DH says Hold it, both hold but Darcy moves her head to the side, Rose tilts her head as is saying "what are you doing?"; DH touches Darcy's bumper and say leave it, Darcy leaves the bumper in his hand, Rose spits it out. Everyone now has the attention on Rose. DH points at the bumper and says "Rose take it back" and she darts for it, grabs it and swings into a heel sit and could not look more proud of herself.
Initially I felt bumped down because I felt that this is putting Rose's field training behind - especially with dove season coming up. But I could not be more proud on how well the two get along and how this is an opportunity for Rose to learn how to listen to commands given to her and await for her turn. While we are back to basics due to Darcy, maybe the repetition is indeed the mother of study and hopefully it will be good for both of them in the long run.


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## MillionsofPeaches

Its been wildly moderate temps here as well here in the deep south. Normally, we've been field training in the morning about three to four times a week and then working on drills at home in the afternoons and other days of the week. Peaches suddenly decided she was going to not blink the birds/bumpers any longer so I've been taking advantage of that and really teaching her and praising her on all the new things she's able to learn now that we can move forward. Katniss is doing well and both girls are finally onto learning double marks. Today we are working in water so that is always fun with them. 
My human kids start school back on Tuesday so we'll see how that new schedule works for us. Our first tests are in about a month! I'm so nervous, we've not done any of these before so I hope the girls do well. We have taken them to so many different places and in front of so many strange dogs that I'm hoping the hunt tests are not any different to them in their heads, though I'm sure they'll sense my nervousness! eek, exciting!


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## gdgli

We have been working on lining drills. We may be headed for a training session with Navesink River HRC in NJ. I have some part time work right now so that impacts our training but we do what we can. I think our technical ponds are now available. We can't get in there any sooner because it is due to the presence of the Tiger Salamander. I have two questions---it grows to 18" but I have yet to see one; how did it get into man made ponds, especially when this is considered out of its range.

I am looking forward to nicer weather and more training. And I hope to do more testing. Also, we have another Gun Dog Stake coming up. Buffy is a candidate for the perpetual trophy that our club offers. Points are earned at each club trial.

Ambika---You make me feel lucky. I have half a dozen fields for training that are 5 min. from home, this is within NYC limits.

Swampcollie---Buffy has never had a goose, we have Greater Canadas here, not sure how she would handle one.

Claudia---good luck with your project. The flatties I have seen are pretty good. Rose is doing fine.

hotel4dogs---How's the quartering?

MoP---moderate temps in the deep south? I'm jealous.

FT---east of the Mississippi and no trials? I'm also east of the Mississippi. At first I thought we were neighbors but not so, we have trials here.


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## sterregold

I have been doing lots of work on Bonnie's blinds. Lining and casting drills plus lots of momentum blinds. Her marking is great--she did the same triple as the big dogs on Tuesday, and did a really good job on the concept singles we did. We were working with hills. The only one she kind of had trouble with was a mark at the base of a hill after doing a side hill, and a mark where she had to drive two hills. She has also been my tool to work on Wings' swimming. Little girl can be a bit hesitant about getting in the water but she is super jealous of Bonnie so we have been throwing a mark for Wings and sending Bonnie for it if she does not go. By the end of yesterdays session she was going out on her own and just swimming around for fun.


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## Claudia M

ahhh Shelly I envy you! We have been driving all thru the area for a place to swim with the pups. Either "no dogs allowed", "no swimming at all", overgrown with no way for the dog to walk into the water slowly, private property.... And we are still looking. 
I completely gave up on the pond from the park.


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## sterregold

Get on Google Earth and identify some possibilities that way. I use a lot of run-off retention ponds in warehouse areas. Generally no one cares if you are in those. Sometimes we get an audience of workers at breaktime but they usually just think it is cool.


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## hotel4dogs

The quartering is excellent!! He just seems to know when he's gone too far off to the side, and he heads back toward the centerline.
The only thing I don't care for is he tends to run out about 10 yards or more before he starts to quarter. But he does respond to whistle or verbal when I ask him to change directions, so I don't think it's a big deal.


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## sterregold

Have you tried starting him out sitting in front of you, facing you and then starting him by giving an over cast when you tell him to hunt it up?


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## hotel4dogs

no, I haven't, that's a good idea! (although they might frown on it in a Spaniel test??).
I tried telling him, "easy easy, hunt 'em up" and that helps a little. But he's just so darned excited to head out looking for birds, he wants to run a straight line at first.


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## hollyk

hotel4dogs said:


> The quartering is excellent!! He just seems to know when he's gone too far off to the side, and he heads back toward the centerline.
> The only thing I don't care for is he tends to run out about 10 yards or more before he starts to quarter. But he does respond to whistle or verbal when I ask him to change directions, so I don't think it's a big deal.


What if you randomly plant one very close so he learns to check down first?
When are the spaniel tests?


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## Claudia M

sterregold said:


> Get on Google Earth and identify some possibilities that way. I use a lot of run-off retention ponds in warehouse areas. Generally no one cares if you are in those. Sometimes we get an audience of workers at breaktime but they usually just think it is cool.


That is how we find all the water marks around here. LOL found one quite nice but it turns out it was on an all natural cemetery owned by a client. I am sort of embarrassed to ask him.


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## sterregold

Claudia M said:


> That is how we find all the water marks around here. LOL found one quite nice but it turns out it was on an all natural cemetery owned by a client. I am sort of embarrassed to ask him.


Hey, if it would be a good training pond, and you know the owner it cannot hurt to ask!!


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## hotel4dogs

I did do that with some dead birds in my alfalfa field, but he's just really excited so he heads straight out. The only thing I can think is first, they probably won't have any birds within 10 yards of where we're starting from (I hope), and second, I will have to control him with my voice. 
We need to do some work between now and then to see what works the best. 
The first tests are in 4 weeks.



hollyk said:


> What if you randomly plant one very close so he learns to check down first?
> When are the spaniel tests?


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## Claudia M

sterregold said:


> Hey, if it would be a good training pond, and you know the owner it cannot hurt to ask!!


hahaha - I was more thinking of disturbing the "spirits" or upsetting the family members of the ones there if they happen to visit while training Rose in the pond. :uhoh:


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## hotel4dogs

you'd be fine, she's a girl. Imagine the boys peeing on the headstones!


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## sterregold

Did a 5-station lining and casting drill today with Bonnie. Was getting some nice angle casts with her. I have been trying to be a lot more deliberate about giving her breaks and encouragement marks behind the line on the drill and she is much less stressed.

We had successfully moved to the ground with Wings' FF, so we did our first session of Fetch-with-Resistance tonight, which is a stage I do before moving on to walking fetch and stick fetch. She was really digging to get to the bumper--so I think she is really getting it!


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## Alaska7133

Shelly,
Can you explain your fetch with resistance? Thanks


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## sterregold

It is something i learned from HT pro up here. A lot of people use a force table with a pulley system so they can get the dog to work against resistance. I do not have one, and have no real place to put one, so I just do it in the yard the way Sue described how she does it. I put the dog in a harness (as I do not want them pulling against their neck) and then I have this stretchy leash, it is made of resistance tubing, like the stuff on wingers, that I loop the handle onto a fence post and the snap onto the d-ring on the harness. Then I proceed just like fetch, but require the dog to pull against the resistance to get the bumper off the ground and keep moving it forward until they are pretty much as far as they can stretch the bungee. I find it just helps them to understand that they really have to work to get that bumper which helps them understand pressure and fetching in hard going.


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## gdgli

Alaska7133 said:


> Shelly,
> Can you explain your fetch with resistance? Thanks


I ear pinch by holding the collar and pinching the ear against the collar with one hand. For the resistance, I have the dog pull against my hold on the collar while I pinch, finally letting go and letting the dog fetch. I have done this on a force table and on the ground. I do it in the final stages of FF.


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## Alaska7133

So basically you are proofing as you would do with a sit-stay?


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## sterregold

No not proofing, building more intensity to accomplish the fetch. Not just "do it because I tell you to", but "do it because I tell you to even if it is hard"....


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## hollyk

We have been training quite a bit. 
Working the popping/no confidence on triple issues. I pulled them away in and having been throwing very easy ones. Everything is going well so now we are working them back out. So far so good. Working on teaching Master level concepts for water blinds. Last Sunday we ran a huge shoreline blind that had a pinch from both side to start and when a couple of points to get by to get to the blind. I thought it was going to get ugly but Winter did a really nice job. One whistle to get her past the pinch. Then just a couple more whistles to keep her off the first of the point, after that she knew to stay off the 2nd one. I was quite pleased!!!!
Here is a photo of a place I can train for $15 a day per dog. The red lines are the bounderies of the property. I don't think there is a water concept that you can't train on this property, unfortunately it went up for sale this summer.


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## boomers_dawn

How is it August already? We're not running anything, just training. And NO volunteer work until Sept. - Yay! 

Gladys - singles, doubles, triples, blinds, hope to be WCX-ready by Sept. I already volunteered to work so I truly hope she will be solid because I found out who one of the judges is, and it won't be an easy test. Not that it should be. But it will suck if I don't think she's ready and have to go work anyway. I've done enough work already.

If I get asked to be on our NAHRA test committee, I may try Senior in Sept.

Then Fun Trial in Oct. We're out of the baby stakes and have to run qual now .. that should be interesting.

I have to finish my landowner permission letters to find a swim-by pond. I hope I can get in gear and do this before hunting and ice fishing season LOL

Dee Dee - out/hold/heel, sit, stay, come when called, marks, swimming, wear the dummy collar, over and back with treats, whistle watch, go for walks. I usually only remember to do 1-2 items per day with her. We do a lot of playing and snuggling.

No group this w/e, dog skool teecher is busy judging.
Most likely no Tuesday group b/c of work :-(

Have a good weekend everyone!


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## goldlover68

*New Pup's First Test!*

We have a new Golden who has been in field 'boot camp'. We will pick her up later this month and are planning to run her in the AKC hunt test in Centerview, MO on 8/31 and 9/1. I hope to take her all the way to MH over the next couple of years, she has shown strong potential.

Additionally, our male Golden will run in that test also, he is one pass away from getting his first title. He is a good duck dog, very methodical with a good nose and good obedience. He just does not have great style, a bit of a pig....but we love the heck out of him. 

We have a third Golden that we had to retire do to health reasons, she has tons of style, and has only been limited by my training ability, time available, and funds to send her to a pro....

Looking forward to getting back into the game, as we retired this year and for the first time in years, we have the time to train, means, and desire to travel to hunt tests.....Happy Days.....!


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## gdgli

Good luck!


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## Claudia M

we went to the cabin again this weekend. I have not yet received the CD with the gun shot sounds so we improvised. While DH was practicing target shooting I tuned in to the DogTV channel and played the "relaxation" music with the background noises of elevators, trains etc. Initially I had the volume high on the TV and then reduced it slowly. By the second session, Darcy was on the couch sleeping and Rose was playing with the vacuum extension. By the third session TV was off, Darcy was on the floor snoozing and Rose was on my lap watching DH shoot thru the window. 
We practiced in the morning on how to manage handling both of them on a retrieve. I ties two ropes around my waist each hanging on each side, looped one over Rose's collar and One over Darcy's collar. Rose was on my left and Darcy on the right. I threw the bumper from the LR to the kitchen and sent each one for it. I combined so it will not create a pattern on which one was sent. I tried to take it outside. Did not work as calmly as inside. I sent Darcy. We did use the cap gun, Threw the bumper up in the air and shot the cap gun and she did not flinch. 
Can't wait till my daughter gets back - it will be much easier with three people. 

And more good news - this morning we found a pond where we can practice swimming. We stopped and talked to the forestry person there and got permission to come in the mornings. There is also a diving dock there. Bad news I forgot his name but I written down the date he was working there and the age and name of his dog. Does anyone know if they make full body heated swimming suits? I think I am going to need it soon.


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## gdgli

Today we worked on triples, steadiness, and honoring. We did have dead birds. Actually I have been doing steadiness drills all Summer. I told my training partner that I wanted to amp up Buffy and make her break so she got duck calls, lots of noise, a gunshot, thrown bird and she broke. As instructed my partner picked up the bird thus preventing the retrieve. This was enough as she didn't break for the rest of the day. Now if I could only get my regular training group to do the same thing for me.

The honoring was done at the pond. We used bumpers and had our dogs honoring each other's retrieves. I got perfection with bumpers. Next time I hope to progress to dead birds. The honor at the water is especially important to me because Buffy and I already have the reputation of putting on a show. As a puppy (they are puppies up until three, aren't they?) she was a maniac in the water and had learned that it was difficult for me to get to her. Well, maybe not difficult but fun for her to watch me chase her. I'm glad that we both have changed.

Hopefully we can do a WCX this year. Truth is I went home feeling pretty good.


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## Claudia M

how do you teach honoring? Any other methods other then the string looped over the collar, hold the loop in your hand and the other end tied to you? This works good but would not work with only one handler for both dogs in the field. Rose is pretty good at not breaking but Darcy is not that good. Also I have to watch Darcy as Rose comes back with the bumper because she is fast and will snatch that bumper right out of her mouth. hahaha I guess that would solve Rose's holding problem.


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## gdgli

Claudia M said:


> how do you teach honoring? Any other methods other then the string looped over the collar, hold the loop in your hand and the other end tied to you? This works good but would not work with only one handler for both dogs in the field. Rose is pretty good at not breaking but Darcy is not that good. Also I have to watch Darcy as Rose comes back with the bumper because she is fast and will snatch that bumper right out of her mouth. hahaha I guess that would solve Rose's holding problem.


I like the idea of honoring the working dog from a distance and decreasing the distance as the dog gets better at her behavior. This has the effect of increasing the level of distraction in small amounts. I also will do a drill where I throw bumpers but I pick most of them up. And at the shooting preserve during a continental style shoot I will pick up some of the birds that come our way.


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## sterregold

Lots of drill work with Bonnie this weekend working on her lining and casting. The wheat came off one of the farms where we train, so I met up with friends and their dogs Striker and Crash today and we did some land and water work--longer concept marks, with blinds interacting. The crew was baling the straw so we are hoping to be able to do some work around bales tomorrow afternoon!


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## hotel4dogs

I realize this one is harder to set up, but the most fun honor work we did was with all the dogs and handlers walking together down the field. A hidden bird boy tosses the bird about 20 yards in front of everyone, the dogs all sit, and one is sent for the retrieve. 
This seems typical in HRC, but not AKC.

edit to add...when I say "all", there were 4 dog/handler teams. Not 20!


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## MarieP

Well, Riot and I are finally back to rolling on our field training. We had to back way up a bit ago because Riot was losing his drive. Swim-by was put on the back burner for a while, but I think that we will finally be able to try it again, maybe next week. We have been working on sight blinds and blinds with distractions in the field. Today (in the pouring rain no less), I walked Riot out to the blind, put him up for one dog to run, and then we ran two singles and the blind. He one-whistled the blind. Good boy! We did three singles bird in mouth, which went really well. One of our training partners, who we hadn't seen in about a month, was very impressed with our progress. I'm so happy with how far we have come over the summer. Super proud of my boy.


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## sterregold

Established a BIG new pattern blind for Bonnie today, and then the gang showed up to do marks. We set up two pairs of marks both involving a long-past-short concept. Little Wings did her biggest mark she has ever done, as did a friend's young dog, Dory!! Good baby! Ran the second setup as a double with both Bonnie and Breeze and they both did a terrific job as well. It was a good evenings' training.

Supposed to be a rain day here tomorrow so may just get Butch and Bonnie trimmed for our regional specialty this weekend.


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## hotel4dogs

We had a good time out at Dan's today.
We did some mark-blind-mark-blind-mark-blind (ok, you get the point) drills on land first. Tito has been having a hard time with not going back to the mark when a fairly tight blind follows it, so we're working on that concept a bit. The blinds weren't really all that tight to the marks, and he still wanted to scallop back toward the mark.
Also, the marks were all on hilltops (various hills) and he over-ran all of them. I was pleased that he realized his mistake and hunted back in, finding each one, but it's another thing we have to work on, his depth perception when a mark lands just at/over the crest of a hill.
It was really hot out, so we took a break to cool him down. Then on to upland. He was, if I say so myself, awesome. He flushed a pigeon, Dan just nicked it with the shot, and it ended up going down over 200 yards away in a thicket of weeds and trees near a stream. And yep....he found the bird!!! (Tito, not Dan, LOL). Dan walked over there to keep an eye on Tito, as he was out of sight from where we were, and he came back and said the monster put up a fantastic hunt. He said the bird was hunkered down under a bunch of cover that formed almost a "basket" over the bird, and Tito found it, stuck his nose down through all that cover, and came back with the bird. Good dog.
Then we started to have him flush another pigeon, but Dan put a stop to it because he was quite concerned about how hot Tito was getting. A good day, a great trainer!


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## sterregold

Added another pattern blind for Bonnie in the big field and reviewed the one I established on Tuesday. Then set up a double and practised CKC WCX walkup marks.

But the win of the day was a swimming breakthrough for Wings. She has been so reluctant about bigger swims, and today she did a retrieve all the way across the pond!!!!


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## hollyk

I finally got to train with the Pro this week, it has been about 6 weeks. 
I have been stuggling a bit with water triples. Here is his plan for us. I'm to run triples with one easy mark, one medium mark, and one longer tougher but visible mark. I will run the set up with tough mark as the go bird, then run it again with tough mark as one of the memory birds. When I'm picking up memory birds I'm to talk to her when like when I'm lining up for a blind,"where's your mark, good, right there" giving her confidence and when I see the sure lock, send her. I'm should run a couple of triples a week. I usually only run multiples every 7-10 days. As she gets better we will up the difficulty of the marks. Andy said he doesn't think it will take her long to come up to snuff. It was nice to be able to train with him again. I always learn something and leave feeling like I have "the plan". 
The other good thing is that I'm starting to get really nice initial lines on water blinds, no matter what the area of entry looks like. Yeah!


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## hollyk

Another thing here. We are in the heart of water work season. All of the dogs in my training group are thinning out. They are being watch like hawks so they don't get too thin. We were talking about it the other day and food has been increased 40 to 100 percent depending on the dog. I remember this time last year I was putting Winter up after running water and looked at her and thought holy moly girl you are too thin. I have been keeping a closer eye on her this summer. I can't imagine how much food I would have to feed her if she was actively hunted. Duck season here is Sept.-Jan. between swimming and the colder temps she would really burn though the cals.


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## sterregold

hollyk said:


> Another thing here. We are in the heart of water work season. All of the dogs in my training group are thinning out. They are being watch like hawks so they don't get too thin. We were talking about it the other day and food has been increased 40 to 100 percent depending on the dog. I remember this time last year I was putting Winter up after running water and looked at her and thought holy moly girl you are too thin. I have been keeping a closer eye on her this summer. I can't imagine how much food I would have to feed her if she was actively hunted. Duck season here is Sept.-Jan. between swimming and the colder temps she would really burn though the cals.


In both heat and cold dogs require more calories for their bodies to function effectively (their optimal thermal zone is 20C/68F). One of the problems that you can face is the bulk of food the dogs need to get those calories--a really full gut with the attendant worries of bloat,etc. I put my working dogs on a highly concentrated performance food during these periods so they can get the nutrition without as much bulk. Higher fat is good as dogs metabolize fat for energy better than carbs. The performance guru Dr. Grandjean suggests a 30+/20+ food. I use the Royal Canin Energy 4800 with Bonnie (she is 58 lbs and I was feeding her as much maintenance food as her 78lb big brother to keep weight on her), and Breeze eats From Surf and Turf as she does better without corn. I also make a recovery supplement that I give to the dogs after they have been working hard. It is 1 cup brown rice cooked to the point of being mush, once cooked and just warm, I add 1/2 cup of coconut oil, 5 tbsp of raw honey, and 5 tsp of a liquid L-Carnitine with B vitamins and stick it in an ice cube tray. Pop the cube in a ziploc bag and take along training.


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## Alaska7133

The fall rains have begun, the fireweed has gone to seed, and the heat got turned on in the house yesterday. Fall is here. The clouds are low in the sky and I'm afraid that when they lift we'll see termination dust (snow) on the mountains and hills here in town. So the rush is on to do as much training and fishing as possible. We have our WC/WCX our GR club puts on every year on Aug 25. Lucy will do well on the WC. I'm thinking about Reilly although he's never done a double. So this weekend I'll get him out on some doubles and see how he does. Teaching him to turn and look will probably be the most difficult since he's pretty much blind in his left eye. But he's a smart guy, so he might do ok. We'll keep the right bird as the memory bird. The geese are V-ing up and the birds are swarming in preparation for flying the long distance south. We haven't started seeing the northern birds yet, but we should in the next week. The bears are frantic to get fat enough to hibernate. The moose are loosing the velvet on their antlers.


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## Claudia M

meet our new family member


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## hotel4dogs

Darcy is lovely!


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## gdgli

Beautiful dog.


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## Alaska7133

Flat coats can be in WC/WCX. You'll have to look into it. It says in the rules handlers can talk to their dogs during the honor, whereas goldens can't.

Been out with all 3 of my goldens training. We've upped it to 3 now. Hunter, who never was interested in retrieving in his life is now suddenly at the age of 7, has decided that chasing bumpers is the neatest thing in the world. So now he has no problem in water or land. We're stumped, why would a dog suddenly out of the blue decide this is great? We've tried him plenty of times over the years - birds, bumpers, sticks, and balls. He had no interest. Last Sunday he was in the car watching us throw for the other dogs in a pond. He went wild in the car. So we thought what the heck, let's give him a go. And he went and went and went. Never thought I'd ever see him get excited about anything in his life. So now while I'm at work, I take him out back and throw for him once a day. What a neat thing to finally see the light bulb go on!

I'm working on Lucy with walking FF and longer holds. She's a very good retriever and really loves being out in the fields.

We decided to not enter Reilly in our WC. He's pretty much blind now in his left eye. The corneal dystrophy has taken over the eye and now he really doesn't have any depth perception. So we have to be careful on doubles to make sure he sees where the darn bird lands. Poor guy. Still popping his jaws and vibrating as always when it's his turn. You can't train that kind of enthusiasm into a dog, they have to be born with it!


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## sterregold

Jealousy! If the other dogs are doing it, having fun, and getting your attention, then it must be worth doing!!


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## AmbikaGR

sterregold said:


> Jealousy! If the other dogs are doing it, having fun, and getting your attention, then it must be worth doing!!



That's why I married my wife!! 

Actually this week has been a washout for us.  Hoping to get back in the swing on Monday.


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## Claudia M

DD is finally home after 4 weeks away. Now we can try to work with the two Bozos more. We have been doing mostly basic single retrieves with both Rose and Darcy on land and water. The outdoor kennel has helped a lot. They each take turns in there


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## hotel4dogs

Holly, where are you????? Off celebrating????


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## sterregold

hotel4dogs said:


> Holly, where are you????? Off celebrating????


I think she must be!! C'mon Holly--share the news!


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## hotel4dogs

I decided that, with less than 2 weeks to go until the spaniel tests, I'd better teach Tito the "hunt dead".
This is a feature of the spaniel tests that we don't do in the retriever tests. The idea is that it simulates a hunting situation in which your buddy shoots a bird, and neither you nor your dog see it fall. So he tells you *about* where it is, and you send the dog off to locate it.
So for the tests, I am told that you will know the approximate depth of the fall but not where the bird is. For example, they might tell you, "it's between that big tree and that bush (which would be about 100 feet apart maybe), about 60 yards out". You send your beastie off to locate the bird.
I don't want to totally mess up the control on retriever test blinds, so I have been trying to figure out how to do this. Got some good advice (at the agility trials  ) over the weekend, and gave it a try this morning.
Of course, in the training situation I do know where the bird is, but I *pretend* that I don't. 
I planted the bird about 60 yards out. I sent him along a line way to the side of it, and whistle sat him when he got about the right depth.
Then I just sort of flung my arm out to the left (not a cast), and told him, "find the bird, find the bird". 
I figured that's the least likely to mess up his blinds. I didn't want to say "hunt 'em up", because he associates that with live birds in the field. 
He does know what "find the bird" means, because Dan and I used it A LOT when we were trying to fix the issues he was having with the memory birds. When he would pop, or look like he was thinking about coming in without a bird, we would tell him "find the bird, find the bird" and he knows it means to start hunting around where he is for a dead bird.
I was pleased that he did very well with it, especially for the first time out. I did it 4 times, so that I could have the bird on different sides of him, in front of him, and behind him. Well the in front of him didn't work, he found the bird on the way out. But still, he did fine.
So I'm a little more confident now about that aspect of the spaniel tests.
I know this is going to erode his control on blinds big time. But we will just have to fix it after the spaniel tests. I don't plan to run any retriever tests with him for at least 6 months anyway.


----------



## hollyk

*Hrch*

This past week-end Winter passed Finished both days making her a HRCH! I did not handle her on a mark all week-end, she took every whistle on blinds, solid on honor and knows not to fall for a deversion. She was a Rock Star!!!!
OK, maybe she crept a bit on the marks and she pick up _every series except one_ out of order, But Hey, we have to have something to work on over the next 7/8 months before we take a stab at Master.

I'm very proud of my Winter girl. 
Shameless Brag Alert! Did I tell you she went 4 for 4 in Finished?


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## Vhuynh2

Congrats Holly! Winter is amazing!


Sent from Petguide.com App


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## hotel4dogs

Holly, you deserve to brag!!! You two have done awesome!! Huge congratulations.


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## Hombrespop

Absolutely fabulous!


Sent from Petguide.com App


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## AmberSunrise

Woohoo  Congratulations on awesomeness !!

Love the picture


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## sterregold

Hooray Winter the Wonder Dog!!


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## hotel4dogs

AND I want to add....
Winter is completely owner trained and handled!!! Holly even does the gun thing!
I'm so impressed with you girls!


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## AmbikaGR

HUGE CONGRATS Holly!!!


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## Alaska7133

Congratulations! Have fun out there!


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## FTGoldens

hollyk said:


> This past week-end Winter passed Finished both days making her a HRCH! I did not handle her on a mark all week-end, she took every whistle on blinds, solid on honor and knows not to fall for a deversion. She was a Rock Star!!!!
> OK, maybe she crept a bit on the marks and she pick up _every series except one_ out of order, But Hey, we have to have something to work on over the next 7/8 months before we take a stab at Master.
> 
> I'm very proud of my Winter girl.
> Shameless Brag Alert! Did I tell you she went 4 for 4 in Finished?


Hot Dang! Way to go! Now that's what it's all about!!!
Congratulations Winter ... oh, and you too Holly!
FTGoldens


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## hotel4dogs

A perfect morning today. We went upland hunting, to get Tito ready for the upcoming spaniel tests. 65 degrees, light fog, sun just coming up. My dog, myself, Dan (trainer, and gunner), and the birds.
Dan hid the birds in the field. We told Tito "bird out there, hunt 'em up!". He quartered back and forth in an almost perfect fashion. He had no trouble locating the birds with that amazing golden nose, and when a bird took off Tito's butt hit the ground instantly (steady to wing and shot). Dan shot the bird, Tito sat and waited to be sent....then on my command went and got the bird for us and brought it back, returned to heel position, and set it gently in my hand when told to do so.
We flushed and shot 4 birds. 
A little bit of Heaven, watching a gorgeous dog doing what he was actually bred to do. He gets the scent of those birds from amazingly far away! And then watching him bounding through the tall weeds to retrieve the bird, just poetry in motion!
It truly doesn't get any better than that.


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## Claudia M

We were just talking about that today Barb. "Nothing better than a golden nose." Darcy does not have the same nose. Her hearing though, it is outstanding. Rose is pretty fast in retrieving but Darcy is even faster, she marks and can't wait to be sent. I have yet to throw bumpers in a little cover for Darcy; I am curious if she has the perseverance as Rose does in finding the bumper.


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## hotel4dogs

I talked to a guy the other day that trains and runs English Springer Spaniels, Goldens, and Labradors.
He told me that when he would lose a bumper out in the field, he'd take out some of the dogs and they'd go searching for it. 70% of the time, he said, the Spaniel would find it.
If the Spaniel didn't find it, 70% of the time the Golden would find it.
He said labradors come a sad third when it comes to noses. 
Goldens have great noses to make up for their lack of marking skills (compared to labradors). Or so I'm told.


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## Claudia M

That is very true about the goldens; I need to read up more on the flat coats, in a way Darcy is more like a lab but more sensitive to correction than a lab. DH said that if you could take the attributes of both Rose and Darcy and put them together you would have one awesome hunting dog. Maybe if they train together some will rub off.


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## FTGoldens

hotel4dogs said:


> Goldens have great noses to make up for their lack of marking skills (compared to labradors). Or so I'm told.


I would like to have a lengthy discussion with whomever told you that ... just sayin'.
FTGoldens


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## EvanG

FTGoldens said:


> I would like to have a lengthy discussion with whomever told you that ... just sayin'.
> FTGoldens


Might that conversation involve a couch?

EvanG


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## hotel4dogs

Actually it *might* have been in the latest issue of GR News? Or I could be way off on that...


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## FTGoldens

EvanG said:


> Might that conversation involve a couch?
> 
> EvanG


Yes indeed ... or maybe just a tall adult beverage ... or two!


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## FTGoldens

hotel4dogs said:


> Actually it *might* have been in the latest issue of GR News? Or I could be way off on that...


Now you've inspired me to scour the latest issue for that comment!


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## gdgli

Goldens mark as well as any other retriever. The use of the nose may interfere, the golden getting his nose to the ground quickly when in AOF. Misinterpreted as poor marking. I had this argument with a lab person. They always say the same thing.


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## hotel4dogs

geez I wish I could remember where I just saw that. It was a roundtable type discussion, two or three big field or golden people, don't remember which, but I even read it out loud to DH because I was surprised at the source. I just browsed GR News and couldn't find it. Can't imagine where it was?


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## hotel4dogs

THis wasn't it, but here's an article I've always enjoyed about the "big 3" retrieving breeds:

Retriever Breeds in Training


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## EvanG

The best all-age marking dog I ever stood beside was a Golden. I've stood beside several that became FC-AFC, and one that I made national #3 on the Derby list. But "Target" was a deadly pin point marker at any distance, any concept, any order; bar none.

EvanG


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## hotel4dogs

Ah ha, it was Gun Dog Magazine. The article was written by James Spencer, and included an interview with Lorie Jolly, Dana Oaks, and Chuck Wheeler, all well known, long time "golden people".

The "Ideal" Golden Retriever

"...
First, he must be extremely birdy. Otherwise, he’d be too smart to go into the places he must enter and do the things he must do to help the boss enjoy an occasional feast on birds he’s by-George shot himself!


Second, he needs a strong natural instinct to retrieve. Actually, this is more an instinct to carry objects to his lair, which training converts into retrieving. If you watch a litter of well-bred goldens at play, you’ll see that most of them just love to carry small objects around. Some older goldens are seldom without something in their mouths, whether an old shoe, a food bowl, or whatever. This trait is in their genes, Deo gratias! 


*Third, he needs reasonable marking ability, so he can locate the birds shot over him. Granted, few goldens equal the average Chesapeake or the better Labs in marking. *


Nevertheless, the ideal “rug” (as goldens are sometimes called by Lab and Chessy folks) won’t often need help finding a bird he has seen fall, although he may hunt a larger area.


*Fourth, he needs a good nose. Actually, most goldens excel Labs and Chessies in this trait, but they need to in order to overcome their somewhat lesser marking ability. *

Fifth, he needs trainability, and here the golden surpasses every other sporting breed. In the very demanding blind retrieve training, the ideal golden is an absolute joy.* His strong desire to please combined with his attentive mind and excellent memory give him an edge here that he lacks in marking*. An old saying claims that goldens love to be trained, Chesapeakes resent it, and Labs don’t care much one way or the other..."


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## FTGoldens

That's a very unfortunate expression of one person's opinion in a fairly widespread publication ... and from someone who carries a considerable amount of weight in the field dog community. However, the veracity of that statement is tested on many weekends, at field trials and hunt tests ... and is very often proven to be inaccurate. While it is true that Labs take home most of the ribbons, that result is based on sheer number of entries. A few years ago someone did a study of field trials, taking into consideration the number of Goldens entered v. the number of Labs entered, ... the statistics were close, but they favored Goldens. (Certainly if one Golden is entered in a field trial stake and that Golden takes home a ribbon, that one ribbon carries a lot of weight, but nonetheless the numbers are what they are.)
My contestation with the remark remains.

Evan, what's that saying that you have, something like "a good dog is a good dog, it doesn't know what color it is."

FTGoldens


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## hotel4dogs

I was pretty surprised when I saw it, which is why I read it aloud to DH!
While I would dispute the part that goldens aren't as good at marking, I wouldn't for a minute dispute that they have better noses  .


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## EvanG

FTGoldens said:


> Evan, what's that saying that you have, something like "a good dog is a good dog, it doesn't know what color it is."
> 
> FTGoldens


Yes, although I can't claim it as my own. D.L. Walters said that to me when I asked "what's the best retriever; Black Lab, a Yellow, a Golden...". And that's the answer he gave me. "A good dog is a good dog. He doesn't know what breed or color he is..." Especially with regard to marking, I'd stack a good Golden against any of them...my current one included.

EvanG


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## hollyk

A training partner, who has Goldens, now has a 16 month old YLF. She is out of a FC X MH and is amazing. At her young age, she is running Master set-ups. She's a pinpoint marker and fast as a bullet on both marks and blinds. BUT on the rare occasion she doesn't mark there is usually a big frantic hunt. We chalk it up to the fact that she needs more experience on how to hunt the area of fall (she's a baby) AND she forgets to turn on her nose AND it's not Golden.  We will be spending the fall and winter throwing singles for this one and I bet by spring she will be just fine.

I trained with the Pro yesterday. We ran 3 huge blinds, one long shore line lunging water blind, one though a ditch and then up a brush line, and one long land blind where they had to work a side hill all the way out. Winter and I had a little discussion about her initial line on the water blind but other than that she did a nice job. I don't know if it was the correction from the water blind line but she really held the line working the side hill.
I also now have a list of skills to work on for the next 8 months to get her ready to run Master and have been told No More Test Running Until Next Spring. I think a training partner let the cat out of the bag that I was thinking giving Canadian Master Tests a try next month.

Thanks for all the congratulations on her HRCH. I remember not that long ago I wondered if I could teach her to handle. It may take us a little longer but so far we haven't come up against any wall we couldn't get over. Winter always tries her best for me and I always tell her that her she's "The Best Dog Ever." Go WonderDog!


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## hotel4dogs

*He Got In To the Spaniel Tests!*

Just now got the email confirming that Tito got in to the spaniel tests on August 31 and September 1.
Now the deciding factor is the weather, which I am watching closely. If it's too gawdawful hot, I won't run him. 
Ready or not, here we come


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## Claudia M

I left my James Free Lamb book at the cabin but if I remember correctly he said something on the same lines as Spencer about the golden nose. 
Out of the four goldens we've had thru the years Rose is the best at marking. But her nose and tenacity at finding what she is sent after completely precedes her.


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## boomers_dawn

I haven't been training too much lately; trying to do at least something by decreasing complexity and simplifying tasks for myself.

Dee Dee has one week of field class left, working on hold/out, heeling, whistle commands - one thing at a time = slow - but butter than nothing.
Dog skool teecher helped me collar condition her a bit for come when called.

Gladys did some farther distance slot blinds. I was shocked how well we did; it sure wasn't master level work; dog skool teecher said she did half the work herself, but I felt like she was working with me. Twice I stopped her too slow where she ended up behind a tree; I moved over to an angle where I could see her, and twice she was sitting there waiting for some direction! She seems to love doing blinds, tail wagging, parading around ... it feels like we solve a puzzle together, I love it.

Plans for the week: go for walks/hikes, do some little yard stuff, supposed to work on lining up with Gladys and of course the usual puppy manners stuff with Dee Dee. I think we have group tomorrow, not sure what we're doing but I hope it isn't too complicated!


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## hotel4dogs

I have one eye constantly on the weather now. We're supposed to have a brutally hot and humid week, I sure hope it eases by next weekend or we will not be going to the spaniel tests.


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## Alaska7133

Barb,
You're funny, brutally hot! We're waiting for our first snowfall here. We had our first blizzard up north already, up above Fairbanks. The snow line is down to 5000'. But since we're down at sea level it might be a week or two before it gets to us. This weekend is the last of the hunt tests and field trials around the state. Sept. 1st is the start of duck season. The sand hill cranes from Fairbanks already are down here getting ready to head further south. Last in town will be the swans. When the swans get to Anchorage, you know that winter is here. 

As winter rapidly approaches, I'm trying to get Lucy in for as much difficult swimming as possible. I want her to be as ready as possible next spring when we thaw again. Since we had ice until early June on the lakes, I want to be prepared for another late spring if it happens. 

This weekend is our WC. Little Lucy I hope has been trained well enough. Not its up to me to remember not to touch her and only take the bird from her. Last training day is today. Been working hard on line manners.

Been working with old Hunter. He's so excited now that he's figured out how to retrieve. We take him out every day at work and throw for him. He just so enthusiastic for a moldy old golden. Normally he is one of those old goldens that doesn't get excited about anything except riding in the truck. But now he has a new aspect in life. It's been fun to watch him. So maybe we can run him in a hunt test next summer? I know someone in the club that started her lab at age 9, so i think it's possible.


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## gdgli

Claudia M said:


> I left my James Free Lamb book at the cabin but if I remember correctly he said something on the same lines as Spencer about the golden nose.
> Out of the four goldens we've had thru the years Rose is the best at marking. But her nose and tenacity at finding what she is sent after completely precedes her.


The owner of the shooting preserve relies on the goldens to get the birds out of the thick brush.


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## gdgli

We had a good week. We have made real progress on shore breaking and I see hat this probably should be a continuing project. I don't mind running the cheating singles.


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## EvanG

gdgli said:


> We had a good week. We have made real progress on shore breaking and I see hat this probably should be a continuing project. I don't mind running the cheating singles.


I love Cheating Singles. Fun to run, good for maintenance.

EvanG


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## Claudia M

we have a litle problem with Darcy, she always brings the bumper to the thrower instead of the handler. If you whistle enough and couple it with calling her she will eventually bring it back. So she is not trying to run away with it but wants to take it to the one who actually threw the bumper. At first I thought she just wanted to bring it back to me because she was handled by females before, but she did the same when DH threw the bumper. 
Would you use a long rope and work with her just like the recalls? Spencer talks about going across a fence and throw the bumper so she cannot see the thrower or even if she sees the thrower there is no way for her to go him/her. 
She has been watching Rose do it correctly but it does not seem to stick. 
More interesting, the "competition" - Darcy watching from the kennel has gotten Rose even more enthusiastic in both the go and the return.


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## gdgli

She just needs more practice, don't rush her.


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## Claudia M

Rose was of course younger when we started training her but she got the fact that she had to bring it back to the handler quite quick.


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## Claudia M

this evening I went behind the live fence and threw the bumper over the fence. She was a bit confused and her returns were a bit slower but I think she is getting the idea. Rose on the other hand runs like the wind. I am completely amazed with her enthusiasm. Unfortunately the videos were quite dark since we did not get to go outside until 7:30 pm. Still trying to load them on <Rose Bud Darcy> FB page.


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## sterregold

Your voice is more powerful than the whistle, especially for a dog with minimal training. The moment she is reaching for the bumper give her an enthusiastic "Darcy Here!" Once she is on her way to you, then add in a "tweet-tweet-tweet" so it is associated with the act of returning. You need to build these skills up for her gradually.


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## Claudia M

I wonder, is it hard for them to retrieve in the dark? I was amazed that all three times the bumpers were thrown in the cover and by the time Rose had her turn it has already gotten darker and she aced all three.


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## gdgli

We had a training session followed by a Super Singles Stake and Singles Stake. 

OK, Buffy broke on the flyer which put her out BUT I am taking advice from hotel4dogs and finding the positive things.
1) Buffy was perfectly honest on the water on her other two singles
2) She did a 200 yd. retrieve that required: land (25yds.), water, land, water, land, water, an exit on land and a run uphill of 30 yds. to the bird. All at full speed. 

My shorebreaking is working! I am especially happy because she had the chance to develop some bad habits which are now apparently under control.


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## Alaska7133

gddli,
What's a super singles stake and a singles stake? Was it a field trial? Sorry I'm clueless.

Yesterday was the last hunt test of the season. It was our GR club WC. The morning was 34 degrees with the afternoon cloudless and 61. It was a spectacular fall day, it couldn't have been better. Now if the cranes and ducks would have stayed away from the area we were running the dogs, that would have helped. I though the shotgun blasts would have scared them off, but no, they stayed in the pond while the dogs were running. 

In the WC we had a duck toller. Anyone see a duck toller toll? They have a thing they do for their WC. They chase a ball 4 times, then the bird. Then they chase a ball 4 times, then the bird. They only run singles, not doubles. The tolling is supposed to draw in the ducks. The dog didn't do the typical toller scream, which would have been interesting to see the combo. The other thing about tollers, they can't be finished champion (CH) without a WC. Great that they don't allow finished dogs to not have a WC. She was a super speedy girl and ran the birds like a mad thing. Completely different than a golden.

Little Lucy is 14 months now. She was the youngest dog. I ran her on land for the first bird, she was good. Nice line manners. Off to the second bird. She didn't spot it immediately, so she went back to hunt where the first bird had fallen for a short burst. Then she returned to where the second bird had fallen. She found it immediately and returned nicely. But because she took that short little detour for the re-hunt she DQ'd. The nice part about the WC, you still get to run the water even if you failed on land. So we got to run the water and Lucy did just fine. So all in all it was a great weekend with wonderful weather and Lucy has come along so well. Her re-call was perfect, she didn't check the bucket of birds at the gunner station before coming back. Her line manners could always improve. Now we're already planning out next year. So we'll be ready for a good start in 2014! She's a fun little girl that loves her birds and loves to run as fast as she possibly can. You think she was field bred out there!


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## EvanG

Claudia M said:


> I wonder, is it hard for them to retrieve in the dark? I was amazed that all three times the bumpers were thrown in the cover and by the time Rose had her turn it has already gotten darker and she aced all three.


Make no mistake, there are dogs that mark amazingly well in the dark. I won a qualifying at Topeka with a Derby dog that ran the water marks dead last. The judges were so desperate to finish that they made us run the marks in the dark - cuing the guns by radio. All we got to see was the muzzle flash of the 3 gun stations. I sent him toward where I recalled seeing the flash, and he brought me back 3 ducks in very little time. Special dog all his prematurely short life, but it can be done.









FC-AFC Blackwater Bart II

EvanG


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## gdgli

Alaska

The Super Singles and Single Stakes are club trials, not AKC Field Trials. It seems to me that they serve a few functions: 1) practice for judges 2) practice for handlers 3) additional training opportunities 4) a social atmosphere, we provide lunch for everyone 5) an opportunity for everyone to participate.

You might call this a "fun trial" or "picnic trial". We awarded ribbons yesterday for placements and picked up a membership.


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## gdgli

Tollers

I had seen a video on a toller tolling in ducks on Youtube but cannot find it now. It was interesting.


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## Alaska7133

Gdgli,
How many members does your club have? The only club field event we host is the WC. Usually I hear they only run it every other year. We do have some lab, toller, and chesies members of our GR club. Do you also have other breeds that are members of your club? Our WC unfortunately leaves out the lab and chesies members. So can non-goldens compete in your events? It really sounds like fun.


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## gdgli

Why are the labs and chessies left out? They can earn WC at a GR WC event. We canceled our WC/WCX this year because there are too many others in the NE.

We have around 100 members. The new membership is the lab owner who showed up at our event. 

My club is a breed club, most are interested in conformation and agility. At one time the field was very popular but it is dying. We accept anyone at our training sessions.

It is a shame because Long Island is where the first field trials were held. Home of Augie Belmont, Roger Vasselais, and others.

I believe that chessies have a working dog certificate.


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## Alaska7133

I think there are too many people on Long Island now? I was there once back in the 80's and it was overwhelming how many people were there then. Now I can't imagine. I bet it is very difficult to hold an event with shotgun blasts or starter pistol shots.

I don't know why the labs and chessies are left out of the WC. I thought they didn't have a WC. Hmm I'll have to ask since we have chessie and lab members in our golden club. We have about 50 members in our club. We try to cover all the bases. But the only events we have is our specialty, obedience, rally, and the WC. We are adding agility to our specialty next summer. I think field is picking up here. Seems like more people are getting interested. We had a goldendoodle at our training 2 weekends ago. She was very cute. I'll train with anybody as long as their dog has some manners and the owner has some fun.


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## gdgli

Today we will be training. Actually every day this week, 2x a day. We have our hunt tests Saturday and Sunday. 

We are now training senior level work but at the same time must address other stuff. Buffy likes to run long ,so we will be working some checkdown drills. Anyway, I hope to do OK this weekend!


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## Claudia M

I am sure you and Buffy will NOT do OK, you guys WILL DO GREAT!!!!!!!


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## hollyk

gdgli said:


> Today we will be training. Actually every day this week, 2x a day. We have our hunt tests Saturday and Sunday.
> 
> We are now training senior level work but at the same time must address other stuff. Buffy likes to run long ,so we will be working some checkdown drills. Anyway, I hope to do OK this weekend!


Dog to the line!
Best of luck this week-end.


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## hotel4dogs

Gdgli, GO GET 'EM! 
You've got a big cheering squad here on GRF rooting for you!
Other than passing, what do you hope to see this weekend from Buffy? That's what I'm keeping in mind with Tito for the weekend. Pass or fail, there are certain things I want to see out of him.


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## hollyk

hotel4dogs said:


> Gdgli, GO GET 'EM!
> You've got a big cheering squad here on GRF rooting for you!
> Other than passing, what do you hope to see this weekend from Buffy? That's what I'm keeping in mind with Tito for the weekend. Pass or fail, there are certain things I want to see out of him.


That's a really good way to look at it Barb. I do think tests have a way of highlighting exactly where you are in training.


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## gdgli

hotel4dogs said:


> Gdgli, GO GET 'EM!
> You've got a big cheering squad here on GRF rooting for you!
> Other than passing, what do you hope to see this weekend from Buffy? That's what I'm keeping in mind with Tito for the weekend. Pass or fail, there are certain things I want to see out of him.


I am hoping for:
1) Decent line manners---she is a high flyer.
2) Nice lines to the mark. She does well, I'm just trying to see if the shore breaking drills hold.
3) Not over running the bird. She nails long marks but can over run the short ones. That's why we will be doing checkdown drills.

She is really OK, it's these hunt tests.............


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## AmbikaGR

gdgli said:


> Why are the labs and chessies left out?



The reason some retriever breeds are excluded is their particular breed's WC/WD test is different from that of the GRCA.
Singles as opposed to doubles. Decoys are not allowed on some. Distances may vary. Delivery can vary - to a "line" vs. a number of "paces". Too much to expect the judges to know, remember and enforce. Flatcoats are basically the same as Goldens so normally they are permitted to run.
We recently started allowing Labs at ours but they must run under GRCA rules - double on land. Lab club also requires a shot bird (flyer) on land. GRCA does not, freshly killed is permitted. 

Is your head spinning yet?


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## FTGoldens

gdgli said:


> She is really OK, it's these hunt tests.............


EXCELLENT observation!
Good luck to you this weekend!
FTGoldens


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## hotel4dogs

And if she accomplishes 2 out of 3, then pass or fail, you've had a successful hunt test.

It's like obedience or agility. There are "good NQs", when your dog does a great job but some small thing happens and you don't pass. Then there are "bad NQs", when the dog (or handler) just totally acts like an idiot. You have to differentiate between the two.

If we run agility, and he has an AWESOME run but turns a corner too fast and ticks a bar with his paw, and the bar comes down (automatic NQ) I'm much more pleased than if he's all over the place, not focused, but manages to Q anyway.




gdgli said:


> I am hoping for:
> 1) Decent line manners---she is a high flyer.
> 2) Nice lines to the mark. She does well, I'm just trying to see if the shore breaking drills hold.
> 3) Not over running the bird. She nails long marks but can over run the short ones. That's why we will be doing checkdown drills.
> 
> She is really OK, it's these hunt tests.............


----------



## gdgli

hotel4dogs said:


> And if she accomplishes 2 out of 3, then pass or fail, you've had a successful hunt test.
> 
> It's like obedience or agility. There are "good NQs", when your dog does a great job but some small thing happens and you don't pass. Then there are "bad NQs", when the dog (or handler) just totally acts like an idiot. You have to differentiate between the two.
> 
> If we run agility, and he has an AWESOME run but turns a corner too fast and ticks a bar with his paw, and the bar comes down (automatic NQ) I'm much more pleased than if he's all over the place, not focused, but manages to Q anyway.


Thanks. That's a good way to look at it.


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## gdgli

FTGoldens said:


> EXCELLENT observation!
> Good luck to you this weekend!
> FTGoldens


Thank you. My dog is awesome when hunting, awesome when working a continental style shoot, awesome in training and then Dr. Jekyll becomes Mr. Hyde at a hunt test.


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## hollyk

We got to train 3 days this week. 
Here's a water blind from Tuesday.


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## AmbikaGR

Got to train with a GOOD friend this week. She has access to this spot that has polo fields. It is gorgeous!! There is also a couple of ponds, small but adequate to do so shorter marks after some drills in the heat.
We worked on the dogs holding their line on the side of the hill between the polo fields. Doing something similar to a ladder blind drill but the blinds were not in a line they were offset from one another. So the dogs needed to hold their line on the hill without rolling down or caving in and going to where the prior bumper was. With the grass being short they were able to see the bumpers but they were long enough (in ascending lengths) that they did not jump out and say "here I am!" Both my girls did a VERY respectable job on this drill. We then moved to the spot in the first photo and did some 5 handed casting. When we were done my partner was impressed with how much progress the two girls have made in handling over the summer. Made me feel good about what we have been working on. Then to top it off when we moved to the pond Brooke's entries were a thing of beauty!! Running, flying long leaps of faith on BOTH marks. She has a tendency to be very cautious or balks at new water so this was the perfect way to end the day. Just hoping it was not because she is in season and her brain is like a scrambled egg. 
In the middle picture you can see one of the polo fields. What you do not see is there is a drop off at the far end of that field and there is another full size polo field between that 1st field and the enrance that you can just make out between the two rows of trees. The hill's peak in the last picture is probably 80-90 feet high to give some perspective.


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## hotel4dogs

gorgeous grounds Hank! Sounds like a great day training.
Running the side of a hill seems to be a pretty hard concept.


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## AmbikaGR

hotel4dogs said:


> gorgeous grounds Hank! Sounds like a great day training.
> Running the side of a hill seems to be a pretty hard concept.


I was really pleasantly surprised how well the girls handled it. As soon as they started to either roll down the hill or take a line to a previous bumper just gave a whistle sit. Then gave the appropriate cast(s) to get back on line. Both worked with me nicely, even if not every cast response was perfect, there was effort and no refusals. My training partner runs basically MH tests and field trials and I am quite often intimidated when I train with her (all my doing as she is VERY helpful to me). But I think my girls held their own on Wednesday with her dogs on our drills. 
Was the kind of day I really needed to get me back into the full swing of things since losing Lucy.  Even took both girls out this AM to the field local to me and did some more 5 handed casting and bit T drills. I have not been there in almost a month.


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## K9-Design

WOW great looking fields, Hank! So will we see you next weekend?


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