# MARKING DRILLS---Favorites



## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

My own training for my dogs consists of plenty of marks. After all, of primary importance in retrievers is marking. 

I like doing walking singles at the start of my session. I start at a medium distance, then walk a slant that increases the distance for each retrieve. This now becomes a multipurpose drill. It warms up the dog, the dog practices marking, and for Buffy we end up with a check down mark. 

What are your favorite drills?


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## FTGoldens (Dec 20, 2012)

Here are three:

Walk-away singles: The gunner throws the mark, then walks away ... forcing dog to keep it's focus on the spot the bird lands. Do this first in light (or no) cover.

Y marking drill: Gunner stands in one spot, first mark is thrown angled back ... dog retrieves it; second mark is thrown angled in ... dog retrieves it; third mark is thrown flat and a little longer ... dog retrievers it.

The Wednesday marking drill: Gunner is about 200 yards with orange and white bumpers; first a white bumper is thrown to the right ... dog retrieves it; gunner moves straight in 25 yards and throws a white bumper to the left ... dog retrieves it; gunner moves straight in 25 yards and throws an orange bumper to the right ... dog retrieves it; gunner moves in 25 yards and throws and orange bumper to the left ... dog retrieves it. [Helps on check-down marks.]

gdgli - that's a great drill, ESPECIALLY ending with a shorter, check-down mark.

FTGoldens


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Depending on team and time we try to start with marking drills or concepts like cheating singles.

ABCD mostly. Teaches dog to go past gunner, past previous marks

Walking singles. Gunner throws back to the right, walks to the fall throws flat to the left, walks tot he fall thrown in to the right. 

Y drills as described by FT. 

I like the Wednesday marking drill - have to add that to the to do list (which is quite long).


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

I have been using the walkaway singles since a friend introduced me to them this year. I really like what they are doing for the dogs.


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## krazybronco2 (May 21, 2015)

for young dogs an ABCD drill you get a lot out them them. for an older dog a confused ABCD drill. the confused ABCD drill is simple when the dog is sent for the mark the gunner/bird boy walks to the next station. but the confused ABCD drill needs to be set up so the gunner does not walk towards the mark that is thrown always away from the mark which sometimes can be difficult depending on what you are working on.

the next best thing is singles off of multiple guns not a marking drill but if you have a dog that has problems looking to the long gun this can help by setting up a short gun and only throwing the long bird. (pretty sure someone here suggested that to someone else i know)


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Claudia M said:


> Depending on team and time we try to start with marking drills or concepts like cheating singles.
> 
> ABCD mostly. Teaches dog to go past gunner, past previous marks
> 
> ...


I also like the ABCD drill and the Y drill.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Walking singles, walking singles, walking singles. Teach to pin-point mark. Big white bumpers. 
It's not only about stepping on the bird it's the mechanics at the line that are so important. Come out of holding blind, identify gunner, keep eye on gunner as you walk to the line, sit down, SIT - MARK, watch the gunner, track the bird in the air, focus on the bird on the ground, be steady, "Good" hand down, send. Over and over again.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

K9-Design said:


> Walking singles, walking singles, walking singles. Teach to pin-point mark. Big white bumpers.
> It's not only about stepping on the bird it's the mechanics at the line that are so important. Come out of holding blind, identify gunner, keep eye on gunner as you walk to the line, sit down, SIT - MARK, watch the gunner, track the bird in the air, focus on the bird on the ground, be steady, "Good" hand down, send. Over and over again.


I am a big fan of walking singles. More people should use them.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

FT, thanks for the walking single idea. I used it last night when training with a friend that was bothered by how much her dog was marking off the gunner and not really paying attention to where the bumper was. So last night, I walked away from the bumper. Mark only 70 yards, down a hill, long swim, then up a hill into the brush on the other side. Not super long. The dog took a tremendous amount of handling to get to the bumper. Next mark, about the similar set up and distance, I walked away again, this time the dog nailed it with no handling. The owner was very happy to have found a "fix" for her gunner marking dog.


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