# A major breakthrough



## Titan1 (Jan 19, 2010)

I love love love those AHAH moments. I wish everyone could have one of those to know just how special it is. Huge congrats to you both. You have been working so hard on that!


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

Go TEAM TITO! That gave me goosebumps to read! Great job!!!


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Whoo Hooo!!! Go Team Tito


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## Radarsdad (Apr 18, 2011)

Way to go Team Tito. Now start stretching him out.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

I wish you had a video camera running, that would have been beautiful to see. Well done both of you!


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

That is just so exciting!!! You must have been so proud! I love those moments!


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## wakemup (Feb 6, 2011)

Awesome! Wish I could have seen it!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

thanks guys! Now I hope he maintains it....it's the moment I've been WAITING for....when he realizes that I do, in fact, know where the bird is and the fastest way for him to get to it is to let me tell him where it is. It was pretty exciting!!
Radarsdad, I'm going to give him some more really easy ones before I start to stretch him out. Just for my own confidence...


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## Radarsdad (Apr 18, 2011)

hotel4dogs said:


> thanks guys! Now I hope he maintains it....it's the moment I've been WAITING for....when he realizes that I do, in fact, know where the bird is and the fastest way for him to get to it is to let me tell him where it is. It was pretty exciting!!
> Radarsdad, I'm going to give him some more really easy ones before I start to stretch him out. Just for my own confidence...


Nope, build on success if he did 50 then he can do 80...............
Start building on the team, She told me it was here if I follow direction I will get the bird she knows where it is. Start putting the building blocks in place.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Yeah Barb and Tito!!!!!!

arty:

:You_Rock_


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Makes sense, I'm just nervous because it seems like it has taken us so long for him to make the leap of faith. 



Radarsdad said:


> Nope, build on success if he did 50 then he can do 80...............
> Start building on the team, She told me it was here if I follow direction I will get the bird she knows where it is. Start putting the building blocks in place.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

just musing here...probably over thinking this but,
If he has started to understand cold blinds, does it become counter-productive to run pattern and/or sight blinds?
I'm trying to build his trust in me. I want him to understand that I know where the bird is, HE DOES NOT. 
It seems intuitive that once he has made that leap of faith, I no longer want to run him to blinds where he does, in fact, know where it is.
What say you guys??


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## Radarsdad (Apr 18, 2011)

Use wagon wheels (8 handed casting) to sharpen up cast. But run cold blinds to build trust. Only literal casts in training and they have to comply, forget about the blind and passing or not, get the cast you gave him. If they don't take the casts go back to drills. Understand you have to balance this with other casts.


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

hotel4dogs said:


> He sat and turned and looked at me and FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME said to me (with his expression and body language!) "Ok lady, where's the bird??? You know where it is, and I don't, tell me where to find it" I gave him a left angle back, he took it beautifully, right smack to the bird. He and I were both pretty darned excited!!


WooHoo!!! Way to go *TEAM *Tito.


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## Radarsdad (Apr 18, 2011)

Gunner ran his first cold blind today. Threw a bumper with him inside the house after sending him on a sight blind before hand (white bumper sitting in the middle of the yard). Walked outside with orange bumper in my hand clearly visible to him. Tossed it to the far corner of the yard (not visible to him). Took him outside lined him up for for it. Gave him the Back command. He ran out to the distance of the white bumper. Sit, Sit, command given and then a straight up right back to the bumper. He took it knowing that there was a bumper at the end of the command. He was rewarded with lot's of praise and scruffing.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

GO Gunner!!! He's an amazing pup, I can't wait to hear that he's running in the derby!


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

hotel4dogs said:


> just musing here...probably over thinking this but,
> If he has started to understand cold blinds, does it become counter-productive to run pattern and/or sight blinds?
> I'm trying to build his trust in me. I want him to understand that I know where the bird is, HE DOES NOT.
> It seems intuitive that once he has made that leap of faith, I no longer want to run him to blinds where he does, in fact, know where it is.
> What say you guys??


YES. This is what Dennis Voigt advocates--dogs gain confidence about running cold blinds by running cold blinds. He advises doing something he call a 3-peat--three blinds each involving the same concept in the same session. Longer blinds are actually better for this when you are making this transition because you can let them roll longer. You want to encourage momentum. Short blinds can be counterproductive to this because it teaches them that the blinds are always close and if you need to handle on a short blind you are going to have to handle closer to yourself. With a longer blind you can let them get going and you have more room to make those corrective casts without having a bunch of fast whistles. You can work on precision casting in your drill field for now (your pattern blinds become drill tools for split casting not real blinds) and work towards more precise casting in the field as the dog gains confidence and momentum. Frequent stopping when they are just learning to trust you on cold blinds can lead to popping, spinning, and other unpleasant side effects. Balance!


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## Radarsdad (Apr 18, 2011)

hotel4dogs said:


> just musing here...probably over thinking this but,
> If he has started to understand cold blinds, does it become counter-productive to run pattern and/or sight blinds?
> I'm trying to build his trust in me. I want him to understand that I know where the bird is, HE DOES NOT.
> It seems intuitive that once he has made that leap of faith, I no longer want to run him to blinds where he does, in fact, know where it is.
> What say you guys??



You have to revisit the pattern blinds when handling gets sloppy. You are focusing on taking the casts given and you need throw him some curves in there. Like sending for one then handle to another. I always run pattern blinds and 8 handed casting before a test or trials now. Tune up drills in water I run a lot of.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I cannot tell you how disappointed I am that Tito is going to be sidelined for a week, minimum, with this foot injury, right when we are on the brink of this major breakthrough. Lousy timing.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

hotel4dogs said:


> I cannot tell you how disappointed I am that Tito is going to be sidelined for a week, minimum, with this foot injury, right when we are on the brink of this major breakthrough. Lousy timing.


Perhaps not. When I first started training back in the 80's, we routinely gave a dog a week or 2 off - in addition to the dark timing after a session. The dogs came back stronger and with a seemingly miraculous understanding of concepts that had been causing us agita


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## Radarsdad (Apr 18, 2011)

hotel4dogs said:


> I cannot tell you how disappointed I am that Tito is going to be sidelined for a week, minimum, with this foot injury, right when we are on the brink of this major breakthrough. Lousy timing.


It happens I have been in those same shoes as have others. You use that time constructively in designing your technical pond.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

ha ha ha you crack me up! I'll suggest it to my husband...again...



Radarsdad said:


> It happens I have been in those same shoes as have others. You use that time constructively in designing your technical pond.


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

I agree, sometimes a little time off is a good thing! Sorry about your boy though, always a bummer!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Tito has never been sick (knock wood) and this is the first time he's had even a minor injury. He doesn't know what to make of this!


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