# February 2015 Field Training



## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Had a wonderful day training today. Lots of new people and new dogs. A Tito pup as well!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Awesome, who's the pup? From which breeding?


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

I will let the owner offer details. Meanwhile I cropped the pic to show the awesome gorgeous pup. Barb - I got to tell you that that pup has an awesome temperament, the sweetest thing I have ever met, of course after Rose and Darcy.

ETA - would love to see that pup in the conformation ring!!!!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Thanks so much Claudia! That just makes my day, since temperament is so important to me!
edit to add...that has to be either the Tito x Abby litter or the Tito x Bette litter, just looking at the pup. Great looking dog, not that I'm biased 
edit again...I'd like to see that pup in the conformation ring, too, in about a year!


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Unfortunately while I had the owner as a guest at training, the paperwork got mixed up with two guests with the same first names and we ended up in separate groups. I understand the pup did an excellent job - especially for the first time out in the field.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

You're just making my day all over the place Claudia! Glad to hear it. I know both of those litters are very talented (both Moms have awesome field pedigrees), but nice to hear it from someone else.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Rose had to chase a duck and after a couple seconds brought it back quite alive. And here are a couple pics of Darcy. Sorry I can only upload two at a time because of size. I hired my daughter as the photographer for the group.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

great photos, looks like a fun day (she says in the middle of a major blizzard in this area!)


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

hotel4dogs said:


> great photos, looks like a fun day (she says in the middle of a major blizzard in this area!)


 It was freezing. With undershirt and two sweaters, long johns and pants and a coat I really wished I had some hand warmers in my pants because my b**t was freezing. I got warmer as the day progressed.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Claudia, sounds like fun!!

Been doing yard work drills during the week. It's still too dark after work to do retrieves. A couple more weeks and we can. Saturday retrieves were very nice, hung out with the show lab people. What sweet fat black dogs. Lots of drive and enthusiasm. I think of what they would be capable if they were 15 pounds lighter. Sunday met another forum member for retrieves, the ice fog rolled in off the ocean. We were training on the bluff next to the ocean. The ice fog was so thick that 50 yard retrieves were next to impossible. The dogs had to be helped several times. In the photo below there is a golden retriever running to a retrieve. It was about 50 yards away from me. I think if you zoom in, you can see the dog. Blue sky when you look straight up. More drills this week. Reinforce whistle sits, increase FTP distances, and single T.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Stacey, I AM a wussy. No way I would be out there in that weather. The boots in the pic above I wear all thru April or May. Super insulated. When it is really I cold I wear the Smart-wool heavy socks. If I do not expect to walk much - like helping a test in the working blind I add the heat packs.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Define cold...


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Alaska7133 said:


> Define cold...


30 and below it is COLD. 

At about 35 I have to have my longjohns and undershirts. 
Above 35 maybe just the pants and insulated boots. 

Told ya - I am a wussy when it comes to cold temps.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

HA!

So how about if I define warm?

Anything above 50F. 

Hot?

Anything over 70F.

So you can laugh at me as well!


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

LOL 72 to 74 is my luxury most comfortable temperature. 

My dogs disagree.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

The thing I hate is that any time I'm comfortable, my dog is HOT.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

Today, I ran Molly on a blind, no'ed her off a live pigeon, and ran the blind again. Yes, she had already been there, but I considered it a huge success! She really seemed to understand not to get that bird and that we were doing a blind instead.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Vivian,
Good for Molly!

We've been working on T lately. Lucy is getting super excited now and anticipating my direction. She's leaping ahead and not waiting for me. She's excited about force to pile and gosh, she has a smile on her face. I make sure to give her a few fun bumpers every once in awhile so she doesn't loose momentum. So every night after work I do a session at home in the yard. During the day I do a couple of quick overs and backs in the office getting her to pick up toys or something left on the floor. She's just super excited to communicate. I need to practice having her turn the correct side, not anticipating, and not breaking from my side. She's a bit confused sometimes between a whistle sit and a whistle recall. Sometimes she sits on a recall. We'll get there, just lots more practice sessions.

I unloaded our 616# shipment of launchers. Gunners Up was fabulous to work with. Shipped on time and zero damage. Excellent paperwork. They set up each buyer with their own warranty, so nobody has to come back through me. This weekend I'll be getting mine to out the fields and see how we do. Lucy's been getting lots of handling, and I don't want to loose her ability to mark well.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Had a short training day today. Each dog got a long double. Started an hour late. The Tito pup drove a long way to come and be with us, a little late. He did excellent, especially considering a few handler/field helpers miss-communication, that pup went and picked up everything he was sent to get. A huge congrats to the handler/owner. Wonderful attitude in the field.

ETA - I wish I had pictures, except my daughter sort of locked her car with the keys in the car. We thought we had the spare at home. HAHAHA sure, the spare was not at home. Only a remote control was at home. When we got there after training the remote would not work. We had to wait another hour for my step son to come and open the car. As she went to get dinner (too late to cook so we had to settle for SubWay) she finds the spare inside the darn car. WOW - does she owe the entire family..... I just think I got free help for the rest of the year with no complaints or back talk!


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

I was ecstatic with Molly today after an HRC training day. There were two blinds, one easier one with a white bucket at the end and one tougher one with a black stake, three changes of cover, and water (fields were a little flooded). I chose the tougher one because I did not want Molly to key in on a white target at this stage of the game. I was worried about her being able to hold a line through three changes of cover (short grass to tall dry grass to dry corn stalk things, back to short grass) and not to mention the water along the way. I sent her and she faded right and I stopped her just before halfway. I gave her an angle back and she took it exactly as it was and carried it beautifully through the cover changes. I was stunned. I know most people don't really praise their dog overly enthusiastically in field training, but I was cheering like nobody's business. ONE whistle! I was told that was the best so far. I was also doubly proud because she had to take a cast against the wind, and it was blowing pretty hard. Lucky day, maybe.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Alaska7133 said:


> Define cold...


Anything below 65! LOL

I was in Houston for obedience training so stopped by the training area of the park there. I tried to film some of Phoenix's marks that I threw into some cover. My goal for him right now is WC this spring. I think he's about ready, I'd just like to get him on some real birds some more before the test. He's never been behind a blind either...


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Loisiana

Your boy looks awfully good. Thanks for the video!


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

One more short day. Started with one single and one double and then did two long tight singles running against the wind. It was nice and warm outside but very muddy. 
I cannot keep Rose's ears dry. It is not as bad as when we went to the ER but it is still irritated.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Question about entry express: do they not differentiate in their results between dogs who fail versus a dog that just doesn't show up?


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Jodie - it is up to the test secretary or whoever inputs the results. Scratches (absents) are marked as scratch. They can either mark those who do not pass as "fail" or as nothing. If you see a test where there is no result, then it means they failed but the secretary just left it blank.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I was looking at results for a test Flip was entered in last year that I didn't end up going to. It doesn't have anything listed for him


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Jodie,
I think that's why it doesn't say anything. You paid so you show up on the list. That's all. Did you know that you can look up all the dogs on entryexpress and see their records? Also handlers and owners. It's interesting to see how a dog does over time. You can look up a handler that is a pro and see who they've handled and how they've done. NAHRA is going to use a different website www.huntsecretary.com. Works like entryexpress.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Jodie, if you were absent then how it is listed is a mistake. It clearly shows the scratches as "scratch" and all the others with nothing listed as failed. Now, does it matter? Not one bit. AKC doesn't care at all if you were absent or you failed. If it bothers you, I think you're stuck because it's probably way past the statute of limitations on getting the secretary to fix it on EE. I've seen that happen before though and it's just a mistake by the secretary.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Alaska7133 said:


> Did you know that you can look up all the dogs on entryexpress and see their records?


yeah, that's why it kind of sucks making it look like I didn't pass a test I didn't go to. But it doesn't really matter, it's not like I'm anyone in the retriever world that anyone would feel the need to look up, and Flip is neutered so it's not like anyone cares what his record is.


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## MillionsofPeaches (Oct 30, 2012)

Vivian that is so great about Molly!! How fantastic!! you guys have worked so hard.
Jodie, wow, love your boy, there is NO doubt he will get his WC this spring or even now! Good job!


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## tpd5 (Nov 7, 2013)

Jodie, if it bothers you I would contact the secretary and give it a shot. My friend's dog was scratched from a test but they put down that he failed. About a year later he had it changed from fail to scratch.


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## goodog (May 6, 2013)

*Enjoying the view--bad idea*

Busting myself as the handler who made a few errors with claudiam on Sat. We did 3 beautiful back to back singles last wkend with our club. 
We had fun on Sat too with Claudiam and her friends. He didn't do as well because I messed up. Our first double. We'd done them without birds a zillion times. 

_What was I thinking--watching him run to his first mark-I didn't turn_. He came back -sat beautifully. Looking puzzled. Im sure he was thinking-*MOM-turn toward the next mark.* That is a mistake I wont replicate.

Met a beautiful 16 wk old lab pup-flurry at the end of our day. She will be great in the field if she gets over stopping with her bird about 10 feet from her handler to play! Puppies


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

goodog said:


> Busting myself as the handler who made a few errors with claudiam on Sat. We did 3 beautiful back to back singles last wkend with our club.
> We had fun on Sat too with Claudiam and her friends. He didn't do as well because I messed up. Our first double. We'd done them without birds a zillion times.
> 
> _What was I thinking--watching him run to his first mark-I didn't turn_. He came back -sat beautifully. Looking puzzled. Im sure he was thinking-*MOM-turn toward the next mark.* That is a mistake I wont replicate.
> ...


Even with the confusion he did excellent! His attitude and willingness to work were evident. He happily and enthusiastically went where he was sent. LOVE THAT BOY!

Flurry will be an amazing pup. I am not a lab person but that girl is just so cute. At 14 weeks to do up to 70 yrds retrieves it is indeed amazing. 

Next weekend it is puppy pickup time but we will certainly be back at training the weekend after. If everything goes good Belle will be there as well for some socialization and just to introduce her to the field life and noises from a distance. Hope to see you soon. 

On a sad note, Darcy's mom, Dancer passed away yesterday at 11 and a half. It just broke my heart.


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

I haven't posted much but we are training.
While many of you are buried in snow we are dealing with mud. It has been very wet here and all of the grounds are soggy. If you're not careful it is easy to get stuck. The last 10 days we have been training in places that we can keep the wheels on the road. 
The HT season will start soon so I'm trying to train very thoughtfully. I'm always coached to stick to training the basics and not to worry about training for a crazy setup, so we are still throwing a lot of singles. When we do multiples they usually have a theme, in line, wide open, hip pocket, a punch mark, something that has some value. One of the thing the Pro planted in my brain before he left that I should be training her not testing her. Also that he better see no head swing when he gets back, Andy speak for you better be running mostly singles. Another point was that if I'm not certain she is going to knock a set up out of the park I should be breaking it down, maybe run the key bird as a single or all of them as singles then put it together, "Just because you have a couple of MH passes do not stop teaching."
I'm working my drills too. Memory blinds and lining drill to keep the conversation flowing between us. My mark/blind drill keeping fresh running behind the gun, under the arc and keyhole. I also use this to work on primary selection.
With HT season approaching I'm starting to feel the excitement and dread of going to the line. Can we get 3 more passes? I sure hope so.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Holly, I know you will get the 3 passes....and more!!! I hope hunt tests are easier to get into in your area than in this area, where they fill in 5 minutes. I may never run another one (AKC).
We actually headed to Dan's today. It was a balmy 30 degrees, but the 30 mph North wind and light mist made it feel a whole lot colder. I was freezing. Tito was just a little warm, lol.
We're going to be entering some HRC upland tests soon, mostly because I need to get out of here for a couple of days or end up in a rubber room. (I've worked 54 consecutive 12 hour days). So we worked on steadiness today, walk-ups, honoring on a walk-up, and introduced him to the idea of the boxes that they apparently use in the field. This was new to him, and to me. Our birds have always been "free range", ha ha. 
Anyway, he had no qualms at all about running up to the box and snatching the bird right out of it. Which no, isn't what's supposed to happen, but obviously he wasn't in the least bit put off by the box. So that was good. 
Before he flushed the first bird (no, not one in the box!) I warned Dan that he was going to break on the flush, as he's been showing a bit of attitude lately. Yep, he sure did. SIT-NICK-SIT-NICK-SIT-NICK for about 20 seconds. Then another bird flush right away, with the downed bird still out. This time he sat perfectly, and every other time after that. 
In all, we had a great day. First time in 9 or 10 weeks, I think, that we've trained. Despite and snow and mud, it was wonderful to get out.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

I have been going back out to group training and as a result I have gotten too lazy to go out myself. It's just not fun having to lug around those heavy wingers all by yourself. Plus, the weather has been really crappy and I am hesitant to go out to the grounds by myself in case I get stuck again. Molly seems to be OK with group training so far, but I want to make sure to go out alone too, so she doesn't fall into a rut again.

I have been working on gun handling because I think I want to try HRC Seasoned with Molly. She is not UKC registered and won't be, so the pass won't count, but it might be fun to run anyway. 

I had just realized that I haven't had to worry about momentum on blinds or pushing her too hard in awhile. We have come a long way. I didn't think I'd ever get to this (mental) point with Molly, who is so sensitive and has no confidence. I do think she is mentally so much stronger than she used to be.

Today we did a water blind, a lining drill, and practiced a diversion bird. I didn't have anyone to hand throw a diversion for me, so I set up a winger for that purpose and when I launched it, the dokken nearly landed on Molly, about a foot away from her head. I could see her looking up and moving away. I'm really bad at setting up marks. Since the diversion fell right in line with the mark, I ran Rose on inline singles, short bird first. She did great; I didn't see her check down early or anything. With the lining drill (with Molly), I have been using the term "way out" for the middle and farthest stake. I don't know if I should (my trainer said to use it for really long marks and blinds), but it seems to help on this lining drill. I saw Molly slow down and look left and right as she passed those other stakes and her body language told me she almost decided to go to one of them but it's as if she remembered: "mom said way out, so just keep going" and she continued straight.


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

hotel4dogs said:


> Holly, I know you will get the 3 passes....and more!!! I hope hunt tests are easier to get into in your area than in this area, where they fill in 5 minutes. I may never run another one (AKC).


I have not experienced tests that fill in minutes. Last year with the NMH in California the tests before the NMH deadline they were filling in 24-48 hours.
I don't know, do I have better access to tests then most areas of the country? Last year I had 16 tests with in a 4 hour drive. How does this stack up with everyone else?


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

I do live in a "geographical oddity -- 3 days from everywhere" but I have only 5 test-giving clubs within 4 hours. I suppose most of them do have two hunt tests a year so that's not too bad. Still our master tests are filling up in 5-10 minutes of opening. You have to know someone to get the heads up it's opening.

Holly sounds like your training is going GREAT and you're doing all the right things! Good habits breed success!!! 

Our club's test is this weekend so we've been cramming.


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

I did notice tonight on EE that a test I'm looking at has a opening date and time on the listing. It is one of the smaller tests with only one MH flight/60 entries. Most of the MH tests here are 2 flights/120. We don't have 3 flight/180 tests in the area.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Wow Holly so many dogs in a MH test! That is amazing. 

We have 3 AKC retriever clubs here in Alaska. Each have 2 tests a summer, so 6 total (3 double headers). We do have 2 MH tests in a weekend. Usually 6 to 8 dogs in a test. Needless to say we don't limit entries up here. We have one owner handler qualifying field trial combined with a hunt test double header once every summer in Fairbanks. Which is a 7 hour drive for me.

We have 6 field trials in 3 different locations.

If anyone is ever considering a trip up here for hunt tests and/or field trials, we have 3 locations for AKC tests/trials. Fairbanks, Point MacKenzie, and Turnagain Pass. The latter 2 are within 1 hr 15 min drive from Anchorage. All 3 are beautiful locations. 

We will have 4 NAHRA double headers this summer too. All 4 are within 1 hr 15 min of Anchorage. They are all in Palmer and Point MacKenzie. Our NAHRA club uses www.huntsecretary.com 

We will have 2 spaniel double headers also. 1 in Fairbanks, 1 at Point MacKenzie. The spaniel club here is Arctic Bird Dog Club and their signup is online on their website: www.arcticbirddog.org

If anyone is interested in coming up for tests or trials, PM me and I'll be happy to answer any questions. We have small amounts of dogs running tests/trials, so you get done early in the day. And they are all near excellent fishing/camping locations. So think a hunt test in the morning and early afternoon, then off to fish the Kenai River in the light of the midnight sun!


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I don't know how quickly it filled, but I know when I went to enter junior for the upcoming test the day after it opened, both master flights were full. I guess it's a good thing I don't plan to do master with my dogs. Junior entries for the weekend were 44/45.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Then senior is usually lower than junior. 

If you are looking for something in between. Look at NAHRA. They have a Hunter test that is a double on water, double on land, trailing a dead duck scent. Dog walks to the line on lead, but has to be stead at the line. No honor. Kind of a nice test before you go to AKC senior.


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## MillionsofPeaches (Oct 30, 2012)

So this week I've been doing drills for long distance blinds (125 to 150) yards. Today I did some actual blinds that were 150 to see how effective drill was. She did super! I was pleased. I \ just need to extend my lengths out. I baby her too much, I think. Anyway, she did good, There were a few times she couldn't see me right away, remember she has JC, but for the most part as long as I was very slow and left my signals she would see and react.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Stacy that sounds like it would be an amazing adventure. I've always wanted to go to Alaska! One hell of a drive though......


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Shelby -- Slater has JCs too and like you I have to be careful on blinds. It is obvious when he can't see me -- he sits on the whistle and just sits and sits and waits to see the cast. Today we set up a blind and by the time I ran Slater the sun was directly behind me. He physically could not see me. I finally got him sat under a tree so he was in the shade and then he could see me. Poor guys -- but they try!! Slater doesn't have trouble seeing distance for blinds as long as the sun isn't in his eyes.


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## MillionsofPeaches (Oct 30, 2012)

Yeah, Annie, I look to you for advice on this because you've helped me in the past with the marks based on Slater's JC. I try really hard to put the sun to the side of me but I really notice that after 110 yards it gets harder and after 125 it is really hard. She does just sit there and sometimes she'll turn to take the cast but then stop and look back at me just to make sure. I have to hold my casts for a long time for that reason. And move really slow too.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Well luckily in hunt tests you won't find blinds over 150 yards, but it's good to practice long ones for the momentum and casting skills they build. What I did today was send Slater and immediately start walking after him. He took a really great initial line so I stopped walking but once I had to stop and cast he did have trouble seeing me. But by walking after them you can get in a LONG blind but you are never that far away from them. Design your blinds so you are running INTO the sun, so when the dog stops and looks back for a cast, the sun is at their back and on you. Wear contrasting colors (White for training) and be sure to step out from under shadows. I have been in tests where just by bad luck I had to run blinds with the sun at my back  One test was like this and when I stopped Slater, I waved my hands down by my waist and he was able to see the motion and focus on me, and I got the casts I needed because he was trying really hard to see me. If I had just cast I know he would have missed the initial motion. When he was on the way back from the blind I told the judges he has cataracts and looking into the sun is blinding. They said hey man do what you have to do, good job.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Went field training after obedience training today. Phoenix has come so far in the last few weeks, really marking well and keeping a nice tight hunt when he doesn't step on it. Trainer thinks I should go ahead and enter him in the golden club's weekend in April, junior one day and WC the next. I'm definitely planning on the WC, probably junior too but there's a few more concepts I want to get in and make sure he understands so I'll be getting to training as much as I can in the next month before I make the decision if I should enter him in junior also.

I worked Flip too, but I lost patience with him (something that rarely happens, I usually have all the patience in the world when training) and put him up. Which isn't good since he is entered in a test next weekend. But I am going training again wednesday so hopefully we have a better day. He needs two more JH passes and then he is done with field, I have no interest in trying to do higher level work with him. BAD TO THE BONE!


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Winter training in Alaksa is always interesting. Which color bumpers? Which color jacket? It's always a challenge. Plus i think when it's cold it's hard to smell for the dogs. So I scent with oil of anise my bumpers. It helps. Been working hard on pile work. Overs and backs. Kind of tired of it. I wanted to do some retrieves today with the new launchers. But the darn car is broke down and DH is off on a snow bike race. So I'm trapped at the house. Got one of the launchers out and fired it off. it goes a bit far for my yard. It was great to use the duck sound. Drove the dogs crazy. They were all like where's the duck. Tomorrow we will get them out with the launchers. Wow they work great. What fun it will be for the dogs. I think they are tired of drills all the time. 

Decided to volunteer for the retriever club board. They complained not enough people to judge. So I asked about our judge class last year and if there is a list. So I suggested just assign people to apprentice judge every hunt test this summer, just work our way down the list. We all get one to do this summer. Then we'll have more judges. Just make it a requirement. People will step up, you just have to push a little. It's pretty common for someone to run a dog in senior but also judge junior. It's not like we have 120 dogs in a test. 

The days are longer, it's so nice to get off work and see the sun. Now if we could just get some more snow, we would all be a lot happier up here.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

So today was "duck day" at training! Yeah, I'm wanting to enter tests in six weeks and my dog's only experience with a real bird before today was me tossing one in the backyard a few times for him :uhoh: So I threw a frozen duck in my car and let it ride with us the three hours to training.

Started off with a land mark, he did fine with that. Brought it over to water. He's never had a duck in water so we just tossed it in a few yards to make sure he would get it from the water. He did it no problems (I was very happy to have him deliver to hand with no problems his first wet duck). 

So we did a real water mark. And he swam right by it. Like, he almost touched it but kept going. He turned around and swam back towards it. And went right by it again. We finally realized he must be confused and looking for a bumper, so I yelled fetch the next time he got right next to it and he snatched it up and brought it back, again another great job delivering to hand. 

Did another mark where he had to go over an island and back in the water. When he got back in the water right where the bird was he started swimming in circles, and the gunner let me know that when he got in the water he made the bird sink (it was a *very* old bird). So it took him a few circles to figure out how to get it, but he did and brought it back.

So overall I thought he did good for his first time. Hopefully I can get him out with real birds in the water a couple more times before I decide if I'm going to enter junior.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Honestly Stacey I do not know how you do it. 

The weather has been gruesome here. Snow, ice, high winds and wind chills. I do not mind snow, but when you have little snow and black ice on the roads and then the 20MPH winds with gust up to 35 MPH count me out - actually in - as inside. 

With the way the weather has been I doubt I will make it to training any time soon. The dogs are overly excited with the puppy and the cabin fever this past week.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

We had amazing weather for our hunt test this weekend. Low 30s in the mornings low 60s in the afternoon, bright and sunny. Slater passed Master and did a really great job. No handles on marks, no sweat on blinds. We had a long entry pothole blind, and long under the arc shoreline blind on water. Fun stuff!


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Studded tires are a wonderful thing. More people should buy them. They are legal in most states. Studies up here prove they save lives and make traffic move more smoothly. I couldn't live without them.

On another note, we warmed up this week and almost all our snow is gone and has been replaced with a horrible thick ice. We won't be training on that nasty ice. New snow should cover it soon.

Jodie, you're doing awsome!


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

It looks like the work we have put in to get Winter to look pass short throwing stations and find the long stations is starting to pay off. Today she found all three long stations and one was fairly tight to a short station. I was able to talk her off of it and get her to look long. Yippee! I don't know if it will still be there in the excitement of a test but it's a start.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Flip got his third junior pass today. Even knowing we only need one more pass, after spending the day in the rain and mud I was so thankful we didn't enter tomorrow! I am taking the extremely long path to getting a JH, I've only been doing one test a year. But I do plan on entering the golden club's test in April, so maybe we'll finally get this title finished up!


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

Good Boy Flip!!!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Way to go Jodie and Flip!


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Happy Flip got his birds!


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

I heard we are officially moving the Iditarod to Boston. Blah we have too warm weather happening. Snow is getting thin in the yard, the roads are super icy. Yesterday training it was 35 and freezing rain with some winds. Right now I'm trying to figure out that balance of yard work to retrieves. Darn Lucy she's one or the other each day. I'm going to bring her back to FTP tonight after a not so good attention span on wagonwheel this afternoon. Yesterday's retrieves were excellent, she can sure mark. We have been enjoying those launchers. The other day in the park i had an audience watching me set up and run Lucy with the launchers. The good news she was perfect with the audience. The bad news that field has now turned to ice. Only 2-1/2 more months of winter left I hope. Got out to the shotgun range today. It was nice to practice. I've found my pump hangs up on anything except Winchester brand shells. Anyone else have that problem? I buy my shells at the range because they are cheap and sometimes they have weird off brands. Cheaper is not better with my gun it seems. I'm thinking about getting an over and under or a side by side. Any suggestions? Spaniel tests require shooters to have breaking type actions. I'd like to shoot for spaniel tests too.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

I have to say that looking at all these puppy photos lately is really causing me to have puppy fever. Not just any puppy fever -- performance puppy fever. :crossfing

I went to my trainer last week and the water blind he set up for us made it really clear that I need to stretch Molly out. We had been doing short but more technical water blinds and those have been going well. But, Molly popped several times on a 100 yard but very simple across the pond water blind. It doesn't seem like she has the confidence to keep going without the sight of land in the near distance. She has also started turning the wrong way (although still taking the right cast) so we are going to revisit baseball.

On Sunday, Molly got her first CD leg with a score of 196.5 in Novice A. I just loved her attitude and effort in the ring. I had issues with her deflating and lagging in the ring for a really long time and I am amazed that she has gotten to where she is now.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Way to go Molly! What a lovely score!!

It certainly is a balancing act on blinds. If you get too technical or persnickety they start expecting the whistle, so if they go too far without hearing one they will pop, like, shouldn't you be telling me what to do by now??

If you can always try to throw in ONE "go get um" type blinds in each time you train technical water. Square entry, open water, long swim. So even if they are not on the right line you can let them swim and swim without getting into trouble. I also am a fan of repeating technical/concept blinds so the dog will line it. This builds great confidence and cements that concept picture in their mind so they understand it when they look out and see it from the line.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

We are on week three (? - I lost count) of no training. Cold, snow, puppy, back surgery... Two feet of snow over the weekend. 40 degrees yesterday but the girls were deep with their feet in the snow. And it was heavy wet snow. Puppy was managing to follow the big girls' footsteps. Then it froze overnight. This morning it was the worst. Too much on their legs. Again only 10 min potty/sniff breaks. And so far it is not looking like we are getting rid of it any time soon. 

My dogs are going crazy with cabin fever. Every time a door opens they start barking thinking they are going outside.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Way to go Molly!


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## MillionsofPeaches (Oct 30, 2012)

I'm so glad that you got into that ring with Molly again! I knew you all would excel, shoot, in anything you guys do together! 
I hadn't worked Katniss in a while and I'm still lacking since I've been so busy but she also was doing some stuff that made me revisit baseball! It is funny, I think okay we need to do these certain drills frequently but I forget, then they do something to remind me, lol


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Tito's been retired from obedience for a few years now. I took him to drop in training today, to see where he's at since I do plan to take him to National this year.
He did awesome, it's amazing how much they remember.
Especially the signal exercise. He did the whole thing perfectly. Unfortunately, without any signals from ME! Just ran thru the whole thing on his own.
Um...yes....that's an NQ!


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

Tito doesn't need a handler. He's got this whole game down. 

On Monday, I did go out and do a long open water water blind. It was pretty much a gimme.. The sun was positioned just right and she could see the bumpers' reflection in the water especially as she got further out. I was too lazy to dig out the orange bumpers. Next time I won't be. I hope it was still a useful exercise even though it was pretty much a sight blind. 

My trainer said to revisit baseball because of molly turning the wrong way and her overs being weak. So we did and omg were her overs were terrible. I have definitely neglected handling drills these past few weeks. I tell myself that ideally we won't need overs anyway, but I know that is absolutely untrue. 

Yesterday, I had to handle Molly to a mark that was technically challenging for her as she had never seen something like that before. Thanks to baseball just the day before, she did the perfect over to the mark. We ran it again and she did the mark just fine. We also ran a long easy blind (no suction), 170 yards. She took such a perfect line and I was so amazed that she was holding it for so long. Then she popped, in disbelief that I hadn't stopped her yet. I gave her a straight back and she continued on to the blind. I will probably do this as a memory blind from now on.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

We took advantage of a nice day today (28 degrees and sunny, not much wind) and headed down to Dan's to brush up on upland. 
The highlight of the afternoon was when Tito flushed a chukkar, sat immediately, marked well, and waited to be sent.
When he was sent he headed out straight for the bird, but suddenly veered off course a little bit and flushed ANOTHER live bird. HE SAT when it flushed!!! Yay Tito! Even while heading for a mark he was steady to wing and shot on the second bird!
They shot the second bird, and gave Tito the go ahead to go get the first bird. He continued on to what was now sort of a memory bird, picked it up, came in with it, and then when sent headed out and easily remembered where the second bird had gone down. 
I was thrilled!! Yes, Tito, THIS is what a *real* double retrieve is!
Good boy!


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Vhuynh2 said:


> We also ran a long easy blind (no suction), 170 yards. She took such a perfect line and I was so amazed that she was holding it for so long. Then she popped, in disbelief that I hadn't stopped her yet. I gave her a straight back and she continued on to the blind. I will probably do this as a memory blind from now on.


Just remember that dogs get good at running cold blinds by running a lot of cold blinds. If you do a longer blind like this as a memory/pattern blind, all the skills needed to run a long cold blind go away.

Now if the dog were a habitual popper I would set up some long pattern blinds because I could correct (back nick back) for a pop with confidence because the dog knows where he's going. But once he was lining the pattern blinds without popping I would right away get back to long cold blinds and correct for popping on those. 

I'm not in the habit of setting up pattern blinds for dogs already running cold blinds. In fact, I never have. If I am trying to correct a problem I will take it to the drill field and set up a long back pile, or perhaps correct an issue with bird boy blinds, before trying to correct it on a cold blind. But we run LOTS of cold blinds. Lots. It's how they get good at them. If I set up a difficult concept/technical blind that the dog doesn't understand the first time I run it, I will repeat it that same session, but that's it, if I run the same blind it will either be from the other direction or in a different location but with the same concept. Regularly relying on pattern blinds with an advanced dog is a false sense of security.

Just a topic for discussion. You know your dog and your training system best so you are the best judge on what is most appropriate.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

K9-Design said:


> Just remember that dogs get good at running cold blinds by running a lot of cold blinds. If you do a longer blind like this as a memory/pattern blind, all the skills needed to run a long cold blind go away.
> 
> Now if the dog were a habitual popper I would set up some long pattern blinds because I could correct (back nick back) for a pop with confidence because the dog knows where he's going. But once he was lining the pattern blinds without popping I would right away get back to long cold blinds and correct for popping on those.
> 
> ...


I definitely see what you're saying and I don't really run memory blinds. I think almost everyone I know in field training runs them regardless of level. I used to run them when we were first starting blinds, but have not run any in a long time. Part of the reason is what you have expressed -- false sense of security. That is why I'm still sort of kicking myself for that unintended water sight blind. I'm not sure if it helped or hurt. I also fix problems with drills. More like, my trainer watches me run the blind, tells me needs improvement, and gives me the drill to fix it.

I thought I would make that particular long blind a memory blind because it is usually smack dab in the middle of every setup when I train with my group and the other dogs run it every week. That adds different kinds of suction every week and I thought maybe it might be of value. I walked past the setup to run it this time, but it is usually a 240 yard memory blind for the other dogs in the group. I should ask my trainer what to do, instead of doing what everyone else is doing.


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## FTGoldens (Dec 20, 2012)

I'll use pattern blinds with my advanced dogs on an as-needed basis, even if they are competently running cold blinds. For example, I'll use them when the dog is drifting with the wind (that's a bugga-bear problem to deal with ... some fight it naturally, others cave in naturally), or to get them to deal with a factor at a distance (e.g., jumping a boat, a log, etc.), or to work on an angle entry, whether cover or water.
For popping, I shorten the blinds, then gradually extend them as the dog gains distance-confidence.
FTGoldens


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

I do have memory blinds as part of my program. I try to run them about twice a month. I believe they help me maintain good momentum and intiall lines. I also use them to keep her sits fast and tight. When I do them routinely it seems to keep the blind demons at bay.
I think that early on memory blinds gave me a place, as a 1st time trainer, to workout the mechanics of blind running. How ito indicate this is a blind, to workout giving her the line, knowing if she is taking it or trying to shake off the pitch. I use memory and lining drills hand in hand to get the language between us down. Also since we both knew the end point, I could detail her a bit more on these than on a cold blind and she would hang in there longer with me.
Like FT, if a have a specific issue I will set up a memory blind to address it, ( at least I think that is what he is saying). Stuff like working across the face of a hill or holding an angle into a brush line. 
I also used a lot of memory water blinds to download those pictures in her brain. Again this has worked well for us. 
Any blind we struggled badly on and I can physically get to again we will run again until she can line it. Then I look to repeat that concept somewhere else. 
This is just the program that I follow.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

I do have a memory blind that I used to run from different places for all different kinds of terrain and challenges.

So much to do, and too lazy to do it all. I think I am a lazy trainer.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I am loading ducks in the car tomorrow and bringing them along to our trip to Houston. After the obedience match I'll let Phoenix get more practice getting ducks from water. Need to see if he can handle the excitement of guns and birds without barking...


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

Today was a gorgeous day to be out. We set up one water mark that was a long entry in out in, one land mark, and one diversion bird. I'm still working on doing longer water blinds so we set one up about 90 yards long. From where we ran it, it was a keyhole blind. The dogs had to swim between a peninsula on one side and a small island on the other about 1/3 of the way to the blind.

The water mark was cheat-y. The other dogs were cheating right, and the land mark was on the right as well. I wanted to run the setup as a double with the thought that if the land mark was the go-bird, Molly would be more inclined to cheat when going to the memory bird. However, I really wanted the water mark to be the memory. So I just ran it the way I wanted to and Molly did well and had no inclination to cheat.

The water blind was a little ugly. The island on the left really sucked Molly in and she became self employed for a bit but it wasn't terrible -- it was a 3-whistle fight on that island. We've had lots worse. I put her up and re-ran it later and stopped her much earlier when I saw her fading left to the island and she took the cast away from the island and to the blind. I am glad that she is not popping on these longer swims. I know that Molly does much, much better when I stop her early. I have heard a few times that the longer I let Molly take the wrong line, the more she thinks she's going in the right direction and the harder it will be to get her back on line. On the first run I usually let her roll for a little longer for confidence's sake and I tighten it up on the second run. When we ran it again, Molly had even more "umph" on the water entry and that makes me happy knowing that despite the difficulty we had the first time, she's going in even more readily the second time. I didn't kill her spirit or anything like that. I always worry about that with her.

I also ran Rose. We ran the in out in water mark from the bank and I knew she would probably drop the dokken on the peninsula and swim back without it. She did end up dropping it and she started to swim back without the dokken but on her OWN ACCORD (I had given up and was already walking to pick it up myself) turned around, got back on land, and picked up the bird! Ha ha!! However, she did not get back in the water and ended up cheating the rest of the way back. That's okay!! We're just having fun after all. The fact that she did an in out in mark with the bird/splash not visible was already impressive to me for a baby dog.


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