# Field Training Dec 2013



## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

Ok, since there isn't one yet and we trained today, I'll start.

Yesterday (since they did nothing for 2 days while I was out partying), I rented the obedience ring, did handling and lining drills with Gladys and sit whistles, baby overs, and manners homework with Dee Dee.

Today we had field training group - Gladys did long singles then a short then pass by and go long blind. Then she did a long double. None of the dogs were in good maintenance mode as almost everyone in the group is a working stiff and it is now dark before and after work for most of us.

It was fun though. Pheasant stocking season is over now. Will prob only realistically train on weekends till spring.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Is it seriously December already? I posted today's training under the November thread.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Just the other day I ended my post in the November Thread that I have two dysfunctional dogs. Well it is official they are BOTH dysfunctional. 
We went to the training place with the group. Do you think any of the two would had anything to do with the duck? No way! And just two days before they were nuts over it. We settled once again for bumpers. 
At this point I am completely confused. The people in the group were nice, one mentioned that more likely they smell another dog on the duck and that is why they won't touch them while the duck at the house had their smell on it. Another mentioned that it is a different environment from the house and back yard and I should try the duck in different places. But Darcy learned how to take the duck at another training place with a duck retrieved by other dogs. Another mentioned no more bumpers, just work with ducks. Another mentioned that since Rose just finished her heat she may still be a little loopy and doing weird things. 
I think the smell may have something to do with Rose. We trained with bumpers and we used the bumpers from the training group (they were the plastic ones; she is used to the canvas ones) - the first bumper had to be thrown twice for her to pick up, she ran right past it and when thrown the second time she was hesitant to pick it up. But she did semi-good on the next two retrieves. She did good on the return back into a nice heel on all three retrieves.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

I would can the canvas bumpers. I found them to quickly get dirty, waterlogged, and really really smelly. Plastic ones last forever and are much more practical. Besides for itty baby puppies, I don't know anyone who actually trains with canvas bumpers. Get white ones to throw. If they are only used to canvas bumpers then they would have no idea the plastic ones are what they were supposed to pick up, so no fault of the dog's! 
As far as blinking the birds, that is just a sign of the dog not having enough exposure to birds and being "a believer." And a lot of times if you only have one bird you keep and train with, they just learn to smell "their" bird and other birds are like a whole new experience. The solution to that is to get more birds into your freezer rotation, use birds a lot more often, and train more often in a group.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

I put duck scent on the canvas bumpers and in the mallard dockens. I could not do that with the plastic bumpers.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

The duck scent on bumpers is a waste, don't even bother with it. Instead put plastic bumpers in with your ducks when you train.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

so what does a plastic bumper do that a canvas one doesn't? This is what we use:
Real Duck 3x12 Medium Dummy.
Medium Weighted Canvas Dummy - White. $6.95.
Other than the fact that the plastic dummies are cheaper I do not see an advantage. I give you that I need the plastic ones as well for diversity.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Like I said above, the canvas ones get dirty, waterlogged and smelly in a hurry.


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## PalouseDogs (Aug 14, 2013)

My current training emphasis has been on getting Maple to better discriminate between handling signals. Her default reactions are either to do an Over or (worse) to go into hunt mode. I know a huge part of the problem has been my inconsistency on signals. She is my first try at hunt training and I have added a lot of confusion with changing signals over time and being sloppy on my signals. So, I've also spent time in front of a mirror practicing before I go train Maple. 

After 2 or 3 weeks of what had seemed to be little progress, the last few sessions she has shown more and more understanding. On Saturday, we worked on discrimination between the right-hand straight back and the right angle back. She did good with few mistakes! I feel like we're finally taking steps forward. 

I'm not using an ecollar for this because this is teaching, not enforcing, and (actually, rarely any collar since this is in my yard and I don't bother to put one on her). If she takes the wrong cast, it's just a verbal, calm "Wrong" and a restart. If she takes the right cast, I don't say anything until she picks up the bumper and she gets a treat when she returns. Her enthusiasm for this game is sky-high, which also makes me happy.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

K9-Design said:


> Like I said above, the canvas ones get dirty, waterlogged and smelly in a hurry.


I am not sure I follow you! She has no problem with the canvas bumpers. They are not waterlogged, smelly or dirty. I clean them every couple months and they hold the duck scent good. 
The cheappy plastic ones are smaller, they crack in the winter and slide in her mouth thus causing hard mouth as she is trying to hold onto them.


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## MillionsofPeaches (Oct 30, 2012)

Okay it is all about the drill now. LOL. I did so terrible at the last hunt test that I'm working on MY handling skills and working on Kat's lining skills for multiple marks. 
I've been so focused on her lately that I've slacked off on my own. Ugh. So today my trainer gave us a bunch of new homework that will keep us busy for a long time! I'm excited to get with it for the spring!!


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Claudia M said:


> I am not sure I follow you! She has no problem with the canvas bumpers. They are not waterlogged, smelly or dirty. I clean them every couple months and they hold the duck scent good.
> The cheappy plastic ones are smaller, they crack in the winter and slide in her mouth thus causing hard mouth as she is trying to hold onto them.


Well if you like them go for it, but be prepared to not have canvas bumpers available at group training, especially if you are using a club's equipment. 
If a plastic bumper is sliding in her mouth it's because she is mouthing it or not holding it firmly enough.....

I know a lot of people like to use all sorts of different bumpers, canvas bumpers, dokkens, and what have you, and really there's no harm in them, but to me I just don't see the need when regular plastic bumpers that are practical in every way and ample use of birds in training are completely adequate, ideal and hey, 10,000 Elvis fans can't be wrong. I don't know any pros who use canvas bumpers or dokkens beyond play training with baby puppies.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Claudia M said:


> I put duck scent on the canvas bumpers and in the mallard dockens. I could not do that with the plastic bumpers.


I tie a piece of rag onto the brass grommet and scent the rag.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

K9-Design said:


> Like I said above, the canvas ones get dirty, waterlogged and smelly in a hurry.


I scrub my canvas bumpers and place them in the sun to dry. I feel that the sun bleaches them a bit.

I do like soft plastic bumpers for work in muddy areas. They do clean up easily.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

I have three plastic bumpers so I am going to incorporate them more into the training. Also will try to train more often than just once a week. Will try to rotate with the birds in the freezer. We have three ducks and I think three or four doves.


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## PalouseDogs (Aug 14, 2013)

Claudia,

Where you live, the regular hard plastic bumpers will be hard as rocks in the cold. My girl isn't too fond of the hard plastic, especially in the cold, but I use them all the time for exercises that require lots of bumpers. 

The topic of plastic bumpers in cold weather has come up several time on RTF (Retriever Training Forum). It looks like DT Systems Soft Mouth training bumpers are really popular among trainers in cold climates. They're made of a softer plastic that stays soft in colder temps. The Avery Hexabumpers are also frequently recommended for regular and cold-weather training. You can get both at gundogsupply.com, and, no doubt, many other online sources.

I have several dokkens (mostly because I think they are cute, so I've collected several different "species" and sizes). Maple loves them, but they are too pricey to buy lots of. I especially like the mallard-sized ones for water retrieves. I plan to try both the DT Systems and Avery Hexabumpers soon, since it's now winter and very cold here.


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## PalouseDogs (Aug 14, 2013)

Claudia,

When I started, I thought I had to scent stuff, and I have a scent injection kit for dokkens. I don't worry about it anymore. Over time, ALL your training stuff, over long days of being handled and jumbled together, will acquire a "hunt" odor to the dog. If you're worried about it, toss the duck in with your bumpers and dokkens when you use the duck.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

PalouseDogs said:


> Claudia,
> 
> When I started, I thought I had to scent stuff, and I have a scent injection kit for dokkens. I don't worry about it anymore. Over time, ALL your training stuff, over long days of being handled and jumbled together, will acquire a "hunt" odor to the dog. If you're worried about it, toss the duck in with your bumpers and dokkens when you use the duck.


LOL - that is what I did this morning, wrapped the duck in newspaper and put it in the sack with the bumpers. Did an 11 min video with the girls in the house, then we went outside. Of course Rose has to run for the squirrel at first so she got put in the kennel while Darcy retrieved the bird (all of a sudden Darcy was excited again). Then Rose retrieved it on short distances. Had to put everything away though as there was quite a lot of commotion at the neighbor's house and their dog started peeking thru the hedge. 
You can tell from the video though that Rose was not that excited about it, she did it because I told her to.


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## MillionsofPeaches (Oct 30, 2012)

gosh I guess I'm a loser, lol. I've just got 6 HUGE white bumpers that I work with at home with the girls. I never thought of them getting too hard in the cold. I did get the biggest ones though, thinking about the size and weight of the ducks they use around here for testing. Especially the water logged ducks if you are one of the last dogs to run (which happened to us once) 
I guess its worked this long so I'll stick with them although I need to buy some black ones soon. 
As far as field and drill work during the week with my trainer, he uses all sorts of different things and the dogs haven't really reacted to them any differently except at the initial real birds that they didn't want to pick up.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

MillionsofPeaches said:


> gosh I guess I'm a loser, lol. I've just got 6 HUGE white bumpers that I work with at home with the girls. I never thought of them getting too hard in the cold. I did get the biggest ones though, thinking about the size and weight of the ducks they use around here for testing. Especially the water logged ducks if you are one of the last dogs to run (which happened to us once)
> I guess its worked this long so I'll stick with them although I need to buy some black ones soon.
> As far as field and drill work during the week with my trainer, he uses all sorts of different things and the dogs haven't really reacted to them any differently except at the initial real birds that they didn't want to pick up.


Smack! Don't ever call yourself a looser!  We started with the plastic bumpers and then moved to the canvas ones as they were much better quality (you pay more but they are much better). I got two dockens and the scent for the size closer to a real duck before we ever found these training places and the ducks. 

Rose had trouble with the first plastic bumper (I believe she was looking for the canvas bumper or maybe she was smelling the ducks all over the place on Sunday - she was one of the last ones to go). But she had no trouble with the second and third plastic bumpers - once she realized THIS is what I am supposed to pick. 

From Nov 3 she has seen the duck three times, first time when she did not pick it up at the training field (then she went into heat that same day), the Friday before Dec 1st Training and this past Sunday.

I am disappointed because (if you look at the video on her FB page she is not enthusiastic about the bird), even when she retrieved it outside; she did it because she was told and expected to do but she didn't have that excitement I have seen in her before with the bumpers.


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## MillionsofPeaches (Oct 30, 2012)

I had used a canvas one when they first started out but it did get all nasty and I lost it somewhere. Since then I've just stuck with my huge bumpers. They were not cheap, like 50 bucks after tax for the six but they hold up and I feel that it makes their jaws stronger but I could be on crack. I just don't do the scent and the canvas because my pro just never recommended it. He recommended these that I use. Now I need to get the black ones for new drills. 
As far as rose goes with the bird. Katniss did not like the bird, she was introduced to it late and when it came time she wasn't having it. Now she loves the bird! She will pick up any bird (as long as it is isn't alive...that is something that scares her and we have to work on, I know) but when I ff her on dead birds I used the same old nasty ones over and over again. She is immune to nasty! ha ha! Plus, I never used bumpers during that time. I didn't want to reward her by giving her what she wanted (the bumpers.) If she wanted to run marks then she had to do it my way. Now when she sees and smells a bird she knows its show time and nothing makes her happier than running marks! Also, she LOVES water and part of her liking the ducks was my trainer used them in water for her since she'd do anything for the chance to swim.

Point being just keep on her and eventually she will grow to like them if she really loves this field stuff. It will be worth it to her and over time she will know that it is part of the game!


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

You all are funny! Canvas bumpers in a hot wet climate like Florida is probably the problem. Humidity and dampness I bet they get nasty quick. Up here is super dry climate. Canvas and plastic are fine. I do have 2 types of plastic bumpers, one harder than the other. The softer ones do better in the winter so they won't crack and break. (Hey I live in a place that car tires get flat spots in them in the winter. It's pretty funny when they start rolling and bounce on the flat spots until they warm up enough.) 

Lucy will pick up any bird alive, dead, 1/2 alive, dead for years, whatever. But she just doesn't want bumpers. If I could do walking fetch and force to pile with birds, I'd be ever so happy. I hate FF, it's so painful with Lucy. She is so resistant to doing what I want. I resorted to e-collar FF for walking FF and FTP. Interestingly though she has no problem with bumpers in the water. She'll retrieve them in the water all day long. I don't know why the field is different than the water.

If training dogs were easy, I guess everyone would do it right?


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## MillionsofPeaches (Oct 30, 2012)

you are so right, Stacey!!! Does Lucy love water too? That could be why she's willing to pick them up in the water?
I wish Katniss would pick up squawking ducks and reading that Lucy does makes me so envious. But also thinking of all the drill work we have to do, I can't imagine how hard that would be if Katniss wouldn't pick up bumpers. So I guess we all just have our issues, ha ha!!!
And I'm down in hot GA so I'm sure that is why the canvas isn't used as much here either.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

PalouseDogs said:


> Claudia,
> 
> When I started, I thought I had to scent stuff, and I have a scent injection kit for dokkens. I don't worry about it anymore. Over time, ALL your training stuff, over long days of being handled and jumbled together, will acquire a "hunt" odor to the dog. If you're worried about it, toss the duck in with your bumpers and dokkens when you use the duck.


This!!!
If you really want to do the job right, leave your bumpers and ducks in the same bucket for a few days in the fridge! LOL


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

K9-Design said:


> This!!!
> If you really want to do the job right, leave your bumpers and ducks in the same bucket for a few days in the fridge! LOL


hahahaha - I just thought about it. We have the fridge upstairs, the "beer fridge" downstairs. I need to find a place for a third buffet fridge for the bumpers and birds.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Yeah I have a fridge in the garage just for beverages and birds! LOL


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

I like reading other people's experiences with their young dogs in this thread. The dogs and handlers I train with are all much more experienced than Molly and me.

I had always wondered about scent. I've seen it at Cabela's but our trainer and his group doesn't use it. We use bumpers, dokkens, and birds in training. Molly isn't picky-- although the frozen solid birds are not her favorite, she'll pick them up no problem. In the beginning, she would paw at the bird briefly and flip it around so the belly is up. My trainer used to joke that the bird has to be laying in the perfect position for Molly to pick it up. I would whistle right when she got to the bird and she learned to pick it up quicker, and no pawing.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Tito's favorites are the live birds, preferably squawking (or quacking, depending), flapping, and trying to bite him. Second favorite are fresh killed fliers. Followed by thawed frozen. Frozen solid are a distant last (Dan calls them TV dinners). 
Then bumpers, which he likes a lot but not nearly like the birds.

edit to add....right or wrong, I do not, however, let him go after crippled geese. They are such a big bird, strong, I'm afraid that if one really turned on him it might actually hurt him a bit, enough to scare him. Ducks and even big rooster pheasants don't worry me.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

I've had the opportunity to train and do hunt tests with Lucy's relatives. Her littermates vary in birdiness. Lucy's mom though failed a hunt test last year because she wouldn't pick up a fresh kill. I was pretty shocked when it happened. I just figured they all would be about the same.

This morning I was so excited. Lucy and the boys were getting fed in the garage (our garages up here are all heated). I had dropped a bumper behind a vehicle the other day and forgot about it. But when I opened the garage door to let the dogs back in, Lucy had the bumper in her mouth! I was so happy! That is probably the only time in her life that she has ever picked up a bumper without being told! Wow, I never thought it would happen. Maybe FF really does work. There is hope.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Always looking at the positive side! I am glad I knocked my camera off today while working with the girls and THE DUCK, because anyone that may have seen that video may diagnose me with multiple personality disorder. With Darcy I have to stay calm and make her sit still to deliver the bird and try my best to discourage the jumping to take the duck. With Rose (and this is where I knocked the darn thing off) I have to run, jump, quack all over the place but she did follow me and took the duck out of my hand.


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## MillionsofPeaches (Oct 30, 2012)

each dog is different! That is for sure!

Today was a fun day. yesterday we learned some new things and today we worked on them. It was a great time!


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## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

We had group today; it was below freezing and windy, I did think I must have rocks in my head.

The dogs loved it though, that's why I made myself do it. It was totally awesome and I learned a lot. 

First we did a drill involving a sight blind, cold blind, thrower in between, and Gladys did her first poison bird! 
Next, Dee Dee did some long walking singles. She does great until the last bird when she wants to play around. A winter full of hold/heel/out fixed that for Gladys, I hope it will do the same for Dee.
We ended with a double with blind in between marks to beef it up. Gladys screwed up and forgot her memory bird. I called her back and made her start over, but she screwed up again so I stopped her and handled her. 

We are both learning and bound to make a lot of mistakes.
Love my little bitches <3 <3


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## PalouseDogs (Aug 14, 2013)

I rarely post about weather. (It's winter, it's cold. What a surprise, right?) I'm making an exception. I am heartily sick of COLD. We've had lows in the negative numbers since I don't know when. Tuesday, I think. Last night was -12 with a high today of 12. I'm talking about the real temp, not that bogus wind-chill BS. 

The temps have been so low, I don't let the dogs out for more than a few minutes at a time. When the temp is below zero, I go out with them. Training has been totally shut down. The old ladies (13 and 15 yo) aren't bothered much. They're content to lounge around all day. Alder and Maple have been burning off steam by wrestling in the living room, which I usually boot them outside for. Last night, Maple's boredom advanced to her richocheting off the walls. Literally. She was racing across the floor, top speed, crouched low, banking off furniture like a competition swimmer making a turn at the end of the lane. 

We HAD to do something today. The light snow on the ground is so cold, the dogs hold their paws up after a few minutes. Nonetheless, a grabbed a few dokkens and my two canvas bumpers (hard plastic bumpers would have been rocks at 6 degrees) and called Maple outside for a little training.

I made a back pile and a pile for angle right backs. It was a fast, wild, session. Maple's paws were cold, but she was super-excited to be doing something. First, a send from my side to the back pile. Then a send to the angled pile. 

On the send to the angled pile, she was too excited to wait for the "Back" and went racing to the straight back pile again. I whistle-stopped her (didn't correct for the break; too **** cold for getting finicky), gave a right angle back, which she took correctly. 

Then a sit in front, a left straight back. Dead on and at a dead run. Sit in front, right angle back. Again, took it correctly, running like a dog with a tail on fire (as if it were warm enough for anything to burn). Sit in front, right straight back. Incorrect. Took the right angle back. "Wrong" whistle in, re-do, she got it right on that time. We ran back for the house before she had frost-bit toes. 

I let her feet warm up, then I took Maple and Alder for a VERY short walk through the fields in the bright setting sun. They were very excited about getting out of the yard for a few minutes but happy to turn around after a couple hundred yards. Cold toesies!

They are a bit calmer tonight. Just another couple of cold days and high temps should be back in the balmy 20s and low 30s. I can't wait! I don't know how anyone survives a winer in Alaska or Minnesota.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

we were expecting snow today, so in the morning I trimmed the paws nicely to be ready for snow. Nope, it has been ice and sleet and more ice ALL day long. We decorated the Christmas tree, played with bows in the tails and Rudolf play antlers. I normally don't do this but I gave in to my daughter. None cared about the bows on the tail and Rose was quite happy with her Rudolf antlers and happy to help Darcy get out of hers as well.


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## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

Ha ha! Great photos! Our weather sounds NICE in comparison.
Frozen paws are a problem. If it gets that bad here, we'll rent the obedience club ring on weekends to do drills so these poor dogs don't go stir crazy.
There are a lot of horse barns available for rent around here too, but the club ring is more cost effective.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Last weekend my husband told me he wants another puppy. We bought the place next door and he thought we should extend the fence around both properties. He looked me straight in the eye and said NO SHOW PUPPIES. He wants a wild red puppy that will want to run for hours and have endless energy that he can take hunting. That's what he told me! So now the hunt beings. I have never thought he would ever want a fourth dog. Shocked the heck out of me! So now the fun of looking for a puppy begins.

Hope everyone is having a great holiday season. Please send us some fresh snow, ours is getting a bit old.


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## Pudden (Dec 28, 2008)

Alaska7133 said:


> a wild red puppy that will want to run for hours and have endless energy.


yes! That's the kind of puppy Mama and crewman Hiccup will want, too  Maybe, if you come across a nice litter in your search, there'll be one for us too?


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

how exciting!!! LOL - active, full of energy and running all day long, sounds like a flat coated retriever to me. Me and my girls are saying send us more snow please!


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Claudia and Claudia I am thinking that a little red puppy will be the way to go. It would be fun if we our new puppy had littermate up in Nome! It would inspire us to get up there and visit. Although the bad part of having 4 dogs is getting them all in our airplane is now impossible (actually it became impossible when we went up to 3 dogs). Too much weight in our little Piper super cub. Cody's been bugging me for a bigger raft, 16' long is just not big enough with all I pack on our float trips. So we'll have to look hard at that new NRS raft for a crew of 4 dogs. Hmmm, could get expensive. The herd grows, sort of like potato chips isn't it?


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## Pudden (Dec 28, 2008)

Claudia M - don't ask us Alaskans for snow; we just got a weekend of RAIN (!) and all our snow is now totally ruined.

Is Rose a pure Golden? She looks a bit like my Pudden - all blonde, leggy and athletic. Is she a field line?


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## Pudden (Dec 28, 2008)

Alaska7133 said:


> Although the bad part of having 4 dogs is getting them all in our airplane is now impossible (actually it became impossible when we went up to 3 dogs). Too much weight in our little Piper super cub.


the answer is clearly that you need a bigger plane. A much bigger plane. Then you could all come up to Nome and we can pack up your 4 goldens plus crewman Hiccup plus Mama's new puppy plus packrafts and fly out to some of the remote wild rivers on the Seward Peninsula....


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

haha Pudden, I know what you mean about the snow and the RAIN. We had both and mix in with ice and sleet. Not very pretty. I was happy to get some snow so he girls can run. 
Rose is a pure golden, in her line there are no hunt of field titles just show titles. I hope to get that changed.


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## Davidrob2 (Dec 10, 2012)

Claudia M said:


> Me and my girls are saying send us more snow please!


Sorry to hijack your training thread. I normally don't post in hunt and field -- just read and learn. But Claudia that last picture is definitely portrait worthy. It would be lovely as a pen and ink drawing.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Thank you Nancy! My daughter took over 50 pictures of Darcy's "first" snow play with us. I am falling more and more in love with her - her structure and personality has changed so much in the 5 months we've had her; she is showing her true Peter Pan nature and I was amazed at how many pictures my daughter took were of an inquisitive serious look. That picture by far is one of my favorites. Mu daughter will try to do a stencil portrait of it(she did one of Jack when she was 13).


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

This is a picture of Jack. I do not know if it is different between drawing off a live model or copying a picture. I am not artistic at all.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Pudden (Claudia) I'll let you know what I find in field puppies for next summer. I'm happy to hear you are still open to having a puppy. It's finding that right puppy!

Working on getting everyone together again for a winter of field training. We had a great time last winter and we're hoping for another one full of crystal clear days where you can see forever. Below is a photo from last winter training when Lucy was a lot smaller and could barely carry a duck!


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Wednesday I am headed to PA with my friend "Boykin Frank". We will be hunting preserve pheasants with our dogs and after the hunt we are headed to Cabela's which is 15 minutes away. Looking forward to it.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

We are doing a bit better with the ducks, and not just taking it and waltzing back but with more enthusiasm, wanting to go for it, taking it and ummmmm a little deviating with the duck in the mouth before coming back. We'll try again in the evening slowly increasing the distance. 
https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=184116488451921&set=vb.100005607129620&type=2&theater


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

6" of fresh powder this morning. Headed down to Potter Marsh at the south end of town.

Took Lucy and Reilly to training this morning. Did yard work with Lucy before birds. Did walking FF and FTP. She for the first time ever was happy and excited about picking up a bumper. I feel like we have finally turned a corner. Since I switched from ear pinch to e-collar FF it has changed her attitude. Our FTP wasn't too far just little 20' runs and only to one pile. She was so good. She loves her birds and wanted to go over and over again. I'm ready to expand into 3 piles I think and maybe add some distance. Slowly next week.

Next up was Reilly. No FF for him. He's happy to bring anything back. Bumpers then birds for him. On his last retrieve though he decided to stop part way and eat the duck wing! Darn him. I didn't have the heart to nic him, so I just ran over and stopped him. Which he happily did and wagged his tail all the way back with the duck in his mouth. He's such a happy one eyed old boy.


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## TrailDogs (Aug 15, 2011)

We had another pheasant shoot this week with lots of birds. Nix came home covered in burrs, scratched up from the roosters spurring her and extremely pleased with herself. I love watching how bold she is with those big birds. 
I had pheasant in a parmesan basil sauce over rice for dinner. Of course we shared


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

TrailDogs said:


> We had another pheasant shoot this week with lots of birds. Nix came home covered in burrs, scratched up from the roosters spurring her and extremely pleased with herself. I love watching how bold she is with those big birds.
> I had pheasant in a parmesan basil sauce over rice for dinner. Of course we shared



We know about fighting the roosters. Buffy has had several cripples this year that she trails. I then hear the cockbird cackling as it struggles, and Buffy comes back with the bird kicking.


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## Pudden (Dec 28, 2008)

is that my friend Riley boy with his ducky? Aaawww...give him a kiss from me!

He only has one eye? How come I didn't notice that when I met him?


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Hi Pudden
Reilly has a corneal distrophy or something that sounds like that in his left eye. He doesn't see out of it as far as I can tell. It developed last winter and gets worse every month it seems. It's a big solid white spot that covers his eye. Most people don't notice it unless they look close. It's not a common problem in goldens. Oddly he only has it in one eye. It's not fixable. He also has hip and elbow displasia, and a bad pancreas (doesn't absorb nutrition well). You've met him, doesn't he have the best attitude? 
How are things up north? We've finally got some very nice snow this weekend. We are all very happy!


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## Pudden (Dec 28, 2008)

no snow here; just cold, windy (windchill minus 5 or so) and all the snow has turned to a blanket of ice. No skiing, no mushing...it sucks. At least it's sunny. If not too windy, we'll go climb a mountain tomorrow w. Crewman Hiccup's friends Dibs, Kate and Janet.

Reilly is my dude. He's awesome. Such a good boy. All of yours were so sweet....


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

went to the training field this morning. First time at the place with Rose, second time with Darcy but it was away from the ponds so almost as a new field for Darcy as well. Went with Darcy's breeder and her husband. The first session rose was literally zooming to the bumper and back, completely concentrated and on the mark. She heeled from the car to the line (I was expecting her to check the territory first, but to this moment I am impressed with how well she listened, got out of the car, heeled to the line and each time waited for her mark). The second round she acted a little strange, she stopped to smell something in the field, even dropped the bumper, went to the place she was smelling something and then she finally picked the bumper back up and she returned. I could tell she was not even hunting the bumper, it was like she was hunting something else and she got the bumper out of obligation and not because she wanted. We did two rounds, 4 marks in each round. On her third mark, second round I had to go all the way in the field and get her concentration back on the bumper. And we finished with a good fourth mark. 
From our back yard she should be already used to cow, deer and fox smells. Not positive but I think we also have a raccoon in our back yard. Maybe I should have let her check out the territory first before the marks. 
It was really good to have Darcy's breeder with us. I had no idea I was telling Rose NO as she dropped the bumper and going back to pick it up - so by the time I said NO she was going to get it and then she was confused so I had to follow up with a TAKE IT, HOLD IT.....
Working on uploading the videos to their FB page.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Hope everyone is having a good holiday season! We're having our usual white Christmas with 25 or 30" of fresh powder this week. It did make trudging out to train a little interesting, but we picked a windswept spot where the snow was only about a foot deep. If anyone is interested, Sportsman Warehouse has some wonderful sleds in all shapes and sizes for hauling your stuff around. These aren't kid sleds. They are very cheap too. Nice for hauling birds and gear out to the fields. Today is the shortest day of the year, so we're all pretty happy up here looking forward to longer days. Training is going well just simple T work and single marks.

Hunter, Reilly and Lucy say Merry Christmas!


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Hoping to get out and pheasant hunt this week. I also want to try some of my old grouse covers, our season goes until Feb. 28.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

For the record, I've never needed a sled to haul field equipment 

82º and sunny today

We trained at Lazy J today. I put Bally's update on his thread but we started with him working on FF on water retrieves.
We then did 4 blinds on the "Training pond" which is a man-made pond dug with all sorts of fingers, points, inlets and islands....but 95% of the year it's completely dried up. We've had lots of rain recently so there was about a foot deep of water in the bottom. Makes for a neat terrain and the few times we can simulate "hills." (Florida as you may imagine....is rather flat.) Anyhoo ran Slater and Millie on that.
Then we moved over and did land marks where there is some high cover and a low-lying area with sitting water. Long mark ~130 yards thru the cover & "marsh" and a short mom-and-pop station, one throwing severe angle in and one severe angle back. Beautiful weather for training! THIS is why I live here!!!!!


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

There is hope.

Yesterday I was getting out of the shower. Lucy was curled up on the bath matt. About 5' behind her was a tube of toothpaste on the floor. So I looked at her and raised my arm and said back. She jumped up and ran to the slippers that were right behind her. I said no and raised my arm again and said back. She turned around and looked behind her and saw the toothpaste. She ran to it and looked at me. I told her take it. She picked it up. I said come, and she trotted right over with it! When I took the toothpaste from her I saw why it was laying on the floor. She had been chewing on it and the cap was chewed up. So you win some you loose some. But she understands back!

Anney,
You don't know how to have fun! Check out Anchorage Skijor Club


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Alaska



Looks like fun!


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

I've decided to try a K9 aquatic center with an indoor pool. I need to start working on handling with Lucy on water. I also need to get her to do a flying entry, she still just runs into the water. This is the only way I can figure out how to get that water time is going indoors. Does anyone else do this for field training, indoor pools? Does it work very well? $35/30 minute session. www.alaskak9aquatics.com 

And for Anney's viewing pleasure: Anchorage pack ice on Cook Inlet at Beluga Point the sun is just coming up at 10:30 in the morning.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

OMG is that on planet earth????

Kristin and I trained today, very nice session. First Bally worked on 3 handed casting, then water marks with Bally & Slater, and a land double for Slater & Millie. Short walk up memory bird and long go bird tight to the short one. Bally ran them as singles then we did a few more hand thrown singles for Millie & Bally. They did great!


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## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

Alaska, we never did field training at an indoor pool, but we have a doggie facility in CT that has a dog pool that I took Boomer to for exercise and fun in the winter. He loved it.

We used to have an inground pool, and now have an above ground with a doggie ramp. Dog's don't seem to like jumping right in, like when they don't have that gradual slope to enter and get off their feet.

You may have to teach them to use stairs but not want them to jump in on the stairs - then if they jump in off the side, they may not like jumping in and being totally off their feet. 

Also, expect it to be really warm and humid and the water be warm for the dogs too. Just so you know to dress in layers or maybe even wear your suit and get in with them.

I hope it works out for you, and will probably be totally fun either way!


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Buffy is getting cabin fever. I have not hunted her in two weeks and I have not w trained either. Well yesterday (after repairing a storm door that was blown off its hinges) we went to my urban field and did some drills. We worked on two tiered wagon wheel. 

I don't mind revisiting drills with my dogs. We all have fun---the dogs are successful and it's a low stress situation.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Drills are good. Birds are great! I'm sure that's what Buffy was saying.

Today walking single marks in the snow. It was very warm at 18F, so we were kind of like thinking, hey it's summertime! Ok maybe not. Snow depth is 12 to 24" on the marsh. Marks were 65 to 125 yd. Marsh is lumpy with grasses and reeds poking through and clumpy areas where there is land. Threw 6 marks. Lucy just plowed right through the snow and reeds without a problem. It's powder so it moves around easily, but it's physically closer to being in water swimming. She was steady every time and heeled to the line off leash. Lucy found every bumper easily, even when they torpedoed into the snow and she had to dig them out. DH has been running her for several hours a week on his snow bike on the trails, so she's in wonderful shape, hardly panting at all.

There is hope that the pup is going to make it past JH. Looked at the schedule for 2014 and we will only have 6 hunt tests up here, 2 of which will be 7 hrs away in Fairbanks. So we better pass everyone since I really don't want to drive all the way up north. Our hunt tests are all double headers. Turnagain Pass is the most beautiful place to run a hunt test or field trial.

By the way I did happen to notice tha Jackie Mertens has bred Biz who won the Qualifying at US golden national this year. She is quite the girl!


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Warm at 18F?

I think that you are a tough bunch of people up there.

BTW, just dying to say I was in grade school when Alaska became the 49th state.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Yes we just had our 50th anniversary as a state! Pretty amazing how new we are. By the way we aren't tough down here in the banana belt, those up north where they get real winter are tough,plus the days are so much shorter up there. Friday in Fairbanks the high was -41 and the day was only 2-1/2 hours long! Darn, that's tough! 

Have a happy new year everyone!


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

I had a brother in law in Kodiak who was a skipper of a factory ship, used to go out to sea for weeks at a time. He was one tough SOB.


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## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

Still in winter maintenance mode.

We rented the obedience club ring again and did drills indoors.
Gladys did handling and lining drills, she did ok. 
Dee Dee did baby over and back with the bumper, she did great!
After that I set up a lazy person's rally course (no stanchions or numbers) and both did surprisingly well considering we don't train much or consistently. It was good heeling and attention and teamwork on both their parts.

We went for a hike outdoors both weekend days before it started pouring, practiced whistle sit and come in. They did good.

Training group was cancelled b/c it was pouring. We usually train in the rain but the temps were a little above freezing so I was more than fine with that.

Someone will have to start a Jan 2014 training journal soon, Happy New Year!


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Trained today, it finally stopped raining long enough. First LONG water marks (2) for Slater, then shorter water marks for Bally. Then we drove over into the woods and set up a KRD for Slater and Millie. Hard getting good blinds with trees everywhere!!! Ugg!! I thought Slater did pretty well though. Lots of handling but he stuck with it. Then more long land marks for Bally. Nice day!


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