Retrieving & Field Training Talk

[JRG]

You girls have had a great season trialling!! Your re-cap of the weekend is always fantastic, I can just imagine being there. I really enjoy watching the springers work, they have so much enthusiasm, and boy can they run. I'm impressed that she pulls herself up when she knows she isn't on track. She is a smarty pants.

It was a nice weekend here but the wind was just awful. We did a few sessions on a long line, fetch, here, sit. I think is starting to sink in. I used the rabbit skinned dummies, they are his favourite. Holding a pigeon while I'm getting dinner is getting better, he didn't drop it today, I gave it to him when I walked outside and he bought it over and waited. Blasted bunnies keep popping up on our walks, and we just can't help ourselves. I'm having a dreadful time with his ears at the moment, I've finally got one to stop bleeding and now the other has started. I've even covered his collar up to stop it hitting it. Maybe I should tie his ears up!!

Not so funny - put on a snood. You can use a piece of nylon tight or the leg part of an old sock. Pull it over his head and on to his neck, "arrange" his ears where you want them, then pull it back to cover his ears and it will keep them in place. Looks funny but very effective!

[rubyroo]

Not so funny - put on a snood. You can use a piece of nylon tight or the leg part of an old sock. Pull it over his head and on to his neck, "arrange" his ears where you want them, then pull it back to cover his ears and it will keep them in place. Looks funny but very effective!

Thank you. I may have to try that. I did cut an arm out of an old skivvy but his ears keep falling out, he looks like a nanna! To the snood shop I go. Thanks

[The Spotted Devil]

Pics or it didn't happen rubyroo :D

Yes, we've had a great year particularly considering I've spent nearly 4 of the last 12 months overseas. Funny little thing KNEW she'd worked hard on the last retrieve of the weekend - took numerous casts on the blind and never gave up on me - when she returned with the bird and I took it from her she leapt into a huge play bow ready for me to throw it as a reward I nearly did! Really wanted to let her carry it back to the car

Sorry you copped the nasty weather too rubyroo - it hailed at home yesterday Quite lovely today although I am stuck at Uni teaching and having meetings....work has been cancelled tonight though so will see if I can squeeze something in with the dogs.

[JRG]

no need to buy anything special just cut the foot and top off a pair of old tights or socks -something that will stretch to fit over his head. The snugger the fit the better

[The Spotted Devil]

How are the ears going rubyroo?

Monday, Tuesday were hard running days.

Wednesday was agility weaves/contacts and Thursday was agility jumps/puppy games class demo dog.

This morning I went back to the public lake/park to review a few things. Ducks etc were everywhere but her focus on the dummies was excellent. Started with a pile of 5 on the top of the hill. Sent her from the bottom of the hill. Did that fine but was holding the dummy by the end so verbal praise only. Doubled the distance to the pile but set her up and cast right back. Perfect. Increased the distance again and sent left back. Perfect. Moved around the base of the hill and sent her from beside me. So so much better than last time we did this! Moved again, had her sitting at the base of the hill with me over the run/swim river - amazing how that does her head in! Gave a right back and she just sat there staring :laugh: Tried again and she went no problem. Walked back to another small pond/feeder creek and placed a dummy for later. Then ran a basic wagon wheel to practice selection and lining. It ended up to be good for impulse control too as she preempted me on one of them. She was wound up like a Spring, pun intended! Finished off with the known blind requiring a short channel swim. She was super responsive to being handled and even took a right back when I should have given a left back. I swear she said "you idiot" as she took the cast.

[rubyroo]

The right ear is ok, not convinced about the left yet, but doing my best to keep them covered. Sorry haven't had a chance for a photo yet, will try tomorrow. Need to think of a plan for training over the weekend, love watching my DVDs but after 20min, start thinking about training and miss half of it, I just can't concentrate for that long. I think we will do watching fetch, with dummies, then rabbit skinned dummies. Maybe some triples hand thrown, he is loving this, I'm not having to put my hand down to line him up he is just getting so focused and can't get there quick enough. Maybe I'll even get an arvo session in and to T drill. If it is warm maybe just a couple of water retrieves, he has been swimming every day by himself! So cold

Rocket has been cigaring lately aswell, I've just been putting where is should be before I praise calmly, when he does it right ive made a bigger fuss over it. We only need the smell of rabbits and roos to loose focus, good work with the ducks. Wagon wheel sounds good, I might try that again too. I love the look on their faces when they know better!

[The Spotted Devil]

Em generally cigars when she's mentally tired so I take it as a sign that I've done too much. I suspect she was "shopping" yesterday and, when I whistled her to hurry up, she just grabbed at anything :laugh:

I'm not a fan of training DVDs - much prefer books where I absorb the detail. We both have so much to learn but I'm realising that I can't do everything at once.

Today I found a small lake that we haven't used before. Weather is pretty average - very windy and not exactly warm but the rain stayed away. Worked on lefts/rights across the water with a dummy....I moved around to guide her and she got the hang of that. Ran it until she was super comfortable and then worked on selection. Throw first dummy into water. Leave. Throw second dummy into water. Leave. Pick up first dummy. Pick up second dummy. Throw double fall as she's swimming to second dummy. Leave double fall. Throw dummy on land. Pick up. Pick up double fall in water. All good - needed a reminder not to pick up double fall. Warmed her up with a few land retrieves...Throw first dummy. Leave. Turn 60 degrees to right. Throw second dummy. Leave. Turn 60 degrees to right. Throw third dummy. Pick up third dummy. Heel to left through line of second dummy (leave!) and pick up first dummy. Pick up second dummy. Throw 2 bird. Pick up 2 bird.

Dry off and home for some couch time

[The Spotted Devil]

Happy Birthday Em

Talk about an exponential learning curve for both of us!

[rubyroo]

Happy belated birthday em!! :D

[The Spotted Devil]

Thanks rubyroo :D Birthdays go for anything up to a month in our house so not too late at all :laugh:

Any WA folk at the recent state champs? I've seen the results of course but I'd love to know how everyone went and what the runs were like!

[fetchindawgs]

Thanks rubyroo :D Birthdays go for anything up to a month in our house so not too late at all :laugh:

Any WA folk at the recent state champs? I've seen the results of course but I'd love to know how everyone went and what the runs were like!

Hi, been off playing with the dogs so often I haven't been on here. TSD the state champs went off without a hitch. Great weather for trialing over both days. The site is a pretty tough one, both to compete on and for the judge to set runs, plus, the river had come up after plenty of rain and the judge was cautious in putting dogs into the current.

After having a very successful season with my dogs, I was let down during these champs. Two Labs out on day one and my last survivor, my Goldy, was out on day two. Personally, I would have liked to swap a couple of runs around and try them again with my dogs. On the whole, good sightings on the marks during the trial. We had plenty of blinds (4 in all), a doublefall, twobird, diversionary birds, a walkup on a triple mark, two marks which were done as a doublerise, and plenty of cover, gullies etc to fool you or the dog and make it a challenge. In all 17 pieces of game to retrieve. Some close lines between marks seemed to be the killer.

Only 4 dogs finished, one Victoria and three West Australians. I was a lucky one, not going home emptyhanded after our team won the highest point score.

We have only two Novice & Restricted trials left for the season, and one AA trial before the long break. It goes so quickly.

[The Spotted Devil]

fetchin' - thanks so much for the run down - it's always nice to hear! Sorry to hear your lot went out but congratulations on the team win and a great year! Are you headed our way for the State and Nats?

I have been stretching Em in water A LOT! Only one concept per session but there is good water everywhere and the weather is warmer so asking more of her. Cold across water blinds that are either cheaty or have a very tempting memory mark added in plus channel swims. Lots of running alongside the bank to start with and helping her with dummies but she is gaining confidence on these, handling better at a distance and taking better lines. Still lots to do of course. Wagon wheel drills with white and black dummies are helping her lining and Mr TSD has been very helpful throwing lots of marks for us - have been asking for much tighter criteria on both!

[The Spotted Devil]

Just had a short session working on a concept: watch first mark (short), watch second mark (long), pick up blind then long mark then short mark. Her understanding certainly improved but the best part was the 2 guys sitting on the park bench. Mr TSD tells me they cheered and clapped every time she picked up a dummy :laugh: I was concentrating on Em too much to notice but he said they were loving "the show".

[The Spotted Devil]

Worked on this concept again this morning before Mr TSD headed to Tassie for work. First one was ok but needed a few whistles on the long mark. Second was absolutely spot on and third took a bit more hunting on the marks but not a hint of swapping or any whistles needed. Yay!

I meant to add that when coming back from the blind pile on the 2nd set up the funny little thing purposely picked out a small circle of heavy cover/blackberry to cut through. Completely unnecessary given the line but great that she saw it as an opportunity not to cheat. Made me literally laugh out loud :laugh:

Edited September 5, 2013 by The Spotted Devil

[fetchindawgs]

Hi TSD, yep I am headed over to you next week. Entered in the State champs and the National. Only bringing one dog this time. Hope to see you and have a chat this time (Always seems to be go go go at trials).

Sounds like Em is coming along beautifully, and enjoying the training too.

[rubyroo]

Good luck next weekend FD!

TSD, makes you feel great when there is an audience who cheers loudly! My kids do that to me!

I gave the monkey a bit of a break and just had fun in the paddocks. Now it's warmed up a teeny bit (and yep 2 tigers in 2 days, around the corner from home, damn it ). I took rocket to the dam for some recalls. The first 2 on a rope so I could guide him and not run the bank the next 2 were great only one needed a stop whistle, and then straight ahead! I repeated this yesterday and again today at a different dam, he did really well. He understands so I just have to keep repeating/reinforcing the concept. So hopefully will get a chance to get out tomorrow arvo. I'm excited I've not been clay target shooting for a few months now, finally have a leave pass tomorrow morning the boys are doing the canberra fun run, 5 & 10kms no way not me!!

[rubyroo]

Yeah another successful arvo, with a recall across a bigger damn! Cheeky bugger was starting to slink in the water before I called him, at least he wasn't going to run the bank!

[The Spotted Devil]

Look forward to seeing you this weekend fetchin'......already a few familiar faces from WA at yesterday's trial. I'm camping at the grounds next door to the Greyhound track so nice and close for morning briefings etc but I will be coming back home during the week as I have a lot on at the moment.

Great work rubyroo! Sounds like you are breaking things down and building them up again which is always the best approach.

Speaking of which..... Think I "broke" Em last week - pushed her on a couple of concepts and some basics have deteriorated so back to simple stuff this week and building confidence. I worked for the AEC on election day - started at 7.30am and we didn't finish the count until 11.30pm. By the time I made it home, fed and cleaned up after The Zoo and had a very late dinner it was 1am before I got to bed. Up at 4am and drove to Sale (2.5 hours) for vetting at 7.30am. I think I must be completely crazy and everyone else agreed that I definitely am :laugh: Em had a well deserved fun time picking up game but I was rather awful and did her a complete disservice. She probably picked up my half asleep attitude, which didn't help either!

First run was a moderate mark and a two bird with duck call. This was a pretty good run for us all things considered - most dogs were sucked in by the duck call, several swapped and a good number tried to. Em took a nice line but overran the mark (a little fresh after a day and a half cooped up) - one whistle and she turned back and hunted it up. The two bird went up and she had a really good look at it but didn't even think about swapping. Slight relocation to pick up the two bird and she coped with that really well.

Second run: leave dog in the hide, walk down steep track, fire at the blind, re-load, call the dog, watch the in-water mark, pick up the mark, pick up the blind. She was steady as a rock, lined up for the mark and saw it well. I sent her and she took off through very heavy mud etc on a really nice line, saw the water and decided it would be more fun to cheat like crazy so off she went. I was so, so tired and my reactions were not up to scratch. If I'd stopped her immediately I'd say she would have taken the cast back into the water but I just stood there watching the pretty dog By the time I blew the whistle she was deep in long grass over near the thrower and was making it very difficult for herself. She couldn't see me at all and I was silly enough to try to handle her "blind". I could see her springing and springing and finally she found a little mound to sit on (cute!) and took a cast into the water. Took the same line back to me but particularly chose to run through some heavy cover to get back to me which was pretty funny. You have to laugh at yourself and laugh with your dog at moments like these and that's exactly what I did. Lined her up for the blind and I was pleased with her initial line....much, much improved!!! However, she kept pulling right (not suctioning into the mark) and I couldn't work out why. She would stop and take a cast but then flip right again. I finally engaged my brain, stopped her and just left her sitting for a bit - gave her a chance to concentrate and me an opportunity to read her. Her nose was twitching to the right and I finally realised there must be a very good smell in that direction so I said "leave" and cast her left. Turns out the person laying the blinds had a BAG of birds not a bucket so that was where the lovely smell was coming from. There was a look of understanding on her face and she took a good left over, stopped and sent her back and she ran straight over the top of it. Actually quite happy with that as she did run on instead of pulling right again. Stopped, called her in and stopped her on top of it.....thinking back I should have had her on the other side of the blind so she would pick it up on the breeze. Being tired is not good for brain function!!!

Third run: walk up, leave, proceed to firing point, watch the long mark, pick up the long mark, pick up the short mark. We have never done a walk up in a trial but she was absolutely fine with it - I think the basics of steadiness to shot etc are really paying off now. But she really, really had trouble with "leave".....used to be her strong point so back to basics this week. Took a few handles to get her on the long mark and like 95% of the dogs she cheated the tiny pond that was a long way from the firing point. Picked up the short mark without a whistle but it was a bit messy for her.

So a lot of handling on marks and cheating saw us cop a fair shellacking points wise and we were nowhere near the placings. However, we finished and she had such a fun time! I watched a bit of All Age but mostly chatted. Drove home but pulled over for a sound snooze session about half way. I really slept well last night!!!

In other news, one of the people I train with asked me several weeks ago if I'd entered the Nationals. I laughed and replied "of course not! I'm stewarding!" He wanted to know why on earth not so I said:

1. She's not ready

2. I'm not ready

He replied: "what have you got to lose?" I thought about it:

1. Entry fees

2. Couldn't think of anything

He pointed out that:

1. It's local so why not?

2. There's no pressure so why not?

3. She's qualified so why not?

4. It's great experience for her so why not?

5. It's great experience for her handler so why not?

So after much discussion I put my entries in for the State Champs. And the Nationals The great thing is I completely expect to go out in the first run so ANY item she picks up will be a bonus Obviously once we're out I'll be going on a thrower for the rest of the time.

[The Spotted Devil]

Revisiting some basic concepts...

Yesterday I had Mr TSD help me with an X marking drill in moderate cover on a hill in the Arboretum - went to the abandoned golf course first but just too many dogs running about with no recall. Angle back marks were spot on but angle in marks were average. Swapped ends and had Mr TSD throw the angle in marks only - so much improvement!!! Left her at home last night and took Zig to agility. I just want her focussed on retrieving for the next few weeks.

This morning I placed 3 dummies out as hot blinds in a moderately treed area - let Em watch me do it. Back to the starting peg - hand throw a very close, tempting mark. Leave. Send for blind. I picked up the memory mark on the first one but let her get the memory mark on the next 2 as she picked up all 3 blinds without a whistle. Really focussed on how I rewarded this one - good girl when she picked up the blind, a happy bumper on delivery, then a cheese jackpot when she brought the happy bumper back. Lots of bird life but she payed no interest once she was training.

[whitka]

So I had no idea there was a national championship in Sale next weekend until I saw it in the paper this morning :laugh: So is anyone here going? I have never seen a retrieving trial let alone a national championship! Im pretty keen to check it out :)