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Field December 2012

5K views 50 replies 11 participants last post by  hollyk 
#1 ·
Happy Holidays!
What is everyone up to?
 
#2 ·
Laundry and decorating the house ( I won't put up my Christmas decorations until it is December!). Dogs are going stir crazy but I am finally getting better. After two weeks of hacking and coughing the doc finally decided there must be something bacterial going on and put me an antibiotics!
 
#3 ·
Hi there.
Hope you don't mind if I join in. I've started my little girl (5 month old) 5 weeks ago on field training. We have 5 puppies from the litter that get together with a trainer that specializes in field goldens. Today we worked on general obedience, platform (place) and singles. They are all doing so well. We are super excited to see their progress. We discussed bringing in the starter pistol for background noise next week. We're hoping for the temperatures to warm up a bit, so we can get back outside. It's been down around zero or below lately, so getting outside for a lot of work is tough. So we've been training in my shop. Some of us signed up for a Connie Cleveland seminar in February. I'm hoping my girl is mature enough for the class. We did get a lecture about planning for WC test in August that our trainer is running for the club. I hope Lucy is ready by then.

For this week I'm taking Lucy back to retail stores for stays and recalls. She did really well last time. Dogs always amaze me on how smart they are.
 
#4 ·
Welcome Alaska, good to see you here!!

Tito may never run another hunt test. He's decided he'd much rather REALLY hunt instead of run hunt tests.

We went to Dan's today, and set up some marks. It's the first marks Tito has seen in about a month. The first one was just a pretty easy single, but he lost it in the sun. When he got out there, he apparently decided that, since he didn't see anything go down, he probably was supposed to be hunting up a bird for us to shoot. So he went off hunting in the adjacent cover.
We got that problem fixed, tossed a few more singles for him which he did quite well on (once he saw the birds go down!) and then just decided to go hunting. It is, after all, a hunt club. So Dan took Tito pheasant hunting for a while, I went along for the walk as it's 60 degrees here today! Tito got to flush a couple of pheasants, Dan hit one really hard, long shot (had to spin and shoot behind himself), Tito retrieved the bird, and the day ended up glorious.
Tito says forget the hunt test crap.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Wednesday trained with the Pro.
First we ran a water blind that had started with a 30 yards of land then a small splashing pond with blind across on the other side. Also to the right of the line was a channel of water that fed the pond. Winter took a straight line to the water but I could see she wanted to skirt the water, whistle, one verbal back cast that she took though the water and she picked up the blind.
Then we turn around and ran the marks. A double hand thrown from in line blinds. The memory mark was thrown from the far blind, left to right at about 80 yards. 15 yards of land, 65 yards of splashing water with a small 10 yard swim in the middle of it.The 40 yard Go bird was thrown from the close blind, right to left and land on land just off the pond. Then a long 170 yard land blind that skimmed by the go bird AOF and had some roll to it.
We wanted the dogs to run a straight line to the Memory bird and not fade to the left, toward the blind that the mark came from. The going was easier to the left which could make them fade too. Also you need to made sure they didn't try to cheat on the way back.
On the Go bird I was told, if her line takes her into the water to let her have it. The reason given was that we teach them that to get into water or stay in the water is the usually the correct choice. So in this case, if they get in the water give it to them.
Winter is at the stage where we are still learning tougher concepts, so we ran the long memory bird as a single first. Winter took a really good line across the pond and hit the other side but then over ran the mark and put up a big hunt. She did work it out without help. On the way out you could tell she took a look at the first blind and the person sitting behind it as she went by. Then we ran the double, she stepped on the Go bird, had the same line out to the Memory bird but still over ran and got behind it. However, she checked down quickly and picked it up. No cheating on either pickup on the long bird. On the land blind, she carried good momentum and held her line passed the Go bird AOF but started fading left with the topography as she got out to about 140 yards. Two whistles later she picked up the blind. I'm still seeing occasional looping whistle sits and in fact on the first whistle on this blind she did a small loop. The second whistle was cleaner. This looping always happens at distance. So we talked about having me give her a light nick with every whistle sit for the next couple of weeks. I'm to very carefully watch her momentum and if I see any loss of it I need to stop and give the Pro a call.

On Friday, a friend and I did a mark blind drill. The drill has her run a blind that backsides a mark, then under the arc, and then between the two marks. I still am teaching this so we run the blind, then throw the mark and then run the blind again. She still isn't perfect so we will keep running it this way. When she is perfect I will throw the mark then run the blind. Next we will did a couple of singles, one that had them working across a hill and going through a wall of cover. The second one was water, land, water. The entry was down hill so Winter carried the speed into a huge water entry, very cute. After she picked up the mark, we ran an angled entry down the same hill for a water blind. I had to call her back for a bad line but she nailed it on the second attempt. It was sunny and in the 50's so we finished up with a shoreline blind.
Unfortunately next week is looking bad for getting out and training.
 
#7 ·
Sometimes having them fly away teaches the best lesson of all.....you have to come BACK if the bird gets away!

I got this in an email from my good friend that we went hunting with, and I thought I needed to share it:

"....We may play the games in the summer months knowing what is expected of our dogs, but come hunting season, the true nature of the beast tells us who really is the HUNTER and who is the STUDENT...."
 
#8 ·
Had both guys in Finished this weekend, why I even bother with HRC I don't know.
The good was I felt more comfortable with the handler's gun and really didn't have any trouble with it. It didn't mess up and I shot at everything I was supposed to at the correct time.
Bad news is I continue to be frustrated with HRC finished setups and cannot wrap my brain around why UKC as an organization supports it. No noise at the mark (gun/duck call) means dogs miss SEEING marks. When you are "hunting" and your dog doesn't see a mark you can handle up a storm -- that's called a blind. But yet with no attention getting devices in the field, dogs miss marks and are penalized for handling. BOTH days Fisher didn't see a mark in the first series, even though he swung with the gun barrel, didn't headswing, was steady, and was actively looking for the mark. Unfair to the dog. Today it was the 2nd bird of the land triple, after swinging almost 180º to the right of the flyer, 175 yard mark with no sound. You know how many dogs in the field of 25 SAW and then proceeded directly to the mark? ONE. One dog. TWO others put up enormous hunt and eventually found that bird. The rest were handled or picked up. I handled Fisher on it the second he started to deviate (since he didn't even see the mark), basically running it as a blind.
I first ran a few weekends of finished tests before I ever ran Fisher in a master tests, I hated them, same deal, dog can't see the @#$#$*&ing marks! This past April I ran started & seasoned with Harvin & Slater but didn't put Fisher in finished, and guess what the tests were like cute little master tests, if the dog can count to three and run a decent blind you'd be OK, now I enter again and it's back to ridiculous. I'm not looking for handouts and yes I want a challenging test and to be graded strictly but when the dog doesn't see the mark because of the set up -- how can you judge them?!?!?! /vent #theregoes$400
 
#9 ·
HRC is very different, I agree. I think dogs who are used to running AKC have a hard time in HRC. Dogs who are used to HRC find it easier to switch to AKC because of all the commotion in the field.
 
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#10 ·
I belong to both clubs now but this summer I watched my first AKC hunt test and I thought it was easy compared to the set-ups we had for the HRC dogs. I have heard it both ways tho the AKC is easy the HRC is easy I guess it depends on the judges and the fields they have to work with. I am going to try my hand at AKC this summer.
 
#11 ·
It very much depends on the judges. Without that call in the field it is so very important to ensure that the mark is visible int he air and as it falls. Unfortunately, too many judges, and it seems HRC reps (who must approve the tests) are not taking this into consideration.
 
#12 · (Edited)
Having done both, I thought HRC was quite a bit easier for a few reasons. Especially at the started/junior level, at least the tests I saw, HRC was much easier. At the senior/seasoned level, the tests were more similar but there's no honor in seasoned, and you can re-send your dog if you need to, which you can't do in AKC. Also you can talk to the dog on the line in HRC, a big plus for some dogs, and you don't have to wait for the judge to send the dog, which is a HUGE thing if you have a real fire breather (which I don't). I think especially when you get to Master/Finished level, the concepts are easier in HRC, you don't see the complicated triples and quads as much in HRC.
But the dog does have to know to look out in the field for the birds going down in HRC. If the dog can't see the bird, he obviously can't mark it, and it sounds like you had a lousy test, Anney.
Having finally been hunting, I would also say that HRC is WAY more realistic. There is no shot out in the field, nor duck call, when the pheasant goes down out there. And at least in the cover we've been in, you can't handle the dog anyway, because you can't see him. So it really is a test of his marking ability.
And of course, it does depend on the judges.
 
#13 ·
Barb you haven't yet run at Finished or Master -- very frustrating to take capable dogs to the test and fail because they aren't seeing the marks. In hunting all bets are off, your dog is not judged on marking accuracy or handling, it is a different game.
There's a lot more I could say in HRC vs. AKC but I'll leave it at, I like to support my local clubs and feel my dogs are more than capable of doing the work required at the level I enter them in and it's disappointing to spend the time, effort and money to enter and volunteer only to have to run tests that are meant to cut down the field rather than test against a standard.
 
#14 ·
I know Anney, I've only watched them, and it does sound like you had an unfair test. Dogs who can pass the MH tests like your guys should do just fine in finished.
 
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#15 ·
A good day out at Dan's today.
We started with some disciplined casting, because we haven't run any blinds in about 2 months. Tito did fine, he doesn't mind being cast all over the place after he has already picked up the bumper. Then some singles, just stuff that would encourage him to hunt long and hard, which he did.
He did such a nice job, he got a nice reward. Dan took Tito out hunting for 45 minutes. Tito flushed 2 pheasants (1 shot and retrieved, the other missed) and found a dead duck in the heavy cover. Ewwwww. The dog will pick up ANYTHING with feathers.
 
#16 ·
I will chime in this thread :)

Faelan appears to be on track for SH testing this coming spring – he is doing well with handling, his marking and perseverance are up and he is more settled into what is expected. He is moving through his drills at a good pace and is understanding the concepts. He is now running cold blinds successfully. Frank is not yet ready to estimate whether he will become hard enough about water blinds to be a successful MH candidate but early indications are looking good – this is the area where Frank feels MH tests will be passed or failed with Faelan – on the water; which we have had to work some issues with – never bank running or entry but his willingness to go the extra mile when finding his bird.


Brady is retrieving his wings, bumpers and has started casting work. He is learning whistle come ins. His basic obedience still needs to be really worked on but his impulse control is coming along nicely, he walks nicely on lead and sits on cue (short duration only at 4 months but he will wait until released to his food bowl even with green tripe is in the mix :) ). He really does try and will turn himself over backwards for food and/or praise and/or play LOL He looks to be on target for JH testing this coming spring as well since he appears to have no issues with water (no retrieves on water yet – that needs to wait now but he was swimming and loving it before the weather cooled).
 
#19 ·
Had our golden only puppy class this morning. Only 4 from the litter could make it. It's been so fun to watch them grow. Goldens are so good at retrieving, this group has been so easy to train. We worked with our trainer in an indoor horse arena. We did have a little heat on since its been so cold outside. Due to the horse poop, we worked on leave it and tied it in with giving up the bumpers. It was great training for keeping them on track instead of zooming past to get a turd. Since they are all litter mates, they want to play and socialize. We had a bit of a handful keeping the group headed in the right direction. We did graduate today from singles to doubles. It was a lot of fun. They are such gorgeous dogs since they are show breeding, our group just had no idea how birdy this litter would be. We would like to get to real birds, our trainer has some frozen pigeons, but we need to get them take make sure they come back and let us remove the birds from their mouths with just a command. It might take my girl awhile to do that.

Anyone have ideas on where to get birds? We have a lead on birds from the hazzers at the airport, we hope that works out. But we can't use any birds that we've shot since Fish & Game considers that wontten waste (sp?), unless we remove the breast and sew them back up.

Now we're off to work on doubles. My husband can't wait for me to get her all trained up so he can take her out for ptarmigan and grouse. I'm thinking about getting a starter pistol so she's used to the noise. What do you all think?

My gaol is going for a WC in August. Our trainer is the one holding the event, so we are training for passing it.
 
#20 · (Edited)
I wouldn't be surprised if your girl is terrific in the field. I train with a gal who has two female Golden's from the breeder Oryan. Her older girl Journey has a million letters behind her name and is one pass away from MH. Her so called "wild child" has her JH,WCX and is working on handling. She is also training her other games too.
I think you are going to have a blast with your girlie!
 
#22 ·
You know he's an excellent shot. I can always use some help though! I have no clue what I am doing. Grouse are usually in a group and ptarmigan are loners. They all taste good. Have your birds all flown south yet?
 
#24 ·
Never heard of a brant. What kind of bird is it? Alaska has so many different habitats. Often birds come through from up north that we never see unless they are migrating.
 
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#26 ·
Sunday we will be pheasant hunting. I am doing one of my favorite things and that is I am introducing two new people to pheasant hunting. These fellows say they can shoot but Sunday we will know for sure.

I am hoping to get out an additional day this week. I know a swamp that everyone avoids that I think will hold some birds. I can try out my new boots, Le Chameau boots.
 
#27 · (Edited)
Trained with the Pro yesterday and the set up was a humdinger.
Water, set in a flooded timber type setting.
1st bird down was a straight out from the line, longish mark, though pond, run across a flat and then up a small hill and landed knee high grass.
2nd bird down was a 80 degree swing to the right, same pond as before (asking for a cheat), over a road and back in a flooded, splashing water, lots of grass clumps poking up, field.
Go bird 180 swing to the left though the part of the pond that had trees standing in water and low hanging branches (also a cheat mark) over a small piece of land and back in the water.
The blind was about 30 degrees to the right of the Go bird. The line ran though the flooded trees past a floating log, the exit was over a few down branches up the bank and maybe 15 yards from the waters edge. The marks were thrown out of wingers so she got sound from the wingers and a gunner was at the long 1st mark. I ran this HRC style, so on the bucket and shooting the gun. When I walked to the line I asked how I'm I running this, forgetting that we are running with the Big Dogs Now. :eek:
Pro: You're running the triple.
Me: Show me single first?
Pro: No
Me: Long bird as first Mark down or last
Pro: First
Me: Really?
Pro: Don't worry, we'll give her help if she needs it.
Me: (deep breath) OK

First bird goes down, we swing to #2 and she watches it go down. On the 3rd mark I'm reminded to talk to her so she makes that big 180 swing and she watches #3 go down. I send her for #3, no cheat and she picks it up. We swing 180 to pick up #2, she tries to cheat the bank, call her back, send again, good line and she picks it up. Set her up for the long bird, but you can tell she knows there is another one out there but not quite sure where. The gunner is told to step out, still no lock. Gunner is told to give a "hey, hey" and she locks in and is sent. Nice drive out to the AOF and after a big hunt she figures it out and picks up the bird. We line up for the blind. I send her and she pops after about 7 yards, unsure. I give her one back cast and she carries it across the pond, hits the perfect line in between the trees and past the floating log, hops over the branches on the bank, gets up on the flat and picks up the blind. We ran the blind again and she lines it.
I know it probably doesn't sound that exciting but we have only been running easy, teaching land triples. This was a Master type water triple and it was not a disaster. It was not a picture perfect but you could see that we can build into it.
 
#28 ·
We had a great day training today....well really, we didn't spend much time training. Instead we were hunting Chukkars. Tito had a BLAST!
 
#29 ·
We have been working with both Reilly my 5 year old boy and Lucy my now 6 month old girl. Reilly was really slow. He would calmly walk to the dummy, pick it up and walk it back, wagging his tail the whole way. It was very strange. We thought he's be more peppy. But over the last week, he's improved his speed. So we are very happy with him. I haven't started him on doubles yet, but I will next week.

Lucy did well in retrieving class today. She's on the mat with another girl from her litter. They both just turned 6 months this week. They were super patient waiting for their turns. There were only 4 puppies in class today, so we had plenty of time to work with each of them. They are all super excited to retrieve. We keep the throws down to only 3 or 4 times in a set so they don't over do it. We are working Lucy on doubles now. She's totally happy to do it. No problems.

I just wish it was above zero for class today. But oh well, it will be warm again in May. Right now we can work in the marshes on the ice and run all over since they are frozen.
 

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