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June Hunt & Field Training

7K views 106 replies 15 participants last post by  gdgli 
#1 ·
June has not started very well for us. At first I was wondering if maybe I was pushing Rose too much. She has been acting like she has never done a double before, she would hit a nice long mark and on others just piddle around. This weekend was even worse. She started walking back to me, not trotting, not running with the duck. Then I started putting her behavior changes together. She was in heat in March, in May she started going behind my bed a lot. Then she started scratching the carpet as if nesting. Then the lethargy and scatter brain behavior. Took her to the vet yesterday and well, we have milk. This would be her second false pregnancy (that I know of).
 
#29 ·
I have found that the two compliment each other tremendously. I do have to ask what level you were watching/running, as I haven't seen that at all at the Master level with the Spaniels. Beautiful retrieves/returns/deliveries.
The word I would use for retriever training is not more calculating, it's more controlling. The retriever game is about how much control you have over your dog. In the Spaniel game, it's more about how much ability your dog has. Both are fun, just different.
 
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#30 ·
The spaniels were at the junior and senior levels. One guy had just gotten a bitch back from field trials in the states. We don't have a large enough community up here to have spaniel or pointing field trials, so only hunt tests. The field trial bitch was ready to rock and roll, very high energy like any field trial dog. Other than that I think most of the dogs were similar in level to mine. And that's why they were working in things specifically like picking up birds and returning to hand. Which of course I didn't have to work on. So early in the day we did little set ups for people trying to get their dog to pick up a bird. So I helped and I think maybe they understood a little of what my dogs did. They just don't do force fetch or hold like we do. Seemed to be the master dogs did go all the way to force fetch, but the lower level dogs had not been FF.

Now the trick will be teaching sit to flush. My spaniel friend lives quite far away and it s difficult to work together. But sit to flush is my next thing. Lucy sits on a whistle for blinds, but I tried it on the flush, and she totally ignored me. I didn't nick her, I was a bit scared to since she was so hyped up. Any ideas?
 
#31 ·
Ran an ABCD drill with Millions of Peaches today it was hot and the dogs were beat when they were done. both dogs did well considering the humidity but Proof won the training day today he put his face on 3 of the 4 marks one of them being the long mark. Proof can MARK no questions asked, but he was also holding really good lines to all the marks. G1 110yrds G2 75yrds G3 142yards G4 175yrds.

 
#36 ·
We need more puppy photos!

Went shooting at lunch today. Been concentrating hard on relaxing and getting my clay pigeons. This time I didn't shoot with any grade school girls, so I didn't get demolished. So in the adult scheme of things I shot 40% at the 5 stand. This weekend I'm shooting for hunt tests and want to make sure I get all my ducks. Can't disappoint the dogs! I'm shooting for the Started dogs, so I'm hoping to see some good puppies out there. I'm running Lucy in Hunter category.

I have noticed an interesting pattern with Lucy. She will sit to the whistle on blinds most of the time. But on a retrieve if I decide to handle her, she refuses to sit, even with a collar correction. She is determined to find that bird. Are most dogs like that? Refuse to sit on a retrieve, but will on a blind? I don't want to dampen her spirit, she's very serious about finding that bird. And yes sometimes I am wrong and she finds her bird without me handling. So she gets her reward for not listening. When you use a launcher and you're by yourself, you can't really run out and pick up the bumper. Just curious what you all do...
 
#38 ·
I have noticed an interesting pattern with Lucy. She will sit to the whistle on blinds most of the time. But on a retrieve if I decide to handle her, she refuses to sit, even with a collar correction. She is determined to find that bird. Are most dogs like that? Refuse to sit on a retrieve, but will on a blind? I don't want to dampen her spirit, she's very serious about finding that bird. And yes sometimes I am wrong and she finds her bird without me handling. So she gets her reward for not listening. When you use a launcher and you're by yourself, you can't really run out and pick up the bumper. Just curious what you all do...
You say, "But on a 'retriever,' ...." Do you mean "on a mark?"

If so, what situation makes you decide to handle?

FTGoldens
 
#39 ·
Yes I meant "mark". Here was one situation. We were test dog at a derby a couple of weeks ago. She over ran one mark by about a mile. I wanted to handle her back to where the bird was. She ended up figuring it out by some miracle.

Here's another situation. Send her to a mark, I'm by myself so I was using a launcher. She runs to the opposite side of the launcher, she must have blinked. Anyway, I tried whistle sit and handle her to the other side. She ignored me. E-collar had no effect. She found that bumper too.

So I think I'm reinforcing, you don't have to sit on a whistle when you are hunting...
 
#41 ·
I have the big sling shot launchers that only send one bumper at a time. They shoot like 25 yards or so. I wish I could load more than one, but I'm not that talented.
 
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#42 ·
The best ever Christmas present from DH was the RRT Versa Launcher. It has 4 bumpers. When I train with Darcy's breeder we combine with her 2 bumper Bumper Boy and that way we have 6 possible shots from one station and a thrower on another station.
I have been told by many much more experienced handlers not to handle on a mark unless absolutely necessary. So if needed on the launcher side we use the remote duck call with another bumper out.
 
#43 ·
I agree with George, it sounds like she is not completely whistled sit conditioned. There is a fun little game I do with Proof, I swing the bumpers around and say hey hey and get him all worked up. Then I act like I'm throwing it and he takes off to go get it. I whistle sit him while he is running off and if he doesn't sit immediately he gets no real throw. But if he does sit immediately then I will throw it and release him on his name to go retrieve it. That might help Lucy as it is similar to a thrown mark and not a "dead" bird. Maybe it will help her conceptually
 
#44 ·
I agree with all of the above. (Now that's really taking a position! :) )

If my dogs are hunting on a mark, I very rarely handle, even if their hunt has taken them out of the immediate area of the fall (the answer may be different (sometimes) if while en route they fall to a factor and are thus going to end up out of the area of the fall). Unless they are just screwing off, they are still trying ... and finding a mark IS the dog's responsibility.

And yes #2, I'd put her back through some whistle-sit training, then drills before using that tool in the field.

FTGoldens
 
#45 ·
Since we are now a SH, our focus is WCX...I see one in July, I might try.

So we started working on that this week, again. Entered in one last month, but my pup injured her foot, so had to lay off a week.

I have a double Bumper Boy (BB). It works well if you do everything correctly. They will throw two individual bumpers one at a time and you can throw them in different directions. It has a duck call built in. I have to different shells one throws about 35 yards and one about 70 yds. My third thrower is my wife....! Our kids are all grown up with kids of their own. Although, 2 of my Grandkids are visiting in July...guess what they will learn to do....!

So I am setting up two or three stations all with folding chairs with white shirts. That gives our pup a chance to 'survey' the marks. Then I will throw from one station, and wait, then send her. I will do this 3 time before I do a double. If she does not head bob, or look away from the first mark (memory), I will give her a double or maybe a triple. But, if she looks away from the first memory mark, prior to me moving or the duck call, boom, I will send her on that first mark. Teaching her to lock on to each mark until I move, signaling her of another mark to lock on.

Hoping these drills will get her well set up for the WCX.....and of course we are running our other dogs and making her honor. She was a bit sloppy on this when running the SH, so we will reinforce it with her.....daily until the WCX...

Any comments would be appreciated.....
 
#46 ·
In my inexperienced opinion I think it depends on the dog. I think I read or heard somewhere that you count to two before you move to the next mark. But there are some dogs that do not need that count before you go to the next mark.

What happens if Foxy looks away and you throw another mark? Does she remember the first?
 
#51 ·
No, she cannot remember her marks, unless she watches it fall!

When I got her back from training, I was very concerned as she would head bob on marks and then have to do a gorilla hunt on the memory birds. She actually failed a hunt tests doing this. I did some talking to my trainer and then did some reading. I found an article in a book I have, with a drill to stop head bobbing/or movement on Marks.

That is where I got that drill after using it with her for one week, she was perfect on her marks and we were stretching them out to 150yds in heavy to moderate cover by the end of the week. She then proceeded to get passes on the next 3 SH hunt tests...so now I do this drill once a week every week, but I am starting to add some complexity.
 
#48 ·
I had the privilege today of watching a very talented little girl run an outstanding started test.
We did some training yesterday, and the first time she was launched out into the field a very well known AKC judge who happened to be training with us said, "wow, she's a little firecracker!"
She showed everyone that the Goldens can truly get out there and burn up the field. Then today in the test she and her handler were an awesome team, they were truly working together especially on a rather tough water mark (due to extremely heavy cross winds) that a lot of other dogs cheated on.
I know that if her handler has the time and the inclination, the sky's the limit for this little girl.
Great job guys!!! (And someone gets wet tonight :) ). Very proud of you guys, so glad I was there to watch.
 
#49 ·
hmm....I see Fourlakes said thanks but didn't comment.....you would have been mighty proud of this little girl today ;)
 
#54 ·
Fourlakes is kicking herself for not being over there today to see this certain, unnamed girl run! I am very proud of both this lovely, talented little red girl and her handler!!! (I congratulated them over the phone....) I will see you and them tomorrow, if only for a visit. Sorry to have been a party pooper today :-(
 
#50 ·
This has been posted several times in various sections of GRF, but today seemed like a really good day to re-post it (by Sandy Mowery, originally referring to obedience titles where of course the dogs are owner trained and handled. I edited out the word "obedience", apologies to the author)

What is a Title, Really?

Not just a brag, not just a stepping stone to a higher title, not just an adjunct to competitive scores; a title is a tribute to the dog that bears it, a way to honor the dog, an ultimate memorial.

It will remain in the record and in the memory for about as long as anything is this world can remain. Few humans will do as well or better.

And though the dog himself doesn’t know or care that his achievements have been noted, a title says many things in the world of humans, where such things count. A title says your dog was intelligent, adaptable and good natured. It says that your dog loved you enough to do the things that please you, however crazy they may have sometimes seemed.

And, a title says that you loved your dog, that you loved to spend time with him because he was a good dog, that you believed in him enough to give him yet another chance when he failed and that, in the end, your faith was justified. A title proves that your dog inspired you to that special relationship enjoyed by so few; that in a world of disposable creatures, this dog with a title was greatly loved, and loved greatly in return.

And when that dear short life is over, the title remains as a memorial of the finest kind, the best you can give to a deserving friend, volumes of praise in one small set of initials after the name. A ... title is nothing less than love and respect, given and received and recorded permanently.
 
#52 ·
In training, if Tito swings his head he gets sent for the mark that just went down, regardless of what the original plan was. That way he has learned to keep his eye on the bird that just went down, because he never knows if he's going to get sent or not.
 
#55 ·
You will get to see her run tomorrow, and you will be mighty impressed!
 
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