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  1. #1
    Senior Dog IRISHWISTLER's Avatar
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    Step Aside Michael Phelps

    Aye Mates,
    Any of ye that have been through military or law enforcement recruit training fully understand that the command structure is NOT a democracy in any regard. *Your every minute is carefully controlled and ye have no say in the matter. *As a former Sergeant, t'was me duty to provide those under me command with training and to keep them highly motivated regardless as to whether they liked it or not. *Fact is, I carry a lot o' me experience *in that regard o'er to me training o' gun dogs with a twist in me approach to keeping the recruits motivated. *I don't let them know they aren't having fun. *There's no*"in ye face rabid a$$ chewing" for messing up training related drills. *There's no punitive PT for mistakes made during yard work. *Even obedience training is made (dare I say it) "FUN". *Drill is completed in short and sweet sessions rather than lengthy and crushing marathons. *So, I think ye might be catching me drift - I provide the gun dog recruit with super motivation by subjecting them to drills designed to ensure their success whilst engaging them in training related activities that stimulate them both physically and mentally. *Much of what the recruit is subjected to is in fact quite challenging but I never let them know they are not having FUN.

    So this morning, gun dog recruit ALLIE MAE went out on an extended bushwhack with me lad TRAD leading the way. *No, TRAD was not calling cadence and yes ALLIE had all she could do to keep pace with him. *The heart of a warrior in this wee lass, she followed TRAD o'er a large array o' natural obstacles as we walked through rugged uplands. *Our objectives are*to create a pup that is self confident, bold, learns to problem solve, and is highly motivated throughout the process. *Folks that are familiar with me writings on training methods often hear me reference the process as "BOLDING WALKS". *Part o' me method regarding these exercises is to NOT cater to the pup as challenges are met, but rather, to allow the pup to problem solve their way o'er, through, and around physical and mental obstacles and to reward them for doing so. *ALLIE worked her way through this morning's BOLDING WALK with honor, she met the challenges presented head on and despite the hard work involved, she had FUN and likely never realized she was training the entire time.

    We even managed to get in some aquatics training today with SENIOR AQUATICS INSTRUCTOR TRAD providing recruit ALLIE MAE with a highly motivational session of time spent in the pool. *So motivational was the training that recruit ALLIE MAE *got her "sea legs" today and we observed her first swim. *ALLIE was swimming as confidently as an anaconda as she snaked her way through the tules and arrowroot that she will need to negotiate whence she graduates to missions of waterfowl recon, capture and recovery. *So recruit ALLIE shows continuing promise as her training proceeds. *Recruit training can be FUN - who'd a guessed?

    SGT. T.D.Whistler


    SENIOR AQUATICS INSTRUCTOR TRAD leading gun dog recruit ALLIE MAE in PT.


    Gun dog recruit ALLIE MAE looking like a drowned rat just doesn't realize how much training she is accomplishing because of the FUN factor included by design. *Success based training designed to set up the recruit for proficiency in skills development.


    Our "training grounds" utilized this morning took us to this "poolside" view. * God how I love me*office ! *Gun dog recruit ALLIE is seen here making her first swim. Step aside Michael Phelps.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails -p1050344resized-jpg   -p1050351resized-jpg   -p1050342-2resized-jpg  
    Last edited by IRISHWISTLER; 08-09-2017 at 07:05 AM.
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  3. #2
    Senior Dog TuMicks's Avatar
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    What a dog! But then, she's got the right stuff (genes.)

    I know what NCO's likely think about OCS, and you're probably right. 30 Days to turn 20- something newly graduated nurses into Navy Nurse Corps Officers. It was brutal. Marching in high heels, I'm telling you. Give it a try if you don't think it's hard. No BDU's. Whole time we were there we were in our dress blues (skirts!). Had to screw our hair up underneath our bucket hats. Ugh. AND... (Quelle horreur!) we had to clean our room for inspection. And stand duty watch. (Mine was 5 bells to 8 bells... AM! And kept the log for our "ship"... dorm.)

    No swimming. No PT. We did shoot and I qualified for my little green/blue sharpshooter's ribbon with a .38 (who uses a .38 in the military???) and .45. It was a hoot to watch city girls pick up guns. "Gosh. They didn't teach us this in Nursing School!" The NCO instructors probably needed stiff drinks afterwards.

    Oh well...
    Last edited by TuMicks; 08-08-2017 at 05:38 PM.

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  5. #3
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
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    Having been brought up an Army brad ant married a military man (first Army and then Navy) what you describe really makes me chuckle. Even more so as grandson is not that long out of basic training and a tour in Kuwait. He complained that his Sgt. got them up at 5:30, all set for PT, only to have him tell them that the next day he would be getting them up at 5:30 for rifle range. You're so right, there is no "positive reinforcement" training in the Army.

    Amy is going to be an awesome gun dog. Being exposed to all those experiences will only benefit her.
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  7. #4
    Senior Dog IRISHWISTLER's Avatar
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    Thanks for ye service TuMicks, ye know the drill well.

    Fran,
    Ye right on ALLIE, she will be a fantastic gun dog in due time. No "30 day Wonder", she is going SPECIAL OP'S and her training will be intensive and elongated - but FUN all along the journey.

    Cheers,
    Sarge🍀
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  8. #5
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    Everyone knows that NCO's run the military. I worked with a lot of junior officers, lieutenants fresh out of OCS. The smart ones listened to their Senior NCO's and used them to learn how to really lead and do their jobs. I took great pride in watching some of them go on to have great careers, others, I'd just shake my head in disgust.

    I'm sure Allie is well on her way to be a very talented and highly capable gundog, something tells me she's going to have a lot of letters pile up behind her name!

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  10. #6
    Senior Dog TuMicks's Avatar
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    Nothing intimidates an Ensign like a Master Chief Petty Officer. They salute us, but we know it's a polite fiction!

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  12. #7
    Senior Dog charliebbarkin's Avatar
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    This thread gave me a good chuckle.

    Somebody get those pups an achievement medal! Or at least a good dog biscuit.
    Charlie and Burton


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    IRISHWISTLER (08-24-2017)

 



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