One more day

[Anna Scott]

We are squeezing in every training day that we can as our weather is starting to turn. Today was overcast but warm enough to get out and do a couple of set ups. M is still showing confusion running blinds through white coats so we are doing as many as we can . Tomorrow I will do a drill set up with the mannequins. She really wants to lock in on the white so it is practice, practice, practice.
This is my favourite time of the year. The forecasters said we would not get the usual Fall colours because of the hot, dry summer. Boy were they wrong. Our colours are just spectacular. I have been taking pictures of a specific tree as it has turned from green to a now blazing red/orange. Our area is a gathering area for red winged blackbirds. Today as I was gunning a huge flocks of them were flying over. There had to be at least a thousand or more. As they go over you can hear their wings. It was like a scene from the movie "The Birds". When I fired the gun the whole flock changed directions as one. They are amazing to watch. The geese are also on the move. We are seeing more and more flocks passing over.
The forecast is for rain mixed with wet snow tomorrow hope they are wrong about that too.

[Scoutpout]

We were out Saturday, boy that was a bit of an eye-opener after the warm weather we've had. Did find out that new boots were actually too warm!
one of the little girls (she just turned 2) in our group has had a bit of an issue with seeing gunners and deciding they're scarey. so Sat her people brought out a bunch of halloween decorations - straw people on sticks, a cellophane flapping flag/banner, a silver foil ghost, and a cardboard witch, all which got put on sticks and stuck in the ground. We just did back to back 2 singles, with a left, middle, right fall area, doing the right then middle for 1st series, then middle and left for 2nd series. Miss Skittish was taken out for a look at the centre fall area, which was surrounded by these flapping creatures. The left and right fall areas each had a stick straw person. Bird was thrown so it landed next to straw people, middle bird landed in middle of all the wavy scarey things. She did ok, got the bird each time, and only a quiet woof/huff on the centre bird. When it was her turn for the 2nd series, she didn't even blink at the weird centre stuff, had to run past the gunner (who was moving around) and get bird from in front of waving straw person on the left, and was fine.
interesting to see the other dogs' reactions being sent out without an inspection 1st. couple of them circled the whole centre display before going in and getting bird, one dog pee'd on the witch after getting bird, others were looking, but much more focused on the bird. Finished the morning with a loooonnnng single down a slope that curves and goes past a rock pile, to the bird which was past that at the base of a tree in middle of field. had to pass through 2 sets of goose decoys on the way down the hill. Scout unfortunately had to do a quick jog to the right and left to both decoy setups, but then back to his line to the bird, and directly back up the hill on the return. He was the only dog who felt he had to check out the decoys.
Yesterday was much nicer! and the LOC had their Intro to Retrieving day. What a fun and educational day! We went to enjoy the day and pick up some new or different ideas. Everyone else was totally new to the sport. fantastic to see people out to learn something new! they had lots of "seasoned" helpers so that there were only 2 dogs/handlers to an instructor. Included a great lunch, and had a fun single at the end. Several standard poodles, lots of labs, several Goldens, and 2 tollers. Now if they can figure out a way to get those folks in touch with other people that train so they can move forward. Lots of good, basic explanations, and a great fun day for everyone.
Tree colour here has been fabulous. with the wind the last 2 days, the leaves are really coming down. my yard looks like an impossibly bright orange carpet right now.

[Anna Scott]

I glad they had a good turn out. I wanted to attend but family commitments came first. I don't know if they were able to use any of the print material I sent them from the workshop we gave for another club. You are right in assuming that the group needs to be hocked up with training groups. From the group that attend the Muskoka workshop 4 of them have now got their WC's and 3 finished their JH this Fall. These types of events are one way of getting new participants in the games.

[Scoutpout]

wow, thats a really good result from that group! you guys must have done a really good job encouraging them, and getting them connected with folks to continue on. i heard one of the volunteers asking where everyone was from, she was trying to get a general idea so she could put them in contact with some of the existing informal training groups. I am soooo glad my GR friend invited me to come along training with them. otherwise we wouldn't be enjoying this sport that Scout loves. Even after going to the previous LOC Intro to Retrieving event 2yrs ago, i was wanting more but had no idea what steps to take to continue. And not being in that circle, no idea who to ask about coming out to watch training and hopefully become involved. I'm not sure if it was your material they handed out or not. And there was supposed to be something coming out to people via email.