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  1. #1
    Senior Dog TuMicks's Avatar
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    In search of perfection...

    -marks-blinds-3-9-16-jpg
    This looks pretty gnarly. But the middle and right hand marks were very difficult... in a typically NV way. The middle mark did not break the horizon and the sage speckled mountains in the background almost perfectly camouflaged the duck in its arc. The dogs would only pick up the movement and since it fell into thick sage cover, it just disappeared. The right hand mark was just in the flat, in patchy grass, and it also did not break the horizon. The dogs' lines to these two marks was complicated by the vegetation choked ditch. And, the flier did what fliers do to a dog.

    We did the right hand mark as a poison bird. Rocket Dog's initial line was (naturally) to the mark. But each handle made progress to the blind and once past the ditch, she carried the cast pretty well. I had one stupid autocast when she got into some cover, blew the whistle, couldn't see her, had to give the come-in whistle and from there, she handled well to the blind.

    On the remaining double, she got her flier... then came back and got that center bird without any problem. Bragging a bit, none of the younger dogs made that mark. The only ones that managed it were older dogs who have been finished at the Master National and not all of those did it without handling. So I was happy about that.

    Lest I get too happy about anything... the pro hammered me for not being firm enough on her line manners. Standard in training is to be absolutely behind my shoelaces with her toenails and any creep beyond them is to be met with a nick and "HEEL, SIT".

  2. #2
    Senior Dog TuMicks's Avatar
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    We were at a GOR-geous horse property today. Such a unique place. Red Rock Hounds, Reno NV

    Red Rock Canyon is just so beautiful at this time of year. But we were being beat to death by the wind. The sustained winds in Reno was 35 mph. But it is amplified by a LOT by the venturi effect. We could hardly stand up. Honestly, if we all hadn't driven 40 minutes to an hour to get there, we probably wouldn't have set up anything. We'll go back there tomorrow.

    Ram Jet Rocket Dog failed to stay seated and her little creep cost her. She was put back on the truck and that was that. We are not in a hurry. I already know she can mark and remember the falls. But this is too important to ignore.

  3. #3
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    Looks like a good set up. Too bad RD had to miss out. I hope we can get out and train on Saturday. Our snow is almost all gone and the temperature is supposed to be around 16C which 64F. A couple of the big boys are coming so I hope to get M doing some tune up type marks. She is really ready to start training.
    I was reading your other thread. I have used a white stick to keep the dog in the proper position, with no creeping.
    Do you do a holding blind drill? We set up a holding blind and sit the dog in it and with a sit command, and then we walk away from the blind. If the dog gets up and follows it is back to the blind with a sit nick sit. Once the dog is stable being left alone in the blind we walk away and start firing shots. If the dog leaves the blind it is sit nick sit again. After the dog is stable in the blind with the gun fire we start firing the gun and throwing birds. We throw bird beside the blind, in front of the blind, over the blind and the dog and right at the blind so they hit it and make a thump. The dog may not move from the blind. If it does it is returned with a sit nick sit. The last thing we do is sit two dogs in the blind together, they both must remain in the blind until they hear their name called.
    I have found gaining this kind of control in the holding blind calms the dog down and when they finally are brought to the line they are listening and sitting firmly.

  4. #4
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    That is akin to what they used to call the "Itch drill". I had a friend long ago that had a pup from Itchin' to Go. He was a notorious breaker. And he was conventionally trained so he got a really heavy hand. But they did something like that with him. Basically they kept upping the ante until he broke and then he got a serious correction. (Boy... isn't the e-collar a wonderful thing! We've learned so much since the 1960's and 70's.)

    I like the incrementalism of the blind drill. Question: I typically have her on a down in the holding blind. But I gather if you want to get her to generalize (what I'm doing here, I must do on the line) then you would have her sitting. Yes?

    Today we returned to Red Rock Canyon. Again, RD did not get birds. She danced out in front of me and got returned to the truck. BUT... I think there has been progress. We had a long walk from trucks across a pasture to the line and we had 3 holding blinds prior to the final one. Her demeanor was much better today. (She was just on a loose leash/slip collar.) She was paying attention to where my left leg was and never surged. She seemed alert but patient in the blinds. She was right at my side leaving the blind and going to the line. But... when I called for the birds... she crept. Game over. She seems thoughtful, until the birds are presented and then she looses her mind (a little.)

    On another note (sniff...) my Deerskin boxes died today. They were only 30 years old. The latch on one of the two holes just cracked off. They had other issues as well and they were very, very basic boxes... The bad part is Bridget had celebrated her triple with a double blind by rolling in horse manure. And I had to ride home with her in the back seat. I bought a Ruff Tuff box for Rocket Dog. (They are kinda pricey!)

  5. #5
    Senior Dog TuMicks's Avatar
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    That is akin to what they used to call the "Itch drill". I had a friend long ago that had a pup from Itchin' to Go. He was a notorious breaker. And he was conventionally trained so he got a really heavy hand. But they did something like that with him. Basically they kept upping the ante until he broke and then he got a serious correction. (Boy... isn't the e-collar a wonderful thing! We've learned so much since the 1960's and 70's.)

    I like the incrementalism of the blind drill. Question: I typically have her on a down in the holding blind. But I gather if you want to get her to generalize (what I'm doing here, I must do on the line) then you would have her sitting. Yes?

    Today we returned to Red Rock Canyon. Again, RD did not get birds. She danced out in front of me and got returned to the truck. BUT... I think there has been progress. We had a long walk from trucks across a pasture to the line and we had 3 holding blinds prior to the final one. Her demeanor was much better today. (She was just on a loose leash/slip collar.) She was paying attention to where my left leg was and never surged. She seemed alert but patient in the blinds. She was right at my side leaving the blind and going to the line. But... when I called for the birds... she crept. Game over. She seems thoughtful, until the birds are presented and then she looses her mind (a little.)

    On another note (sniff...) my Deerskin boxes died today. They were only 30 years old. The latch on one of the two holes just cracked off. They had other issues as well and they were very, very basic boxes... The bad part is Bridget had celebrated her triple with a double blind by rolling in horse manure. And I had to ride home with her in the back seat.

 



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