Re: Riley's training log Dummy launchers are my nemesis :-[ My dogs run in as it is so exciting; I can only practice at classes as nowhere to fire a dummy launcher around here! PS. Just had a thought, there is a bird scarer over the fields, could take them there until they are bored stiff with it, could throw a dummy as it blast off!
Re: Riley's training log [quote author=Stacia link=topic=9765.msg150470#msg150470 date=1426710211] Dummy launchers are my nemesis :-[ My dogs run in as it is so exciting; I can only practice at classes as nowhere to fire a dummy launcher around here! [/quote] It definitely ramps up the excitement levels alright !!!! My experience would suggest that introduction should be very, very careful as I'm convinced it was a loud crack from a nearby launcher that became the root of Riley's anxiety around shot in general.
Re: Riley's training log Yes, it is a loud crack, ruins my ears! Strange how it over excites some dogs and can be scary for others.
Re: Riley's training log My money is on Charlie exploding the first time he sees a dummy fired that fast....the poor chap can barely keep his senses about him around tennis ball flingers....
Re: Riley's training log [quote author=JulieT link=topic=9765.msg150636#msg150636 date=1426783655] My money is on Charlie exploding the first time he sees a dummy fired that fast....the poor chap can barely keep his senses about him around tennis ball flingers.... [/quote] I think that is quite, quite possible ;D
Re: Riley's training log Interesting class today...... We warmed up with walking retrieves. Three dogs and handlers on one side of the cover crop and dummy thrower on the other side so the dogs had to mark the dummy, enter cover, travel 30 - 40 metres, leave cover, pick and return. The handlers stopped walking when their dogs were retrieving but apart from that we were all walking slowly along. Riley was really good, he marked well and stuck to his retrieve regardless of what else was going on which is really, really pleasing as other dogs are his biggest distraction. Then we had to push up a bank to some blinds. The challenge was what line to take as there were two clear lines either side of the area and some tough cover on the A to B line from peg to the area. You had to choose which side to go and then see if the dogs winded the dummies or handle them into area. Riley handled really well and only missed out picking his second dummy by being a fraction the wrong side of the wind. The third and most challenging exercise was last when the dogs had to push up another part of the bank to a blind after dummies were thrown out to the right and left. They had to leave both marks and go up the middle to something they didn't know. It was a tough test and to help the dummies were put out low down the bank so as soon as they'd gone 5 metres or so they were past them. Riley was feeling a bit of pressure I think so got a little sticky but I managed to get him moving again and we got up the bank twice. All the dogs showed a desire to go to one of the marks and needed verbal encouragement to keep travelling up the bank and once they were up they all picked and came back. One of the dogs dropped early in the hopes of getting sent out to one of the marks but all in all they coped pretty well with what was, for us all, a fairly stiff challenge
Re: Riley's training log I can't believe I keep missing Riley logs! Love reading about these exercises...one day love to do some of them...if I ever have a steady dog...!
Re: Riley's training log We were out this afternoon retrieving behind a spaniel. The spaniel was quartering up some bracken and every now and then the spaniel handler would clap their hands to mimic a shot and throw a dummy out. Both dogs had to sit to "shot" and then Riley got to retrieve. He marked well in bracken which he's seen rarely only over shooting the fall site once when I pipped him back towards me and asked him to hunt up as he approached the area. His heelwork still needs a lot of work and he peed quite a lot but as he's not a competition dog I don't worry about the peeing any more......it would only drive me nuts A fun afternoon ;D
Re: Riley's training log Hah - I was walking Charlie along a road, supposedly at heel, and moved out of the way of a car to stand by a large clump of grass. My trainer said "why did you stand there? he'll pee on that - see?" I'm afraid I said "and?" ;D ;D ;D Who cares? Why would you care, really.... How long - I mean how far - do your practice walking on and off lead heel with high distractions? How far is reasonable to ask a young dog to do?
Re: Riley's training log I guess it's just some people would rather their dogs were focused on the job in hand....but I know that riley is more likely to pee in a new place or if he feels under pressure. You would get marked down in competition. Many other people walk Riley so it's really unlikely I could ever cure him of it so I don't let it worry me.
Re: Riley's training log Well, competitions are competitions, a little bit different from real life, I guess. Is that something you want to do with Riley?
Re: Riley's training log Yup exactly. I'm more interested in how he works. I was pleased with him today working behind a strange dog and still retrieving reasonably well. Just short, fairly straightforward marks away from the spaniel but good nonetheless
Re: Riley's training log i think that's fab. I'm most impressed by the control behind the spaniel. I can but dream... You wouldn't believe Charlie behind a spaniel. Well, since you've met him, maybe you would.... :-[
Re: Riley's training log So today was less about training Riley and more about training me......... We did three sets of retrieves. 1. A mark over a large puddle, sounds odd but it means crossing two boundaries and not being able to see the ground (it was a muddy puddle!) through a gap in some bushes. This was followed by a blind in the same place. 2. A blind in some bushes off to the left of a path having first thrown a mark as a distraction behind. Blind to be retrieved first followed by the mark. 3. A split retrieve of two marked dummies in any order. The furthest retrieve was about 40 metres and I did a round then we had a chat about the good bits and bad bits then my friend did a round with his dog who's just won his first Novice Test(which sounded insanely hard) then I did them all again (having seen how they should be done ) The reason I say it was more about training me was because the whole aim was to get me thinking about how to do all these things if we do a test (which is a possibility). There were three main points: Have a plan - Look at the ground and the wind and make a plan. Know what you'll do if Riley doesn't stick to the plan. I had a plan each time, not always the right plan but a plan nonetheless Keep him tight - hunting an area that may be ok in training is fine but in a test it may look like you're just hoping he'll stumble across the dummy so don't be afraid to handle him. I let him hunt too loose on the first exercise which could have been perceived by a judge as lack of control. Think about the bigger picture - I took the easy dummy first on the split retrieve which subsequently made the other dummy even harder as it was even longer since it was thrown. Everything was drawing the dogs to the right so if I'd pushed him down the left hand of three tracks and made distance he'd have picked easily but it turned into a handling exercise because Riley didn't make distance which he may have done if I hadn't sent him for the other dummy first and if I'd marked the dummy better I would have know that straight away but as it was he hunted up short. On a better note for the second exercise I had a good plan, the dummy was off a gap in some thorny tree/bush type things but you couldn't really see the gap where we were stood. I could have tried pushing him on a straight line into the bushes but he'd have had to negotiate round them quite a bit and I would lose sight of him quickly. So I pushed him down the path and stopped him opposite the gap, then flicked him left where he picked easily. All in all a lovely afternoon in the sun after which we threw some dummies in the big puddle for the dogs to cool them off. Obi spaniel is looking quite grubby as a result but he did enjoy himself as did they all ;D
Re: Riley's training log Sounds brilliant! [quote author=bbrown link=topic=9765.msg155584#msg155584 date=1428685345] So I pushed him down the path and stopped him opposite the gap, then flicked him left where he picked easily. [/quote] Ooh, get you, fancypants ;D ;D ;D Seriously though, deeply, deeply impressed and looking forward to hearing all about it if you do enter a test. Very interesting what you're saying about thinking about the situation and planning how to demonstrate both your control and your dog's abilities most effectively.
Re: Riley's training log [quote author=Merla link=topic=9765.msg155587#msg155587 date=1428685803] Sounds brilliant! [quote author=bbrown link=topic=9765.msg155584#msg155584 date=1428685345] So I pushed him down the path and stopped him opposite the gap, then flicked him left where he picked easily. [/quote] Ooh, get you, fancypants ;D ;D ;D Seriously though, deeply, deeply impressed and looking forward to hearing all about it if you do enter a test. Very interesting what you're saying about thinking about the situation and planning how to demonstrate both your control and your dog's abilities most effectively. [/quote] The really experienced people get to know the judges because some judges would like my push, stop and flick and others would prefer a straight line to the area. I think working to the judges preference is an art well beyond me though and to a certain extent you just have to do your best and hope the judges appreciate it. Tests are interesting in some ways because you actually start with 20 marks for each bit and then they deduct points rather than start from 0 and add points. So I'm trying to get my head round what constitutes mistakes for which I'll lose points. All of which will go straight out the window when my knees are knocking with nerves!!!
Re: Riley's training log Makes entering a test even more scary! I always thought you started at 20 and got marked down, but then I heard you could get a big fat nought if the dog dropped the dummy out of water, even though he had done a perfect retrieve on the other half of that test, for example, fetch a blind on the bank first!
Re: Riley's training log [quote author=Stacia link=topic=9765.msg155640#msg155640 date=1428698069] Makes entering a test even more scary! I always thought you started at 20 and got marked down, but then I heard you could get a big fat nought if the dog dropped the dummy out of water, even though he had done a perfect retrieve on the other half of that test, for example, fetch a blind on the bank first! [/quote] Yes there are transgressions for which you lose all your points and get a big fat zero. Probably what we'll get as Riley has a quick pee on each retrieve
