Some more to ponder follows:
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BLIND RETRIEVE PRINCIPLES/ EARLY COLD BLINDS
Retrievers should respond quickly and eagerly to whistles and directions, meaning:
· Take the original line given
· Continue on that line
· Stop when commanded
· Take a new direction as given
· Continue on that line until bird is found
Blind retrieves should take advantage of natural distractions such as:
· Islands
· Points of land
· Sand bars
· Ditches
· Hedges
· Bushes
· Adjacent heavy cover
· Rolling terrain
EARLY COLD BLINDS
· Don't fiddle about precise lines - "kick-em -off"
· Walk behind dog, as he runs, keeping the dog near to you. When you blow sit whistle, he will find you close by (like the distance from you when learning basics)
· Rope is a good idea
· Multiple planted blinds with emergency options
· Mix side sends and remote casts
· Chairs, trees in foreground to distinguish lines
· Natural targets, like on Double “t” (trees, etc.)
· Avoid strong negating factors (Wind, Terrain, Cover)
· Avoid tight lines and cheating obstacles
· 3 peat to teach themes and concepts and build momentum
WATER
· Channels - Long axis of swim- by pond is a good place to start
· Floating, anchored bumpers in swimming water
· Cheating singles type pictures, but less cheaty.
LINING UP YOUR DOG / TACTICS AT LINE
Heel / Watching / Set-up Position
Consistency in this position is key to line / bird communication
Handler stands with both feet squarely pointed parallel to the line of the bird
Handler looks out at the next bird, not at the dog
Dog sits with near side front foot next to handler’s foot. Head by handler’s knee (visual contact)
Sitting squarely on four feet, pointing at the bird
No slumping on hip/ crouching / standing/ leaning on or away from handler.
Teaching dog to recognize and seek this position
Be precise and consistent with your stance and dog’s position
Use collar tab and heeling stick (gently)
Drills:
1. 1 / 3 /5 step heeling
- Pivots in unison
- One step heeling: forward, back and side
- #2 + #3 above, but dog sit stays – handler moves away – calls dog into “here” / “heel” position
Lining Skills
Initial Lines
Conditioning dog to being called back/ no-no: Sit whistle and can’t return until you call in. Always stop dog. No auto recalls/ returns
Understanding and returning to heel position
Use of pull-tab and light stick
Slot and chair lining drills
Training group etiquette: do not try to converse with a handler who is working on lining up the dog
Lining Skills, Progression
· Line to visible bumper/ pile
· Line to known marker (tree, rock, etc.)
· Line to your choice of markers
· Relativity to markers (i.e. line between/ past chairs, trees, rocks, etc.) / slots
· Line tight past marker (past chair, tree, etc.)
· General acceptance of wherever you point/line them they will go there!!!!
· 3 peat lining progression drills
WATER BLINDS
Attention to:
· success ratio/ attitude / momentum / style
· control
Components: (vs running the single / big /complex water blind)
Entry, re-entry, stay in, up and out
3 – peats: repeating/emphasizing only one component per session
Attitude
Clear pictures and 3 – peats
Sometimes talk the dog through problems, not always wise to punish/correct
Concentrate on the concept/ less on the “line,” eg. fighting a cross wind, etc.
Control: No “blow-ups”. Slow down/stop then resume
Tune-up drills with a theme: entry / cut corners / re-entry/ run past –get in / parallel shore
Casting/voice
- Permission casts for water exits
- Silent casts for direction change/ stay in the water
- Loud voice for drive/ up and out
ADVANCED BLINDSEffective Casting (Trial vs. Training)· Anticipation / Planned approaches to and exits from Hazards
· Maintain standards in training (literal casts)
· Survival at the trial (momentum casts), if the first cast didn't work get more suggestive / emphatic (but keep your cool)
Rarely run a single complex water blind in training (too “pass / fail,” non-instructive)
Components / Tune-Up (Series) Approach/ 3-peats
Cold Drills, Ending in Successful Understanding
Examples for drills:
· Entries
· Re-Entries
· Cast into Water
· Stay-Ins
· Up & Outs
· Poison Birds
· Chair Drills
· Past / Over / Off Points
· Obstacles
Complexity of Blinds
· Diversions, poison birds
· Tight Lines/ Multiples Blinds
· Factors: Wind, Terrain, Cover, Distance,Shorelines, etc.
· Water entries
Typical Problems on Blinds
· Lack of solid basics
· Control at Distance (not stopping, not casting)
· Hunty Attitude
· Bugging
· Poor attitude/ style / momentum
· Mostly due to lack of experience or success
MODEL BLIND SET UP
Awareness of wind and all other factors / hazards (weather radio/compass)
Expected Successful / Intended outcomes
Strategies / Remedies Planned
Come to Line
· Line - up: side to send from, Push / Pull, use of Hands / Feet
· Importance of square stance
Initial Line
· Plan approach to/exit from Hazards
Handle Away from Hazards and Into Visibility
· Awareness of side dog turns to on whistle, relative to hazards
Momentum Preservation
· Allow to fight factors, even if off line. Re-orientation cast should be easy
· "Reading the Momentum Gauge": whistles, corrections and attrition run it down
· Don't let young dogs get into "deep holes": down wind, down hill, along shoreline
· Prevent trouble: Quick intervention, don't hope for dog to discover his error and re-gain his line
End Hazards
· Come-in whistle: downwind drift tendency
Attitude: cold blinds are mostly trained behavior, and a dog’s attitude can suffer from inappropriately high corrections ratio. Caution!
Instead, work on: Components of blinds. 3 peats/ Tune - up approach, non- conflicting, progressively successful outcomes
Solve acute problems (tune-up approach) with remedial drills before attempting more advanced blinds: (popping, sloppy whistle stops, etc. must be ironed-out first.)
REMEDIAL HANDLING SKILLS /WHISTLE SITS
Sharpen the skill in yard first
Do they understand that the whistle means “sit”? Quickly?
Teach with rope, then overlay E collar
· Recalls / sit (rope around remote post)
· Sit in route to thrown bumpers
· Sit in route to pile
· Remote sit/ steadiness drills
Stop to Pile drills: “line” type and “over” type
Obedience: lead and choke collar, then overlay E collar
Run with dog and snap sit with lead (Charles Morgan)
Bird-boy blinds, discuss
Don’t permit auto-casting
“Cemetery” blinds: opportunities to blow lots of whistles
Escape-type collar corrections
E collar on rump
Don’t compromise standards!
CONTROL AT LONG DISTANCE/ CASTING
Walk behind blinds
Long – distance wagon wheel casting
Remote handler / whistle blower
Use of swim-by / run-by at distance
Stop and cast over/ in’s on return
Emergency (against factors) blinds
Handle “all over the field” procedure (time-out from disobedience)
No auto-casting. Slow down the pace of the session
Remote Cast blinds (starting point requiring an angle cast, cast in to water)
Immediate whistle as info for cast refusal
Walking base-ball
Use “Here” after/ in place of toot-toot whistle on attrition/ recalls
Overlay toot-toot whistle with nick, then “Here”
Allow dog to get deep of blind, practice recall whistle
- punctuated toot… toot… toot whistle (vs. trilled whistle)
- note: down wind fade tendency on recall whistle
- teach disciplined recall whistle: “here” nick “here”… toot-toot whistle “here” nick “here”…toot-toot whistle nick “here”…toot-toot whistle. watch for effort on recall.
Direction changes:
- “Dog – leg” blinds
- Split back pile drill (as lining or remote casting)