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Cold Blind tips? Does and don'ts.

5K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  Swampbilly 
#1 ·
Beginning cold blinds with my almost 1 year old BLM and was wondering if there are anything, pointers or tips to make this transition go smoothly? Any certain way to start out that makes it easiest for the dog? And most importantly, is there anything that should absolutely be avoided?

We have done everything to prepare him for this as far as FF, Force to Pile, T work, Pattern blinds (out to 250 yards) and some lining drills like wagon wheel, multiple marks (double marks, no triples yet).

I did two test runs with him at 40 yards and he nailed them but I pretty much expected that, they were easy, but still true cold blinds. Trying to get this down pat before the heat comes in the next couple of months and training will be limited.


Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

Cody C
 
#2 ·
These are not my words but read below and if you've covered the bases move on to cold blinds.
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TRANSITIONS FROM DOUBLE “T” TO COLD BLINDSDog knows the rudiments of Go / Stop / Cast / Return with collar reinforcements.In "Transition" we take these skills to new physical locations and add distance and distractions, to generalize the behaviors. Still a lot of "show and tell"

Pattern Blinds:
· Three 100-200 yard lines to recognizable, yet new, destinations. Start close, show pile, move back.

Pattern Blind with Diversions:
· New location / single pile
· Identify the pile from line
· Run / Handle to pile
· Add Bird Boy to side, run to pile
· Throw / Pick up mark, run to pile
· Throw mark, leave it, run to pile, pick up mark.

Take the above Pattern Blind Drills to 3-5 new locations, until smooth. Generalized go, stop, cast behaviors emerge.

Go to Early Cold Blinds
 
#3 ·
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

  1. Pivots in unison
  2. One step heeling: forward, back and side
  3. #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)
 
#5 ·
. think deeper...
following young dog not about making handling easy, it's about getting into dogs face/head. Distance weakens our influence over them.
.
Have fun.
 
#6 ·
#8 ·
Momementum is so important at this stage that you want to be careful not to squash it. As long as go, stop, come are solid, just require a direction change when you give a cast. If the dog changes direction, let it go and enjoy the cast. You can work on precision over time. If you get no direction change or the wrong cast, stop and try again. Walking out behind the dog can certainly help.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Do's: Set blinds such that you have a reasonable expectation of completing them in 2-3 whistles/cast.
Prior to running the blind establish boundaries for the line to the blind based on the dog's ability.

Don'ts: Don't sacrifice drive for control, give them a chance to run,
Don't hesitate to simplify. Don't get button happy!

JMO

Tim
 
#10 ·
WoW Breck that was incredible :cool:
And since there's absolutely nuthin' now that could possibly be added in the "Do" dept., would like to offer up a "Don't".

When you get to your cold blinds, try not to,..err, I mean DON'T forget where you planted the blind the day before :p
 
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