I have a black lab that I have essentially trained myself with occasional guidance by the experienced trainers. Because it is difficult to find throwers/bird boys for my daily training, what is the best way to help your dog with marking ability for the longer retrieves? I have been having her sit and I walk about 75 yards off and toss 2-3 dummies to the top of the Y and send her, which she bring to me. Is that the best way?
Usually, if there is a scent involved, she has no trouble, but a dry dummy in taller grass is a different story. Am I pressing her to be too accomplished for the more difficult/longer retrieves?
As for her accomplishments to date, she is two and is one pass away from achieving her HR title (Seasoned). Living in Texas, we have to wait until the fall for another HT.
I have the same problem of training alone. I got some used winger to help me out, if alone you would need some electronics. Not sure about your finances but if you can go that route would be my suggestion. Eventually you will need to send the dog from your side for marking training.
I live in a town about 45 miles from Tulsa, where my club is located. Very few of the guys live anywhere close to me, and those that do, I have a hard time catching up with to train. I have a 6 yr old, bird boy in training, but he lacks the understaning just yet to help very much, and was not real excited about the whole process. We are working on that. Also, I've used the bumber launchers that utilize a .22 LR charge. It gets the bumper on out there good. The problem I run into is that it does not depict a typical hunt test scenario very well. So, finally I challenged my highly competitive wife to train and compete in hunt tests and trials with me, and she took the challenge. We bought another pup, and now I have a training partner, and the six yr old is more enthusiastic about things now that mom is involved. The launcher may be a bit more convenient than the solution I came up with.
I trained alone yesterday with Daisy and Kooly running this setup in tandem (two dogs at the same time). Distance is not an issue when incrementally increased. The gunner stays in the field and moves from station to station as the dogs individually return to the line. Skills are also incrementally developed.
Here is a video of a "fun day of exercise doing a simple, short set of singles demonstrating the "tandem setup".
She's two years old. There is no reason you can't stretch her out. This is a simple way to do that. As was mentioned make the marks easy to see when nearing the fall (short cover) and increasingly more difficult to get to (adding distance). Watch her speed (energy level) and stop when the drive drops a bit. It takes time to build up the endurance and wind to run the drill long.
Run it once a week in short cover. Have two bumpers with you so that if she breaks down just toss the second. You are running HRC Seasoned which means you should be able to quickly teach her to cast back to the line after delivering in the field.
Chain "back" with "place" so that eventually the command to return to the line will be "place". Work close in at 15-30 yards at first and move back gradually.
When running this drill with my older dogs the usual ending distance is 300+ yards.
Thanks everyone. Great stuff. We worked on Kwicklabs' drills last night doing triples. A great workout in some low and heavy cover. She is getting pretty good going back to the bucket too. I will do more of this each evening. I've been doing longer pattern blinds stretching her out before this which is easier for her to mark. And more of the double T work for her casting. And a few blinds. I guess the marking had suffered a bit along the way. Damn that full time job!
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