Was wondering if anyone had any advice on drills to run for water blinds and handling. I live just outside of a major city and can't find any ponds to use for teaching swim-by and water T. Any help would be much appreciated.
Keep looking. Find a farm pond, or something like it, with a clean shore lint across the dam, and adapt yo that. Many a fine job has been done on swim-by on water that was far less than ideal.
Look on Google Earth to see if there are any ponds in your area. Then drive around the area when people may be outside when you can stop and talk with them. Introduce yourself and have your dog in the truck/car where you can show them if they would like to see them. I found a couple of places to train that way as well as water.
I've tried using google earth and found a few spots but was kicked off because they were either "private property" or the dog had to be on a leash. It's even harder to find private land to train around in the suburbs and I pretty much use public parks and fields to train on now.
There is an interesting video on YouTube where Pat Nolan teaches swimby using a platform and one bank. Should be able to do a search and find it. If u can't find water like that then i am out of ideas.
I ran a field trial and a hunt test 10 or so years ago just out on the east side of Cleveland. The site was an old nursery ... I think the nearest town was Hambden, and that may be the name of the nursery. Plenty of good training water there. Look up the club who runs there and find out how you go about using the grounds.
If you need further help getting the name of the club, shoot me a PM.
Bridget, they were ponds on the side of the road in an undeveloped commercial parkway, hard to find out who owns them when there's no one there. And JS, I have looked into the Buckeye Retriever club in Hambden and have ran a few tests there, only problem is its an hour drive and my work schedule doesn't make it possible to train there daily like i need to. I've tried looking around with no success and that's why I'm asking everyone on here now, see if anyone else has had the same problem.
And JS, I have looked into the Buckeye Retriever club in Hambden and have ran a few tests there, only problem is its an hour drive and my work schedule doesn't make it possible to train there daily like i need to. I've tried looking around with no success and that's why I'm asking everyone on here now, see if anyone else has had the same problem.
Well, I do understand if your schedule does not allow the time then you need to figure out another way. Maybe have a pro do it for you. (I do vaguely remember what it was like to work )
An hour of travel each way and a half hour training though, is not that unusual. Most of my training days take up at least that much time even if I'm staying close to home. Scratch your head and see if you can't figure out a way, if only for a few weeks.
I'm not sure I understand your question. Can you train a dog to handle in water without doing swimby? Yes.
Can you train a retriever to handle in water without access to water? No.
I'm not trying to be a smart alec. Just trying to understand your question.
The Buckeye RC is still your answer. Club members live throughout that area and you need to network with them to find out about the other options closer to you.
Jim
Wayne, I have water to train on, just nothing that will work for teaching swim-by. What I'm asking is if there are any other drills you can do to teach handling in water. I've looked into joining Buckeye before but I won't be able to get out there daily due to my work schedule and my dog needs to train everyday to make progress, she doesn't do well missing a day or two straight.
Can you post a picture of the pond/water you have access to or give the grid coordinates? (Goggle earth)
I'll look at it and see if I can give you some suggestions.
medic09- Don't know exactly how it works in other areas of the country, but I go to town hall to access the property tax maps to determine land ownership once I identify a possible training property. I bet some towns/cities might even have this stuff online. I've found it easy to get owner's names, little harder to get phone numbers now that so many have given up their landlines and therefore aren't listed in telephone directories. Luckily the older people who are more likely to keep their landline phones are also more likely to allow me to use their property. Keep looking and asking, all they can do is say no.
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