trouble with doubles

[Newf]

Trying to teach my 1.5 year old lab doubles and its not going so well. Wondering if I could get a few pointers.

I setup today on a flat mowed field, I tossed one bumper at about 60 yards, and the second at about 20 yards. he nailed the short bumper as expected, but when he returned and delivered, lined up for the second (memory) mark I sent him, and he kind of just wandered off, sniffed a bush, took a potty break, etc.

OK so then I figured maybe he just didnt remember it, so I tested his memory. I would toss a mark, then take him for a short 30 second walk in a circle returning to the line. Then I would release him and he would pick up the mark easily. I repeated this several times varying the distances and the walk times and each time he picked up the single mark. So memory didnt seem to be the problem.

Any ideas on getting him to fetch the second mark? I realize I can command fetch and I could pinch his ear all the way out to the second bumper, but hey, we are doing marks! isnt this what these dogs live for?

[Duckquilizer]

Start by doing bird-in-mouth marks. Throw a mark, pick up the mark, heel the dog, leave the bumper in its mouth, throw the second mark, take the bumper, send the dog. Rinse and repeat a few dozen or so times(over a week or 2). After this is going pretty good, toss in an easy 90 degree double. It helps to use a divider of some sort between the marks and use bird throwers(kids or buddies) to add some excitment. Give that a shot.

[Terri]

I'm not a pro so take this for what it is worth. In my training group for puppies and dogs that are just starting to do doubles we have the thrower hay-hay the dog to the memory bird. After so many times they seem to get the idea that there is more than one bird out there.

Terri

[BentleysMom]

Newf,

I have no advice as I am in the same situation. I also have a dog almost 1.5 yrs old that has big trouble with doubles. The memory bird just doesn't do it for him! He runs off into no no land!

Looking forward to the advice you get! Thanks for posting this subject!

I also wanted to wish you good luck! I think we need it!

[Wayne Nutt]

Bird in mouth drill is great. Do this for a while. Setup you had was backwards. Here's the sequence. Do memory bird as a single first. Have a birdboy or stickman at gunner site. The memory bird at very first should be the short one. Almost to the point where he can see it from the line say 20 yds. The go bird can be a little longer.
As he catches on you can extend distances.

[metalone67]

As a pup would your first mark be a 100 yarder? Nope. Shorten up your memory mark, building his confidence then gradually stretch the memory out as well as the go.

[Duckquilizer]

Fo' sho'...mine usually are 20 yarders to begin at the most. Highly visible, high success.

[Jon Couch]

For what its worth for young dog just starting multiples we will "teach" the memory bird first as a single. Then I will throw a double with the single we just taught them as the memory bird. I do this for teaching doubles, triples, and quads.

[Newf]

Probably should have added this before, and I dont know if its worth mentioning or not, but unfortunately train alone 99% of the time.

[Swede]

Perhaps try progressive singles and step into doubles at a short distance.

Beck