trouble with doubles

[Meleagris1]

Just one comment I will make as I have not seen it mentioned yet. Prior to working your dog, make sure he/she is fully aired out. That way your training doesn't have to compete with the call of nature. You don't want them to get into the habit of doing that while running.

Lots of good comments here. I agree with others about training with white coats. Its a great tool that will help teach them how to look out and mark.

[Evan]

Sorry to have seen this so late. I have a couple thoughts about your dog and his issue. First, it sounds like he could use more real birds instead of any type of bumpers in his marking. Do you have wingers or launchers to use in training?

Second, and this is perhaps just as fundamental, why is that so many trainers insist that the memory mark be the longer of the two? We do it all the time, and I'm not sure it's the result of much analytical thought. Make your memory mark short and easy...on open ground, and put a bit more distance and/or factors on the Go bird. Do this for a protracted period. Make success on memory marks a habit. Make sense?

Evan

[labman63]

Here is a little drill I do with my pups. I'll do this after an OB session sometimes and the pups love it. It came from the "Drills and More" book I think but I modified it a little I believe.

This is short throws that they can see on the ground.Throw bumper and have pup pick it up. Throw it again to same spot and then throw another off to one side about 20 yrds and send pup for 2nd one. Receive pup and line him up for first one but don't send. Throw 2nd one again to same spot as before and send. Do this 4 or 5 times then let them get the first one and end session. I have done this drill with about 6 or 7 different young pups and all caught on real quick that there was another bird out there. Works for me

[Evan]

Here is a little drill I do with my pups. I'll do this after an OB session sometimes and the pups love it. It came from the "Drills and More" book I think but I modified it a little I believe.

Sounds just like the little memory drill I teach on the Puppy Program DVD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnNSM...fOUFxFCnmE8Z5w

Evan

[RookieTrainer]

And of course, if you have access to real birds...use em. Nothing seems to put a little extra pep in their step like real birds.

Amen and amen to this. It's been a couple weeks since mine has had any birds, and I could tell this morning he is in bad need of some therapy marks in the morning. And he will get them if we are not blown away by the coming weather.

[ironslugs]

Need Advise also, I have a 17 mth old bml, was sent to a pro for 4mths when he was 5mths old and another month for couple things I wanted worked on he is ob ff cc can do 3 handed casting and very steady at the line, my prob is he can only work on the marks he sees, i can't nick him for what he doesn't know blinds and handleing, question the Evan Graham basic handleing dvd, is that for dogs that haven't got to where I am or does this fit for me? thanks for your considerations

[TN_LAB]

my prob is he can only work on the marks he sees

Do you use the term "see" as in "seeing it laying out in the field" or do you mean "see it fall from the sky"?

If the dog saw the bird thrown, then get a birdboy out in the field to help your dog locate the mark (hup, hup, retoss, etc.).

[Flying Dutchman]

One thing I'd add for Newf. When you get to extending distance, you mentioned that you don't have help, most of the time. The best way I know to extend distance and work on memory, which I think you originally thought was the problem, is to throw poor-man or tennis-shoe doubles. By that I mean, sit dog at the line, walk out into the field and throw one mark. Then walk to another place in the field and throw another mark (be sure that these are well separated from the dog's point of view). Finally, return to the line and send dog on the last bird you threw, then line him up and send on the first. This will teach him to watch the field, to remember birds for an extended period of time, and to concentrate on locations.

Remember, this doesn't come until after you've got him really comfortable with the "mechanics" of running doubles so that he comes in from one throw, comes to heel, and LOCKS ON to the other bird. When he's doing that, he gets that there's another bird out there, and you can start adding either factors or distance. Either one, though, I love the poor-man's (as in can't afford wingers or bird boys!) doubles.

[ironslugs]

I can Have a thrower and say mark and also put piles out and send, he will stop on the whistle and do his over and back cast, his rotatation left and right on the back cast are great and overs, but he sees me throw them there baseball, basically he can't do blinds, and I realize that, just fiqure he would catch on to it, I am stuck here and really bored with the same couple drills people would love to have, hope that gave insight to where I am

[Evan]

Need Advise also, I have a 17 mth old bml, was sent to a pro for 4mths when he was 5mths old and another month for couple things I wanted worked on he is ob ff cc can do 3 handed casting and very steady at the line, my prob is he can only work on the marks he sees, i can't nick him for what he doesn't know blinds and handleing, question the Evan Graham basic handleing dvd, is that for dogs that haven't got to where I am or does this fit for me? thanks for your considerations

It starts right where you are; 3-handed casting. It then takes you through all the rest of the steps that take you through the finish of Double T.

Evan