Blind Retrieve - Newbie Question

[Evan]

It's difficult to imagine a sound training program that is not built on a foundation of solid obedience. Or are you not looking for a full, balanced training program, but rather just one that starts with handling work?

Evan

[Wayne Nutt]

jvandever07,
All training programs start with ob. I think Mike Lardy's dvd, Total Retriever Training 2d ed or Evan Grahams Smartworks would serve you well. All the modern programs are on dvd now and if you don't need the ob it is easily skipped over.

I would say that in TRT Mike does a good job explaining ob but doesn't harp on it. He doesn't spend any time on house training. Before you dismiss ob, do you teach the front sit early on in ob? This is an important step in teaching a dog to handle.

I am still learning and have been training labs since about 1980. It would be worth your while to review how others teach ob. For instance, until I started following TRT I never taught the front sit early on but it makes the transition to handling easier.

Good luck with your training.

[Mary Lynn Metras]

Under Hillmann's approach, a very solid and reliable standard of "Sit" is achieved before introduction of the "Here" command. The reasoning has to do with eliminating all anticipation of release from the sit until the pup has established a significant understanding of a motionless sit.

I believe that this prerequisite applies to more than just the "Here" command. Chase activity, a key element of Hillmann's preliminary to retrieving and marking, is never initiated from a commanded "Sit" until this same minimum standard of a motionless, focused "Sit" is attained.

The result is a steady retriever. That is ... a dog that has a clear understanding of sitting motionless while focused on the excitement of guns and birds in the field until released by command. All done without physical restraint because the dog learns what "Sit" means before it is ever tempted to break from a "Sit".

Jim

Very good explanation!

[Scum Frog]

OB is the foundation on which all other training is built upon. Without it, you and your dog will fail at any goals you have set be it a pet, hunting companion, HT or FT's

[knash3]

If I'm reading the OP correctly, the issue is hunting short on marks that fall in a non-visible spot, NOT running blinds. Most would address with gunner help initially, then gradually stretching the marks to build confidence to drive deeper before hunting AOF.

[Wayne Nutt]

Knash3, After re-reading the ops post and yours, it is hard to say. He mentioned "blind" in the post and the title of the post was "Blind Retrieve" but sometimes people don't understand the termnology. So you could be right. I don't know now what he is really asking.

Maybe the op could clarify.

[Jvandever07]

Mr. Nutt,

I am a very new member, and I'm not sure how to make my own post. Is there a way for us to have this conversation with out me hijacking this persons post? I am not sure what you mean exactly by "front sit" however I can generally make my dog sit on my left side, right side, or facing me in front of me, all by where i motion my hand. Thank you for the advice on those programs. I probably still need a little more obedience work anyways.

[Wayne Nutt]

Facing in front of you is the front sit. In the TRT program and others the front sit is critical because that is a preparatory step to teaching casting.

Here are some snippets from the Hillman Training a Retriever Puppy that I did with my little one a while back.
The last one is where I was teaching the front sit.
http://www.retrievertraining.net/for...ate%29+Hillman

[Wayne Nutt]

Right at the top of the RTR-Retriever Training Forum just under the "Forum" heading there is a box that is titled "Post a New Thread". Just click on that and start typing and ask away