How Factors Effect Dogs

[cpmm665]

I have faith that someone will respond with something as factual as "dogs don't like to run into the wind", or "dog's will dig up a Hill". I'm Humble like that.

[captainjack]

Ok, I will give it a shot. Then folks can have a little fun at my expense...

IMO, wind is the factor influencing dog's performance most so, if I could only talk on one factor, I choose wind.

What I think is the most important thing to emphasize...

In training, handle the dog as soon as you read the dog is giving in to the factor.

Dogs tend to fade with a crosswind and quarter into a head wind. So...

When you cast a dog with the wind, you will likely get more cast than you give. Give voice with this cast to minimize the overcast.

When you cast a dog into the wind, you will likely get less cast than you give. Do not give voice with this cast to maximize the amount of cast you get.

In a trial or test, read the amount of cast the dog gives you and if you don't get enough, imediately make the next cast bigger. This is no time for litteral casting.

OK, fire away...

[truthseeker]

If I was going to your seminar, I would like to see some handout on different setups and to go through them and explain as a handler at a test or trial, how would I read each setup as it pertains to the wind, suction to blinds, where would be the best Way to exit the holding blind and approach the line,is it some times best not to go for the last fall first ect... I don't know about everyone else, but for me most of my job take place before I even get to the line and I still have along way to go until I get it right in the vary short time I have to take everything in.

[Jennifer Henion]

Not someone who can speak as an advice giver, but as an advice taker and someone who would love to be in the audience, I would be wondering: what is the factor most used by the judges to create a challenging test or trial. Is it indeed wind? While wind is undoubtedly a major "factor" I'll bet the judges use the qualities of the grounds (hillside, dips, cover, ditches, water) to make or break . As an audience member, I would want the lecturer to give useful information about how the judges pick out the factors available at the test grounds and how they use them to challenge the dogs/handlers - then of course, discuss how to train for those factors.

Hope I'm not just stating the obvious...

Woman responder regards -

edit: yeah, what truthseeker said!

[cpmm665]

If I was going to your seminar, I would like to see some handout on different setups and to go through them and explain as a handler at a test or trial, how would I read each setup as it pertains to the wind, suction to blinds, where would be the best Way to exit the holding blind and approach the line,is it some times best not to go for the last fall first ect... I don't know about everyone else, but for me most of my job take place before I even get to the line and I still have along way to go until I get it right in the vary short time I have to take everything in.

Agreed. But the topic is how factors effect dogs, what you are describing is Handling techniques. I agree, your job is to understand the factors.

[cpmm665]

Not someone who can speak as an advice giver, but as an advice taker and someone who would love to be in the audience, I would be wondering: what is the factor most used by the judges to create a challenging test or trial. Is it indeed wind? While wind is undoubtedly a major "factor" I'll bet the judges use the qualities of the grounds (hillside, dips, cover, ditches, water) to make or break . As an audience member, I would want the lecturer to give useful information about how the judges pick out the factors available at the test grounds and how they use them to challenge the dogs/handlers - then of course, discuss how to train for those factors.

Hope I'm not just stating the obvious...

Woman responder regards -

edit: yeah, what truthseeker said!

My presentation won't be about Handling, that's another day. Let's stay on topic, Terrain, cover, wind, lighting and how they effect dogs. How to Handle those factors is a Pro's seminar.

[HPL]

Agreed. But the topic is how factors effect dogs, what you are describing is Handling techniques. I agree, your job is to understand the factors.

No advice as to the actual question, but if you are going to put anything in print, you should be aware that what you are talking about is factors that AFFECT dogs, not EFFECT. Two similar words: a factor that has an EFFECT on a dog's performance AFFECTS that performance.

HPL

[cpmm665]

I ran a blind off a slight incline, my dog fell off the hill and didn't hold a straight line to the blind.

[Lynn Hanigan]

OK, I stand corrected. You received one really good response. I’m going to do something here that I probably should not do. I’m going to expand on Dennis’s statement. I’m sure Dennis was brief because he knows that it was either stay brief or write a book.
Of all the factors pup must learn to deal with, wind is the most difficult. You can show pup how to deal with terrain by walking out there and showing him where to go. The same is true with obstacles and it is even easier with water, however you cannot show pup how to fight the wind because people are dead nosed and don’t understand what a super highway the wind is to a dog. Also, the wind has no edges you can teach the dog to avoid. It has no substance the dog can see but its effects are real and powerful.
Part of the solution starts with the first marks you throw for pup. Those marks should be designed to encourage pup to use his eyes rather than his nose and that practice should be followed for at least the first year of his life. We rarely throw marks into cover but we frequently throw marks past cover so pup will see the bird before he smells it. When we run sight blinds we use cross winds to get the pup used to running to a target to build the habit of running straight. We do the same thing into the wind to break the tendency to quarter.
I could go on about this forever because teaching pup to fight the wind is something you will have to train for his entire life and it is a lot like golf. You can only play the game. You cannot win the game.

[cpmm665]

No advice as to the actual question, but if you are going to put anything in print, you should be aware that what you are talking about is factors that AFFECT dogs, not EFFECT. Two similar words: a factor that has an EFFECT on a dog's performance AFFECTS that performance.

HPL

I get confused with the A and the E sometimes. A factor that has an EFFECT on a dog's performance might be; terrain, cover, wind. Effect is a noun.