I am in the process of purchasing my first puppy (chocolate male, by the way), and am reading up on training. The books I read describe T and TT drills being run in overgrown fields that have been mown into these patterns. Living in the city as I do, I don't have an overgrown field at my disposal. My thoughts are to run it in a park or mown field, but I realize that if the dog can see the bumpers, then the purpose might be defeated. I know I can't be the only one in this predicament! So what do folks do when they don't have access to such a field? I searched the archive, but couldn't find any matches (didn't help that each word has to have 3 or more characters).
T drills for folks with no overgrown field to mow
Donald Flanagan
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I am in the process of purchasing my first puppy (chocolate male, by the way), and am reading up on training. The books I read describe T and TT drills being run in overgrown fields that have been mown into these patterns. Living in the city as I do, I don't have an overgrown field at my disposal. My thoughts are to run it in a park or mown field, but I realize that if the dog can see the bumpers, then the purpose might be defeated. I know I can't be the only one in this predicament! So what do folks do when they don't have access to such a field? I searched the archive, but couldn't find any matches (didn't help that each word has to have 3 or more characters).
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Check your pm box
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I use flat areas with very short grass in local parks to train T drills and pattern blinds. Don't worry about grass mowed into runways for these drills.
Laurie
Laurie
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EM,
I would bet that if you polled RTF'ers, you would find that the majority prefer to avoid using mowed paths to teach yardwork. Visible piles on mowed grass work out fine for teaching these skills.
I know that I personally would choose not to use mowed paths. We spend a fair amount of time working on angling across paths, ditches, sidehills, etc. a bit later for most of the test and trial games.
Like PJ wrote on another thread, they come pre-programmed to follow paths anyhow!
Good luck and don't worry...find a local park, public sports field, fairgrounds, church lot... I did mine on the retention plain behind the local WalMart!
Chris
I would bet that if you polled RTF'ers, you would find that the majority prefer to avoid using mowed paths to teach yardwork. Visible piles on mowed grass work out fine for teaching these skills.
I know that I personally would choose not to use mowed paths. We spend a fair amount of time working on angling across paths, ditches, sidehills, etc. a bit later for most of the test and trial games.
Like PJ wrote on another thread, they come pre-programmed to follow paths anyhow!
Good luck and don't worry...find a local park, public sports field, fairgrounds, church lot... I did mine on the retention plain behind the local WalMart!
Chris
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El,
If you're proposing to mow paths for your T's, don't. As Howard suggested, find a soccer or football field, or a secluded park where the field is full mown. But also make sure your dog is prepared for T work. FTP, and the mini-T work should have been done prior to this.
Evan
If you're proposing to mow paths for your T's, don't. As Howard suggested, find a soccer or football field, or a secluded park where the field is full mown. But also make sure your dog is prepared for T work. FTP, and the mini-T work should have been done prior to this.
Evan
FWIW: You can use small orange flag markers at the piles, the start and the end piles and the center line stop areas. Especially when teaching the center line it helps to have the flags positioned at the stop points and these are the same points you will use for the cross-overs. It's simple, easy and a good reference point so you are consistent with your Full T distances.
Also, try and use the same area consistently for teaching the Full T. It's confusing for your dog to use different areas for teaching this concept. You don't need to spend a large amount of time every lesson teaching the T, but using the same area is going to make the learning of the lesson easier.
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a warning from someone who used to mow paths: DON'T DO IT!
you will have a heck of a time getting that dog to run through cover later.
I used to mow paths for my dog to get him to do straight lines, and to teach hand signals.
I let the grass grow with the exception of my lanes. Then after the dog had a solid grasp of the game, I let all of the grass grow about calf-knee high. I then used this field for light to moderate cover. I had planned on throwing marks into it from the edges of the field, to get him to look for marks in cover
he would run the outside of the grass, and jump in approximately where his marks fell, and begin searching if he 'guessed' wrong
my new pup is getting her drills on open ground. (actually used a well lit abandoned parking lot the other night because I got home too late to train in the daylight, but that's another story)
it wasn't a huge ordeal, and tons of frustration to break him of 'cover dodging' but it was time that could have been better spent learning something new, or proofing something old.
you will have a heck of a time getting that dog to run through cover later.
I used to mow paths for my dog to get him to do straight lines, and to teach hand signals.
I let the grass grow with the exception of my lanes. Then after the dog had a solid grasp of the game, I let all of the grass grow about calf-knee high. I then used this field for light to moderate cover. I had planned on throwing marks into it from the edges of the field, to get him to look for marks in cover
he would run the outside of the grass, and jump in approximately where his marks fell, and begin searching if he 'guessed' wrong
my new pup is getting her drills on open ground. (actually used a well lit abandoned parking lot the other night because I got home too late to train in the daylight, but that's another story)
it wasn't a huge ordeal, and tons of frustration to break him of 'cover dodging' but it was time that could have been better spent learning something new, or proofing something old.
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I have never used mowed paths and don't think doing so does you and favors down the road. A nice ball field os even a regular mowed yard is all you need
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Welcome to RTF Deer Killer!
toss the lawn mower and buy fresh books ;-)
what books told you that?
Ken Bora
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I am guessing "Water Dog" the video. Watched it once and got what I wanted out of it and never watched it again.
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I've done it both ways, mowed paths and open grOund. I feel it worked better on open ground, the dog doesn't anticipate the stop at the mowed intersections which leads to popping. Also look around for places to train, school yards, churchs, undeveloped areas of subdivisions, you'll be surprised at all the aailable ground to train on.
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Thank you all for the replies! Yes, I must admit the thinking came from Richard Wolters' books and resources based upon his work. I have newer books on the way. but I really appreciate the fantastic number of responses!
-El Matavenados
-El Matavenados
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