My question is how would a person work his dog on marking without a helper. I have a launcher and that is how i do it how do you.
marking without a helper
timn
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Get more launchers so you can work on multiple guns in the field. I also train alone most of the time and have 8 launchers. I only have 5 controls so usually I only have 5 launchers in the field at one time. It took me several years to get that many launchers bought, but if you have the money to buy launchers then do it.
On puppies I start out with, first getting them to sit and wait while I walk out in the field a ways to throw bumpers, but usually have them on launchers pretty quick as well. Lesa also helps me with starting the puppies, but like I said earlier, I train alone most of the time.
Good luck and happy training,
Marty
On puppies I start out with, first getting them to sit and wait while I walk out in the field a ways to throw bumpers, but usually have them on launchers pretty quick as well. Lesa also helps me with starting the puppies, but like I said earlier, I train alone most of the time.
Good luck and happy training,
Marty
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Stand alone marks are great if your dog is steady. Up here I do a lot of these in the winter because we can't drive on most of the training grounds because of the snow. I just sit the dog walk to where I want the bird to fall, place a bird on top of the snow, go to where I will throw from, give a hey-hey and throw right next to the bird I just placed and send the dog on his name. The bird I throw will be burried in the snow but the one I placed will be just right.
I feel you can advance your dog to new levels because it has the advantage of watching you walk to the area, and of course all marks are singles. I do not however walk a straight line from the dog to the fall area so he will need to do more than just follow tracks in the snow.
If you have a big area to train in you can just keep moving around to repeat the process. You can try to duplicate the marks concept over and over if you are teaching or look for new concepts on each mark for a more advanced dog. You basicly go for a walk and get your marking done. If you have several dogs you get a lot of exercise also.
I dont like to have a steady diet of stand alone's but really do like to use them once or twice a week.
I feel you can advance your dog to new levels because it has the advantage of watching you walk to the area, and of course all marks are singles. I do not however walk a straight line from the dog to the fall area so he will need to do more than just follow tracks in the snow.
If you have a big area to train in you can just keep moving around to repeat the process. You can try to duplicate the marks concept over and over if you are teaching or look for new concepts on each mark for a more advanced dog. You basicly go for a walk and get your marking done. If you have several dogs you get a lot of exercise also.
I dont like to have a steady diet of stand alone's but really do like to use them once or twice a week.
YBS is soon releasing a dvd - "Training Alone" with Dennis Voigt. I understand that it will contain alot of what you are asking. I have been waiting for it for awhile and am looking forward to having it.
Many amateur trainers are faced with the problem of one or no helpers and limited time to train. This should be a big help.
Many amateur trainers are faced with the problem of one or no helpers and limited time to train. This should be a big help.
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I've been waiting for that one myself.
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Retreivers Online has some decent articles posted online about training alone. http://retrieversonline.com/samplearticle.htm
I know I got something from them.
We live in a strange new world. I went to the Retrievers Online website to get that link. There's a picture of Dennis there with a moustache. Lardy no longer has his. What is this world coming too? Can't depend on nuthin'.
I know I got something from them.
We live in a strange new world. I went to the Retrievers Online website to get that link. There's a picture of Dennis there with a moustache. Lardy no longer has his. What is this world coming too? Can't depend on nuthin'.
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That article reads like a typical weekend day for me. My week days get crammed into the hours after I get home from work, which is normally 5:00. I hook the trailer up to the truck, and put it into position in front of the garage. I then change clothes, and load the ATV wingers, other equipment and ducks into the trailer, and then load the dogs up. It's a mad dash to Omega Farms where I sign out whatever is available and get to training. Most nights I'm home after dark, and then on the computer writing up notes for client dogs, and pondering what the next steps are.
Some days I make the attempt to set something up with two different lines depending on the dogs I have with one line for the advanced dogs and one line for the beginners. It seems to work out, but much depends on available daylight. The object for the solo trainer with any dog is to set the progression such that the dog easily succeeds in what is being done because you mostly don't have that second set of hands to help the dog out with a given mark. Start with short grass, and short marks progressing to longer marks, and then adding cover variants along the way.
I also run a ton of blinds during the winter using a dual line set up. Land blinds for the young dog may top out at 150 - 200 yards, but the secondary line allows me to run the Finished dog on 300+ yard land blinds. Living next to a 100 acre hayfield can sometimes be a good thing.
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Here are some photos of solo training setups. With the exception of the drill, the trainer remains in the field as the gunner/BB/handler. The dog marks from the line sitting on a place board, is released by name, does the mark/retrieve, delivers to the handler, cast back to the line and "prepares" for the next mark. The handler/BB moves from station to station by either walking or using an ATV (see next post).
The dog must be steady and capable of handling. Kooly and Daisy were 18-19 months old when running these setups (except where noted).
In the drill, the trainer throws in the field and returns to the line for handling. This drill is the "under the arc" phase of the Four Phase Drills.
"down the shore singles"
![Image]()
"ABC(DE) singles"
![Image]()
"overhead view of ABC(DE)"
![Image]()
"5 check down singles"
![Image]()
"3 water check downs"
![Image]()
"W marking drill (singles)"
![Image]()
The dog must be steady and capable of handling. Kooly and Daisy were 18-19 months old when running these setups (except where noted).
In the drill, the trainer throws in the field and returns to the line for handling. This drill is the "under the arc" phase of the Four Phase Drills.
"down the shore singles"
"ABC(DE) singles"
"overhead view of ABC(DE)"
"5 check down singles"
"3 water check downs"
"W marking drill (singles)"
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Training solo is a function of expectations. I've found if you can see "it"....a dog can be taught.
The dog needs only to be steady and handling skills greatly enhance the possibilities. Kooly and Daisy were 18-19 months old when running these setups (except where noted). The last photo was on a whimsical day of training. Daisy was 13 months old and just having a lot of fun every day. I ended up at the training area with my ATV and decided to see just what she could do. She was already running long singles and had the training alone routine down pat.
It was cool with ideal conditions to run. After the fourth mark she sat and expected me to drive off on the ATV for another. I've never run a series of solo singles that long again, but it proved to me (and her) she could.
In the drill, the trainer throws in the field and returns to the line for handling. This drill is the "under the arc" phase of the Four Phase Drills.
"3 ATV singles"
![Image]()
"under the arc drill - Gunny"
![Image]()
"extreme ATV singles - #4 was 350+ yards (Daisy at 13 months)"
(Madison Retriever Club's property at Stoughton, WI.)
![Image]()
The dog needs only to be steady and handling skills greatly enhance the possibilities. Kooly and Daisy were 18-19 months old when running these setups (except where noted). The last photo was on a whimsical day of training. Daisy was 13 months old and just having a lot of fun every day. I ended up at the training area with my ATV and decided to see just what she could do. She was already running long singles and had the training alone routine down pat.
It was cool with ideal conditions to run. After the fourth mark she sat and expected me to drive off on the ATV for another. I've never run a series of solo singles that long again, but it proved to me (and her) she could.
In the drill, the trainer throws in the field and returns to the line for handling. This drill is the "under the arc" phase of the Four Phase Drills.
"3 ATV singles"
"under the arc drill - Gunny"
"extreme ATV singles - #4 was 350+ yards (Daisy at 13 months)"
(Madison Retriever Club's property at Stoughton, WI.)
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Last summer I taught my dog to release on the tone command from his collar because I do a lot of stand alones....It is really beneficial - it keeps him from looking back at me when I say his name from the gun station, and I can train in windy conditions or on long marks (no yelling his name).... I will definitely use it on all my future dogs...
Juli
Juli
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I just ran this today during a lunch break. Using some of Dennis Voight's training alone advice trying to be efficient and save myself some time. These grounds were under 3' feet of snow two weeks ago but this is SE Alaska and it has been very warm and wet. That snow is completely gone. I was using two launchers I built myself. 20 min drive out, 35 mins to run it and 20 min back to work. Just glad to get some training in this time of year.
I enter the area by crossing the creek.
![Image]()
I enter the area by crossing the creek.
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nice, i have a similiar design, built as a double, using tritronic receivers i purchased from the collar clinic. horn on side used as a "hey, hey"
what did you use as the "pin" between the actuator and the pull of the launcher? i simply drilled a hole in a washer. i'd be interested in running everything vertical like yours in an 8 shooter i am thinking about.
thanks
what did you use as the "pin" between the actuator and the pull of the launcher? i simply drilled a hole in a washer. i'd be interested in running everything vertical like yours in an 8 shooter i am thinking about.
thanks
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I'll take a good photo for you and post it tomorrow. I have a bumber boy also but I tend to use these more often, very reliable can't say the same for the BB. I drilled a hole in the plunger handle on the Retriever Trainer and inserted a split ring which connects into a bow release. The rest of the parts to trip the bow release came with the door lock actuator. I tried to keep it as small as possible because most everywhere I train it all goes in by backpack.
This is the link to the electronics I used.
http://www.gundogforum.com/resources/RemoteLauncherPlans.pdf
"I train alone more often than not and all of the detailed examples opened up a world of creative ideas for me that I had not thought of.
Thanks!!"
Kevin
Kevin, Dennis Voigt is releasing a DVD soon dedicated to his techniques for training alone that may be of interest to you.
This is the link to the electronics I used.
http://www.gundogforum.com/resources/RemoteLauncherPlans.pdf
"I train alone more often than not and all of the detailed examples opened up a world of creative ideas for me that I had not thought of.
Thanks!!"
Kevin
Kevin, Dennis Voigt is releasing a DVD soon dedicated to his techniques for training alone that may be of interest to you.
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Kwick, have you thought about publishing a book with those diagrams? Seriously.
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