Need some ideas on what to do to improve my pups self confidence....He is 2 1/2 yrs old and achieved his CH when he was 18 months old. Recently he seems to have loss self confidence when running cold blinds. Popping has been an issue in the past but that seems to have gone away. I have tried multiple pattern blinds and drill work including the "Ladder" drill. Any suggestions on what do do next?
Need Advice - Lack of Confidence
ckyduckman
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Need some ideas on what to do to improve my pups self confidence....He is 2 1/2 yrs old and achieved his CH when he was 18 months old. Recently he seems to have loss self confidence when running cold blinds. Popping has been an issue in the past but that seems to have gone away. I have tried multiple pattern blinds and drill work including the "Ladder" drill. Any suggestions on what do do next?
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Tim, is the lack of confidence showing on casting or via pop or momentum?
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Lack of confidence is going to mean different things to different people. Has the dog slowed considerably on blinds or just has a poor attitude? Sounds like you worked through the popping issue. Did that require a lot of pressure on "back"? Or is his confidence showing up on taking and holding casts? Each dog is an individual. I will give you my very amatuer opinion on how to work on each problem.
For bad attitudes and general indifference, I sometimes use birds on blinds. It is amazing how much attitude and speed will increase after the dog expects a bird instead of a bumper. A shackled bird mixed in upon ocassion improves my dogs attitude and speed on blinds. One of my dogs may get a shackled duck on a blind today because Monday required lots of pressure.
For dogs without confidence in their final destination, I will set up a tall blind pole in short grass. The dog should see this near the end of the blind and it eliminates a lot of casts to finish the blind.
For problems taking and holding casts I do lots of walking baseball.
Mark Land
For bad attitudes and general indifference, I sometimes use birds on blinds. It is amazing how much attitude and speed will increase after the dog expects a bird instead of a bumper. A shackled bird mixed in upon ocassion improves my dogs attitude and speed on blinds. One of my dogs may get a shackled duck on a blind today because Monday required lots of pressure.
For dogs without confidence in their final destination, I will set up a tall blind pole in short grass. The dog should see this near the end of the blind and it eliminates a lot of casts to finish the blind.
For problems taking and holding casts I do lots of walking baseball.
Mark Land
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Of course there is much more information about this dog than what has been given, and that will be important if you are to receive real help with this. But let me first say that running repetitive work like pattern blinds will do little in the long run to improve your dog's attitude on cold blinds. They aren't the same things. One of my favorite Rex Carr expressions regarding this type of repetition is "salve for the handler". It makes the human feel better to watch their dog run faster to a known destination, but does little to help the animal.
What training has this dog had? Any chance of a video clip? Does he get marks each day? Marks with birds, or bumpers-only?
Evan
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Do you use the collar for alot of corrections?? I have recently seen a dog whose confidence was shot by collar use. It is now a very slow dog!!!!and has no confidence in its ability yet was a good dog. And you can still see that the dog has ability but the whole retrieving affair is no more with that dog!!!It will take some time to get the dog back.
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I agree Evan ....dogs need cold blinds to get comfortable runing them ...
" salve for the handler " plays out a lot in the training process....BUT we need the feeling of success too....Steve S
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