[Osage Spider]

I have 2-1/2 yr. BLM with three finished HRC passes, he's a pretty good all around dog. Except he is extremely left handed on blinds, to the point it cost us our title this weekend.

My question is there anything I could work on in training to help solve this, even in training 9 out of 10 cast are to the right. He will even dig out into open water when running a right side shorline blind. Also he always turns to left when sitting sometimes making 5 yrd loop to do it that is what got us this weekend.

I'm not panicking and will continue train and work at it but right now I am just looking for some ideas to maybe lesson this problem.

Thank you

 

[KwickLabs]

Old expectations are difficult to change unless you do a lot of repetitions of the new. In addition, it can often be a problem when other issues complicate matters (looping).

The process is usually not a two week fix. Here's a possibility. Scoll down (in the linked page) to how I run Carol Cassity's Renegade drill. Since the main issue is being out of balance to the right, do many more "lefts" up close and gradually move back. Distance erodes control so don't move to greater distances too early.

Do at least 5:1 (lefts vs. rights) angle back casting and start with single piles on each side. When improvement appears create two piles on each side, move closer (then back again) and continue to keep 5:1 ratio (lefts to rights). The rationale is more lefts will eventually result in a more balanced dog. The key is to teach casting using attrition (avoid using the collar except for go, sit and here). Initially, you many have to resort to identifying the pile. However, if you have done three handed casting this should not be a big issue.

Returning to the board (place) should be a fairly simple do if you chain "place/back" and drop the "back" using only "place" once he "get's it". When he sits on the board, throw him a mark. Soon he'll run to the board for the reward. Do this "prep" before running the drill. The implementation of a place board will make the drill work simpler and more effective plus it will indirectly influence his looping which means you won't have to work on two issues at the same time.

The place board will provide piles to the left (no looping).

Drills (link)

 

[Evan]

I don't suppose you have any video demonstrating what you're referring to? It may help.

Evan

 

[Osage Spider]

Evan,

No I don't have any video, but simply put my dog will almost always go off line to left even if the factors are to right of the line. The big problem
I have is come test day if there are big factors to left of the line to the blind especially cover , or shorline I have a very difficult time keeping him on line and progressing to the blind. In training I can do this with call back attrition and indirect collar pressure but it does not seem to be getting any better and have working with it for several months.

 

[Osage Spider]

Kwick labs,

I will pull out Carols book and check out that drill, I don't think I have ever done that particular drill. I do remember when this problem first started this spring I worked her cast off drill for a few days and it did help get me the big right hand cast I need to get him out of trouble when he does go hard left. But this weekend even that did not happen I gave that big right hand move and he moved right for about ten yards and hard left again and we were in such a deep hole by the time I got him back on line it was to late. Thank you for the input I try it see what happens next.


Gene

 

[PocketLab]

Osage, I think you may be having 2 or 3 different issues. I am not an experienced trainer, but I do play one on TV. I had the same type of issue with my dog. My dog will always turn to her left to sit on a whistle. I think you will find most dogs turn one way or another 90% of the time. In my opinion this is a nonissue. My dog also took the 5 yards to stop. I posted a video on a thread here a while back and got some good responses. I would link it but I'm on my phone. Search it. It was titled "looping sit". You need to tighten up the whistle sit. Third issue is carrying the cast. Jim and Evan are much better resources for this than I am, but there are tons of drills you can run to straighten that up.

Good luck

 

[Hunt'EmUp]

Sit means Sit, "Now" basically the problem to me sounds like a lack of enforcement on the sit command. When you hit that whistle the dog's butt should be hitting the ground, and he should be looking at you. When it doesn't do that quick enough you end up with banana sits, loops etc. To solve this I usually blow the whistle and nick at the same time, when the sit becomes quick, the dog doesn't get nicked, the dog believe he has beaten the pressure. Sitting quick is a good thing, I do the same thing if the dog sits but does not look at me, or sits catti-wompous. You can work on the wrong handed casting in drills, by enforcing sit as well, whistle "Sit" keep your hands in tight clinched in front of your chest, open the hand that on the side you want the dog to turn, dog continues to sit, he should not move at this point. Extend your arm and Cast back , the dog can now move. If the dog doesn't turn the right way, or moves before you cast. whistle "sit" nick "no", slow down, wait them out and cast again. Dog learns he has to turn back the side you direct. The only time I allow a dog to turn the way they decide is when using a no hand verbal back, but I usually put a hand up to direct which turn I want then as well. This technique also works for slow turns in the water.

 

[Osage Spider]

OK it sounds good to me that i have several things to work. I set up the renegade drill this morning in as suggested only I did it in tall cover as my dog has a tendency to go into hunt mode once in a while when he hits thick cover. To my suprise even though this was his first time at this drill he handled it perfectly, I did ge the chance to reinforce the sit a couple times but he took every cast i gave him, he also did the the nose up in the air thing a couple times so i got to correct that as well.

In looking back in my training notes I think part of my problem has been not being deligant in setting up my blinds. Not working in cover, and and more importantly not laying down some bird sent for him to have to work through. So when test day comes around not only does he have to deal with the stress of a hunt test he is also having to deal with things that I as a trainor have not throughly prepared him for, for a young dog this is just to much to over come. Any thought on doing things in training like laying down drag back scent and creating suction with scent like what happens when there is a strong cross wind coming from a gun station at a test.


thank you
Gene

 

[KwickLabs]

I'm not sure I understand the rationale behind "using cover" and/or scent when initially establishing new casting expectations. It's kind of like testing while teaching.

In addition, one day does not usually extinquish ingrained habits.

 

[Osage Spider]

I did not use any scent in training today, and I am fully aware this will probably take me months of work to correct. I was just very happy that he did well today gives me hope that all is not lost. My question about scent was not for using in drills but for using when i set up cold blinds in training. As far as doing drills like the renegade in cover is this something I should not do? Thank you.

 

[KwickLabs]

I'd stick with minimal cover and gradually increase distance (between you and the dog).

 

[Osage Spider]

Thank you I will do that. Is it still OK to run some cold blinds in training during another session besides drill work.

 

[KwickLabs]

Why would you want to do that?