[bamajeff]

What was the distance to the piles from the center of the semi-circle? Did you try handling him to the correct pile when he veered? I wouldn't let him pick up the wrong bumper, and since he's inexperienced, I wouldn't recall him either.

I would also move back in to where he was taking the correct cast, have some success and make sure I didn't try to move back too far too fast. The wagon wheel casting drill is just learning what the casts mean, IMO. The dog learns casting at a distance in pattern blinds/blind drills and progresses as they start running cold blinds.

 

[bamajeff]

last week the distance was around 25yds and now I stretched it out to around 50. If he took the complete incorrect line I would stop him and either bring him back to the place mat in the middle or handle to the pile depending on the situation. The reason for me bringing him back to the middle was to show him that when I give this cast I want you to run this direction.

I'd be really careful/hesitant to recall a young dog for taking the wrong cast. Can create a lot of no-going or insecurity about taking a cast. Better to handle. If they don't take the correct cast, whistle immediately and cast them to the pile.

 

[bamajeff]

so would the three pile drill be a pile directly back and then a pile on the angle right and one on the angle left? start with him facing you and cast to each pile and then run it as pattern blind?

I'd mark each pile, line him to each from your side, then do a remote send to all from close distance before increasing difficulty.

 

[bamajeff]

I sense a bit of Mike Lardy's methods in your training. I agree that "An advanced dog should never go straight back (if straight back is the literal cast, then you should not have stopped the dog). To an advance dog a straight up right or left cast should get a few degrees of direction change..." The diagram he uses in TRT showcases this point very well.

If your dog runs blinds at 100 MPH, they will loop a little when they sit . Sometimes you end up needing a straight back.