[drunkenpoacher]

Middle and left were retired.
I thought the left mark was the longest but no matter. If my dog had watched the middle bird like he should have I would probably have sent him to the left mark second. However, if he returned from the go bird and really locked in on the middle bird I would have gladly let him have it. Similar scenarios have played out well for us in the past.

 

[drunkenpoacher]

I watched about half the dogs. The middle bird was picked up last by most, maybe all? I think it also provided the most answers.

 

[drunkenpoacher]

What were the dogs doing that struggled on that mark? Anything consistent from them?

Going left, upwind of the gun, and hunting deep.

 

[drunkenpoacher]

I also feel like she would pull slightly right with the wind and more likely end up on the correct side of the long gun.

More than one of us that ran were hoping for that. There was a significant push to the left from the go bird and the terrain, more than I expected.
Dr. Bruce ran last and I watched in the holding blind with Lily, the buy dog. The Dr.'s dog went left of the middle bird but he was able to telepathically handle to the mark.

I'll be speaking with one of the judges soon. I want to ask him if the test gave him expected or unexpected answers.

 

[drunkenpoacher]

I was second to run the test so I didn’t have a good feel for what to expect. I wanted to pick the middle mark up second because I knew my dog had not watched it very well. I thought I could pull him to the right without any fear of going back to the old fall since he had just been there. Turns out it didn’t matter what I wanted.
Jake isn’t a dog that appreciates a lot of help on marks. That gets back to why we train on selection, although obviously not enough.

 

[drunkenpoacher]

That brings up another selection question. When do you let the dog decide?

What he returns from the flyer and locks in with 100% confidence on the most difficult memory bird.

 

[drunkenpoacher]

Bad / inexperienced handler making a response here.
In training ,,next shortest after go bird,

Shortest by distance or by the time it takes to get there? Which does a dog perceive as being shortest?

 

[drunkenpoacher]

It would not have been fun to be running early on this series. LOL

When you make it to the water marks it’s always fun, no matter when you run.