[Kent S]

I have a 11 month old yellow female that is OB, FF and ran some simple marks last fall. We started training for up coming hunt tests and her lines to marks are not good. She will take a good line for the first 2/3rds of the mark and then loop wide, mostly to the gunner but not always and then goes back to the area of the fall and picks up the dummy and back. She almost never needs help to find the dummy but that looping bugs me. Any suggestions on how to correct this? Also, yesterday on some fairly tough (for a junior dog) water marks she went out about 1/3rd of the way and returned. Any help on these two situations would be much appreciated.

 

[Norm 66]

Sounds like a couple of things. Confidence and concentration. I would start throuwing marks with little to zero cover (like a soccer field) and use big white bumpers. Have the gunner roam around and throw (don't repeat in this situation) making sure the dog can eaisly pick up the mark. You want them pinning these. It's a great drill to get the dog to focus on the mark and builds their confidence.
The concentration part comes in to play in that the dog must watch the mark and maintain perfect line manners. No creaping, head swinging, or unnessary movement. Remember you set the standard. Get her to focus on the gunner and the mark while maintaining the standard you have set.
This is great drill and allows you to get 10 to 15 easy marks in a short time if the weather is right. We run it with the big dogs at least twice a week with no sound and no collar as a pick me up and focus drill.
This drill was passed onto me from a successful pro who borrowed it from Jerry Day.