Millomite Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Had the best days training with Amber today I have ever had in the 18 months I have had her. I took her and Brook up the shoot to do some training and things couldn't have gone better. Firstly I walked with her through one of our woods, hunting and retrieving dummies I was throwing into cover. Everyone was delivered to hand with a sit and present. We then did some steadiness work out in the field. Sat her down about 25 metres away and threw 7 dummies all around her. Rock steady - not even a sign of a cocker shuffle!!!! Did the same again with the same result! Chuffed! Then I sat her ten metres away and through a dummy 30 metres over her head. Sent her for that and got my mate to throw a dummy across her on the way back. She looked interested, but with a bit of encouragement came back, sat and presented the dummy for me. Sent her for the one my mate through and she presented it the same. Did this two more times and she ignored the distraction both times, presented the dummy, and retrieved the distraction. This was the first time I have tried distraction training with her and I was really pleased with her performance. Now I'm just waiting for the next offday lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiercel Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 Millomite, You will not get a better feeling than when things start coming together. All the hours of training seem worthwhile then. Well done to you and Amber. TC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustyfox Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 (edited) Yeap cant get a better feeling than watching your dog doing things that you have teached him and watch him do it with minumum instruction. I have been feeling the same lately cause I have now managed my junior dog to heal by my side and everytime I stop he sits without me saying anything and allways by my side. I will also tell him to go ahead of me about 10 to 15 metres in front and I can just say sit and he will on the spot. When throwing dummies I chucked one about 30 metres away and he stayed still by my side, I chucked a second one about 15 metres away he stayed by my side. Then I said "get on" and he got the one I wanted him to get the first one I throw. I dont believe the progress he is making its just incredable, for me its gone from wanting to give my dog away to not even a million pound can you take him away from me. DF Edited March 25, 2008 by dustyfox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dusk2dawn Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 Had the best days training with Amber today I have ever had in the 18 months I have had her. I took her and Brook up the shoot to do some training and things couldn't have gone better. Firstly I walked with her through one of our woods, hunting and retrieving dummies I was throwing into cover. Everyone was delivered to hand with a sit and present. We then did some steadiness work out in the field. Sat her down about 25 metres away and threw 7 dummies all around her. Rock steady - not even a sign of a cocker shuffle!!!! Did the same again with the same result! Chuffed! Then I sat her ten metres away and through a dummy 30 metres over her head. Sent her for that and got my mate to throw a dummy across her on the way back. She looked interested, but with a bit of encouragement came back, sat and presented the dummy for me. Sent her for the one my mate through and she presented it the same. Did this two more times and she ignored the distraction both times, presented the dummy, and retrieved the distraction. This was the first time I have tried distraction training with her and I was really pleased with her performance. Now I'm just waiting for the next offday lol Well done, A good exercise is to sit the dog about 25yds in front of you with a 25yd space behind it, throw a dummy out 20yds to the left of the dog at 90deg, another 20yds out to the right and a further dummy 20yds over the dogs head behind it, 3 dummies in all. Vary the sequence everytime. Be ready with the stop whistle if the dog attempts to go for the wrong dummy. So you send,right. left and go back in any order, but try the first thrown dummy first to test the dogs memory, always pick the last remaining dummy yourself. When the dog has mastered your handsignals with the dummies landing in full view throw the dummies into light cover to make it more interesting. If the dog is shakey on hand signals go back a stage to 2 dummies, using a fence/wall, sit the dog against the fence, and throw just lefts and rights. Again pick several of the dummies yourself each training session. When teaching the go back, walk the dog alongside a fence/wall, sit the dog and walk on several paces then turn to face the dog and throw a dummy back over its head 15/20yds return to the dog and walk on 20yds again sit the dog and stand in front a couple of paces and give the go back command(palm towards the dog arm extended pushing motion) gradually extend the distance after sitting the dog, so that you can sit it on the stop whistle and send it back from any distance. These two exercises combined will enable you to carry out the three dummy test first described. Pm me if unsure of anything I have outlined, have fun. D2D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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