Lessons Learned from Hunter’s Marsh
http://www.huntersmarsh.com/
Running the Challenge at Hunter’s Marsh really helped Zeke and I take our performance to the next level. Kim & Bill really worked with me to become a better handler – helping me read my dog and take the appropriate action. The unbelievable water & terrain on their property helped Zeke gain experience in some of the toughest conditions available. Where else can you teach a dog to swim past 5 points in a 90 yard blind?
Below are some of the key Lessons Learned from the “Challenge”
- Kim & Bill discourage 45 angle backs – they believe in getting and maintaining true backs and true 90 degree overs. I have switched my school of thought in this area (I only give backs and overs), and it served us well in attaining our HRCH.
- Before giving a cast on a blind, wait at least 3 seconds. This time helps the dog to forget where they were going, and gets them focused on you and your next cast.
- If the dog is “hard-headed” on a wrong direction on a blind, wait at least 6 seconds before you give the next cast. This has really helped me to slow down as well – remember, work a slow dog fast and a fast dog slow.
- Generally speaking, if you give a left over, follow it with a right back. However, if you have to give a cast in the direction of tough suction, give the back cast away from the suction so that the dog turns away from the suction. I made this mistake in a finished test and we almost didn’t recover, never again.
- Run 2 – 4 cold blinds from the same starting line. Zeke and I really struggled with this at first, but it has really allowed me to get his cooperation. At first he wanted to go back to the original pile, now he has given over to me and it has helped me gain his trust.
- On a blind, don’t let them go in the wrong direction too long. It’s better to stop them early, letting them know they are headed in the wrong direction.
- Concerning blinds, make sure you take your time on the line. Make sure the spine, head, eyes are “locked on” before you send him.
- The believe that instead of rerunning a blind, they like to run blinds backwards. If the hard suction was up front, running the blind backwards will put the suction at the end. Additionally, it “reverses” the suctions and test whether or not the dog learned anything from the first cold blind. I like this idea and need to use it more.
- No fun bumpers at the line. Fun bumpers give the dog bad line habits, never any screwing around at the line. Fun bumpers are only when you get back to the truck (I agree with this, yet I know many will disagree with this concept.)
- Concerning blind work, Kim & Bill believe in applying mostly indirect pressure. They don’t believe in “force to the pile,” and I agree. If you have a dog with good retrieve drive, why burn for something they love to do. I know this works for many pros, but are you a pro? Do you want to risk your bad timing and taking the “zip” out of your dog? Why not nurture and build their drive through more positive efforts, they get the bird or retrieve? With Zeke, I believe that blinds are more of a confidence issue, not a burn to retrieve issue. He wants the bumper. Trust me, he runs with plenty of style. I know that this runs counter to most training programs, but it is what I believe.
- If the dog blows off a command (this assumes that you can read the dog and the dog is willfully ignoring a command that he knows well), then sit, nick, sit, wait 3 seconds, give the next cast.
If you are looking for the best water training area in the Midwest, and need help on improving your handling skills, give Kim & Bill a call!
