question for you guys

[no fly zone]

[goosebruce]

Instead of putting a bumper here, then another one 25 yards, then another one, make a pile of bumpers, id the pile (toss one to pile with dog at your side) then back up to say 50 yards. Run the blind, when dog is returning back up another 25 yards. When you put a bumper, then same line another bumper further along same path, your encourgaing the dog to hunt its way along a blind, instead of running on a line you've given. In one session you ought to be able to back up to 150 yards or so. if theres confusion move up, if hes rolling back up. Next day, plant that same pile, same place, and run it cold from your further back postion. Plant another pile in the field, say first pile is 9 oclock from further postion, this one will be at 3 oclock from your further postion. Id the pile, and move back same as you did on first one. If he sucks toward the wrong pile, stop him and cast back to where you sent. 3rd day, or when hes rolling straight and hard to both of these piles, add a 3rd one in the middle, same process. get out, line to left pile, line to right pile, then walk up and plant and id middle pile. Now they are tighter, and will be more suction. When he can back up from 3rd pile, and get all 3 with only a cast or two, you're ready to add diversions... marks, falls, a person in field throwing. May take 2-5 days before your there, with this heat, be smart and dont get in a hole you can't get out of without overworking dog.

With a 3 legged pattern blind field like this, your taking the destnation off the dogs mind. All he has to do is go, stop, and cast. he knows where he is going. The extra distance you achieve with this confidence, spills over to a hard running blind dog, who thinks all blinds are big, instead of short hunt them ups. If you've done a lot of those ladder drills like you mentinoed, you might need a couple extra days to get over that before you add extra piles. travis

[no fly zone]

[goosebruce]

You shouldnt have to id the pile but on the intial time you show it to him. Like I said, move back as you can, if you run into problems, move up. Hes already been there, so your taking the destnation off his mind. With the destnation off his mind, theres no reason to hunt, and he can focus on his line to get there. By adding the other piles, you introduce side to side suction, making him veer off course. This gives you a chance to handle, casting to the bird he was sent for. If this dog is already running blinds, even if hes not with the steps taken to show the piles when intorduced, a visible stake, bucket, or towel should not be nessessary. Im not a big fan of site blinds, where the dog can see where your sending him. Going back is a result of complusion (i.e. force), stopping is a result of complusion (i.e. sit), and casting should be made easy because the destination if gone off dogs mind. Generally you wouldnt correct for a dog going off line, only for the dog not going, not stopping, or not coming back. Cast refusals if they happen, should be dealth with attrtion, and shorting the leg.

The whole ideal is for a momentum building experience for the dog. Dont hunt, just run in control to where I sent you (which happens to be where hes already been). By adding the factors of the other blinds, you get casting in. Once he can deal with the other blinds, you go to same field, and throw marks. Teach him this is a mark, thats the blind. Thats how dogs learn to deal with blinds thru marks, blinds off the back of gun stations, old falls, etc. After you've got that down, go train next time before a big storm comes thru... run those same taught blinds in a 30mph crosswind. You'll see doggie shouldering the wind, fighting it to stay on line. The destnation being known, allows him to focus on getting there.

Your next pattern blind field ought to have some factors. A hill, a ditch he wants to square instead of hold a line against, haybales to split, a road he can angle across instead of square, a side hill. whatever. Teach it the same way. You'll back up much faster, because he's already hip to the program and loving it.

Remember to balance your training. Even with momtumn blinds, its easy to overdo blinds in this heat. Mix in marks and even guns and birds. Keep that attitude up when your teaching these steps, and you'll have better attitude in everything he does. The steps taken from the yard, to running real blinds, will effect the dogs blind running attitude forever. Exactly the reason running short hunt em up blinds is the worst thing you can do when asking a dog to learn the blind game. travis

[no fly zone]