Thursday, November 29, 2007

Laddie Test 1.3 (pass)

Test: Three singles:
  1. 60 yards (dummy)
  2. 180 yards (dummy)
  3. 120 yards (dummy)
Low cover (lawn)

Location: Sundown Park

Pass:
Yes

Blind: 120 yards

Notes: Laddie's marks were fast and enthusiastic. He ran out straight on all marks except that, on the long mark, at 120 yards he began to quarter. But he never turned back or got far off line and ran straight to the dummy as soon as he spotted it.

Laddie was also distracted by the surveyors flags I had used as targets for throwing the marks when I measured the course, but did not drop any of the dummies, and headed back to me uncued. I think it's good for him to become desensitized to such diversions.

Laddie required preliminary training on the target blind, in the form of backchaining, and then ran the drill nicely. Because he doesn't know whether I'll call him to me or cast him back, and because I haven't used a retrieval article in our pinball drills for some time, his whistle sits have gotten good again.

Lumi Test 1.3 (pass)

Test: Three singles:
  1. 60 yards (dummy)
  2. 180 yards (dummy)
  3. 120 yards (dummy)
Low cover (lawn)

Location: Sundown Park

Pass:
Yes

Blind: 120 yards

Notes: Lumi's marks and blinds were fast, enthusiastic, and largely uneventful, boring to read about but excellent to see. On her first two returns, she kept her eye on a tractor grooming the baseball diamond between marks #1 and #2, but didn't swerve. She required no preliminary training before successfully running the target blind. Her whistle sits have gotten good again since I stopped using retrieval articles in our pinball drills.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Lumi Test 1.2 (pass)

Test: Three singles:
  1. 30 yards (dummy)
  2. 100 yards (dummy)
  3. 80 yards (dummy)
Woodland setting

Location: Trail off Brink Road

Pass:
Yes

Blind: N/A

Notes: The long mark required the dog to run along a path for 40 yards, then slice into thick, woodsy cover as the path angled 20° to the right. Remainder of the mark, including the fall, was in the undergrowth. Lumi required no preliminary practice and ran all three marks with spectacular enthusiasm, though she cheated around the undergrowth on the return from the long mark. A few months ago, she didn't seem to like land retrieves as much as water, but you'd never know that now.

Laddie Test 1.2 (pass)

Test: Three singles:
  1. 30 yards (dummy)
  2. 100 yards (dummy)
  3. 80 yards (dummy)
Woodland setting

Location: Trail off Brink Road

Pass:
Yes

Blind: N/A

Notes: The long mark required the dog to run along a path for 40 yards, then slice into thick, woodsy cover as the path angled 20° to the right. Remainder of the mark, including the fall, was in the undergrowth. Laddie and I practiced first with the last 20 yards, then the last 40 yards, then the last 60 yards of the long mark. Then we ran the test and Laddie did great. He ran with high speed and unbridled enthusiasm as always, and made no attempt to cheat either direction on any of the marks.

Lumi Test 1.2

Test: Three singles:
  1. 30 yards (dummy)
  2. 120 yards (dummy)
  3. 80 yards (dummy)
Bristly low cover

Location: Off MD-108

Pass:
No

Blind: 100 yards

Notes: Lumi ran the 30 and 120 yard marks well. On the 80 yard mark, she ran the wrong line to the mark. When she got in the area of the fall, she persevered but with low enthusiasm. When she found the dummy, she picked it up and headed back without being cued, which was good, but she trotted rather than cantering and would not speed up even when called. When she delivered the dummy, I threw a couple of short happy dummies, and she wouldn't run for those either. I believe the bristly ground surface had begun to hurt her feet. She did fine, however, on the 100 yard target blind.

Laddie Test 1.2

Test: Three singles:
  1. 30 yards (dummy)
  2. 120 yards (dummy)
  3. 80 yards (dummy)
Bristly low cover

Location: Off MD-108

Pass:
No

Blind: N/A

Notes: On the 30 yard mark, Laddie ran straight but overran the fall, then hunted extensively. On the 120 yard mark, he ran well to the mark, but on the return, he began to roll in a area of grass where a deer had been lying. Excellent job on the 80 yard mark.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Laddie Test 1.1 (pass)

Test: Run as a triple:
  1. 80 yards (dummy)
  2. 120 yards (dummy)
  3. 30 yards (dummy)
Running order: #3 - #1 - #2

Low cover (lawn)

Location: Sundown Park

Pass:
Yes

Blind: 100 yards

Notes: Only flaw was that on send out to #1, Laddie headed on a slightly different angle toward the previous #1 fall instead of the new one. When he spotted the dummy, he immediately arced over to it. I decided to pass him because he pinned every other mark in both tests today. Wonderful speed and enthusiasm all day.

Laddie Test 1.1

Test: Run as a triple:
  1. 80 yards (dummy)
  2. 120 yards (dummy)
  3. 30 yards (dummy)
Running order: #3 - #1 - #2

Low cover (lawn)

Location: Sundown Park

Pass:
No

Blind: N/A

Notes: After good retrieve of #3, Laddie stopped on return from #1 and headed toward the fall for #2, carrying dummy #1. This was possibly because just today, I switched to no recall cue, and no verbal encouragement except on final return, for these tests. Laddie returned with dummy #1 after repeated calling, then had excellent retrieve on #2. I decided to run another 1.1 test immediately.

Lumi Test 1.1 (pass)

Test: Run as a triple:
  1. 80 yards (dummy)
  2. 120 yards (dummy)
  3. 30 yards (dummy)
Running order: #3 - #1 - #2

Low cover (lawn)

Location: Sundown Park

Pass:
Yes

Blind: 100 yards

Notes: No problem, great enthusiasm.
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