Today, Lumi, Laddie and I trained alone for Series A and B. Then a fellow I've met at several events, named Byron, arrived with his wife, Kathy, and their black Lab, and we trained together for Series C and D.
This post describes the series the way Lumi and Laddie ran them. Byron's dog, who's training for Junior Hunt Tests, ran different series.
This post includes photos of each retrieve taken from the start line, edited to show the retrieval lines. At the end of the post is a satellite view showing the approximate lines for all four series.
SERIES A. Triple water blind (Laddie, then Lumi)
The first blind (OD) was to the left at 30 yards, and exercised the dogs' ability to swim diagonally across a channel rather than squaring to the shorelines. The blind was several yards inland from water's edge.
The second blind (chukar) was to the right at 50 yards. This blind also involved angle water entries and exits, and also required handling on the far shore.
The third blind (duck) was in the center at 60 yards. This blind required the dog to swim between points on both sides. The blind was a few yards inland from water's edge.
Series A Blind #1 — 30-yard water blind
Series A Blind #2 — 50-yard water blind to mound
Series A Blind #3 — 60-yard water blind past points on both sides
SERIES B. Double water blind (Laddie, then Lumi)
The first blind (duck) was to the right at 140 yards. This was an LWLWL retrieve, with the dog out of sight when swimming across the further channel in both directions.
The second blind (chukar) was to the left at 140 yards. The line to this blind passed the point of a peninsula on the right.
Both blinds were planted well back from water's edge. I used LPs for both blinds, so no handling on the far shore was required.
Series B Blind #1 — 140-yard water blind over peninsula
Series B Blind #2 — 140-yard water blind past point on right
SERIES C. Land double (Laddie, then Lumi)
Byron and Kathy threw this double for my dogs. The first throw (duck) was on the left, thrown left to right at 80 yards. The second throw (duck) was 45° to the right, thrown right to left at 40 yards. Both birds were thrown with duck call and gunshot.
Because this was a convergent double, the line to the shorter throw, the go-bird, was only a few degrees to the right of the line to the longer throw, the memory-bird. As a result, the go-bird tended to erase the dog's memory of the memory-bird. Both of my dogs ran excellent lines to the go-bird (although Lumi overran it and had to hunt back for it), while running poor lines to the memory-bird, unusual for both of them in most doubles situations.
Photos of Series C, showing first the 40-yard line to the go-bird, then the 80-yard line to the memory-bird.
Series C Mark #2 of Double — 40-yard go-bird
Series C Mark #1 of Double — 80-yard memory bird, "erased" by go-bird
SERIES D. Two water singles (Laddie, then Lumi)
The first mark (duck) was to the right, thrown right to left at 80 yards. The second mark (duck) was to the left, thrown right to left at 80 yards. The lines to both marks involved angle water entries and exits, and both falls were set well inland from water's edge. Both dogs required handling on the second mark to the left.
Photos of Series D:
Series D Mark #1 — 80-yard water single on right
Series D Mark #2 — 80-yard water single on left
Satellite View
Here's a satellite view showing all four series. Clockwise from the top, the view shows Series C (land double), Series A (triple water blind), Series B (double water blind), and Series D (two water singles):
View Four Series 20090901 in a larger map
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