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windem bang · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 3:38 pm Post subject:

What you wrote made perfect sense John . I think it is often the case that from its height a dog sees things differently to us.

Bill T.

Lisa · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:02 pm Post subject:

Oh I'm a little confused

(doesn't take much!)

So, on a seen retrieve it's best to say nothing until you are ready to send your dog? Blu is having trouble marking at the moment. He used to be really hot on this but these days has got a bit poo at it! Rolling Eyes

Maybe I should try it that way? Confused

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Lisa, Blu and Emmy
www.verwegen.co.uk

Greyghost · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:25 pm Post subject:

Ok I did some seen retrieves with Holls today, she is really coming on considering she never used to even look at a dummy before.

Is this ok - I got her to sit at a distance and said nowt. Now bearing in mind she is not hot for dummies and is a complete novice at this I decided to swing the dummy first so she got an inkling that I was about to throw it. I threw it to one side making it go high through the air so she had longer to watch it.

The first time she watched where it landed and then looked away but still found it ok when I cast her off to my right with a hand direction. The next time I decided to send her a bit quicker so that she was still watching the target. This worked better and she was much faster.

Now if she was walking to heal and I decided to throw it would you just keep walking and then send her off for it? Is she to expect the unexpected or is that too difficult for her at this stage?

She has been doing some lovely memory and blind retrieves today. I am dead chuffed with her. However, I am not altogether sure I am doing them properly. I am just so chuffed that she will deliver every time with a lovely sit and present and not faf around. You can see the concentration on her face as she tries to hold it longer and not let it slip out of her mouth too soon into my hands. Very Happy

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Lesley & Holly (Age 7.5 - re-home)

Holly & Abbie

countrygirl · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:27 pm Post subject:

Hi Lisa

Blu is still a baby and I would tell him to 'mark' a seen retrieve at his age until he becomes more confident and does it all on automatic pilot, I always use the same consistant commands and as time goes on and they relise what you want from them you can start to drop the commands. Rumour has now reached the happy stage that on a seen retrieve I just sit her up with my hand by her head at eye line leval and just sen her with a flick of the fingers and no other commands but it has been a long time comming Very Happy

Caz
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NOB'S do it in the field!!!!!!!!!

Greyghost · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:30 pm Post subject:

Errr we have conflicting advice here guys - wots a girl to do Question

Must admit that is the way I have been doing it before Caz and I like to line her up, but is that just for a blind Question

Love the click of the fingers bit - I think I will aspire to that Very Happy

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Lesley & Holly (Age 7.5 - re-home)

Holly & Abbie

Ghilliegumdrop · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:43 pm Post subject:

That's what Ghill was doing to Bill and me [flicking her fingers] Rolling Eyes

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Jan
Ghillie [the Gumdrop] and Merlin [the Demon from Hell] not forgetting Hovis the cat and Mike, the other half [although I'm not sure what the other half is]

countrygirl · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:44 pm Post subject:

Hi

I have just re-read the thread and as you say we are giving different advice, Ive not been at it so long as Bill (20 years) and we dont always agree this is the method I use and it works for me, but as you say its confusing if you are new to it.

Caz
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NOB'S do it in the field!!!!!!!!!

josie · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:50 pm Post subject:

I say "Mark". If Slate gets distracted when picking up, and isn't looking at a pricked bird, I need to be able to tell her to mark a specific bird so I can pick that one first. So I would say mark and indicate with my hand which bird it was, although not necessarily sending her then. She would then remember it till I sent her - after the drive, sometimes. So I do want her to know a "mark" word.

There are also times at tests when dummies are just thrown, with no whooping or shot, and if the dog is distracted at that moment, it won't mark the fall. If your dog knows "mark", you can just say that word to tell it to sit up and look for the fall.

In terms of the lining up thing, I did line Slate up, even on seens, when a puppy and young dog, and I still line Grey up on them. This is so they learn how to look along the hand and it (hopefully) translates to blinds. But now Slate is more experienced and takes lines on blinds well, I wouldn't line her up on a simple seen, I would just say "Mark", then "Fetch". (If it's a split, then I would line, to tell her which to get.)

Don't know if that helps, but there it is anyway Laughing

PS have not read either Bill or Caz's posts so hope this isn't yet a 3rd way!
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Slate and Grey

Hairy or not, it's got to be grey!

Lisa · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 6:05 pm Post subject: