Retrieving & Field Training Talk

[FHRP]

Congrats twoblackdogs! What a great effort to travel over for the trials. The AA winner on Sunday was our bracemate at the Field trial last Saturday :D

[RubyStar]

Well done twoblackdogs!! Trialling in another state would be exciting. Though I would find it daunting

[rubyroo]

Well done 2black dogs!! Great results.

Great photos rubystar!! keep em coming.

We had an awesome traing session today, short and sweet, 3 marked blinds, 3 dummies at each pile, no handling!!!!! Then as a reward I jumped on the 4x4 stuck a bird in his mouth and went for a burn around the paddock!! it was awesome he seems to be having a ball and not mouthing the birds, so something is working, must keep the fun up.

[fetchindawgs]

Congratulations, 2BD's. That is a great start to your season.

Good luck with the next trials.

Love the photos of Ruby working. She looks like a star already.

I agree, you should enter a trial. It's the best experience ever.

Thanks for the tips, Fetchin. I have some very soft rabbits skins which I could roll up like a small dummy.

I do obedience with my dogs and like to have the sit, stand and drop by an early age.

I will look for the book you mentioned.

Thanks for the congrats on Molly's title.

I too started in obedience before retrieving, and I place a lot of emphasis on heeling and sitting for retrieving training. Both my Goldens would be one of the best heelers in their classes at the moment, and, it counts for quite a few points.

Also, Sound Beginnings is a video. I'm not sure if it comes out in DVD form but try googling it and see what results you get. It was made in the USA by a Goldie owner/trainer, who has Topbrass Goldens. Well worth the money.

[RubyStar]

Sounds like a video that I will have to hunt down, too!

Well Ruby is out of action for a little while. She's come up lame after lunging for a treat on the ground :rolleyes: so we're off to the vet today to have an x-ray after initial treatment and rest hasn't worked.

Did some retrieving training with Millie last night while I kept Ruby home to rest. Gosh I just LOVE Millie's enthusiasm!! We first did some agility training and she was absolutely FERAL, running her own course and being a loon. Gave her a time out, then walked her away to throw some dummies. She's just getting better and better :D I've been working on sighted blinds with her, and placing 4 dummies in a line spaced a fair distance apart, with the last dummy quite a distance away. Was able to send her to all of them, and was still keen as anything for the last one and went straight to it. Still working with white dummies for this, don't want to throw her off too soon with her not being able to spot it until she's on top of it with say an orange dummy?? Though I do have some orange ones on order She's also now understanding the whole sit and wait while I throw 3 dummies in different directions, then sending for one at a time. And her sit to whistle is coming along! Still can't do it too far away from me yet, but we're slowly building up distance Just having an absolute ball with her!! Hurry up RATG!!!

[Sayreovi]

I've been wondering about the rules for the RATG, in regards to bumpers why is the minimum circumference 20cm and length 25cm when the common small sized bumpers are about 18cm circumference and 20cm in length?

I've bought several 2inch avery bumpers intending to use those in the upcoming RAT in Victoria and measured them to find out they are too small, I've got her to try and pick up a 3inch but it is just way too big for her and she just kept picking it up by the rope, in hindsight I should have measured them but naively thought that they would able to be used.

She is only 10 months and quite a small Toller, should I ring and ask if I could just use my 2inch bumpers? Or just turn up and not say anything?

[FHRP]

tollersowned, personally I wouldn't just take the 2 inch dummies without a backup. Must admit I was surprised that 2 inch dummies don't fit the standard sizing, and I was there when dimensions were discussed What a friend did was put a couple of thick socks on her 2 inch dummies which brought the circumference into legal size.

[Sayreovi]

tollersowned, personally I wouldn't just take the 2 inch dummies without a backup. Must admit I was surprised that 2 inch dummies don't fit the standard sizing, and I was there when dimensions were discussed What a friend did was put a couple of thick socks on her 2 inch dummies which brought the circumference into legal size.

I don't have any other backups Might have to try adding socks or something over it to bring the size up, and if they have a problem just get them to DQ me but still let me run her

I didn't think that the rules would allow some bumpers and not others seeing as smaller dogs and breeds do want to compete not just the heaps bigger Labs, Goldens and utility breeds. Will this be amended do you know?

[mollipop]

I took 3 different sets of dummies to a RATG and had them all rejected - had to borrow some.

I have had them rejectd because of size and weight.

Don't think they will change the dimensions for smaller dogs because they all have to retrieve the same sized game (eg birds or rabbits).

We have had some excellent training over the last 2 weekends, learning the walk-up, etc for open RATG.

Molly is entered in open at the GR Nationals in Brisbane in June (her first open tests).

We had entered the retrieving trial at Taree but couldn't go cos she's in season.

[RubyStar]

Also, Sound Beginnings is a video. I'm not sure if it comes out in DVD form but try googling it and see what results you get. It was made in the USA by a Goldie owner/trainer, who has Topbrass Goldens. Well worth the money.

Hey fetchindawgs, I just googled what's in this video and it sounds great. If you own this video, is there any chance I could please borrow it sometime?

Ruby's leg seems to be getting better so with any luck we'll be back at training in a few weeks! Still don't know what that is going to mean for me entering a trial this season. I may have left it too late once again, but I hope not!! I'm itching to get out there and give it a crack

[FHRP]

tollersowned we've had Cockers and small working Springers compete in the RATG with 'legal' dummies that haven't had a problem picking them up. You don't need to use the 3 inch dummies, but yes, they need to be bigger than the 2 inch dummies. Tollers and smaller gundogs do retrieve game larger and heavier than two inch dummies

Canvas dummies can have weight added if they dont meet weight requirements. You can usually unstitch them add some lead or something.

[RubyStar]

Are these 3 inch plastic dummies ok for the RATG?

http://www.cabelas.c...%3Bcat104824980

(couldn't get the picture to attach, giving me an error, so hope the link works).

[Sayreovi]

tollersowned we've had Cockers and small working Springers compete in the RATG with 'legal' dummies that haven't had a problem picking them up. You don't need to use the 3 inch dummies, but yes, they need to be bigger than the 2 inch dummies. Tollers and smaller gundogs do retrieve game larger and heavier than two inch dummies

Canvas dummies can have weight added if they dont meet weight requirements. You can usually unstitch them add some lead or something.

I know adult dogs do, my other two Tollers are easily able to handle a 3 inch bumper but they are both adults and males. The one I've entered is a little 10 month old bitch, I am just pointing out there is a bit of a error in the way the rules are set out for the younger dogs of smaller breeds and considering the rules state they are allowed to compete from 6 months of age I wouldn't be the only one in this boat

Apart from shipping in from overseas, is there any where in Australia where you can aquire 'legal' bumpers?

If they want more people to compete there needs to be easier access to the proper allowed equipement IMO

Even on the link RS posted there are only 3inch and 2inch width bumpers Is there even such a thing as 2.5inch bumpers?

Edited May 23, 2011 by tollersowned

[FHRP]

RubyStar, yes 3 inch plastic dummies fit the standard dimensions, it's what I used in our RATG.

tollersowned, if a Cocker can pick up a dummy legal for RATG then a 6 month old Toller surely can? Pad out your 2 inch dummy.

Edited May 23, 2011 by FHRP

[Sayreovi]

Not necessarily, my girl would have been smaller and more underdeveloped at 6 months than an adult Cocker.

I will have to pad them out then, could I stuff them into some of that fire hose material? Would that be OK to use? Might go down to Bunnings and see what I could use as I will have to do all of them and using socks would get gross after awhle

Edited May 23, 2011 by tollersowned

[Sayreovi]

I do have a little brag even though I don't know how useful it is, but we were working on directed retrieves. I would throw two bumpers in different directions sometimes in sight sometimes not and sent her to them in varying order, she was nailing them and didn't pick up the wrong one once, so I threw one behind me and one in front as I thought this was harder (no idea! ) and she did both great :D

She was really enjoying it, I've never seen her so nuts to do something. We did a few water retrieves as well and just worked on her bringing the bumpers straight to me and not shaking first :D

Water makes her go a little crazy do we only did a couple before she lost it and went zooming everywhere.

I am thinking of attempting a Novice trial in future but what would be the basics one teaches before entering? Just so I have a guide to train towards, we can't do much else (sgility/flyball) before she is older so thought this would be a good alternative while she is younger

[FHRP]

tollersowned, sounds like your girl is going great!! Have you been to a trial before? To watch? Basics to aim for before entering Novice that I can think of. The dog can heel off lead through cover and over terrain, so not just your obedience ring. Dog is steady to the cast, shot and fall of game. Dog is used to gun shot, you can start with a cap gun. Dog can do a single retrieve up to 100m through cover changes and negotiate terrain such as gullies, rises, up hill, across hill etc. Dog can retrieve from and across water, including long entries to the water and angle entries. Dog can retrieve game tenderly and delivers to hand. Got all that and you're off to a good start IMO.

My little brag is that Polo didn't stuff up too badly on his retrieving at the Field Trials this past weekend He nailed the simple pigeon water retrieve, thank goodness. He did disgrace himself with a full break on Sunday in the paddock, but did a good job on the quail on Saturday

[Sayreovi]

tollersowned, sounds like your girl is going great!! Have you been to a trial before? To watch? Basics to aim for before entering Novice that I can think of. The dog can heel off lead through cover and over terrain, so not just your obedience ring. Dog is steady to the cast, shot and fall of game. Dog is used to gun shot, you can start with a cap gun. Dog can do a single retrieve up to 100m through cover changes and negotiate terrain such as gullies, rises, up hill, across hill etc. Dog can retrieve from and across water, including long entries to the water and angle entries. Dog can retrieve game tenderly and delivers to hand. Got all that and you're off to a good start IMO.

Thanks She has loads of potential I think anyway just from her desire and drive but I've never trained for retrieving trials so could be wrong

No I haven't yet, I really should but always forget when they are held Will try soon and take her with me for a look.

I've got a cap gun that we've started playing around with, need to take it with me out training so she associates that noise with retrieving.

Thanks, I have a few things to train towards now

[RubyStar]

Question to those who also do obedience with their retrieving dogs.... for the directed retrieve in UD (gloves exercise), would you use the command "fetch" or "back"? I've been teaching my kids blind retrieves (still in sight) with "back", and now that I am starting gloves work for UD, I am wondering what the best command is to use (I use "fetch" for dumbell retrieves).

The good news is because of the dummy work I've been doing with the kids, I've come back to gloves work and they have picked it up quite well!!

Oh while I'm at it, another UD exercise which may conflict with retrieving. Directed jumping... I have only played a little with this, but was using "over" with my arm pointing in the direction of the jump I want them to take. Will this confuse my retrieving work when they're out in the field? Can I just use the same concept in retrieving, using "over" and my arm in the direction I want? I am bad with lefts and rights under pressure

Edited May 26, 2011 by RubyStar

[fetchindawgs]

Question to those who also do obedience with their retrieving dogs.... for the directed retrieve in UD (gloves exercise), would you use the command "fetch" or "back"? I've been teaching my kids blind retrieves (still in sight) with "back", and now that I am starting gloves work for UD, I am wondering what the best command is to use (I use "fetch" for dumbell retrieves).

The good news is because of the dummy work I've been doing with the kids, I've come back to gloves work and they have picked it up quite well!!

Oh while I'm at it, another UD exercise which may conflict with retrieving. Directed jumping... I have only played a little with this, but was using "over" with my arm pointing in the direction of the jump I want them to take. Will this confuse my retrieving work when they're out in the field? Can I just use the same concept in retrieving, using "over" and my arm in the direction I want? I am bad with lefts and rights under pressure

Hi RS, yes I do have the video of Sound Beginnings. Most sets are compatible with it & yes you can borrow it.

Re UD. When I was doing UD with my Golden, I used "fetch" for the gloves, as they were within sight anyway and I had trained her on blinds & marks with a fetch. For directed jumping, I thought that using "over" with my arm outstretched right or left as the case may be, was going to be too confusing for a dog trained to take straight overs in the field, so I used "jump" instead, and didn't have my arm dead straight out to the side but angled slightly towards the jump I wanted her to go to. This worked well.