Duck training a week in

[Munster]

Have to apologize for the quality of the video as my 12 year old was be hind the camera.
We really liked this video because it shows her steady to the shot. It also shows that she gets out there for the search. We actually had no idea where she was for about 20 min.Then out of the blue she pops up from around the corner with the duck. :shock:
There comes a time when you are training where you want to start looking for the dog but you dont cuz you have faith she will have the duck.

Hey, I would love to see some of everyone elses training videos. I think it will be fun to share videos and ideas on how to improve our dogs!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KufMFNkP634

[Rick Hall]

There comes a time when you are training where you want to start looking for the dog but you dont cuz you have faith she will have the duck.

Prior to the now-old-fart's becoming deaf, I would often take the "spotted Lab" Brittany when we duck hunted hellish spots for cripple recovery, like large fields of flooded 6-foot-tall indigos, because there's no quit to his search. But once he was beyond the hearing of his splash for long periods of time, I couldn't help but wonder if he was lost out there in the jungle. So I started duck hunting him in such spots with the same remotely controlled on/off beeper that we use with that big-wheeled dog in the uplands. Did wonders for my peace of mind.

[Ruffshooter]

How is the rest of the work, drag, mark, field, and heal?
Was this duck released in site of the dog?
How far out had you put the duck?
Have you sent the dog with no duck?
Have you put a dead duck out to the furthest point, down wind end of the marsh?

If you have that nailed, up grade to the UT. I know what you said in the other post but you can change up to a week before the test.

No matter what, that was some nice work. Should be proud.

I had gone down the path you did. My GSP failed her NA, so I started to train her figuring in the fall of that year we may do the UPT, two weeks before the test I upgraded to the UT. Prize 1 You never know. (Well I knew she would do well). How old is your dog?

[wems2371]

Nice work.

I don't know how confident you are in her other skills, like Ruff said. But if you feel you are close to UT work, I would maybe switch up from UPT. I only say that, because with the Invitational in our backyard next year, it would be a shame to miss it if she's ready. I sure wish my dog was ready. I've never checked into it, but I'm wondering since our chapter's having a 3 day test, if you could enter UPT one day and UT the next. Anyone know?

[Munster]

How is the rest of the work, drag, mark, field, and heal?
Was this duck released in site of the dog?
How far out had you put the duck?
Have you sent the dog with no duck?
Have you put a dead duck out to the furthest point, down wind end of the marsh?

We did a drag with her the othre day, it was longer then the UPT and she nailed it. I have no doubt she could do the UT part. Same with the mark drill. I think she has that down. Heel is still in progress. We are getting there though.
Yes, duck was put out when she was out of site. We put 2 out acctually. She brings one in and I line her up for the next one.
Ducks are put out anywhere from 40-70 yards. Plus what they swim.
No......Ihavent sent her for no duck yet. I am not sure when to do that. I dont want to screw up what I have going. Should I try now?
no, we havent done this yet either. ALthough we have worked in some no wind situations.
Abby is 4 years old, and I just got this wild hair to do all of this stuff. Poor dog!

Still a work in progress I guess. I have til Oct 2&3 to get this done. MAybe in 2 weeks we can re evaluate her and see how far she is. Then I can decided about UT. I get sweaty palms thinking about it. I am not worried about her and much as I am worried about my lack of experience handling her. I would hate for her to fail because of me.

You guys are great, thanks for the help and comments.

[Ruffshooter]

You need to do what you are comfortable with. I bet your dog is very happy with the work you both have been doing. Sounds like you are doing very well. You have all kinds of time. I would not over do the duck search thing too much. Don't want them to get bored at this point. once a week maybe. Using two ducks and resending for the second is good practice, give the dog confidence that something is still out there. You may also want to switch up waters to train in. go to different places. So she is confident in unfamiliar waters as it were.

You are in good shape.
Rick

[Munster]

Thanks Rick. As it happens I took her 2 h ours away for training today! She did a fine job! ent out and searched like a champ. At one point I got discouraged because I saw her on the shore line across and to my left. I was getting ready to get back in the kayak to help her when she came back with a duck in her mouth! She knew what she was doing!
I am going to leave the water alone until Sept 12th for our mock test. For now I am going to work on heeling, steadiness and field work. I am also going to leave her tail alone and if she gets docked .......then she gets docked. It is what it is.

Thanks for all the great advise!

[Ruffshooter]

Wem; you can enter both if you wish. I for one tested on a friday with 15+ month old Mercy, she got a very high Prize 2 UT because she got caught up on shore for quite a while. (Just before our run, come to find out there had been a duck that kept coming back to shore and that was what hung her up once she convinced her self that was no duck she moved out and did a great job. 3 on search). Friday evening, Some one pulled out of the saturday test, no one on the waiting list could make it so I paid my 80 bucks and ran her again and got the 204 Prize 1 UT. The club was happy I was happy, Mercy was happy.

The judges all tried to suggest without suggesting that the UT2 was exceptional for a 15 month old dog and things don't usually go well the second day. (Personally I knew what I had so I was not too concerned). Since I had done that others have tried with some pretty good dogs but real prize 2 dogs (which is a great dog) and had really bad days. I don't know how much water, what the judges suggested, the bucket holds. I have heard it a couple times.