Freighter
Thanks to Blog Paws for the hop!
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Wordless Wednesday–Focus
Cover? No Problem
Last week the field we used for training had high cover. We ran the dogs on a double which was a challenge for them because of the cover. It was good training though because when they are upland hunting they will often run into that kind of high cover. At a hunt test you would probably not use a field with that type of over all high cover. The simple reason is that you can’t see the dog. We noticed that they cut the field this past week.
This week we picked a different area because we wanted to use the pond in that area. There is a small field next to the pond and we couldn’t resist running some land marks in the field when we were finished with water. The field is smallish, but it has some nice features with medium grass and two strips of high cover running across it.
Strips Of Cover
We set up the line so that the cover was about 2/3 of the way across the field. We used the winger to launch the bird so that it fell in the grass beyond the second strip of cover. Breaking through strips of cover is something the dogs are likely to see at a test. They need to have the courage to do it and then hang in there and hunt up the bird.
Freighter had no problem breaking through the first strip of cover but thought the duck was most certainly in that high cover. He had just picked up a mark in cover like that last week. He hunted and hunted, periodically sticking his whole head in the cover. He broke through the second strip of cover and hunted and hunted. Back to the first, back to the second. Where was that darn duck? We let him hunt. Finally he broke through the second strip of cover, stopped and caught scent of the duck. He hunted farther back and over a bit and found it. Good dog. He showed great perseverance and stayed in the hunt.
Freighter Hunting
More Hunting
Good Dog!
We set up this double for the big dogs.
For Thunder And Storm We Threw Mark #2 First And Mark #1 Second. They Picked Up Mark #1 Then Mark #2.
They had a bit of trouble on this double. That far mark was tough because of the cover. Thunder had no trouble crashing through the cover to get Mark #2, but he had trouble with the memory bird, (Mark #1). Go figure? Storm had no trouble with Mark #1. She had trouble just getting into the cover for Mark #2. She had to be handled through it to get to the mark. I guess that distance is not in her comfort zone right now. We need to continue to stretch her.
Freighter has been doing so well on his singles and we have thrown a couple of simple doubles on cut grass for him that we could not resist trying him on this double. We moved the line up and reversed the order of the marks. Mark #1 was thrown first and Mark #2 second. His handler let Freighter go just as Mark #2 fell which made it a bit easier for him to get to that far mark. The challenge for him would be to remember where Mark #1 fell.
Freighter had no trouble with this double. He pinned both marks.
Freighter Hunting Mark #2
Where Is It
Over This Way
Got It
Heading Back
Dragging The Duck Through The Strip Of High Cover
Heading To The Memory Bird (Mark #1)
No Problem
Back At Heel–2 Birds In The Bag
His marking is really good right now. I have been pretty impressed with it. We are doing a bit of handling with him too. He has a way to go with handling since he is just doing pattern blinds, but we hope to be able to get him on some cold blinds in the near future.
I purchased the new wireless router and set it up so I am back online! Now just to find time to catch up. 
Monday Mischief–No Connection
My home wireless router died over the weekend. Until I can get a new one set up, my time on the net will be limited. Mischief indeed!
Storm discovered a bit of mischief when she wasn’t sure whether she should jump in the water or not to make a retrieve.
Go Storm!
Nope Not Going Into The Water!
She finally got into the water and ran a very nice water triple the set-up after this one.
This Isn’t So Bad
Nice Retrieve Storm
Thanks to Alfie’s Blog, Snoopy’s Dog Blog and My Brown Newfies for hosting the Monday Mischief blog hop.
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Follow Up Friday 6-14-13
Time for Follow-up Friday. The blog hop that:
Let’s you wrap up your week and leads you right into the weekend.
Thank you to Jodi from Heart Like A Dog and co-host Kari from Hound Girl for hosting the hop!
This is a bit of a different Follow-up.
Yesterday marked the two-year anniversary of the day that we almost lost Thunder to GDV (more commonly referred to as bloat with torsion). We were very lucky because we recognized the symptoms and took him to an ER vet who had a lot of experience treating this condition.
From 6-13-11 Thunder Training Before He Bloated
That Spring we were training toward running Thunder in Seasoned and Senior hunt tests. We had been out training that evening and all seemed well until later that night when we realized something was very wrong. We rushed Thunder to the ER vet who confirmed our fears of bloat with torsion. Immediately we had to decide whether to do surgery or not. The alternative to surgery was euthanasia. We had moments to decide because time is of the essence when you are treating this condition. The problem with the surgery was that there were no guarantees it was extremely expensive. After talking to the vet and her assurance that he was a good candidate for surgery, we agreed.
The surgery went well. We thought the vet was going to have to remove his spleen, but that turned out not to be necessary. His vitals were all really good so immediately after surgery he had a positive prognosis, provided there were no complications. Again, there were no guarantees. Thunder had to stay in the hospital for a few days. He did so well that the staff there called him “Thunder the Wonder Dog”. He also became a favorite because despite being a big intact Chessie, he was never surly or nasty.
Thunder 6-18-11 After He Came Home From The Hospital
Once he was home he was pretty out of it. It was a couple of weeks before I saw the light return to his eyes and then there was no stopping him. The vet ordered limited activity for 4 weeks and after that he could run a bit, but as far as hard training, that was a no-no for 6 weeks. Once he felt better, it was hard to make him sit out, but we followed to the vet’s orders as she wrote them.
From Our Training This Past Sunday–Back In 2011 Slamming Into The Water Would Not Be Good For A Dog Healing From Abdominal Surgery
After his training layoff was over, he bounced right back and ran his first Seasoned test 63 days after surgery. He didn’t pass that test, but he passed the test the next day and went on to earn both his Seasoned and Senior titles that summer, going 3 for 4 in Seasoned and 4 for 5 in Senior.
2011 Ribbons All Earned After His Surgery That June
Despite what you might read, they still do not know what causes this condition. There are suspicions, so we take precautions such as limiting water consumption before, during and after exercise and not feeding 2 hours before and 1 hour after exercise. We also use a slow feeder bowl for Thunder and he gets a Gas-x with each meal, (all of our dogs do). (Always consult you vet before adding medications to your dog’s diet.)
There is a preventative surgery they can do to tack the stomach to prevent it from twisting which we will seriously consider for Freighter although his body style is a bit different from Thunder’s. Thunder is very narrow and deep-chested. Freighter is not as narrow or deep, but he is not yet full-grown. We will wait until he is a bit older to do any surgery because if you tack too young, it may not last the dog’s entire lifetime.
Photo of an x-ray showing gastric dilatation and volvulus in a large mixed-breed dog. The large dark area is the gas trapped in the stomach. The pylorus and duodenum are in an abnormal position cranial to the stomach and are separated by a fold in the stomach, creating a “double bubble” appearance. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The most important thing that I hope you take away from this post is to familiarize yourself with the symptoms and if you suspect your dog may be bloating, act immediately and take your dog to the ER vet or vet hospital. Do not wait because waiting may make the difference between your dog living or dying.
Thunder did not have all the typical symptoms. He did not appear to bloat. His abdomen did not have the hollow drum sound. He was not salivating excessively. The vet said that he did not have the foamy air bubbles in his stomach that usually happen with bloat. But he was very restless and was standing roach backed and trying to vomit. All dogs do not present the same way according to the ER vet. I am posting a chart which describes symptoms. (I am not sure who originally made this chart to give credit.)
Bloat Chart (Click To View Larger)
We are so thankful that Thunder had a gifted surgeon and staff to take care of him. Incredibly, they told us that they do 2-3 surgeries a week for this condition. Two years later Thunder shows no ill effects from his brush with death. He loves to train and lives to go hunting. Of course there is a possibility that he could bloat again so we watch for signs and continue to take precautions, but we have not tried to slow him down nor has he really slowed down despite turning 7 last March.
Thunder Training Last Night
Thanks for reading my long-winded post. There were some great questions this past week and I hope to answer them next week, so stay tuned. I will also be having a really cool give-away in the next week or two so check back for that.
Thanks again to Jodi from Heart Like A Dog and co-host Kari from Hound Girl for hosting the hop.
The weather is supposed to be nice tomorrow and we plan to get some training in. Have a nice weekend!
Hosted By Heart Like A Dog
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Related articles
- This is the post I wrote about it back in 2011. There Are No Words
- Bloat ~ By Linda Eggert (officialakitaworld.wordpress.com)
