Freighter is busy training a lot of different concepts to get him ready for higher level hunt tests.  Some of them come easier to him than others.

At training recently he ran what looked like a simple single.  It was thrown from a strip of land into the pond on the other side of that strip.  It required Freighter to swim out, cross over the strip of land and then re-enter the pond to get the bumper.

Single
Single

Looks easy but for Freighter it was a challenge.  The dog sees the splash, but it is a bit of an optical illusion since the bumper is actually falling on the other side of the land.

We try to train this kind of mark when we get a chance of it, but we do not have easy access to adjoining ponds.  This mark was the same day that Freighter had trouble running a blind which required him to swim along the edge of the pond and then get out on land at tail end.  You see young dogs are taught to seek the water which can make them reluctant to leave the water.  I think this may have been part of Freighter’s issue with this mark.  It is all a learning process.

Freighter At The Line
Freighter At The Line
He's Off
He’s Off
Launching
Launching
Nice Splash
Nice Splash
Swimming Over
Swimming Over
Where Did It Go?
Where Did It Go?
It Is Around Here Somewhere
I Know It Is Around Here Somewhere
Confused
Confused

To help the dog, normally the person throwing the bumpers fakes a throw or even throws another bumper.  The handler can also handle the dog to the mark but you would rather the dog figure it out themselves so the fake throw is usually the better choice.

I think on this day Freighter may have had a bit of both with the thrower faking a throw and Freighter’s handler giving him a back to drive him over that strip of land.  In the end, he got the bumper.  It wasn’t pretty, but hopefully he learned something.

Freighter Has It
Freighter Has It
Good Dog
Good Dog

14 thoughts on “Where Did It Go?

  1. Wow Freighter – every time you get good at something they add something harder! They obviously realize you are one of the world’s smartest Retrievers 🙂

  2. Yes it always onwards and upwards but it keeps those grey cells working as well as staying fit. Have a terrific Tuesday.
    Best wishes Molly

  3. His look says it all, “What were you guys thinking?”

  4. Mom has worked on obedience with all her dogs, but nose work is the first time she has really used us dogs as partners. One difficult thing for her is to figure out what we dogs are thinking and why we don’t see something right in front of us which would be like the bumper in the adjoining pond. Once you understand, as you do, why it is hard for the dog to imagine the bumper in the adjoining pond it makes it easier to work with them to find it. Interesting post.

  5. Pawsome work! I’m always impressed with how much dogs are able to do.

  6. Hmmm, that type of blind seems a bit confusing. I don’t blame Freighter for being a little confused. But it looks like in the end, he got it…hopefully the lesson will stick!
    Happy Tuesday!

  7. I love the way he jumps off the line. You can tell that these dogs love to retrieve. Do they obsess over retrieving? I know some dogs that just aren’t happy unless they have their favorite type of retrieve in their mouths.

  8. That sounds really difficult, I’d say Freighter did very well to get it, even if he had to have help! 🙂

  9. Look at Freighter go! Kind of reminds me of how Shiner used to swim around in the lake when she couldn’t find the stick I threw for her.

  10. Hi Y’all!

    When will y’all get a chance to set up that kind of a retrieve again?

    Y’all come back now!
    Hawk aka BrownDog

Comments are closed.