The temperatures were in the 90’s here in Michigan this past Labor Day weekend.  To try to beat the heat we took the dogs to a local pond to cool off and get some exercise.

But our dogs never just get to cool off.  We use pond time to brush up on their training.

If you follow the blog, you know that Freighter had some problems during the two Master tests he ran in August.

One problem was pivoting to watch the marks.  Freighter would pivot, but he took the need to move as an invitation to creep forward rather than stay next to hubby’s side.  Definitely something to work on for next season.

The other issue Freighter had was not always picking up the birds in the order hubby wanted.  Hubby would line him to a bird (this is called “selecting”) and send him but Freighter would sometimes veer off to retrieve the bird he wanted.  Being able to select which bird the dog retrieves is a valuable skill and can save a test depending on how it is set.  There may be times when a dog simply does not see a mark or does not remember where it fell, but if they follow the line their handler gives them, they should get to it.

We set up a simple quad to work on both of these skills with Freighter.  A quad is four marks.  A mark is where the dog is able to see the bumper or bird being thrown.

The marks were thrown in the order numbered in black, but were picked up as numbered in white.  (In this post I mostly refer to the black numbers or the order the marks were thrown.)  This is an advanced skill especially where the marks are thrown in various directions and picked up in a different order.

The purpose of training this kind of set-up is to work with the dog turning with the handler.  In our set-up, you can see that the dog watches mark #1 fall and then must pivot 180 degrees to see mark #2 fall, then turn again to see mark #3 and then mark #4.  Even though the dog must pivot, the dog should remain at heel throughout.

Once the marks were down, hubby as Freighter’s handler, selected the order Freighter would retrieve them.  Normally the dog retrieves the last mark he watched fall.  In this set-up, it is black #4.  But that is not the mark hubby wanted Freighter to retrieve first.  Instead he turned him to retrieve the second mark he watched fall (black #2).

Some photos to help explain:

Freighter’s handler then turns toward the next mark he wants Freighter to retrieve.  Freighter has been taught to come into heel with his bumper or bird where ever the handler is in the field.

Once again, Freighter’s handler turns toward the next mark he wants Freighter to retrieve which is black #4 on the diagram.

Hubby wants Freighter to retrieve black #4 next, but Freighter is looking to black #3 (the other mark on the water).  Hubby “nos” Freighter off black #3 and turns him toward black #4.  “No’ing” is just that.  The handler says “no” and may readjust his body position using the position of his leg to realign the dog and redirect the dog’s attention without touching the dog.

Finally Freighter is allowed to retrieve black #3 which he has wanted to retrieve the entire time.

Freighter did a nice job on this and stayed at heel while turning to watch the marks.  He also did OK with being no’ed off the various marks.  But this is something we will work on until it is second nature with him so he will be doing this type of drill again.