At hunt test training last week, Freighter blew the first two set-ups because he needed help with the memory bumper. You can read about it here and here. He had one more shot at one final double retrieve for the day. Perhaps the third time is a charm?
A double is where the dog watches two bumpers (we also call them “marks”) thrown in the field for the dog to retrieve. This double had a little different twist. The first bumper was thrown toward the back of the field. We call this the “memory” bumper. A second bumper was thrown across where the dog was sitting.
This is a diagram of the throws.
Whenever a bumper is thrown across the path the dog must take to retrieve another bumper, it can mess up the dog’s memory. In this case Freighter watched bumper #1, then #2 was thrown so that it crossed the path he needed to take to retrieve bumper #1 (the black arrows show the desired path the dog should take). As an additional challenge, bumper #2 was thrown in close to the dog as a temptation for the dog to break (or leave to retrieve before being released). Freighter is always tempted to break so this was good practice for him.
Freighter had no trouble retrieving bumper #2 (which was the second bumper he watched being thrown). He never has trouble with closer retrieves.
Freighter still needed to retrieve the first bumper thrown that was way at the back of the field. He had no trouble remembering where it was and made a nice retrieve.
Freighter was not finished. He also had to honor the next dog which means he had to sit and watch the bumpers be thrown for another dog. This is yet another temptation to break. Freighter was a good dog and sat patiently. When honoring, we want the dogs to sit quietly. Sometimes they get excited and want to bark and whine. We discourage that. A hunting dog should be quiet.
Freighter had two off series to start but finally he completed a double without any help. Hopefully this means that his training is coming back to him, or maybe the third time is a charm?
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Great job Freighter and everyone is proud of you:)
That is so impressive! I don’t think that I could pass that test even on the third try. BOL!
I’m sure with the better weather and the spring efurrything comes back to us too… and I’m sure Freighter will remember all things and he will pass every test :o) I agree a hunting doh should be quiet… and I read that to Easy twice … hope he got the message :o)
I wonder if the changes in the weather create some training issues for him. I know for us, going from snow to the grass returning and warmer weather it makes the transition a bit difficult at first, but with some practice we work fine again.
I love reading your training posts… still trying to figure out our next step with Penny. Waiting for a scent work class to start.
Either way, great job, Freighter! It impresses me all the different scenarios you throw at them, and that they can get it right, even if it takes three times! 🙂
Well done Freighter! You’ve blossomed into a true star!
Freighter just needed to dust off a few cobwebs. His training has been intensive and his memory works fine. Great that he is becoming solid with honoring, that is not easy for a Chessie!
Very nice job, Freighter – practice truly does make perfect!
Great job, Freighter! It’s not easy getting those winter cobwebs out of the way sometimes, is it?
That is a great set up with lots to think about. Good Job Freighter.