Storm found out the hard way that snow can add resistance to a workout and make it more difficult.
Last Saturday she was running the first set-up of the day which was a delayed triple. I explained the set-up in Monday’s post here. She did a good job retrieving the first bumper. The workout started when she was sent to retrieve the bumper that was way back on the far side of the frozen pond.
Storm was lined up to the general area where the bumper fell because it was not visible from the line.
She was released.
Storm headed across the pond.
Then the workout started. Storm got out to the area where she thought the bumper fell, but could not come up with the bumper. Just like Freighter, she figured she had over shot it so she hunted back toward the line. The bumper was farther out so her handler stopped her and cast her back toward the area where the bumper fell.
Except she still could not find the bumper in the snow.
Normally if a dog is running a blind retrieve, it is marked in the field so that the handler knows where it is. However, this was a mark so the handler must try to remember the general area where the bumper fell. There is nothing marked in the field to help.
Storm’s bumper just happened to fall in a spot where it was over the bank and sort of angled into the snow which made it difficult for her to find.
Her handler kept casting her to the area but as she hunted, she kept moving out of the area.
Her handler had to recall her and recast her several times to try to get her to the bumper. That was a lot of running in the snow.
Finally Storm found the bumper which she had to dig out of the snow.
Having to give multiple casts or having to handle in the first place is not ideal on a marked retrieve. Storm is a Master level dog so at a test she would be marked down any time she did not follow her handler’s direction and too many casts is also lowers the score.
However, this is training. Storm took most of the casts which was good, but she just had a tough time catching the scent of the bumper buried in the snow. In one way it was good because the handler and the dog worked though the issue and Storm retrieved the bumper. If a dog is not running clean, working through a problem is the next best thing because hopefully the next time will be a better result.
Storm was pooped from that workout, but after a bit of a rest, she was ready to run this same set-up again. She did and had a better result.
Have a nice weekend!
Thanks to SlimDoggy, MyGBGV Life, and To Dog with Love for the FitDog Friday Blog Hop!
Well done for getting it in the end. Must have been some work out. Have a fabulous Friday.
Best wishes Molly
That a girl Storm…tenacity pays off – both in finding the bumper and in a little extra exercise!
Way to stick with it Storm, you got the prize. That damn snow!
Snow is great resistance training, a bit like sand on a beach. Mom loves to go for a run in fresh snow, she can feel the difference and we love bounding around in it too. Thanks for joining the hop.
Weird. Every time I open a blog in this hop, I hear an audio commercial. I scroll and don’t see a video. It’s bizarre.
That is odd. I do not run ads on my site. Maybe a virus in your computer?
Great pics. Hugs and nose kisses
Hi Y’all!
When we’re in the mountains in the winter and it snows, I HATE IT if my Human makes me retrieve a bumper in the snow! Nothin’ worse than a frozen nose and mouth!
Y’all come on by,
Hawk aka BrownDog
Yes! Last time it snowed here, Mr. N looked like he was swimming through it. He was fine but my legs were so sore afterwards.
Great job, Storm! I can’t tell you how many balls we’ve lost in the snow this year….me and Cricket wouldn’t make a very good hunting/training team. She’s not watching where I throw it, and then I forget where I threw it too! LOL
Wow that WAS quite a workout! It’s great that Storm eventually found the bumper and that she listened to the handler. Great pictures.
Persistence and Storm was more aware of working in this terrain. Cold bumper and all! Is it legal to put some sort of scent on the bumper? Erynn relies on her nose a great deal, even when we prefer she did not. Snow provides such great contrast for the Brown Dawgs, you can really see
their form and effort.
Snow definitely makes it harder to find things! Our agility trainer always tells me that Barley will learn more from making mistakes and having to work through the problems than she will if she just gets it right the first time every time. And it certainly makes me a better trainer when I have to figure out how to address the problems we’re having, too. I hope Storm got a nice warm nap after that hard workout!
We just did a post about how walking in the snow is a good work out! I am curious, do they use their nose to find the bumper? I started nose work training and I am pretty sure I could smell that bumper from 20 yards. Love Dolly
Wonderful snow pictures & a great workout overall ~ on a physical AND mental level 😉
We’ve been staying away from the snow in our woods/field because it is too unstable. Make one tiny misstep and it’s all over. I still worry about Sampson’s leg too, so I’m extra cautious.
Good for Storm and her handler for working through it.
Awesome job Storm! Haley has trouble even finding her old poop under a fresh coat of snow when she has to go to the bathroom, haha!
Well done!!
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
Bumpers in snow are tough to find, but it probably sharpened her up on casting! Great job.