Sometimes we can’t always find a big wide open field for training. Last weekend we went to a field near the cabin which is kind of narrow and covered with obstacles like scrub brush and small trees.
The field while not ideal for to throw multiple bumpers at a time, was a great place for the dogs to practice running through obstacles while retrieving long single bumpers (also called marks). Freighter needs to work on this. He has a tendency to veer around obstacles rather than hold a straight line going to the bumper and coming back with it.
In order to practice this, I set up in one spot with a bucket of bumpers and threw them one retrieve at a time varying the direction of my throw. Hubby varied the “line” or where he started with Freighter so that each throw was a different look for Freighter and required him to take a different path but hopefully the path would be a straight line to the bumper.
Bushes can cause the dog to swerve, but with practice they should continue in a straight line.
Sometimes obstacles are puddles (which we did not have in this field) or roads. Some dogs do not want to cross over roads when retrieving, so we practice this when we have a good safe place to do it.
The optimum is for the dog to see where the bumper falls and go directly to it in a straight line without having to hunt for it. However, we try to make training challenging so that does not always happen. If the dog carries a straight line out to the area where he saw the bumper fall, and then has to hunt for it, we are OK with that.
After running a few of these Freighter was really doing well in this field and by the last one he went directly to the bumper.
To finish off this training session we might have run Freighter on a blind retrieve (where a bumper is placed in the field so the dog does not know where it is and the dog is directed there by their handler using arm signals). This would have been a nice challenge after running so many marks in this field. However it was so darn cold that we decided enough was enough for one day.
Do you have any training with obstacles planned for this weekend?
Interesting read!
Looks like Freighter is coming along nicely.
Have a nice weekend.
Sounds a lot like high speed tracking! We are supposed to go through bushes if the track does, but often Emma will go around as she doesn’t like going through bushes.
Great post! obstacles can really be a challenge for dogs, much easier to go around. We train to over over logs and such.
I’m glad you had an opportunity to get such good training it. It sounds like Freighter’s doing great! Barley doesn’t like going through tall grass on hikes, but since I’m always attached to the end of the leash and I don’t really it, either, I don’t mind when she wants to go around the obstacle 🙂 I can definitely see why it wouldn’t be a good idea for your dogs, though!
Freighter, you sure did a good job. That looks like fun for you too.
Interesting! I would have thought it would be OK to go around obstacles. It looks like Freighter did great!
I hope your weather gets warmer soon so you can spend more time out there.
that obstacle races are not easy… specially not for Easy who has to work on his 4-paws-drive when it comes to bushes and undergrowth… he mostly lands inside of the spikiest things :o) the bottle with vetericyn is our daily companion :o)
Awesome job, Freighter! We always enjoy learning about training and seeing your beautiful, talented dogs in action!
Hi Y’all!
I went straight through a downed saplin’ yesterday to get to my Human when she called…sort of got tangled in the branches, but made it through. Yep, when we Chessies have a purpose in mind…look out bushes! You go Freighter!
Y’all come on by,
Hawk aka BrownDog