Hubby has been doing a lot of long singles with Freighter as tune up work to get back into hunt test training season.
The purpose of doing single marks it to get the dog into the habit of looking out into the field, watching the bumper being thrown, remembering the spot where it fell and then taking as straight a path as possible to retrieve it. You want the dog to go to the spot where he saw the bumper fall and not have to hunt around for it. As the training season progresses, we will add in multiple marks and mix in some blinds too. Another benefit of long singles is to help build a dog’s confidence when retrieving. Freighter does not really have that issue. He is fast out to the marks but if you had a dog that needed a bit of a confidence boost, this is one way to do it.
Last Sunday I was out in the field throwing bumpers for Freighter.
Hubby likes to vary where he stands in this is a long rectangular field. On this day he was all the way in the corner. By varying the starting line, it gives the dog a different view of the field.
We only did a couple of these because it was pretty warm in that field. The first mark was a bit closer and then I moved farther out.
On Saturday after group training finished up, we stayed a bit to do some water marks. Again it was a long single. I took some video of it. I need to brush up on my video skills, but I think you can get an idea.
For this mark, I was at the edge of the pond throwing at an angle back from me. Hubby and Freighter were at the top on a hill so it was a downhill path for Freighter which required him to enter the pond at an angle. Some inexperienced dogs will square up to get into the pond, but Freighter maintained his path and powered into the water. By the time Freighter got to the pond, the bumper had floated a bit farther out, but Freighter is used to this so he adjusted his path and kept swimming until he got to it.
If the video won’t play, try here.
The weather looks good this weekend for doing more long singles or maybe some blinds.
What are your weekend plans?
What a great video! I am tired just thinking about that kind of workout, but Freighter made it look easy. We’re hoping for some quality time outdoors, too.
Looks like great training weather. Bailie has a sniff n go training event, other than that, not much planned. Starting in May we are booked every weekend, so we are enjoying nothing much going on.
Spring and water remind me of the classic mahogany inboard being made ready for cruising. The images of Freighter are a perfect parallel, steady, wake, and back to shore. Remarkable quiet power!
Spring and water and that looks like Freighter had a fun time. Thanks for sharing.
That video was awesome! So neat to see Freighter in action. 🙂
Great job freighter looks like you did a great water retrieve:)
Freighter that is great to watch you working in the water… but I rather watch you from a distance, specially because I just had a swim in the bathtub….uuuuh!
What a great video of Freighter. I love to watch your dogs. ♥
Great training day, nice long water entry great work! We train singles so the dog doesn’t always rely on counting to three because sometimes the judges will throw a single in there just for the heck of it.
Love watching him run into that water with abandon!
Freighter looks pretty well tuned up! I love to watch a strong dog swimming….they make it look so effortless.
He’s doing very well!