Teamwork is very important when running hunt tests, especially when a dog is doing a blind retriever. The dog must rely of its handler to direct it to a bumper or a bird which has been placed out in the field while the dog is not looking. At a test these blinds can be 150 yards long so the dog must trust its handler when it is working way out in the field.
For many dog sports, handlers use treats as a reward and to build teamwork. That is not really practical for our training because of the distance between dog and handler. Instead we practice blind retrieves in all sorts of places and under all sorts of conditions.
Last Saturday we went to a field near our cabin and set up a triple blind. This field is sort of narrow and lined with trees on either side.
The blinds were set to the edges of the field and I numbered them in the order Freighter was sent to retrieve them. The wind was blowing down the field from behind the starting line, but at the edges it was swirling which added some difficulty for Freighter because his nose was drawing him off line. Each time he moved off line, hubby stopped him to cast him back to the blind. By making sure the dog always ends up with a bird or a bumper after being directed there by their handler, the dog learns to trust their handler. But it does not happen overnight. It takes lots and lots of retrieves.
Here are some pictures of Freighter working on these blinds. I am standing off to one side, so the perspective might be a bit off. Freighter may be either on a better or worse line to any particular blind.
The first blind Freighter retrieved was the closest on the right side of the field.
The second blind Freighter was sent to retrieve was on the longest blind on the left side of the field.
The third blind was in between the first two about mid-length between the two. Requiring a dog to go in between two blinds that he has already run really tests teamwork. Freighter did a decent job on this blind by taking each and every cast hubby gave him when hubby needed Freighter to change direction.
Freighter’s blind work has improved so much since last year. He now sits confidently and waits for direction from hubby. Last year he would grow impatient and take his own direction to blinds, but this year he is much better at sitting and waiting. Hubby and Freighter are growing into a great team.
How do you work on teamwork?
it is amazing to see how a dog turns the direction via silent command…. I sometimes thing they really can read us …. I hope for a super season for Team Freighter this year…
Thanks Easy. I hope we have a good year too, if only the weather cooperates.
Our training is a bit different, and in confined spaces, sometimes with distractions and people milling about.
Nevertheless, it requires teamwork, especially. But, it also involves some anticipation and alertness on Erynn’s part, because she must make up for aspects of life that her master needs help with. A bright girl, she has qualities that suit her to think and help John. She is both a shadow and independently analyzing.
On her first solo train ride over Easter, she proved to be unflappable and a true assistance girl. Navigating a moving train, ons and offs, sleeping and threading about DC and Philly stations, where there were plenty of officers with K9s and heavy holiday foot traffic, seemed quite routine. Practice has allowed her to understand her “job”.
Service dogs definitely must work as a team.
Good boy Freighter. You are just so smart. That looks like it is so rewarding for the dog and the director of places to go.You must have to know just the spot to stop the dog so he can get back on track. This is great fun to read about.
Knowing the right place to stop a dog takes a lot of practice. It is training for people and dogs…lol.
Out of interest, how do you reward your dogs when they perform correctly?
Flyball is done at a distance. The way we reward our dogs and reinforce the correct behavior is to break it down into smaller parts. We work the jumps by themselves, and start with just one jump, then build up from there. We work the box by itself, and only add in distance and jumps when the behavior is solid at close range. For rewards we use what the dog likes best. For some dogs this is treats, for others a tug or a toy, for others a ball, etc. Some dogs get a combination of those rewards, or get something different depending on what we are working on. We also work things that aren’t actually flyball, but give a solid foundation for later work, such as finding the jump from outside angles, wall work, and over and backs. And of course working around distractions.
One of the biggest compliments I got the other day at flyball practice was when someone said “thank you for playing with your dog” to me. I was working with Ptera, my new pup, and we were doing recalls. I make sure that if I am rewarding with treats, I give verbal praise as well. And if I am rewarding with a toy, I don’t just have her come to the toy, grab it once, and be done- I make sure we play, and that she is having fun. I play with her for what seems like an absurdly long time, then do it for a few more seconds just to make sure she gets lots of reward. Especially at this point in her training, where we are just beginning, it is more important that she has fun and that we develop a great relationship, than that we have time for more reps. I’d rather do three reps and reward heavily than do six reps with little reward.
Our dogs are working dogs and have been bred to retrieve, so for them the retrieve is the reward. Of course we also praise them when they do something correctly, but retrieving is what they live for. For puppies, they have no rules retrieving for about the first 6 months. We are building desire and fun and then we introduce higher skills and rules little by little.
Our dogs are working dogs and have been bred to retrieve, so the retrieve is the reward. Of course we use verbal praise, but retrieving is what they live for. For young dogs, they have no rules retrieving for about their first 6 months. We are building desire and drive and then we slowly add in rules and the higher skills like triple marks and multiple blind retrieves.
I’ve been thinking about you and the dogs and when outside with our dogs. We’ve graduated to a new toy and Scout LOVES it. We have two, because he’s so fast that after throwing one ball, he’s ready to throw another. My boyfriend makes him bring the ball back and sometimes, when he’s very excited, he forgets where the ball is. It’s so tempting to just go get it, but I work with him. The extra mental work is exhausting for him.
After training, do your dogs crash out? It looks so intense and fun for them.
Yes it is mental and physical exercise. Of course even if they are dead tired, just get a duck out and they are ready to go again…lol. Freighter being the youngest is less tired after training than the seniors.
The team work and bonding is the best part of dog sports!
Freighter’s doing so well!! It’s so obvious how much he loves what he does. 🙂
It’s so interesting to learn more about how you train and those pics of Freighter show just how much he loves retrieving and the test hunts. The real hunts must be so thrilling for him! Great exercise too. 🙂
Good job Freighter and Hubby.
I play little games with Delilah to keep her attention on me. Sometimes we will walk faster, or slower, sometimes I throw treats…etc. I try to keep it different so she remains interested in me.
Great pictures and so true, need teamwork which sometimes Chessies think they can do it themselves.