the "game room", extended sits on daily routines - exiting and entering "everywhere" and
finishing off final stages of "hold" using a Kwick Bumper - starting the ear pinch phase of FF
next week with wood dowel (note: put pinch phase off until January) Interceptor (monthly dose)
Dec 7 review all basic OB & make them drills
analysis of what Daisy is familiar with:
1) sit when commanded to or when I stop
2) do extended (1 minute) remote sits
3) two sided heeling
4) backward heeling (both sides) plus "pendulum heel" against the wall
5) deals with stick corrections
6) has been "here" e-collar trained
7) been doing "hold" games for three weeks & during OB games
knows "drop"
8) will go for a mark on "Daisy" & getting better about coming back
9) can do front finish and side finished (left & right)
10) done teething
11) loves games
12) retrieves everything from gloves to duck & pheasants
13) handles "Kwick Bumpers" nicely
14) she's ready for formal OB (FF will be a few more weeks - Jan)
Dec 8 reviewed what we already know, then did the first lesson in Pat Nolan's "Teaching Whistle Sit"
drills Whistle Sit Art (Link), finished with a few fun & quiet "Kwick Bumpers"
note: first lesson was a snap (smart pup) - repeat this evening
(substituted heeling stick for e-collar enforcement, but still wearing one)
Dec 9 inside games - 2nd whistle sit intro, a couple extended remote sit/hold/recall reps followed by
fun bumpers (very cold and deep snow)
note: living room "tether sessions" now are replaced by off leash sessions & she is
calming down, "mouthy" issues have been avoided because she likes to carry
a Nylabone around in her mouth (will even lay quietly holding it), her "scurrying"
is getting more under control - growing up (Taffey noticeably "changed" right at
6 months, too)
Dec 10 ran in the snowy uplands at Blonhaven for about 45 minutes, 8 inches of snow in the 4 ft high
switch grass of area #1, two pheasants shot for Daisy to retrieve
note: in the deep snow, she did a good job of finding them
note: Daisy pointed one and the other was wild flushed off to the side
note: Daisy is 6 months old today
Dec 11 Daisy ran in the uplands (by herself) after the Blonhaven "Euro" - lots of birds to work and after
flushing a rooster we almost stepped on in the snow, Daisy started to demonstrate some "hunt",
she acted kind of "birdy" a couple of times and then locked up on a pretty tripod point which
lasted for a count of 20 seconds, the hen couldn't stand it any longer and flushed up out of the
snow - Daisy responded to "here" and did not chase, on the way back to the van she hit two
more productive points of 25 and 30 seconds again with very little "chase", she located a
pheasant someone else shot a long ways (it flew toward us before it fell) - she's been having
fun retrieving pheasants
note: we "walked" without a gun & there were many running pheasants
note: today was a huge step up for Daisy - first definite point!
(maybe I will get that Derby winner that points after all - the hard part remains)
Dec 12 day off, usual OB lessons with hold
Dec 13 two weeks ago Daisy was taken to the vet's when Taffey and Lick were in for a "yearly", the
corner of her eye on the skin was what appeared to be a small, pink sore which might have
been obtained running the sorghum - opinion was to bring her back in two weeks if it has not
disappeared (healed), today after doing a cell analysis in all probability it is a "button tumor",
it has reduced in size to about 3/5's the size it was two weeks ago (many clear up by themselves
in 7-8 weeks, but Neobcimyx-Hq Ophth ointment was prescribed - 7-10 days and it should be
gone (fingers crossed), weight = 49 pounds
Dec 14 intro place board cast, usual OB drills with hold
Dec 15-16 cold and lots of snow make the "game room" a nice place to play - OB, whistle sits, place
boards and some fun bumpers - Daisy loves training and her focus reminds me so much of
Taffey it is "scary"
note: working slowly and quietly seems to have had a very positive effect
Dec 17 usual OB and games, bitter cold, but went for a 30 minute romp in the deep snow of a corn
field, Daisy was casting and hunting with the 8 inch snow have little effect on her movement
note: starting to range out much further
Dec 18 rode along with the older three for a guided hunt at Blonhaven, OB in the evening
note: the button tumor issue seems to be showing progress (down to half the size)
note: the unrelenting emphasis on no whining anywhere seems to be paying off
as the daily routine becomes more clear, the concept of "wait until it is your turn
and you are last" seems to be well defined (that helps)
Dec 19-20 worked on OB, remote sits, hold with motion, place board sit on "here", short retrieves to
heel sit delivery
Dec 21 continued the last two days of OB and worked on off lead retrieves plus proofed long holds
two sessions (morning and evening)
note: great attitude and knows what is going on
note: behavior around the house and dealing with the routine is greatly improved,
certain air of contentment (less me...me...me....!)
