"Don't Move & Be Quiet" Drills
                                                                                   
            Hide Drills

                        Using an Avery Ultra Low Ground Force blind and a home made Kwick hide,
                        each dog learns to stay still, be quiet and await their turn to retrieve. Shooting,
                        duck/goose calling and retrieves are probable. They don't pick all of them up
                        because I retrieve several (as they remain in their hides).

                        On some occasions there will only be one dog in a hide with the rest watching
                        close by as part of the "chain gang".      
                                                                          (left click on thumbnails)
                               
                               "Gunny & Taffey"		     
      "Kooly & Daisy"		     
   "Taffey & Kooly"
         (steady)		   
  "the chain gang"

               Remote "Whoa" Drill

                       Each dog is taught what "whoa" means.........don't move your feet. As a yard
                       exercise, it can be quite boring standing there doing nothing for up to five minutes.
                       This "activity" (or lack there of) develops character, poise and patience. It certainly
                       elevates a dog's perception of control and the responsibility for behaving (even if
                       there are distractions). It is NOT a command to point.
                                                                              (left click on thumbnails)    
                          
                                 "Taffey"		  
        "Kooly"
     
             "Daisy"		           
                "Gunny"

                Honoring Drills

                        When a dog finally realizes that 1) not every bird is his/hers and 2) those that are
                        will not be retrieved until given permission,............you have a team player.
                                                                              (left click on thumbnails)
                            
                             "Three Steady"
 		    
   Retriev-R-Trainer
    Steadying Drill		       
   Kooly, Daisy & Taffey
         (front to back) 		  
     "Who's Next?"

                               Do boat trips that are only........."boat trips".
                Take a dog on solitary boat trips and maybe fish for a while. Make it long enough
                        for the dog to get bored a bit or at least lay down and take a snooze.

                            
                                    "Taffey"       		      
             "Kooly"		     
            "Daisy"		     
          "Gunny"

                                Lengthy Hunting simulations     

              Place decoys out in a pond, put the dog in a hide,  blow a call once in awhile,
                         fire off a few "dry" pops now and then, mostly sit and do nothing, have a couple
                        of wingers hidden to maybe toss some ducks into the decoys, let them lay there
                        awhile and eventually allow the dog to make some delayed retrieves. 

                        Anxiety is fed by immediate action.

                          "Don't feed the beast."     Rody Best......"Trainin' in the Timber" spring of  2007

                                                                                   (left click on thumbnails)
                                                                  
                                                                 "the long time drill"
                                                                          (double)		  
   "the next day"
  (single & double)

                         One more thing we have attempted, with gas prices pushing the decision there
                         will be no hunt tests in 2008.  Withdrawal symptoms are finally easing a bit.  
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