The Journal - "Yesterdays" (Sept 20, 2003 - June, 2004)          

Aug. 28th Taffey goes to a pro for a few months - change of scenery, evaluate, more work,
                 maybe run some Q's               
Sept 20 AKC Master - Flight B (72 dogs) phone call description: Taffey's 1st series - land/water
             delayed triple with a live flyer poison bird blind run after the go bird (and before the
             memory bird) from a remote sit all followed by an honor- Whew!   Brian's analysis -
             excellent line on tough blind (four whistled) with no refusals, marked everything - no
             handles (one of the few that had a clean run) negative - a little loose at the line    
Sept 21 AKC Master -  2nd series - land triple with a diversion, stepped on everything &
             called back for the 3rd series - double blind with a triple by invitation, did the first
             blind well, but couldn't get past the flyer station scent on the point, picked up (maybe
             twenty dogs left) huge strides and very competitive 
Sept 27-6 AKC Master Missouri - again to third series started to switch (why?) on easy last mark
                of a triple (no handle left) - 17 to last series, 12 out of 45 passed
                right there again - "no cigar"       
Oct   8   eyes cerf'd Madison, WI  record - breeder litter (not recorded), 2002, 2003 
Oct  11-2  AKC Master So. Illinois  33 dogs with 15 passes - Taffey nailed the test and
             "ribboned" (first MH pass!), mission accomplished, home tonight
  
Hunting Season

Feb. 25  "Medical Center" 8 two dog walking "poorman" marks - Taffey & Lick,
              Kooly watch tethered to place board
Feb. 26  "Medical Center" - Taffey ran poison KRD (50 yard "poorman" mark & three
              blinds - 125, 175, 100 yards) with Kooly watching from place board (tethered),
              afterwards - six 30 yard marks alternating between Taffey & Kooly, run afterwards
              as I pick up the small orange flags - work on whistle chained "heres" with Kooly                 
Feb. 27  "Medical Center" - repeat yesterday's session with straight KRD (no poison),
              Kooly knew what was coming (more watching and less whining/barking)      
Feb. 28  worked Taffey on five chukars again at Steve's, concentrated on lots of "activity"
              from the gunner (walking close, kicking, quick steps) and delaying the flush, Zeus
              honored on last point and got the retrieve, Taffey got a simulated retrieve after,
              threw two bird boy marks for Kooly, he's doing way too much barking in the truck
Feb. 29  angle back review drill with chukar piles at the Medical Center (review right today,
              right & left tomorrow, repeat both sides on Tuesday, then to the field trial grounds
              at Stoughton on Wednesday), Kooly three retrieves & introduce bark collar

183yd  140yd     124yd       135yd                  water   land      land         water

126yd land

270yd pattern blind

Mar. 31 trained at Macktown (definitive casting drill), worked two chukars 
            orange dummies out to side at forty yards (not visible) - left casting weak
            (reason for drill), repeat this week until running easily got four points and
            two training corrections for minor movement, one chukar ran off and she
            was solid on this (good session)
Apr.  1  worked five upland birds (three hen pheasants & two chukars) at Blonhaven
            (worked on pointing solid & using primer pistol)
            ran five land blinds area #3  (ducks at 123, 160, 152, 125, 148 yards - left to right)
            ran definitive casting drill (twice) in the afternoon at Macktown (much better)
 

123 yd           160 yd          152 yd     cold blinds      125 yd              148 yd

Apr.  2  run W-marking drill at Stoughton, remote line & stickmen off the southwest rise
            with the points of the W 75 yards apart (tight marks within a total of 45 degrees,
            (226, 142,  238, 130,  245 yards - ducks with a primer pistol starting with the
            245 yarder), hooked the gunner on the this and nailed the next five, ran the
            middle mark again throwing to the left (flower pot), 48°, 15 mph cross wind with
            a 60 yard dip in the middle of the long marks where the gunner disappears
            from view, picked up the stickmen and ran a remote winger single of 270 yards
            down the southeast hill, across the center of the swim-by pond to the top of a
            mound (flared to the right, but corrected and pinned the mark) 
                    note: run shorter marks from now until APLA test
Apr.  3  day off
Apr.  4  train at Macktown - ran the definitive casting drill to the left, ran the five station
            pattern blind (right to left)  note: solid sessions     
Apr.  5  picked up a dozen chukars at Toubl Game Farm, worked 3 chukars at Macktown,
            which produced four solid points (no e-collar & excellent control) three chukars
            "hopped" out of the nest and strolled away before I could flush them - Taffey
            never moved = terrific training session, ran the angled definitive casting drill
            to the left from the 60 and 80 yard flag - precise casts & stylish drill               
Apr.  6  ran four remote line, "poorman", stickmen marks on the Gallagher west pond, ducks
            and primer pistol - 159, 153, 163, 173 yards, then ran six cold blinds up the slots - 178,
            177, 166, 159, 184, 179 yards, first day on this awesome pond, 68° = nice day!   
                 note: need to work on angled water entries
 

white = marks - 159, 153, 163, 173 yards    red = cold blinds - 178, 177, 166, 159, 184, 179 yards

Apr.  7  One of "those" days!  (Story Time)

Taffey was training at the Macktown Forest Preserve DTA. It was terrific weather and we
had a lot to do. After ten very nice walking singles, she worked three chukars. Each was
pointed nicely and two obligingly walked around (teasing terribly) before I flushed them.
Taffey remained solid. Things were going great.

The last set-up on the agenda was a tough Definitive Casting drill. After a remote winger launched a white dummy, Taffey appeared really fired up to retrieve the mark. I couldn't
see it, but marked it about three yards to the left of a small stump. I sent her for the mark
and she flew. With a quick whistle about sixty yards out, she was stoppped and asked to
take an angle back past the mark (which now was a poison bird) to a blind. It took three
casts to keep her off the mark.

After delivering the blind, she locked on the mark again and when released headed straight toward the stump. At eighty yards and only a few yard from the mark, she was stopped
again and given an angle back to the same blind pile. Upon returning she was so fired up
for the poison bird, I decided to have her switch heeling sides to get her a bit more under
control.  Again she fired out and closed on the wood. When she almost was on top of the "stump"....it jumped into the air, changed into a chukar and flew off. Oops! a real flushing
poison bird?

Taffey's body language was "Hey, you sent me! Not my fault, now what?" In resignation, I
gave her a low tweet/tweet and motioned down to the left. She returned the white dummy
mark and I went back to the truck mumbling......"just one of those days".

Apr.  8  (morning) trained at Stoughton with Chris D. - ran 40° double, 70 yard remote winger
            as the memory bird off a 150 yard gunner station go bird, Taffey totally blew up on
            the short memory mark  (too many long singles), then ran an inline single (with the
            long bird from the double)  with a 130 yard cold blind (duck), finished by running
            definitive casting drill to the left
            (afternoon) - worked four chukars at "The Hills" and ended up with seven nice
            points including three relocations (every chukar finally flushed after some running)
Apr.  9  worked 4 chukars at "The Hills" - got seven points with three relocations (easy day)
Apr. 10 tower shoot at Blonahaven - Taffey retrieved 60+ pheasants, ran several blinds
            under tough conditions (gunfire, other visible marks, lots of scent, rotating shooters),
            focused on steadiness and delivery standards, several marks with diversions & she
            marked extremely well, no signs of being tired as she is very fit, Fun Day!
Apr. 11 free clean-up day at Blonhaven (train - no gun), three nice solid points on
            pheasants, intense, but in control on wing and shot
Apr. 12 day off
Apr. 13 eight orange dummy tune-up drill for reviewing angle entries and exits plus staying
            in the water ("cheaty"), ran the 270 yard pattern blind, ran 80 yard cold blind, ran
            tough poison bird blind with a long parallel shore, ran two Retrieve-R-Trainer triples
            (two long and short go bird, second triple was a tough inline 
Apr. 14 trained at Macktown - ran a two tiered lining drill, worked two chukars & with
            relocations got four points, ran the full five bird pattern blind - "outside in" with the
            300 yard last (200, 75, 300, 175, 165 yards), afternoon - got some rays in the kennel
Apr. 15 train at Stoughton with Tom C., winger land triple with a blind and diversion,
            lining drill - angle entry/exit & "cheaty" shore line (points and tight shore)
Apr. 16 OB drills, holding blinds in the yard
Apr. 17-8 APLA tests - two days of "Not Do", Saturday was hot and windy, Taffey went first,
            covered ground quite well found all birds & handled them terribly, Sunday went
            last, hunted cover really well, three nice points, but when we moved in to flush she
            "took 'em out", major disappointment - training & hunting vs. testing like night
            and day = test wise is a real pain
                 note: these are not talent issues, but training issues = Kooly will benefit
Apr. 19 day off, entered in qualifying stake Madison, WI April 30
Apr. 20 train with field trial group - ran old October pattern blinds  (140 & 274 yards),
            then the rain came
Apr. 21 ran four big "poorman" mark - 200 - 375 yards, ran lining drill & repeated four
            times until she understood (white bumpers at 30 yards and orange bumpers
            at 60 yards for "up the slots" cold to 6 orange)
Apr. 22 train with Brian - ran Apr. 20 pattern blinds (one whistled each for control - nice!),
            ran two singles in a three station field, tricky terrain early into huge hay field (175
            then checked down to 125 yards) marked both well, (evening) work on push/pull
            close OB control in the yard with holding blinds  
Apr. 23 train at Gallagher - 124 & 182 yard remote launcher land double, 275 yard
            land/ water/land single with a 306 yard blind, eight orange dummies angle
            entry/exit drill on the swim-by pond    
Apr. 24 train at Macktown - pattern blinds & walking singles with Noah, slot lining drill    
Apr. 25 day off!                
Apr. 26 (evening) trained at Macktown - ran five duck pattern blind & she was sharp, ran
            the white/orange dummy lining drill with excellent precisions, (Roxie the GSP
            went home - "finished" with FF)    
Apr. 27 train at Gallagher - angle entry/exits drill & long/short doubles (down the shore &
            in lines), poison bird blind, evening session with Badger (honor!)
Apr. 28 train with Tom at Bong
Apr. 29 train at Macktown - run pattern blinds & four long vs. short "poorman" memory
            doubles (walk back to line from stickmen)
Apr. 30 Qualifying Stake at Madison Retriever Club - missed 300 yard memory bird in
            a tight first series, delayed flyer triple with a wiper go bird = yuk!  = home in
            time to some chores
May  1  day off!
May  2  two dog "poorman" marks at Macktown
May  3  day off!
May  4  short concept remote triple at Macktown (98, 175, 62 yards)
May  5  tight remote winger triple at Macktown (172, 275, 98 yards - ran short go bird
            and long memory)  note: need sound on long winger & more work on this long
            up-the-middle "stuff"               
May  6  water work at Stoughton - two remote winger triples (land and water)
             the three new proto-type remote "Mini-My Wingers" worked great
May  7  vet appointment for heart worm blood check (1:30 pm), day off!
May  8  dropped off Taffey at Brian Moyse's Sunrise Kennel for six weeks and four AKC
            Master tests  
May 22 AKC Master test at Horicon, WI Taffey is in good shape after today's two series,
            triple & quad  with walk-up, honor and diversion = quick one whistle on the third
            bird of the quad, going back for Sunday's third series
May 23 not a good report - evidently the judges saw..................."whatever" ???? ?????
            Brian drove 2+ hours only to find out not called back & since test not over......no
            explanation, frustrated (to say the least), there's always next week! 
May 29-30 AKC Islandview Retriever Club Master Test at Valders, WI got "the call"
            Sunday morning - Taffey now has her second Master Hunter pass   
            First series - walk-up poison bird (35 yards right in front) blind in a delayed
            triple with last two birds (long - live flyer) pinched tight followed by another
            blind up the middle & finish with an honor, cover was high enough to cause
            problems = about half the dogs were lost in the first series
June 5-6 AKC Madison Retriever Club Master Test at Stoughton, WI - I worked a Junior
            Hunter division on Sunday while Taffey "smacked" all three series in the the
            Master C division to get her third pass   (11 out of 40+ passed)
            She continues to run very well for Brian.
             Interceptor heart worm + today
June 12-13 AKC Master test in Minnesota - out in the first series triple, after picking up
             the go bird, she did a great job on a short check-down mark, unfortunately a
             wing was up over both eyes, she was flying back blind, the judges told Brian,
             "Do what what ever you have to do to stop her!", he couldn't get in front of her
             fast enough to keep her from running head-on into the duck drying rack, it was
             scary, she was lucky in that the long spikes were up high enough, then she
             evidently didn't see the third long mark, any handle = you were out
             She was OK last night, and that was good news.
                  note: must inform Brian she will respond to "whoa"
June 21 home until July 5th = 14 days to train
June 22 trained at Stoughton - ran three remote winger land singles with each
             followed by a blind = very sharp, ran a delayed remote winger poison bird
             blind with ducks  = flared the poison bird a bit by getting off line slightly and
             scalloping five angle backs (not bad, but annoying) took very nice cast
             once out of water, played and romped with Kooly before and after training
                    note: set up some drills to work on carrying casts in water
June 23 ran the big pattern blind set-up at "Macktown", Taffey has run this well, but
             always in 12" or less cover, the last time was in April, but now the cover is thigh
             high or taller, almost decided to not run, but she one whistled the first two and
             lined the last three (200, 75. 300, 175 & 165 yards), at a "dog's eye" level there is
             no view except a grass wall and when she sat the two times I could just make
             out her head,  all five were full speed out and back for orange bumpers
                      note: Not sure how she did that!
June 24 at "Macktown" ran a three pile drill cold with two 75+ yard 30° angle backs
             (this will be the beginning of the water angle back drill)
                 note: learned it quickly and had terrific "mo" to the end
              between taxi trips for soccer & "stuff" ran at "The Square Pond" a tough water
              single with a long water/land cold blind (used ducks = sharp)
June 25 ran six angle entry short singles into high cover at "Macktown",
             did first honor drill with Kooly (alternating short throws on mowed field)
                      note: perfect training assistant  
June 26 repeat of yesterday except two doubles into high cover (no singles),  
             remote sit (place mat) during Kooly's alternating honor drill  
June 27 Trained at Millrose Hill the site of the July ESPN Games with Badger State
             HRC, ran water double with a blind/poison bird diversion, was good in the
             holding blind and steady at the line, cheated the initial line to the blind,
             scalloped two casts, slowed down and then she was fine
                      note; distracted by a small white water wheel tower (thought it
                               was a gunner) and mouthed the bumpers (a lot) 
June 28 trained at Stoughton FT Grounds - the set-up was three Mini-My-Wingers
             throwing real ducks with "stickmen" gunners. Two marks were on land and
             the last was into the swim-by pond, the set-up was an "in-your-face" breaking
             triple with the added HRC action/distraction of a gun and duck call at the line,
             the short, splash duck to the left led to the semi-inline longer middle bird with
             the far right the go bird, after the go bird, picked up the short water mark
             (out of order/by design) and then went tight to the short gunner to pick-up the
             longest memory mark down the middle. The triple was followed by a tough,
             "cheaty" land/water/point/water/land blind off to the left.
 

"in-your-face triple"

                                                                 cold blind

June 29 trained at "The Square Pond" - ran a big angle water casting drill with
             three piles (one 70 yards across the 50 yd wide pond, left - in the corner
             50 yards off the center, right - angled out at 40 yards & up the bank), one
             back, then a left & right pile, followed by the second back and a repeat
             to the two angled piles (the angled casts are within ten yards or less
             from the straight shoreline) rationale = to reduce scalloping
                           note: all six entries were full speed, airborne, first back had a
                                    couple of scallops, but then good lines rest of the drill
             water mark honoring drill with Kooly 
June 30 trained at "Macktown" - ran eight "return to the line poorman" marks,
             increasing angle entry into very heavy cover & across a small gravel
             road, nailed all and ready for more (out and back full speed),
             short water honoring drill at the "Square Pond" with Kooly