I'm trying to increase the distance at which my dog will handle. She is taking right and left commands well when fairly close up, and I'm now trying to increase the distance. She stops pretty well on the whistle at distance, but when I then give her a right or left command, she comes forward instead. I think it is a lack of confidence ... but does anyone have any tips or drills I could try to get her doing rights and lefts at a distance?
Thanks

Has your dog gone through formal basics - 3-handed Casting and

Basic Handling
T-Work:
Single-T
Double-T

?

By T-work, do you mean sitting the dog and throwing dummies to the right and left of her, so the dog is in the middle of the T (and the handler at the bottom), and then sending the dog right or left? And by 3-handed casting, do you mean a dummy to the right and left, plus one behind? If so, then yes, we did that and she does it well ... until we try to do it at a distance. If that's not what you mean, you've lost me! (I'm in the UK - different terminology?)

yes - more confidence...simply walk toward her and give the cast...she'll get it eventually...

another idea - do some baseball casting with several bumpers in ea position..start close as you normally would, and begin backing up...

and last of all - walking baseball...

Juli

Sue,

Didn't realize you were in the UK. No, that's not the T drill. I was also going to see if you use the e-collar, but being in the UK I assume you don't. Dogs can have a tendency to be become more independent the farther out they get from us. So, your dog may be just blowing you off and going the direction they want to go in.

Not sure what corrections you use at a distance, but when you dog does not cast the way you direct, the sit whistle needs to be blown immediately, and then a correction and then recast.

Of course, this is assuming the dog fully understands handling.

Oh crikey, I don't know much about baseball! But I like the idea of doing the right, left and back retrieves but backing up to increase the distance gradually - thanks Juli, will give it a try. Not sure what you mean by 'walking baseball'?
No, I don't use an electric collar, but I don't think she is being disobedient, John - she just seems to lose her nerve at greater distance. I have been doing blinds though ... which she is quite happy to go out for, and to hunt for, but if she starts for the wrong area, and I blow the stop whistle, and then direct her right or left, she stops, comes forward and then waits again, looking at me for direction and not taking much notice of my re-casting left and right. She has no problem with left and right when closer. Maybe I've been trying to change too many things at once (I've been reading through other posts!).
Tonight after work, I sat her and threw dummies left and right, then walked into the next field, so she had a marked left and right, but I was a good distance away. She had no problem taking the correct direction then. Maybe if I do this for a few sessions?
What's the T drill?!*
Thanks for your help.
Sue

Hi Sue,

I think you've put the cart before the horse...of course, I know you guys do your field tests a little differently...how much 'hunt' do they allow on blind retrieves?

Over here, we don't want our dogs hunting when running a blind (in competitions anyway)..we want them to be able to be directed right to the bird...in a hunting situation, I have heard of people handling to the general area of the fall and giving a 'toot toot' or hunt it up whistle...which basically says to the dog - I've got you to the general area, now find that bird....if you allow the dog to begin hunting without direction to do so from you, he will never completely trust you to get him to the bird....

walking baseball is a difficult drill to describe with words...you need two white bumpers and a mowed field....

walk a distance away from your dog, and throw a bumper to your left or right...now walk again to another spot and throw another bumper (doesn't really matter where - except that it should be away from the first bumper)..now stand facing your dog and cast him to the first bumper you threw...either over or back, depending on your position...when the dog gets back to you, sit him so that he is in a position to take a cast to the second bumper...walk away, and throw the bumper that he just brought...then cast him to the bumper previously thrown (the one you just positioned him for, not the one you 'just' threw)...continue this cycle...throwing a bumper and casting him for the previous bumper thrown...

as you can see, it is pretty confusing..easier to have someone show it to you (and I think there is a dvd that shows it by Evan Graham)

T work is sending the dog to a 'back' pile..about 80-100 yds away that has 10-12 bumpers...about 60 yds down the line to the back pile is the 'intersection' that leads to your over piles..one pile on ea side, about 15 yds away from the line....so that you have what looks like a lower case 't'.....send the dog to the back pile and every once in a while stop and cast him to one of the over piles (this a very simplified explanation)....always send to the back pile 2-4 times between each 'over' cast...

hope that helps!

crikey, (lol) don't hear that word much on this side of the pond....

Juli

When teaching a dog to handle you should first start with baseball. Until they get baseball down you do not move onto T or double T. I also don't think double T is a good place to stretch distance. Purpose of T and TT is handling. Distance and confidence should come from your pattern blinds. Pick an area that you can stretch your pattern blinds. When you go to cold blinds the distance should be shorter with more confidence the distance is stretched. Without use of collar there is a tendency to get loopy sits which must be controlled and not get out of hand. Correcting Loopy sits without a collar is another topic. Just my opinion

Thanks for your suggestions and comments. I think I can imagine what you mean, Juli, and you have given me some ideas for new exercises that we can have a go at. Will also look up the DVD.

From the competitive dog work I've watched over here (and someone will correct me if I'm wrong), minimal handling is best ... providing your dog isn't running amok. Although, after stewarding at an open test last weekend, I decided I needed to develop a whistle signal for 'it's there - hunt it out'. I get the impression the less handling the better - the dog is expected to scent the bird/dummy, but if you allow your dog to go out of the area, you'll be penalised.

I rehomed my little bitch last year as the working chap who previously owned her found that she wouldn't retrieve and wasn't interested in birds at all. I took her on with the intention of doing obedience/agility (as I'd done with my previous Chessie) but while out on walks she twice appeared trotting towards me with a live pheasant in her mouth! It turns out she has a great nose and is very enthusiastic - the few people who have seen her in training have told me it is time to stretch her a bit more ... but it's knowing in what direction to stretch her! So all suggestions are very welcome. Thanks again