15 month old female flaring real bad around BB during drill work. I noticed this while doing an Avoidance drill. This drill has several stages that will help teach a young dog to handle suction. You have a 100 yd pile, identify pile first. Once pile is established you introduce BB(25yds from line) which is almost in a direct line to the pile. Some flaring is expected. Then you introduce marks. BB throws mark to left, dog is sent to pick up mark. Then dog is sent to pile running directly behind BB.

My little girl will not no matter what run a line to the pile. I can not even handle her to correct line. She will refuse everytime, utilizing EC at this piont is no go.I thought I would drop the drill and let her get a few hunt test under her belt first.

However the problem has shown itself during handling on marks. She will not handle towards BB at all. Usually she blows by the mark and have to call her back in. She will coming in, but at an angle away from BB and mark. Then trying to handle to the mark is a no go. I have never seen a dog so scared. Tail goes between legs and ears down. I did get her finally to pick up marks, but it was a struggle. I had to shorten distance between her and I and had BB identify were I am wanting her to go. It worked, but she still didn't like to do handle.

Any suggestions would be very helpful.

sounds to me like she needs lots and lots more marks from bird boys...(or is this a bumper boy?)

also..perhaps you can walk with her to the gun station...let her investigate, and get comfortable with it...have the gunner throw a duck for her w/the line just a few yards away...

What about doing some recall work near the gun station? start by sitting her a little in front of the blind....then call her to you...change her starting location so that she is closer or has to run closer to the station to get to you...lots of praise and maybe a happy bumper to help her relax....

also - can you determine what about the gun station is bugging her? is it the person? the gun? the equipment? ( blind, etc)....

Juli

Did you do any CC around a second person or BB?

Just a thought. Finding a likely reason might help you tackle the problem.

This little girl passed her first two HT at 6 months old, yes only started test but she did great.

As far as marks, walking marks every day from my daughter. I also do stickman drills using her or my wingers.

Yesterday I went back to the yard. Had a chair with pile behinded. Eventually I introduced bird boy, she had a little flare, but I was able to handle back on line. I will keep doing this for a week or so until I am satisfied she is okay.

It really sounds like something happened to her around a gun station...either the gunner accidentally scared her, or she got a correction, or something to that effect...

I would just keep on working with her, she'll probably come around....keep it fun!

Juli

Asking a lot from this pup.....IMO when pups show pressure issues, it's best to back down the training progression, put a lot of fun back into the process and bring her back through.

Establishing things for life in these stages and she is showing a pronounced fear/dislike to something. Go back to simple drills she can accomplish with her eyes closed and SLOWLY re-introduce complexities. The suggestion of lots more BB singles is good, perhaps shortening the toss distance so she has to get close to the BB.

Examine your own goals and motivations for the training....any creeping super-puppy syndrome?

oops...just noticed the dates on the previous posts.....did u work successfully through this issue?

What worked or didn't?

Yard work yes, she would fly by my daughter without any problems. When I increased the distances she would bannana around my daughter. Instead of fighting her, I decided to give her a break and a little more field experience and see if that helps. It is strange though, if I am using stickman and wingers she has no problem. She just gets that chessie look (confused) when she would go by my daughter, only my daughter. I imagine some kind of scent issue.