Ponds

[retrievercrazy]

The biggest features missing are Jim Boyer and me. That can be easily fixed this spring assuming that I can get away from work.

I don't think that is fair Mike you didn't invite me.

Over the point, past the point is just one of many drills I see in these.

A little more entry room is desired by me sometimes. Is there room for this?

I'll be there in the spring.

I like your Idea of more water in that linning drill. I've got a young pup that should be perfect for come march.

Mike Betty said you could go I asked for you.

 

[retrievercrazy]

Yesterday when viewing this photo, I could "see" the marks. Possible setups could vary from easier hunt tests to very challenging field trial series. The direction of the wind needs to be taken into account.

Distance could be reduced (somewhat) by moving the line to the right. As it looks now the point is setup with a flyer station (including crates of live ducks). There is an "under the arc" mark. The long gunner on this mark could retire behind the mound in a field trial scenario.

It could be run as two doubles or a delayed quad. One (or two) of the marks could be a blind(s). There are many different combinations including flipping the area of a fall with its gunner and varying the angle of the throw (back, flat or in). However, the placement of the flyer station must take into account the locations of the other gunners. Also, within a hunt test situation, use of the trees would make it easy to hide the gunners.

If I were training my dogs on these marks, the stations would be white coated gunners in view almost all the time.

Thats a nice set up. If I can get the pup to do those clean we might have a shot at the derby.

 

[Mike Boufford]

I don't think that is fair Mike you didn't invite me.

Mike Betty said you could go I asked for you.

Well of course, I would expect you to go along. The entertainment value alone would make it worth the venture.

Betty would be okay with it, but I don't know about this work stuff. Heck with it, let's plan on it, but remember how hot it gets in KC in the summer. Spent a glorious summer an hour or so east of KC in a little town called Concordia. Thank God for commuting, and the Cattlemen's Steak House.

 

[retrievercrazy]

Oh you could use a good laugh. But it can't be that hot in the end of March.

Merry Christmass

 

[WATERDOGS]

If those ponds were in Idaho i would figure out how to get them moving so I wouldn't have any freeze up and figure out where I was going to build my blinds. If I could drain them I would plant millet corn or so on. As far as training they would be good ponds for awhile but you could burn them up pretty quick. Bream and Bass sounds good as well A dock for fishing with the kids. I would make part of it into a stick pond for training and fishing. I would like to have them in my back yard. Love the illustration of marks and blind posted. I would do that to but I would have to add in some nest boxes and blinds and so on. I like it I really wish I had that warm looking weather as well.

 

[EvanG]

What I think is constructive about studying ponds like this, and plotting drills and exercises for it, is learning to think conceptually. You can apply the same principles to simpler water. Run similar routes.

EvanG

 

[crackerd]

...learning to think conceptually. You can apply the same principles to simpler water. Run similar routes.

Just not too similar - 'fraid Kwik may have overkilled it with some of those ".6 degrees of separation" marks. The dogs either go over a point and make a re-entry - or they aren't allowed to and take water all the way until they get out of it; that's "conceptually thinking" and how you teach them to run (or swim) straight lines and take lines straight to the mark.

MG

 

[WATERDOGS]

I think everyone gets in what i call a slump. When I worked for Attar we called it theme building and we would work on the same concept for some time and maybe come back to it in several weeks to see how they did. It was very nice to be able to train for a week of two and not use the same piece of property if you didn't want to. I wish I had that problem now. My girlfriend thinks I have a mental illness because everytime we drive walk by a piece of water I talk about what would be fun to do with it training.

 

[KwickLabs]

Crackerd, could you clarify what you meant by....see quote....?

Just not too similar - 'fraid Kwik may have overkilled it with some of those ".6 degrees of separation" marks.

All the diagrams with red lines are blinds. Marking setups are distinguishable by the use of white lines. One marking setup is a series of inline singles and it is difficult to show each one without placing them side by side (instead of on top of each other). The other two marking setups are tight.........but the angles aren't out of the ordinary for experienced dogs.

I think Evan inadvertently referred to one of the blind/drill setups as marks.

To repeat marking setups are "described" using straight white lines with red arcs (for the flght of the mark) and blinds use straight red lines with a very short, fat orange line showing where the blind was placed.

 

[EvanG]

Yep, that was inadvertant. I pasted that text in the wrong place. I really liked your choices for those looks at the ponds. They're very much like I would choose. I love drills with tight, technical routes that can be taught with clarity. I thought you chose a good route on the left side with the keyhole because of the distance contrasts, combined with the re-entry across that long point. Sweet!

EvanG