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June Test of the Month 2008
Advanced wagonwheel lining drill.
who for: all retrievers in transition and beyond.
Not for puppies or basics dogs until preliminary lining drills are completed.
Equipment needed: 13 Marker pans white/orange and 13 bumpers minimum.
Distances: Short legs 30 yds. long legs 60 yds.( if you have the area and daily temperatures allow you might stretch the lengths out to double these)
This is a no collar pressure drill. The objective is to get your retriever to look out at all of the discs both the short and the long ones. If you are not getting good eye contact move closer on a direct line to the disc you are attempting to retrieve from.. clue: Use all pans white side out and make sure the sun hits them. I retrieve all of the long legs first and work alternately right and left using here(to move the dog to the right)and heel( to move the dog to the left)to move the dog each direction.If, as is likely, at first the dog "takes the line " for a short distance and then attempts to divert to one on either side the correct action is to stop the dog on a whistle sit. Walk forward until you can call the dog directly over onto the line to the correct disc and send on from there. Many retrievers will look at but not lock onto the correct disc but continue flipping between discs. I will spend a short time trying to coax the dog into locking in and then will start walking toward the disc I want the dog to retrieve from. I periodically stop and try to lock in the dog. Only when the dog locks in will I send him.I work on this drill every couple of days until my retriever is confident and understands my commands. I use the following commands and cue words,Back Here, Heel, Way back, Easy, That's it, and Good.
If your dog as many young dogs do after running the long discs doesn't want to do the short ones try sending on their name instead of back
When my dogs are proficient at this drill, doing the right discs 95% of the time,I back down to a simpler form 7-9 discs and inject obstacles into the mix. I use straw or hay bales, logs, agility jumps, or boats. I will use about 4 objects in a 9 leg drill and teach the dogs to jump the obstacle if it is "on line" to a disc. I vary the distance the obstacle is from the line and or disc.My cue word for going over an obstacle is JUMP .
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