Gundog Training Forum

my 3yr old ESS will run out easily for a seen retrieve but when sent out for a blind, will run straight in the direction shown then veers to right or left before reaching. she then 'quarters' and using sense of smell, retrieve. how can I teach her to stay 'straight' ? have tried in a narrow lane/track and beside a hedge etc n beautifully straight but not in open field. where am I going wrong?

How far off the 'fall' area does she start quartering? Have you tried stopping her every time she breaks off line & pushing her on again?

Naj

Naj wrote:How far off the 'fall' area does she start quartering? Have you tried stopping her every time she breaks off line & pushing her on again?

Naj

I hope not ?
Wagon wheel drills are a casting drill, nothing to do with retrieving, so this in mind they should always be 'found' ?..
It should never be about getting the dummy! Only ever about 'How you get the dummy.

If the dog requires help as naj suggests then the dog and handler requires help in how to cast a dog in a direction. Rather than a direction then 're-direction' ? as 'conformation'?

Cynic you have a very familiar writing style

naj,
thanks for reply. she falls off at about 20m and then I whistle to stop, she stops and in those few seconds she's well off line and all I can say is 'back' and she goes back vaguely straight but from where she now is, off line, if you follow me.

Cynic,
thanks for replying but sorry, I didn't understand any of that! wagon wheels??! not getting the dummy??!
when I send the dog, I put my hand flat vertically next to her face pointing in the direction I want her to go and say 'get out' . she makes a great start heading in the perfect direction until......

gorse and granite wrote: have tried in a narrow lane/track and beside a hedge etc n beautifully straight but not in open field. where am I going wrong?

Perhaps the behavior is not generalized to the open field. Start simple again. Run short blinds and successfully work out to distances beyond what you really need in cold blinds. Keep in mind, the same problem will occur when the dog is faced with obstacles in its path, ie. brooks, ditches and heavy cover. You will once again have to begin simple and short and stretch him out. The concept seems simple for us but unfortunately, not so obvious for the dog.

It's all about your dog building confidence in running a straight line and there will be a reward at the end of it...As Newf says start short and gradually build in distance it helps initially if the dog can see the reward be that a pile of dummies or a dummy stood on end and once she's flying out with confidence and understands your commands and visual cues then you can build in difficulty of the reward not being visible, terrain etc. I would hazard a guess that she doesn't really understand if she'll only go back in a straight line where she has no choice..

Have a read here....It will give you the idea...

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=424#p3857

Rascal

Rascal, a VERY useful link. clear, understandable and v user freindly, explaining well. It will take lots of work and practise, which I'm v happy to do now I know how and have an understanding of the way to go. I think maybe I've confused her too. if she deviates from the straight line, she can't find it straightaway so she stops and looks at me and I say 'find it' or 'back' if it's further out , then 'find it' , so she 'does her own thing' to find it without my help. it's always more successful finding it, altho time consuming, that way rather than trying right, left etc which gets exasperating for us both and she returns defeated without it whereas when I say find, it make take her time but she finds it even in cover and with obstacles. I'll search for some more previous threads too. Thanks vvvv. looking forward to starting working on this!

all v helpful comments. thanks. KEEP them coming! any help with blinds, retrieves, memories etc gladly recieved.