Hatszel.com Blog

I took my two young labs down to the creek below my home. It was a long walk through the snow falling about a foot down for every step I took what a chore. It was a great day though and worth the effort in the end. Snowshoes would have been smarter though.

The pups had a great time romping though the snow following rabbit tracks, turkey and grouse trails. There noses are very good as these trails were cold but they stuck to them. With the long hard walk the dogs were thirsty so naturally when we got to the waters edge they wanted a drink and got their paws wet. I sat on a log and not before two long Heath got too close to the edge and the now gave way and he was in the water scrambling to get out. He shook off and went romping around for a while. I always cheat a little when introducing my pups to water. I wear waders and walk in myself so the pups are very eager to follow which often gets them over the fear of going in. You do want to make the whole experience positive for them. Warm days when dogs are tired are excellent times to introduce a new pup to water. Another good way to introduce your pups to water is with an older dog that enjoys a good swim. This shows the pups that water is good and calms their anxiety some.My choice of days may not have been the best but all went well. We eve got a retrieve in for both dogs. It was a fun day all and all and the walk back to the house was so much easier walking back in my own tracks. With this weeks fine weather get out there and start working with your dogs.

Mark 315-729-7546

Tips for quieting a barking dog

The Humane Society of Denver says a barking dog can cause neighborhood disputes and violations of animal control ordinances. If your dog’s barking has created neighborhood tension, it’s a good idea to discuss the problem with your neighbors and tell them you are taking steps to eliminate it.

Determine when and for how long your dog barks, and what’s causing him to bark. Is he left alone for long periods of time? Is his environment barren, without playmates or toys? Is he a young dog with few outlets for his energy? Is he a herding or sporting dog who needs a “job” to be happy?

Recommendations:

* Walk your dog daily.

* Teach him to fetch a ball or Frisbee.

* Teach commands for five to 10 minutes a day.

* Take an obedience class with your dog.

* Provide interesting toys to keep him busy when you’re not there. Rotating the toys makes them interesting.

* Don’t take away toys as punishment. The dog won’t know why the toy is gone. Instead catch the dog in the act of doing something wrong and stop him with a firm “no.”

* When you have to leave for extended periods, take him to a “doggie day care” or have someone walk with him.

* Teach him a “quiet” command. When he barks at someone, allow two or three barks, then say “quiet.” Interrupt his barking by shaking a can filled with pennies or squirting water at his mouth with a spray bottle. This startles him into being quiet so you can reward him. While he’s quiet, say “good quiet” and pop a tasty treat into his mouth.

* If he barks when you’re home, call him to you and have him obey a command such as “sit.” Praise him and give him a treat.

I have been holding, treats, there play bumpers, food and water up with my hand extended and do not give until they sit. I change it up some times I say sit and other times I am just quiet with hand up and don’t do anything until they sit. Then I perform the activity. This is helpful in letting them learn that if they do a certain behavior then they get a positive result. I am also starting to teach the whistle sit command. I am doing this especially with their bumpers that I am throwing. It is really fun to whistle and get both pups to sit side by side. I am hoping this translates into steadiness. I also will be trying to get one to come to me while other sits this, I am sure will be very difficult but will be a huge win if I can get that done by 6 months of age.

With Cleo’s pups training has slowed but we are looking to pick things  up with Sophie here again.  I would like to take her to a couple more tests before we put things down for the summer.  Cleo is also getting the itch to get to work so maybe before the snow flies i can get two Senior Hunters .

Sophie overcame the geese today to bring home a senior hunter leg.  Sophie is so aware of everything around her that she needs to be introduced to a ton of thing casue she will be spooked or avoid them.  A key we all need to remember is that something our dogs have not seen before can totally spook them.  Introduction to all the types of Geese, duck decoys, guns boats ect is an important aspect of training.  Dogs work best in familiar souroundings.    Sophie did well on her marks and I was very pleased on her blind work she allowed me to work with her.  She needs to gain better line control as her unsecerantiy makes her wander and go to using her nose instead of diving in strait forward and taking her strait lines.  We will be doing more lining and singles in the next couple of weeks as we get ready for the Baldwinsville Fingerlakes test in July.  Happy Dog trainign to you all!

Had a fun and productive day at the FLRC Training Day.  With a test coming up soon.  Still wrestling with JH or SR test Sophie is just on the edge.   She is braking right now but will be able to fix quickly I think.   She is still skittish in new situations   White bag on post threw her on backs she did her first water blind had to train through it but it worked out the did a couple more to cement it in.  She did a fantastic retrieve in the cattails, she had a long search and still nailed the the memory bird.   Madi did well picking up the ducks needs help with holding the bird.  I also saw one of my pups that is full brother to Sophie he was huge!  He did well in blind training, runs a nice line and is very obedient.  Kens dogs did will yesterday and I like his new launcher.  Pretty cool

Today I set up a double with a blind  opposite direction and a put out a deep blind past the fall area of the first bumpers landing area.  I set off the first which was a 90 deggree left and the second was a 90 right at about 65 yards.   Sent her for the first one retrieve sent for second and tossed a dummy past her and whistled her in sat her and sent for the 3rd dummy.  Tossed over back and forth several times.  Sat her in 180 degree away and sent her back for her blind she nailed it! no whisltes!!!!!!

Repeating the double  left the right   on the return of the first dummy on the right I threw a dummy in front and over the line of the 2nd dummy.  She came in and sat sent her for the newly thrown bird.  she retrieved and sat  sent her for the memory bird.  She nailed it with no difficulty.  Sat her for her run by blind she started out a little right whisled her once and sent her left and she picked it up great it was out about 90 yards.  A real good day!

 

About a week ago

I have been working with Sophie in the water she is gaining confidence each time but gets spooked some at times.  I worked her over water to land and then land water land she did well with this first time out.  I even trained it backwards instead of going to the middle and tossing I( tossed to the middle then tossed to far side,  Should know better but what the hey!  She did it with no difficulty so all was good.  Then moved around the pond/stream and tossed into the middle of some lilly pad fronds she went after it well but when one of the fronds touched her nose she let out a howl and came back leaving me to shake my head.  I tossed a second dummy in half way she went out and back no problem.  Tossed again closer this time she did fine.  Then tried a back to the dummy in the fronds no luck.  Would not go.  I then tossed another dummy real close to fronds she got to 6″ of it and turned back.  Nuts!  The water was too deep for me to cross there so we walked all the way around the pond and I walked out and retrieved the two dummies.  Sophie is swimming beside me so I tossed the dummies into the fronds and had her retrieve back and forth for me several times.  Thout about going around and tossing in again but thought better of it.  I will do this next time I am at the water.  

We then moved the field where the grass is starting to grow up some and I walked out 50 yards and tossed back left and back left and walked back to Sophie to send I love the concentration this drill does and it steadies her very well. We had good success very short hunts as we walked out I dropped a dummy and sent her back once we got to the edge of the field again she did very well.  She is doing well on her blinds and getting a lot more confidence I am very encouraged by this.

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We started the day day at the club house were Ken Kugot gave a talk on influences of wind, and terrain effect your dogs performance.  checking out the outside condition being inside was very nice.  The weather outside was very nasty with rain/snow going sideways.  We broke for lunch and then headed to train.  I brought my two dogs Cleo JH and the 8 month old pup Sophie.  We were working  a single to the left being thrown left to right and a blind past the gunner on the left. then a single further to the right thrown again left to right with another blind past the gunner on the right. (outside).  Cleo nailed the single and the blind on the left side with not problem and nailed the single on the right but  wanted to return to the fall on the blind on the right.   Several whistles and overs and a back and she picked it up.  It was time to put it together for a double.  She nailed the double and the the blind on the left.  Again the blind on the right we need several handles but got there.

Sophie’s turn,  We changed it up slightly for the second round of dogs which did not help me much would have rather run the scenario as we did the first time would have been much better training for Sophie.  We came out doing the double.  Sophie saw the first fall but was distracted by the flag on the blind and did not see the second fall.  Sent her for the second one that she did not see she headed in that direction then switched to the first downed bird.  Retrieved it back to me sent her back for the second she went back farirly well and caught the sent and picked it up.   Decided to run the double again  so we did she picked up both in proper order and then nailed both blinds strait to and back.  She really did well on the return strait out and back with good speed.   She wold have done better with the introductions of the single.  I should have insisted on that.  lesson to remember when training with others just don’t go along with the crowed if you know its not the right thing for your dog.

After everyone broke up I went to a field on Potter road and worked the circle drill with Sophie  placed two piles of 5 dummies near a set of trees bout 40 yards apart.  I then moved to 6:00 so the piles were at 3:00 and 9:00.  Sent her to 3:00 and then 9:00.  I kind of think of this drill as two clocks the smaller one as broken eith the hands on 3:00 and 9;00 (  my two piles)   The second clock is Bigger so that we can move around the first closck so when I am   to  8:00   the 9:00  smaller clock is now at my left and short.   the idea here is to sender her to 6:00 past the 9:00.  really Tight and very difficult we did not succeed untill I moved closer and then she went deep and then short.  I then move to 10:00 and again long then short Sophie needed to move up again to get past the first.  This drill is very difficult for her she did do much better than earlier attempts I will work long shorts going by the short bird much more frequently.  to help with concept once she has this concept down she will be well on her way to great things.

All and all I was very pleased with the day  Sophie did well for her first day away with other dogs and people in a place she did not know   she needs more of this but still leanning toward SH out of the Box.   Carol is having a Golden Retriever Meet on May 9th I think I may do this with her.