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Subject: Pattern and Cold Blinds!!

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keskam
Pierce, Colorado

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04/04/2007 4:28 PM	Alert
I was on Pattern blinds in my back 20 acres with 2 of my dogs every thing was going well with them until I went to cold blinds. I changed the flags put the orange bumpers down and lined the dog up and and sent him, I think some of you know what happened!! The dog turned and headed straight towards were the pattern blind was 3 days ago I guess I programed him well But totally had to change fields to run cold blinds , I wouldnt have thought they would remember after three days, Boy was I wrong

HR Rocky Mountain Rosco JH APR HR Lady Satin of Black Forest JH SHR Satin's Jumpin Jedi JH SHR Chelsea Snow Angel JH APR HR KB's Snakey Jake of Poudre River JH SHR KB's It's Showtime of Bearpoint (Star) SHR KB's Loaded To Go Allie KB's Black Diamond Tessa

Doc_E
N.E. WA state

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04/04/2007 5:56 PM	Alert
There are some things that dogs forget in two minutes --- and other things that they never forget. .

Doc E and Cujo Casey boy.

LuckyNash
Brigham, Utah

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04/04/2007 8:07 PM	Alert
had to change fields to run cold blinds Would it be better to stay in the same field that you ran the pattern blinds in? I understand that the dog will remember the location of the bumpers and want run the pattern. But, if you change it up and run a cold blind in the same field, with the bumper in a different location and force the dog to follow your signals. Would that be more benificial to the dog.? It would take a few whistles and I'm sure the blind would't be purdy, but would the dog learn something more that way than a cold blind in a different field?

Doc_E
N.E. WA state

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04/04/2007 8:15 PM	Alert
Depends on how far along your dog is. If the dog has been trained to "No Bird/Leave It" ( better known as Poison Bird training), you can run in the same field, but if the dog isn't "No Bird/Leave It", I'd change fields. .

Doc E and Cujo Casey boy.

keskam
Pierce, Colorado

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04/04/2007 9:56 PM	Alert
Lucky your probably right I just got frustrated and started to take it out on the dog then stoped and changed fields I thought I was tearing down his confidance.It was like he drew aline in the sand and would not go beyond!!

HR Rocky Mountain Rosco JH APR HR Lady Satin of Black Forest JH SHR Satin's Jumpin Jedi JH SHR Chelsea Snow Angel JH APR HR KB's Snakey Jake of Poudre River JH SHR KB's It's Showtime of Bearpoint (Star) SHR KB's Loaded To Go Allie KB's Black Diamond Tessa

Jay
Topeka, KS Go GORILLAS!!

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04/05/2007 6:14 AM	Alert
Confidence is needed more than force. Like Doc mentioned, you can train a dog that can handle that kind of pressure, but it has to be a little more systematic than sticking a dog into a pattern field and burning the tar out of it for not taking your casts. You need to teach the dog how to handle the distractions. Think about it, you are basically using poison birds, have you trained to that level yet? Jay

There is a fine line between a hobby and a mental illness. GMPR APR HR Tornado Allie of Blk Forest

KwickLabs
Roscoe, IL

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04/05/2007 7:11 AM	Alert
I was thinking back on what impact pattern blinds have on a dog's memory. It is much greater than most realize. In 2004, Taffey was doing AKC Master tests and we had a big pattern established in the local forest preserve. In the spring, the cover is matted down and visibility is good. The picture shows the pattern field with diversion marks being thrown. The set-up worked from left to right and was "throw a single, pick the mark up and run the corresponding blind". The blinds from left to right are 200, 75, 300, 175 & 165 yards. She ran this marking drill once and the pattern on one other occasion in April. As you can see the cover is quite short. We returned in late June to run them and was surprised at how high the cover had become. The line had to moved slightly to find a spot where the weeds and grass didn't block her initial view. Once on line, I soon realized just how deep it was because for most of the time she was out of sight. Here's the June, 2004 journal entry: "June 23 ran the big pattern blind set-up at Macktown, Taffey has run this well, but always in 12" or less cover, the last time was in April, but now the cover is thigh high or taller, almost decided to not run, but she one whistled the first two and lined the last three (200, 75, 300, 175 & 165 yards), at a "dog's eye" level there is no view except a grass wall, and when she sat the two times I could just make out her head. And....that was only because of a well timeed whistle. All five were full speed (out and back) for orange bumpers. note: Not sure how she did that!" I could only assume Taffey lined the last three because she was back so quickly. So the mental picture of a pattern blind is so vivid in a dog's memory that big changes in cover have little effect on where it is at. One of the disadvantages of running your dog on familiar grounds are "established spots" and "lines" remain in their minds for quite some time. The inexperienced dog is not use to diffentiating new "stuff" from old which can be very confusing.

Jim Boyer www.kwicklabs.com Home of: MPR UH HRCH Kwick Taffey of Joemac's MH Kwick Kooly Dew It Allstar SH Kwick Daisy's Spirit Keeper SH Kwick Draw McGraw ("Dustbucket" II) ---------------------------------- "Excellence is Expected"

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