Bruce Schwartz wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Pil4xr7h8Y
Seven whistles on the blind ... and it took forever! Had the handler steered the dog per my PR training (https://youtu.be/B433iME85F4) the dog would have completed the blind quickly and had a fresher view of the marks. Someday they'll learn.
One trains by the rules imposed by the "Club" one participates in, n'est ce pas, Bruce?
That said: I think you're on to something for a hunting dog - where you make the rules. You've come a long way since you started the "experiment" quite some time ago now. She seems to respond well to your whistles to me. This isn't unlike herding behavior though?
I generally let my dogs work out the "best" route to a mark and that was seldom a straight line where I hunted.
I don't expect much change in the way those AKC trials are run anytime soon, really!
One thing I noticed when I worked on training blind retrieves - There generally came a time when the dog's "lights went on," she seemed to "get it" that I was there, not as drill master but as a member of a team, that I knew more than she did and was trying to help her get to the "bird" with those whistle sits and waving of arms. Call it "cooperation" or call it "trust" no matter to me. Most of us, I suspect, try and develop that cooperative spirit in our pups from a young age BUT I suspect there is still gonna be a lot of "show pup" necessary to get the message across when it comes to the complex stuff!
Jere
Doug, check your PMs