We went up onto some land today to train in rough cover and to range the dogs out on long retrieves - using ditches, heather, long grasses and reeds. We started on a couple of simple retrieves - using the paths - but ranging the dogs out for blinds placed around 100 yards back. This was just a gentle 'warm up'.
We then worked the dogs down into a old quarry area - throwing a seen that landed into a wooded area - the dogs having to go down the quarry side - to retrieve the dummy from the wood. A blind was then placed roughly in the same area and the dogs sent back for the blind.
Another test we did was to place two blinds out - one to the right in heather - and one to the left that was in long grasses at a distance of around 200 yards. This test was to send the dogs out over rough land for the dummy on the right first - over a ditch and into the heather and get the dogs to hunt the area - then send the dogs back out for the blind dummy that was to the left in long grasses. This dummy/retrieve was a little harder as the dummy was placed right next to the waters edge - and the dogs had to hunt the area without going into the water.
We then worked the dogs down into a old quarry area - throwing a seen that landed into a wooded area - the dogs having to go down the quarry side - to retrieve the dummy from the wood. A blind was then placed roughly in the same area and the dogs sent back for the blind.
Another test we did was to place two blinds out - one to the right in heather - and one to the left that was in long grasses at a distance of around 200 yards. This test was to send the dogs out over rough land for the dummy on the right first - over a ditch and into the heather and get the dogs to hunt the area - then send the dogs back out for the blind dummy that was to the left in long grasses. This dummy/retrieve was a little harder as the dummy was placed right next to the waters edge - and the dogs had to hunt the area without going into the water.
Three amigos waiting patiently for their turn.
