by Robert Tawton » Thu 22 Nov 2007 3:47 pm
Training for Double Fall Retrieves.
In my view, a Double Fall Retrieve and a Two Bird Retrieve (see the current Rules under Definitions) involve similar concepts that your dog must understand and master in order to be successful. In the idealised world a dog should Stop to Shot (although this is not a specific requirement under the current Rules); it must remain committed to completing its original task despite the distraction of the second item of game being cast, and it must remember the location of the fall of the second item of game in order to retrieve it at a later time.
Stopping to Shot:
I believe that this is an important concept because, in general terms, dogs in motion do not mark the fall of game as accurately, or as reliably, as dogs that are stationary while the game is in the air. Whistling the dog to stop when the second item of game is cast is an approach adopted by many handlers. In my experience this approach is fraught with danger, especially in the case of a highly obedient dog. What often happens in the case of highly obedience dogs, is the moment they hear the whistle they spin and sit ( in the case of a Double Fall) or just sit ( in the case of a Two Bird) to focus on the handler. Often that focus is so intense that the dog becomes oblivious to everything else happening around it. One solution is to condition the dog to “sit to shot” and this is achieved by a process similar to that used to condition a dog to sit to a whistle blast. Armed with a gun and pocket full of primers and with the dog walking at heel and on a lead, you fire a shot immediately followed by the command to sit (whistle or voice) followed immediately by a jerk on the lead to ensure compliance. With enough repartitions over time you can progressively dispense with the sit command and/or the jerk on the lead as the dog learns to “sit to shot”. Still later and with the dog on a 20m lead, it can be taught to “sit to shot” while executing a recall. And still later by using a 20m lead, the dog can be taught to “sit to shot” while in transit to hand thrown dummy.
Commitment to the Original Task:
This is taught by establishing a Blind Retrieve consisting of a pile of dummies at a distance of approx. 90m. Run the Blind. Now position a thrower at a distance of approx 60m and offset from the line to the Blind by 5 to 10 m. The thrower should be set to cast in a direction away from the line to the Blind. Proceed as follows;
1. Cast a bird (or dummy) with the thrower and have the dog retrieve it. As soon as the dog completes the Mark Retrieve have the dog run the Blind.
2. Cast the Mark but have the dog retrieve the Blind before sending it for the Mark.
3. Send the dog for the Blind and cast the Mark as the dog is returning with the Blind (Two Bird configuration). Complete the Blind and then retrieve the Mark.
4. Send the dog for the Blind and cast the Mark while the dog is in transit to the Blind (Double Fall configuration). Complete the Blind then retrieve the Mark.
In subsequent training sessions, repeat the sequence outlined above, but position the thrower so that the line to the Blind is under the arc of fall for the Mark and still later position the thrower so that the cast is towards the line to the Blind with the dummy falling about 15m off the line to the Blind.
Once your dog is comfortable with and reliable on the setups discussed above, it will have no difficulty with executing a Double Fall Retrieve as mandated by the Rules. Incorporating the Blind Retrieve during the teaching phase helps establish level of control necessary for many tests including Double Fall Retrieves.
I am happy to field any questions.
BFN, RWT