Casting dog to retrieve

[welshboy454 3]

I am no trainer but I would be interested in how other shooting men cast their dog for an unmarked retrieve. Sometimes I watch keen trial guys trying to direct their dog on a blind retrieve - stopping the dog and getting it to run in the direction of the fall in almost precision accuracy. Very impressive from a control point of view but it does not seem to make the best use of the dogs scenting ability which is my simple approach to this.( I know I would never win a trial but it works)

Whenever I can and on most game I simply cast my dog getting him out so he is downwind of the fall and he does the rest with his nose into the wind.

If there is no wind I get him to quarter the ground on tight turns in the direction of the fall so it is a systematic search and find.

How do others cast their dogs ?

[Fortunate son 0]

  On 06/01/2010 at 16:02, welshboy454 said:

I am no trainer but I would be interested in how other shooting men cast their dog for an unmarked retrieve. Sometimes I watch keen trial guys trying to direct their dog on a blind retrieve - stopping the dog and getting it to run in the direction of the fall in almost precision accuracy. Very impressive from a control point of view but it does not seem to make the best use of the dogs scenting ability which is my simple approach to this.( I know I would never win a trial but it works)

Whenever I can and on most game I simply cast my dog getting him out so he is downwind of the fall and he does the rest with his nose into the wind.

If there is no wind I get him to quarter the ground on tight turns in the direction of the fall so it is a systematic search and find.

How do others cast their dogs ?

I start with memorys on single track so no deviation ...get the dog to back in straight lines then after a while ill make it a blind dog hasnt seen the retrieve but memory and repeating excersise makes dog believe theres something there ....gradually increasing distance then changing the game by moving location but same excercise....and pushing dog futher and further and further back...

also do it in corners of fields one blind and one seen retrieve alternating the game.... then eventually when knowing theyll go in straight lines ill move to middle of field place bamboo cane out about 30 yrd and try excercise again ..however eventually rmove cane so changed excercise but similar game ...pushing dog to join all excercise together using mind and nose never boring the dog allways pushing changing ...if not succedding just move back to previous lesson allways making dog succeed...some are lot quicker than others lol

However a trail lab will mainly do straight lines and be expected to do so as not to disturb game...However my picking up bitches will all bend like a banana on a cast as they use the wind and there experience tell em too..

[hily 380]

I used to handle the dog onto the retrieve but after so many times when i think i've handled the dog onto the area of the fall and the dog can't find it then as i've called the dog back often it would find the retrieve itself so i still use hand signals in training,but all i do now to help the dog find is to tell the dog to get out as i use spaniels i some times have to use the command a few times until the dog takes a line and stop quartering.

[springerman 2]

  On 06/01/2010 at 21:39, Fortunate son said:

  On 06/01/2010 at 16:02, welshboy454 said:

I am no trainer but I would be interested in how other shooting men cast their dog for an unmarked retrieve. Sometimes I watch keen trial guys trying to direct their dog on a blind retrieve - stopping the dog and getting it to run in the direction of the fall in almost precision accuracy. Very impressive from a control point of view but it does not seem to make the best use of the dogs scenting ability which is my simple approach to this.( I know I would never win a trial but it works)

Whenever I can and on most game I simply cast my dog getting him out so he is downwind of the fall and he does the rest with his nose into the wind.

If there is no wind I get him to quarter the ground on tight turns in the direction of the fall so it is a systematic search and find.

How do others cast their dogs ?

I start with memorys on single track so no deviation ...get the dog to back in straight lines then after a while ill make it a blind dog hasnt seen the retrieve but memory and repeating excersise makes dog believe theres something there ....gradually increasing distance then changing the game by moving location but same excercise....and pushing dog futher and further and further back...

also do it in corners of fields one blind and one seen retrieve alternating the game.... then eventually when knowing theyll go in straight lines ill move to middle of field place bamboo cane out about 30 yrd and try excercise again ..however eventually rmove cane so changed excercise but similar game ...pushing dog to join all excercise together using mind and nose never boring the dog allways pushing changing ...if not succedding just move back to previous lesson allways making dog succeed...some are lot quicker than others lol

However a trail lab will mainly do straight lines and be expected to do so as not to disturb game...However my picking up bitches will all bend like a banana on a cast as they use the wind and there experience tell em too..

exactly the same way mate