Pattern Blinds

MLBob Furia

MLBob Furia

Well-known member
Started to introduce the concept of taking a line to a blind last week, and now I carry this white stake or a white traffic cone in the truck.

At the end of each session, Scooter gets a few simple lines back to the pole, with the distance increasing each time.

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In time, I'll be able to remove the pole or cone when she grasps the lesson and trusts that following the line of my hand will get her to a reward.

Single marks are staying very solid in all sorts of cover & terrain.
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At water today, she swam across a small pond to retrieve a dummy that had been thrown onto the opposite bank. Quit on that one ;-)
 
Bob,
I can just picture the enjoyment you are getting from training your pup. Makes me want to retire just so I can follow suit.
 
Bob,
I can just picture the enjoyment you are getting from training your pup. Makes me want to retire just so I can follow suit.
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That makes two of us that think this!
 
Looks like fun Bob,
Did you establish the pole by throwing a mark to it or do you use another method?
A pup is alot of fun!! John
 
John,

Initially, I'll just let her see me toss a dummy down at its base. Then we walk away to wherever I will send her back from and keep working back from there over the first few sessions. Eventually I'll place a pile of dummies there without letting her see the toss.

I also introduce verbal cues that I will whisper along with placing my hand out in front of her head in the line I want her to focus on. My routine has always been to whisper : "Dead bird; line it; mark it" and then when I see the dog is focused to release with, "Back"
 
Be very careful where you do your blind work. The jail next to my office had a high fence, then 20feet of mowed grass then another short fence and woods. I figured it would be a great place to do lining work.....run the dog down the grass row further and further.
Took a bunch of dummies out of the truck and started walking between the two fences, dropping a dummy, with cord attached, starting about at 40 yards and another every 20 yards out to about a hundred yards.
When I got back to the truck it was surrounded by a half dozen police cars. They thought I was placing explosives along their fence, they were not amused.
If you can find a setup like that, without the police, it is a good way to extend blinds. Good luck with your dog.
.
 
Be very careful where you do your blind work.
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Fortunately where gunfire, and shot flyers need to be used or even frozen birds, I have places the State has set aside for such use. Now that September has arrived, I can actually be training anywhere on State game lands. May- August we are restricted to the Dog training areas, specifically..... but they are excellent.

Nevertheless, I hear what you're saying, Bob ;-) Excellent advice.
The local prison facility a few miles up the interstate (Lebanon Correctional Institution) has huge acreage, a working farm, and some of the best ponds & cover around. Don't think I'd ever get the OK to train on any of their property though.

A number of the places (parks/ athletic practice fields / etc.) close by my home where I used to train a few years back have been so surrounded by development, it requires discretion. Matter of fact I have a great park not a 1/4 mile walk down the road.

there are other locations where I wouldn't have thought twice about firing a popper load or discharging a launcher that are now a no-go for that sort of thing. Actions like that nowadays would probably result in a barrage of 911 calls.

One of the nice things about my remote launchers is that they don't require any charge to launch the dummies a long way. If I'm in a situation where noise or a gun is a "no-no," I use a length of conduit to substitute for the swinging of the gun barrel, so the dog learns to swing its head in the direction marks are coming from.
 
Bob, when Scooter gets her PhD will you let her begin to teach classes? She is looking great.

When the time comes to hunt how far away will she be posted when you are sitting in your blind? I know that can change from the different areas you will hunt on any given day.

I sure have enjoyed these segments that you have provided. Thanks.
Al
 
Al,

When in the TDB she will be on the dog shelf under the bow. All her predecessors have learned to step down and poke their heads through an opening in the boat blind when the shooting starts.

In the stubble she will be in her own blind, anywhere from right next to mine to 10 yds. or so, away.

Took one of the remote launchers to throw singles for her today, and instead of the blank pistol used the shotgun to swing on the launched dummy and shoot a popper load. Steady until released on all 3 single marks thrown for her.... and I made her wait a long time before sending her. Terrific depth perception for a pup, and she never gets out of the area of the fall when the cover is heavier than normal. Hasn't failed to come up with one yet.

Sure is fun to take off in the morning with plenty of time to set up marks and plan out a session.

Also got the OK to return to a terrific location I used to train at with Sadie when she was a pup. Nice clean pond that I can drive right down to and around, in order to set launchers.

Dog's eye view of a launched dummy. These throwers really put them out there a long way:

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Still carrying the dummies nicely for a young dog:

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