A little steadier

Larsen took a step up in the past weekend.  We had a reasonably good workout with Tim.  For the first time in ages, we did water.  Larsen uncharacteristically hesitated, probably because it was cold, but I told him in no uncertain terms that he had to swim the pond, and he did so.  

Sunday was a splendid, windy day at Circle W.  I quartered Larsen with no birds in the field, and he took off like he was shot from an aircraft carrier.  About a minute later, he caught his tailhook and sat where he'd started, and we began anew.  After a few minutes of quartering, we used Cathy's approach and put Larsen on the long lead.  Larsen was very good and sat to wing and shot without any reminder tugging on my part.  I know that he knows that there is a long lead around his neck, but it still is important that he sat on his own.

We had a few more hits and misses, but more hits (sits) than misses (breaks) and it was a good day overall.

I think my handling of Zelda improved over the prior week.  My whistles were still too slow.  The forgiving girl sat on the flush while I fumbled for the whistle.  She's still a little confused on the retrieve, obligingly bringing the bird to Gary rather than me.  We all figured that she concluded that all guys are the same.  Did I mention that she is a smart little dog?