In the field, Zelda bounded downfield following a well-worn path. I called her back and when she got about 3 yards away, I cast her to my left, downwind, so that when I pipped her to a turn, her nose picked up the scent in the crossing wind. She established a nice pattern and flushed a fly-away. I was asked to pip her back and I did so. They tossed a bird for her, and, of course, she was stead, and the princess brought the bird back.
On the hunt dead, Zelda went far into the wind (again, to my right). Another dog had explored this end of the field so there may have been scent there. I let Zelda get way too far off and in an latch ditch effort I hit the whistle long and loud and yelled at her to sit. With exaggerated semephoric signalling, I gave her the "over" command, and got her facing the bird, though upwind from it. Zelda trotted along the treeline and found the bird and brought it back with her slow, royal retrieve.
On the water blind, Cathy told me to be sure that Zelda had no opportunity to run the bank. I was ready to really push her out, but Zelda went into the lake with no undue encouragement, hit the opposite bank just downwind from bird and so found it immediately and swam back.
The water retrieve was equally uneventful as the dog swam out, grabbed the bird, and swam back without any fooling with the semi-submerged log or other distractions.
I loved how Zelda worked for me. That's my girl!
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