Training ideas

Larsen broke at the flush on his first real bird.  Ultimately Tim and I reset the field and I whistled Larsen to a sit in a nicely choreographed setting:

• The bird flushed over my head
• Larsen was only a few feet from me and looking into my eyes as I whistled
• He sat.  Tim swung and hit the bird as it disappeared into the treeline.

We hunted and recovered the quail in the tree line, as Larsen nosed out the creature.  Tim gave me the following thoughts on our field training:

1. When on long lead, get Larsen patterning.  Keep him close but don't honk on the whistle.  Quiet commands.  If he is not paying attention, page him with the e-collar.
2. Hit the sit whistle a few times to be sure he's in control. 
3. While he is patterning, toss a few deads and have him sit.
4. Pick the deads up myself.
5. On occassion, put down a clip or an actual bird when you pick up the dead.
6. Re-quarter Larsen, and let him flush up the bird.  Make sure the long lead is tight in hand.

Tim thought that this would be more useful than the simple drill.  Tim also thought that it was important to go back to the beginning with Larsen, insofar as he seems to have forgotten or otherwise chosen to ignore what he knows about steady.