Progress by inches

The nice, thick cloud cover at the start of practice this Sunday at Circle W burned off soon enough and lifted temperatures into the mid-80s.

Larsen and I practiced a sort of hunt-dead, where I showed him the bird at 20 yards, and made him fetch (which he loves to do). Larsen brought it within 6 feet and then put the bird down and otherwise fooled around.

I went up, put the bird in his mouth, commanded "hold", and then pipped him in.

Jeanne and Cathy thought that was fine but that I should not start to condition him to the drill in that form. So, I doubled down and when he dropped the bird, I put it in his mouth, commanded "hold" and then grabbed him by his ear while pipping him in, and in, and in. Sit. Hold. Soothing tones (good boy), and then asking for Larsen for the bird. What a good dog!

What I learned was that I was lunging for the bird rather than accepting the bird as the gift that it is. And also offsetting that with some firm directions. I also took Larsen to the field at heel and did not let him pull and tug on the line. All of this to reinforce control.

Larsen's quartering and retrieves improved noticeably. On his last turn or two, he brought much closer. Definitely Junior close and arguably Senior close. We are working for perfection in practice.

Later we did a hunt dead, which Larsen loves to do, and finished up with a water retrieve and a water blind - - all great cool fun for a spaniel.