Ready for Galena

Humphrey and Zelda are ready for the Spaniel Hunting test in Galena, Missouri next weekend (4/28 and 4/29).  Humprey is hunting as well as he ever has, and, even more importantly, is happy doing it.  He brought the bird to Cathy on a very long retrieve and just loved it.  He was steady as a rock on the flush and shot.  Cathy took extra time with Humphrey to calm him (and herself) and get set for the next bird.  She will try more or less to control the pace and not let the judges push her or the dog too fast.  Zelda likewise was good on some difficult fly-offs.

Larsen is not going to Galena, but he seems ready for the next step in his training regime.  We introduced a live bird this weekend, and he stayed steady.  We sat him, then put up a clip-wing.  I called him to me and made him sit.  I did not send him for the bird.  We did that twice.  Larsen started whimpering -- sort of coming unglued a little, but he stayed with me.  I sent him for the bird to be fair.

We also continued with our other training regime, which is heeling, sitting, and staying steady when I tossed a dead bird around.  Larsen stayed steady even when I tossed the bird over his head and away from me.

Larsen's sits are getting better and more responsive, but we need to spend more weekday time on it.  I will consider a few games that will make it interesting for him.

Larsen comes to the whistle.