Sunday at Tim's

We trained at Tim's place near Royston, Georgia on a postcard mid-fall day.  I told Tim what I thought Larsen's strengths and weaknesses were.  Tim opted for a few different drills.

• Larsen quartering.  Sit him/control him periodically.  
• More quartering.  Roll in a bird (pigeon).  If the bird flies (and a number of them did), Larsen was pipped to sit.  If Larsen flushed the bird, he was pipped to sit.  
• Same as above, but with random gunfire.
• Same as above with a genuine flush and non-random gunfire (trying to hit the bird to set up a retrieve).

Larsen was attentive and biddable.  He was a little sticky, as often happens when we roll in birds, but he played the game without punching far out or simply hanging around and waiting.  He had a very nice retrieve on the genuine flush & shoot.  The bird went over the driveway, and into the front yard.  There were plenty of distractions in and around the house, and Larsen ignored them all to get the bird.

Tim trained me on how to accept a bird.  I'm to stand up straight and really expect Larsen to bring the bird all the way in and hup.  I let Larsen hold the bird for a bit before gently taking the bird, and then I give Larsen a gentle attaboy on the cheek and chest.  

Time thought that Larsen had come a long way, and and all of us were happy with the day.