It was a bright day for Larsen as well. He was steady to wing and shot, albeit with a check cord on, and only doing "the drill." Still, you build on successes and celebrate each step with the little dog.
Twice, and by chance, I pipped Larsen to a sit as he got birdy with some downed and dead chukars right beside him. Tim thought that Larsen was demonstrating exemplary control to sit on command with bird scent all about him. I then let the dog pick up the bird and bring it in.
Tim and I worked to clean up Larsen's retrieve, which is quite sloppy. I've inadvertently trained him to put the bird down or rolls it when he gets about 4 feet away from me. Tim believes, and I do as well, that my own anxieties are broadcasting outward and causing him to hesitate and drop the bird. We worked on my own self-control and relaxation in an effort to get Larsen to better finish his retrieve.
On the find & flush, Larsen sat and Tim shot the bird. I pipped and turned Larsen hunted in the opposite direction. I certainly didn't forget about the downed bird, and most assuredly, neither did Larsen. After a bit of quartering, Larsen and I turned again and I sat him. Then I sent him for that downed bird (which was doing nothing but fluttering away in Larsen's mind). He tore off to the bird and brought it back to his own great acclaim, and to my attempts to offer a calm welcoming.
Larsen's hunt deads were successful, though we used Marilyn's method of letting the dog know where we'd put the bird. We wanted him to be successful, and build on those small successes.
At practice's end, we ran into Frank and Deb bringing Elwood, and Ryder for an outing. We learned that Bibi had finally healed from her terrible bacterial infection and was ready for the field. A great day, indeed.
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