Sending a dog from a boat...

**CaliforniaLabLover** · 09-01-2008, 04:44 PM

Kelly helped teach me (and Monty) how to do a boat entry/send and re-entry yesterday after the test and the dinner/awards were over- I was soaking wet (as was the dog) but what fun to teach all of these different scenerios. Thankfully, I have a dog that isn't worried about too many scenerios and he caught on pretty quickly. Thankfully Kelly is much stronger than I am, because I couldn't get that boat to budge even throwing all of my weight up against it to shove it into the water! LOL

Has anyone ever run a test from a boat before?
I would love to hear about the set-up!

Thanks again, Kelly- you da bomb!

**GulfCoast** · 09-01-2008, 06:21 PM

I have run HRC tests out of a boat that was 60% on the bank, 40% in the water. Never run a test from a boat that was totally in the water. Run some out of layout blinds, off tree stands, and off platforms, too. Don't ask what happens when you try to "walk" an over out and forget you are on a platform. . . . :embarrass:

**Kzunell** · 09-01-2008, 08:30 PM

Monty did the whole boat thing just fine he didn't need to be trained at all. I think Monty is pretty bomb proof when it comes to new experiences. You might want to do some retrieves while sitting on a bucket, while on one knee next to him, while holding a fake/line gun, blowing a duck call to signal the other person to duck call back and then throw, etc. Practice sending him while holding a bird(or bumper) behind your back. I really like how Monty has progressed and think if you can get him out enough you should be ready for the hunt test at the end of October.
Are you going to be at the IVRC training day this weekend?

Kelly, Amber and Ready

**georgie** · 09-01-2008, 09:07 PM

Our breeder has a lake & a pond we train at & we have taken our canoe & trained out of it. This year at our NAHRA hunt test they had the started dogs run from out of a canoe that was up against the bank. There were quite a few people that were not happy they made started dogs run from a canoe but that is what the judges set up.

**CaliforniaLabLover** · 09-02-2008, 01:15 AM

Originally Posted by Kzunell

I really like how Monty has progressed and think if you can get him out enough you should be ready for the hunt test at the end of October. Are you going to be at the IVRC training day this weekend?

I'm definitely going to try all of those scenerios. This is going to be FUN! 8)

I think it is so great that you are so dedicated and supportive with all of the numerous dog sports you're involved with and to those participating in them...it is such a breath of fresh air after being involved for so long in the equestrian world (where everyone always seemed to be viewed as a "threat" especially as you moved up the competitive ladder!

) -to have so many wonderful people to train with, learn from, and grow with. The friendships we all have through these incredible dogs of ours are going to be lifelong. It isn't everywhere that you can find such quality people. :yes:

Anyhow, thanks for your faith in us. I'm going to try my hardest to get out and do some training at least 3-5 x's/wk if at all possible. Usually I don't get home from work until well after dark, but there are still some drills we can practice, even in the house/long hallways! I'm going to try that ladder drill with objects other than bumpers, too, in order to see how well we did through FF training, and I'm going to try the "retrieve" through a bush thing to help my "cheater" to become a bit more honest. LOL

I won't be able to make it this weekend...but look forward to hearing about it! John and I are heading up to Mammoth and then Yosemite (our first time there- either place!) Saturday morning and won't be back until Wednesday night. This will be our first trip within California to a place like this where we can't take our dogs...I'm devastated, but have a friend (who's a new grad veterinarian- she's a doll!) who is going to housesit/petsit with her husband. Yay!

**GulfCoast** · 09-02-2008, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by georgie

Our breeder has a lake & a pond we train at & we have taken our canoe & trained out of it. This year at our NAHRA hunt test they had the started dogs run from out of a canoe that was up against the bank. There were quite a few people that were not happy they made started dogs run from a canoe but that is what the judges set up.

Stuff like that trips me out. No one should ever complain about a basic hunting scenario being set up at a HUNT test. Thats like saying "How dare they use decoys!

Now, asking for a remote send at seasoned might be a bit much, but running young dogs off a platform, boat, out of a blind, etc, just dogs picking up chickens! In the old days, the "hunting" aspects of the scenario were REALLY elaborate, tons of decoys, brushed blinds, they may still do that in NAHRA more than the AKC/HRC does any more.

**Kzunell** · 09-02-2008, 02:14 PM

The one water series on Sunday had only 12 decoys but they were scattered from the line out toward both falls. The wind was blowing really hard and it caused the decoys to really dance around in the water. One dog in particiula was swimming out to the fall and going past a decoy when the wind hit it and caused it to spin around the dog suddenly thought it was alive and was going to get him. the dog backed off from it and stared at it and bounced at it and it moved some more so the dog actually went back toward the handler and then ran the bank to get around the decoy and went right out and picked up the bird and came way back around the decoy again. It was hilarious to watch this decoy chasing off a dog. I am sure that the owner is going to do alot of work with the dog on moving wild decoys now..lol
I do need to make some of the big sillouette decoys, because I have seen dogs see then for the first time at a hunt test and just start barking at them and I could see Amber doing that.

Kelly and Amber and Ready

**nwlabs** · 09-04-2008, 07:54 PM

We start puppies in our backyard to jump in and out of a canoe...so that by the time they see any type of boat they could care less.

Julie, I have done walkups where we had to walk a good way across a field then kneel down...you know as the birds fly over and get shot by your buddies across the way. lol Similar to the sitting on a bucket, but it can fluster you if you are not familiar with it.

**GulfCoast** · 09-04-2008, 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by nwlabs

We start puppies in our backyard to jump in and out of a canoe...so that by the time they see any type of boat they could care less.

Julie, I have done walkups where we had to walk a good way across a field then kneel down...you know as the birds fly over and get shot by your buddies across the way. lol Similar to the sitting on a bucket, but it can fluster you if you are not familiar with it.

That creaking-crackling sound you just heard was my knees if I had to run that test! OWWW!

**CaliforniaLabLover** · 09-05-2008, 01:24 AM

Originally Posted by nwlabs

Julie, I have done walkups where we had to walk a good way across a field then kneel down...you know as the birds fly over and get shot by your buddies across the way. lol Similar to the sitting on a bucket, but it can fluster you if you are not familiar with it.

Thanks for the suggestion! Monty would be all over me (the clown!) if it weren't a hunt test/field type scenerio, I'm sure...he is *all* business in the field when there are duck calls or gun shots in the air. LOL I'll have to try it out during training! I can totally see myself getting flustered if someone throws something like this at me. I'd be the one panicking, asking "You want us to do what? Where? You're kidding!"