Just a-training in the Rain tra la!

Here I am again, either I have no life, or, as I would see it, better to bore the computer with tails of fun and frolics than people!!

I set off for another solid training session with the Mollster, only really this time. I worked out that as she is very nearly 2 and she doesn't tear around as much as she did, that she can take more training on her walks and it will do her good. Accordingly, I took all my dummies - 8 in all and set off. Walking out to the car neighbours were out and Jill said hello! I was really pleased that Molly didn't really even look at them and got into the car. Of course I had to chat with Jill and then it started to rain. By the time I actually set off it was drizzling unplpeasantly, and me with only jeans, no salopettes today! When I got up there it was raining quite heavily. However I was not to be daunted and the dogs didn't care so I set off to drop dummies around the field (too lazy today to put them out before getting the dogs out!); and the rain came down and the hail started and eventually I remembered that hail is not all that safe, coming from cumulo nimbus (thunder - and more importantly lightning - producing) clouds. So I set back, but intended to pick the dummies first. Molly was a bit skittish and had to be handled onto the first simple dummy. The same happened on the second dummy. I had her sat a few yards from the dummy when Gaynor called to say that 'Mouse', her lovely Norfolk Terrier, has had 7 puppies!!! She is so tiny and looked so very round last time I saw her. I can't wait until training on Tuesday so that I can see them. Molly had to be reminded to sit as she showed signs of wandering off since I was ony talking, but then stayed until I had finished. She picked up the dummy and the hail slowed to heavy rain. We turned round and set off back around the field. I set all the dummies down on the way round, reciting where I had left them! This has to be better than 'Brain Training' I love the DS, but this is like a memory game and more fun being outdoors!

We then stopped in the middle of the field and Molly was wondering what was up when I sent her 'back' but away from where we had walked (usually she is retracing our steps as I drop it, walk on and then send her back). She went eventually and took a right with encouragement to get the first dummy. The second was a straight back but quite a way and out of site. I was really pleased as she came back over the brow towards me with the orange dummy. However, she happened to come back over another dummy and swapped. She stopped and put the grey oval dummy down when told but I had to go to her to get her to pick the original and bring it back to where we had been. She then picked another well with some handling although it was straight back. I went to pick the one she had swapped, so that she doesn't think she can have them all; but she found it before me and picked it up - just to help! Another two retirieves, one from a pond and we were done. The weather was still threatening so we didn't go to the other fields, but both dogs looked as though they had had enough, we were all drenched!

Roast Lamb for tea. I made a victoria sponge for pudding but used low fat Flora. However I then found cream in the fridge that needed eating before it went off so beat that up and put it in with the jam. Sort of defeated the purpose, but is was very nice and the first treat I have had for 3 weeks, so what the heck!!! The Alli should help!

A full week of training or - 'Let's see if this'll work!!'

This has been quite a week for training. On Tuesday the class was held in the evening. The remedial group arrived a little early. For Molly the aim was to stop her running in after a mark when Gaynor said ‘Karen’ so that I could send her. She had worked out that I send her shortly after being given the word! That was sorted quite quickly, which was good. The fact that I spent much of the rest of the evening chasing her down when she didn’t respond was less good!

So, on Thursday evening the remedial group met again, together with Gaynor’s Blitz and Ronnie with 1 year old Richie. Alistair came for the first time to watch, but mainly to look at the kennels as we are looking to put one out at the back. Partly for the pups if we ever get that far and also for short term accommodation. If I get to keep the pup I want from Molly then there will be two of them and it will be a tad easier for the morning poo.

As Alistair was there he brought Tosh out to watch. She was interested and so, since Tosh had been very keen when we went to the pond, at the end of the evening Gaynor threw her a dummy. Of course she turned her nose up at it!

Today I set off in the rain to do some concerted training. In the first field, I set out three dummies and called Molly to sit and sent her back, after throwing a dummy out to the left. I stopped her every so often on the way back and then she retrieved it well. Next was back and left. It was not in any of the ‘usual’ places, but she handled well on to it. The third was further left and she found that easily. When she returned, as I couldn’t remember exactly where I had thrown the other one, I sent her for it – took about 3 seconds!!

In the next field I dropped a dummy way back for Molly to fetch from the far field, over a hedge. She has done this often but not so far. However, she went straight out and back. Two more long retrieves, sitting and taking some direction, but the rights and lefts were off. She wasn’t listening.

I decided that I should remind her about direction. I sat her and told her to stay. I threw one dummy over her head and Tosh shot off as did she. I grabbed her and put her back and Tosh, for the first time in months decided she was going to retrieve! I threw it to the left, to the right, behind and over and each time Molly stayed still, resigned, while Tosh retrieved them all!!!

So I set up a long retrieve, dropping a blind and then throwing a dummy she saw, walking across the field and throwing a dummy in her sight over ‘the’ fence. I sent her back, and she went well with three stops on the way. It took a while to get her to go out right. Well, she hadn’t seen one dropped there, but eventually she went and found it. Getting her to go back and then left to the dummy she had seen me throw was harder. I got the impression that she had forgotten it. I had to get up there, but eventually she did it. Over the fence to collect the rugby ball dummy was a piece of ease.

After a well earned run, in the final (and also first) field, I sat her down and placed the dummies behind and to the left and right, not too far and Molly did some good retrieves and whistle work. All that is left is to get her to work like that at training tomorrow!!!