Devon’s first “taught” permanent blind

Devon is just doing great on her lining drills. This morning, I set out three sight blinds in the field I tracked Ian in. I went out 40 yards since the cover was higher. Mitch said 50 yards in tall cover and 80 on short grass. Last week she did 55 yards on short grass, so I wanted to make this a challenge. However, sight blinds really aren’t a challenge for Devon any longer! She nailed them and was perfection on each one. After she picked up two at each location, I figured there wasn’t any reason to do more, so I headed to the permanent blind I set up for her.

Mitch showed me at our lesson 2 weeks ago how to “teach” blinds. I found a nice tree all by itself in a fence line at the far end of a field. I walked it out from the opposite fence, and it was 75 yards. I put 5 bumpers at the base of the tree. When Devon was ready, I set her at our starting point. I thought she marked the tree when she was sitting next to me, but I didn’t want to try her cold. Instead I walked the line about 1/3 of the way out, turned, and called her to me. I repeated this at 2/3 and then at the base of the tree and she got her bumper. Then, I did the reverse so she could bring the bumper back to the starting point, again stopping at 1/3 of the way back and 2/3 and calling her to me.

Then I lined her up and asked her “Where?” She immediately locked in on the tree since she remembered the other bumpers there. I praised her, talking her into it, and then sent her. She got about 55-60 yards to the tree and turned back to me to check. I gave her a quick, “BACK!” with my hand up and she spun and raced to the base of the tree for the bumper! She ran back, and I knew she was pleased with herself.

We repeated the blind, and she again started to turn back about the same place, but before I could finish my “BACK!” she turned and ran to the pile. This time she raced back to me a very pleased look on her face. On the third time I sent her, she ran confidently all the way to the blind, picked up the bumper and RACED the hardest she’d run back to me. She was SO PROUD of herself for working that little problem out.

I can’t wait to go back to that field and put some bumpers back there and ask her for the permanent blind. I really think this lining stuff is coming along! I’m so proud of both of us for working on this and doing well!