Devon shakes off the rust

July 24-25

Our month of field drills paid off for Devon. I think she realized she was in training mode again when the bumpers went to Evansville and we did pile work after the agility trial! I took two days off work this week to train with my field pro, Mitch White and enjoy a long weekend. When I arrived, it was a mini-reunion of "Gaylan's Midwest" with Pat Swallows and Jan Masica having lessons, too. Great fun to see Abbi, Chime, Kerri and Keeper (and Jan's Uno and Sadie). Devon and Keeper look so much a like! Watching Keeper on water marks was like looking out and seeing Devon's face swimming back into me! Jan got photos, so hopefully we’ll get them posted soon.

We've been focusing Devon’s field work on marks (land and water) and lining drills. On Thursday the teamwork came together on wagon wheels, and we started clicking and nailing them. Friday morning we realized she's very visual on the lining drills (not going unless she sees something), so we'll be working on that in the coming weeks by reducing the length and "spokes" of the wagon wheel, but hiding the bumpers so she must go out straight without seeing them. Even with this work ahead, Mitch thought we were ready to try her first sight blinds in his big field and wants me to start throwing her an easy sight blind as we train marks to get her used to what she'll see in Senior Hunter tests.

Mitch set out two sight blinds marked by white buckets. The first was about 20-25 yards with suction of decoys and a downhill slope and she had to break through some cover. I stepped out of the holding blind, lined her up and she locked in and nailed it! Back into the blind we went so he could explain the second one to me. Number two was again marked with a big white bucket, about 30-35 yards straight down a hill with decoys and more cover to break through. Again we stepped out, I lined her up and she nailed it!

So, Mitch decided we were ready to throw in some marks! Back in the holding blind while Mitch set himself up to the left, farther up the hill from sight blind #1. He threw the mark and she went out slowly for it, and it was like she was fighting an invisible force trying to pull her down the hill toward the sight blind and other factors. However, she nailed her mark, and returned. I asked her "Where?" while the bumper was still in her mouth. She locked in and I took the bumper, asked her "where?" again, and sent her. She nailed it!

So, Mitch decided the raise the bar even higher! He went to the right of the second blind, set up two monster white gunner models, stood beside them and called us out of the blind. He threw the mark over the line of the second sight blind, so it landed between the two blinds, closer to blind #1. Devon nailed the mark, going out with more purpose the second time out. She came in and I lined her up with her sight blind, and she again lined it with no problems! I think Mitch was just sure that mark would have wiped out her sight blind, but it didn't and she just nailed all the concepts he threw at her!

I was SO PROUD of her! Her lack of speed on the first mark/blind combo told me she was really thinking through this concept and working hard to get it. (She's done the same thing when we've thrown difficult agility concepts at her; it's hard for her to give speed when she's thinking and learning). However, she comes out successfully and gives me great confidence (and speed) the next time.

On Thursday, she got her first baby water double, and she worked it out nicely. Her honoring is good, as are her heeling and line manners, so Mitch suggested we try her WCX in October. He said best case senario she gets her WCX and worst case we support our club and have a great training day.