At the recent clinic I attended, an idea was presented....in regards to new handlers or folks running young dogs.....many handlers are more concerned about hitting their lines/panels on the trial field then they are getting the dog to work proper with good method. That statement right there....certainly gives a person a lot to think about. I am working on getting a nice lift.....getting a "hold" of my dog on the lift so that she can feel her sheep on the fetch. I spoke with another friend and handler today...one that I would love to grow up to be like....and she asked me some hard questions regarding my dog. 1) how far out does the lift go wrong? 2) why does the lift go wrong and 3) what are the changes between the lifts that go well...and those that don't. She did not come out and ask these questions.....they were just there......questions I kept mulling over after I hung up the phone. I did not have answers. 1) I get nice "feely" lifts at home....200 yards. I have had a nice lift at a trial at 300 yards or so.....and just did some nice 350 yard outruns. But a 350 yard outrun at a trial, routinely turns into a not so good lift. Which brings me to #3 first...is it the distance, type of sheep, or hmmm....a set out person and their dog? At home I train by myself.......I have a lot to think about! So to answer #2.....what goes wrong.....well, my whistles have been loud and hard and I am looking at that. Also, whenever I get a chance to lengthen my outrun...I do....and I do not do it systematically. So maybe I am stretching to fast?? Or maybe I am not as consistent at those bigger distances. There certainly is a lot about me to think about!!!!
I did take Nell out to a friend's field yesterday and got some nice lifts and fetches on big outruns with sheep being held.....we were a team and that felt good. Tomorrow, I walk to the post. I think my mind is getting "more right".....leaving the post might be what needs to happen for future runs. Well, see......but the other side of the coin to what was shared about lines/panels vs. good method.....is the confidence in knowing.....when I care more about the dog's method and less about the course.....that I have the strength and mental self management to not listen to other people's criticism post run.
Seize the day!
When your method is "good" then hitting you lines and panels will be way easier. Right now think macro once you have macro(good method) think micro(lines and panels). Big things first and then the details. Other thing is if you like the lift at 200yards, be honest in your judgement because whatever is going wrong at 350yds is also going wrong at 200yds it is just on a smaller scale.
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