Isla is well and truly knackered.
A day beating followed by 2 hours of sprinting about with a couple of search exercises thrown in too.

​ First was close and second was 100m away.
The second was good as initially she looked where Edwina had been hiding and then I pushed her the other side of the path where she would have to search. I need to check for wind more. On the second she didn't really jump, it had been a long day but even with command she didn't jump much until asked to redo it. She also didn't quite take me straight back.

The last week or so training has been rather mixed and today was definitely a mixed feeling.
Today BSARD had a full packed training day which meant I was hiding, supporting and Isla had her first search assessment. And the good news to start with is she passed.
Her scent work might have been good but she didn’t want to really work other than the initial find; no coming straight back to me or taking me back to the misper. Certainly an off day compared to previous sessions. But it was also mixed from me and my handling of her. I didn’t think I was nervous about the assessment but then apparently someone observing didn’t think I seemed that relaxed either.

Training has been going well since her season has finished. It meant a few weeks out.

But we've had sessions in the wet, at night and during the day.

Isla has a new treat mechanism that is more like a toy but stuffed with food. This way she takes longer to enjoy her reward. 

This means she couldn’t go to training last night and really need to curtail the her time off the lead. I don’t think she was very happy this morning when Vicky had her on the extendy lead for her morning walk.

​Looks like it will be a while before we can train.

​Back out tonight as the air cooled down. Couple of short blind run aways. Nicely done as it was just getting dark.
Thanks Graham

​This morning was a great session to end on before a short break until next weekend.
The photo is of Isla looking at the MISPER before he hides.
Three blind runaways.
On the second one she did bound off before I gave her the command, impatient little madam. I wasn’t sure to recall her or let her make the find. I think i did wrong by not recalling her to start on my terms. But I will admit I had her to heal a little too long before telling her so I need to build that up more slowly.
We could tell she was using her nose to find Geoff. And so for the third I thought Geoff was going to hide the other side (left) of the track, when Isla started boxing on the right side I thought she was not doing so well. However, excellent as she found Geoff quickly.
The liver paste is a great reward as she is very eager for it.
Thanks Geoff

​Really good morning training. 4 blind runaways. She had to really work with good obstacles in the way including at one point a fence.
Isla is very keen for the reward. Much more so than when it was a soft toy. On the first runaway, the MISPER took the liver paste tube and when Isla found him, she was obsessed with it. When I have it she is then keen to come back to me for her reward which is ideal. Stupidly I had taken her reward out of the fridge but left in the car so I had to open a new tube.
The picture was taken on the last runaway as the MISPER was getting into place, she’s a bit more relaxed rather than turning her head trying to see where the MISPER has gone.
Thanks Graham

​Well that was an opportunity for learning tonight. Not sure what I’ve learnt as yet but the experience started with four poor /chaotic runaways.
1. All seemed to be going ok. She went past the MISPER who I could see from the track. Even when I walked back, she really struggled until the MISPER made a noise.
2. Was probably the best of the four except just before she found the MISPER she found a little food left from the last dog who had made a find.
3. The find was ok but when I went to give Isla food she was over eager and her teeth caught my fingers, I promptly went ouch loudly and another dog pulled from their owner and mayhem ensued.
4. All started going so well until I got into an open field and saw Isla was no longer working and was joining half a dozen springers in the distance. Her recall was spot on and as she returned she wanted to work again especially as she found the MISPER as she approached me. But because I had recalled, the other dog was on route to me so they had a bit of a naughty play. So that one was dashed.
A break in play as we played MISPER which was excellent as Boston trailing followed the scent I left perfectly. Here’s a picture of him being rewarded as we look in. Think Isla wanted the treat.
And then followed up by a couple more blind runaways. These were so much more successful. Had to work with both but made two excellent quick finds. A nice way to end.
Thanks Edwina and Mags.

​First time back on it this morning. Isla did great. Well I would say that.
Four blind runaways. The first was a short distance round corners but not the most obvious hiding spot. She initially didn’t want to go far enough but soon tracked him down. The second was similar but this time she remembered the game as and was a little keener to cheat and know where he’d gone. For the third, Steve carried on uphill along the track then dropped into a little bowl that was at least 5m deep so would have been a little more difficult with scent. This proved the case for Isla as she definitely didn’t know where Steve hid and was searching different spots nearby until suddenly she made a beeline for him. And the last was a little bit further away, not about the distance but to try and stop her knowing where he was. It tricked her a little, at first she bolted off after him but then had to search for him. She pretty much went round him and had use her nose. Ideal. And even better, this time she was coming back to me for her reward. Today was the first time using a liver paste reward and she loved it. Hopefully soon I’ll learn how to get her to actually search the sides that she bolted past.
Thanks Steve, still surprisingly warm this morning. Must be beer time.