Whoa Boarding

May 25, 2009
[at home]

While I started Tessa on the "whoa" from the get-go, it's time to step it up some. I now need to teach her to stop dead in her tracks when I say "whoa" while she's in motion. And as before, once in a "whoa" she has to hold it until I release her, and without so much as moving one paw (they say an inch of movement at home will translate into 50 feet in the field - not a good thing!). Teaching this to be reliable involves use of a whoa board, a whoa table, a crate, a post, check cords and possibly a barrel.

Contrary to popular belief, most of a bird dog's training can be done from the safety of our home. Here she is "surfing" the living room.

Of course, I may be doing all this backwards...maybe I should have started her on the board or table earlier.