Scott Linden Outdoors

A 10-month-old and an eight-year-old … you wouldn’t think there are many skills you could “double up” on. But there are. It’s a matter of degree.

My quest is to “be fair” to both dogs so neither goes stir crazy or becomes envious of the attention the other is getting while he sits, bored. But I’m also an efficiency geek, trying to the the most out of my time, effort and gear. The two intersect when teaching new skills to Flick while polishing up Manny’s abilities.

There’s the basic retrieve. Flick is whoa’d, sees the bumper fly and land while he stands. And stands. (Because I’m liking Larry Mueller’s method, where a dog always thinks it will get the retrieve if only he holds still long enough.) On the rare occasions when Flick does get to pick up the bumper, he is check-corded and cajoled into coming into my vicinity for praise.

That’s a pretty good puppy retrieve, but old hat for Manny. If I add complications with the same minimal gear, he’s getting a tune-up: in the field instead of the yard, a bumper flies while he’s searching – his signal to stand still. The bumper lands behind a sage brush. Now, I line him up, give him a mark and send him. No check cord and no cheerleading until the task is accomplished, well.

It’s a matter of degrees, reminds me of what Flick should be advancing toward, and keeps Manny’s head in the game during the off season.