Illustration of a fun water exercise

We’re really very happy about all the wonderful illustrations in the book made by our friend Jenny Nyberg. We love them so much that we wanted to share yet another one that didn’t fit into the book.

Below is an example of an exercise suitable when you’ve made some progress in your training regarding casting your dog both on land and in the water. But the great thing is that even if you and your dog aren’t that experienced, you can build up towards this exercise by shortening the distances.

The complete exercise looks like this:

1. Stand approximately 10 yards up on land and cast your dog straight out into the water, approximately 10 yards.
2. Blow the stop whistle.
3. Cast your dog to the right, over the small isle.

If you want to make the exercise easier, begin by placing your dog on the isle and casting her to the right to the dummy (let her see you place it there). Then place the dummy back in the same spot, without letting your dog watch you do so, place your dog on the isle and cast her to the right.

Then place the dummy yet again and move yourself and your dog to the left of the island (in this setting you’ll either become very wet or stand on shore, throw a treat for your dog so that she ends up where you want her to, blow the stop whistle and cast your dog to the right). You can then do the entire exercise like we first described it – cast your dog, blow the stop whistle and cast her to the right.

If you notice that a part of this doesn’t work the way it should (the delivery, the casting to the right, the directional retrieve, the stop whistle, etc), break out that part and train it until it works well. You can re-insert the part back onto the chain.