Preparing

We have been reading up on all the things we need to be able to achieve for a Puppy Working Test, which is our goal, and practising them.

The tests that I think we could come accross are...

Memory Retrieve - Which is walking the dog at heel to a point, throwing dummy out, walking dog back at heel and sending the dog for the retrieve. We have practised this alot and Olive will always go out to get the dummy and bring back. The only issue we have is she is retrieving to hand 80% of the time but I have got nowhere with teaching the 'present'. Getting them to present the dummy isn't something they have to do but it will look alot better and I think most people teach it with dummies.

Half-way back - This is the same as memory, but on the way back after dropping dummy, you leave your dog in a stay half way. I then command Olive to go 'Back' and she should run back and retrieve dummy. Again we are fine on this one too, only issue being the present.

Half-way back with recall - This is same as above but after leaving your dog in stay, instead of commanding back you recall it first, and then stop it half way, and send back. This too us a little bit more time to learn, as Olive wanted to go back straight away as opposed to recall but now she is very good at it.

Seen Retrieve - Someone else throws dummy and you send you dog for it. We don't really get a chance to practise with someone else throwing dummy as it's only me and her, but I am pretty sure she would go for the retrieve. I do need to keep teaching her 'Mark' which is a good command for getting them to keep their eye on where the dummy is landing.
Simple split- This is one dummy out to left, one dummy out to right, and dog needs to be sent to collect one after the other. I have been told in Puppy Tests it doesn't matter which one first but have been training her to only go for the one I have sent her to just incase. We have ony started doing the split and it needs a little more work as sometimes she will get confused.

Water- This will be a dummy thrown into water, the entry on puppy tests will be shallow and gently sloping. Olive will go out for retrieve and swim but I need to work lots on the distance she will bring to me once out of the water. I dont practise this as much as I should.
And then Hunting Test, which I am not to sure how will be set up.

So we are just going throught these everyday and working on making them perfect at the minute. I don't know when I will feel ready to enter her, I would really like to get the present but I don't want to push her too far. I might try for a test late August or early Sept!