Running the Single T Drill.
When running the Single T Drill the question may arise as to WHY we are running the Single T or how does this benefit in the field or while hunting? The short answer is that is developes the retriever in handling in blind situtations. That means if your hunting and you shoot a bird the dog doesnt see, then your dog will be able to handle to the place you know the bird is.
A few things you'll need to start the Single T Drill are: 12-24 Bumpers (I recommend all colors at first then go to solid orange later), 3 White 5 gallon buckets, Check Cord and Choke Collar, Whistle
Now of course there are a couple prerequisites before you can start the Single T Drill. The dog must know all its obedience and be collar condititioned to them and be fully force fetched including Force to the Pile. They must be doing the Baseball Drill and casting very well, then it's time for the Single T Drill.
The Single T Drill is basically the baseball drill from your side and bigger. You will start by having your dog on a chock collar and check cord and begin setting the bummpers out in front of buckets on 1st base, 2nd base, and 3rd base. A good distance to start with is 50 yards and you can always grow the baseball diamond to suit your dogs level. That would be 25 yards from pitchers mound to each base. So 2nd base would be 50 yards from you and your dog at home plate and 1nd base and 3 base would be 50 yards apart.
Now remember to keep one bumper with you as you take your dog back to home plate, this bumper will be used to identify 2nd base which is the base you want to send your dog to first. Throw your bumper to 2nd base then send your pup on its name. Then as your dog returns, heel the dog and line it back up with 2nd base and send it again with the command BACK. As the dog returns the bumper, Heel the dog again to prepare to send it back again toward 2nd base. Only this time make sure you have the check cord behind you and be prepared to step on the check cord as you blow your sit whistle when the dog becomes perpendicular with 1nd and 3rd bases. (This is a trick to get your dog to turn and face you so you can give the hand signal.) Cast your dog to either 1st or 3rd. Stepping on the check cord is not something you have to do every time, a few times will be all it takes you get your point across.
Now send your dog back to 2nd base, heel your dog as it returns, send it back towards 2nd but blow your whistle and then cast Over to either 1st or 3rd base. Then repeat this drill sending the dog to 2nd base every other time and also incorpate Back casts as well. The reason its every other time is because you don't want your dog popping (stopping without a sit whistle command) before your ask it to. I hope this helps you run your dog in the Single T like an Extreme Retriever!
