Many of you who are fairly new to training retrievers for fieldwork may have read or heard the term "Basics" in many places, but perhaps don't fully relate to the true meaning of the term as it applies to modern methods.
In times past, "Basics" meant something like basic obedience commands, and may or may not include something like a force fetch, or some version of it. The term still illicits a variety of mental images.
So, for the purpose of future discussion, here is what most modern methods include under that heading. The order or descriptive terms may vary, but the skills are pretty constant.
The components of Basics in order
1) "Here"
2) "Heel & Sit"
3) "Hold"; automatically evolves to Walking "Hold, Heel, Sit"
4) "Fetch"; ear pinch, which evolves into Walking "Fetch" & "Fetch-no-fetch"
5) Pile work, including Mini-pile, Nine bumper pile; AKA Force to pile
6) 3-handed casting; teaching the 3 basic casts - "Back" and both "Over's", including 2-hands "Back"
7) Mini tee; includes collar conditioning to all basic commands, transferring to the go, stop, cast functions in micro dimension as preparation for the Single tee. Also includes De-bolting
8) Single tee
9) Double tee
10) Water tee with Swim-by
Feel free to ask or comment on any or all components, and how they may relate to subsequent skill acquisition.
EvanG
In times past, "Basics" meant something like basic obedience commands, and may or may not include something like a force fetch, or some version of it. The term still illicits a variety of mental images.
So, for the purpose of future discussion, here is what most modern methods include under that heading. The order or descriptive terms may vary, but the skills are pretty constant.
The components of Basics in order
1) "Here"
2) "Heel & Sit"
3) "Hold"; automatically evolves to Walking "Hold, Heel, Sit"
4) "Fetch"; ear pinch, which evolves into Walking "Fetch" & "Fetch-no-fetch"
5) Pile work, including Mini-pile, Nine bumper pile; AKA Force to pile
6) 3-handed casting; teaching the 3 basic casts - "Back" and both "Over's", including 2-hands "Back"
7) Mini tee; includes collar conditioning to all basic commands, transferring to the go, stop, cast functions in micro dimension as preparation for the Single tee. Also includes De-bolting
8) Single tee
9) Double tee
10) Water tee with Swim-by
Feel free to ask or comment on any or all components, and how they may relate to subsequent skill acquisition.
EvanG