Formalizing Obedience

Here, Heel & Sit with 2-sided heeling, Remote Sit, Kennel

Passive Advancement

Easy widespread hand thrown double marks, Initial steadying, Introduction to simple water retrieves

Formal Advancement

Force Fetch:
Hold, Fetch, CC to Fetch, Walking Fetch,
Force to Pile
3-handed Casting

CC to all basic commands including de-bolting

Basic Handling

T-Work:
Mini-T with 2-hands Back
Single-T
Double-T

Water Advancement

Water Force, Water-T with Swim-by

Basic Marking

High-success type marks:

Singles, 50-100 yards, light cover,
Little-to-no steadiness requirement

Leash or Slip Cord Steadiness Assist, Introduction to gunners in the field, Stickman Drills as singles

Hand deliveries,
Hand deliveries to heel, Increased steadiness

Strong steadiness requirement, begin honoring

Simple Water Doubles

Moderate-to-Long non-cheating Water Marks

Transition

Interim field work

Advancing Handling and Lining

Handling:
8-handed (Wagon Wheel) Casting, Walking Baseball

Lining and Casting - Land:
Wagon Wheel Lining Drill, Zig-Zag Drills, Pattern Blinds, Taught/Permanent Blinds, Simple Cold Land Blinds

Lining and Casting – Water:

Tune-up Drills, Cheating Singles, Taught/Permanent Water Blinds, Simple Cold Water Blinds

Diversion Marks

Four-phase Drill, Basic Diversion Mark Drill, Taught Blinds with Diversion Marks

Bringing Basic Skills to the Field

Marks in light to moderate cover at distances of 50-200 yards. Closer proximity Double marks at contrasting distances

Low pressure handling on field exercises at gradually increasing distance

Closer proximity, higher concept marking

Single diversion mark with simple cold blind/AKA Blind Drills

A word from another SMARTWORK system user ~

"I have other training material from different trainers and I can honestly say that I've learned something from all of them. I hope I always can, but with Smartwork, the bar has been set extremely high and that's a good thing IMHO.

For instance, in a DVD I have, a man is teaching a young pup to handle. He throws the bumper to a pile; the dog focusing on the bumper never takes his eyes off of it. The man gives the signal w/command "over" and the dog never looks back at the man for the cast. Whoa! Stop! Red Light here! As a relative newbie and "brought up" the Smartwork way, I'm thinking how can this man teach casting without the dog ever paying attention to him? He must first get the dogs attention, else how could he ever take a silent cast.

Anyway, that's the sort of stuff your attention to detail has allowed me to see. I truly appreciate what you've done with this system and how you're helping us be better trainers. You have allowed, those of us who choose, to see "what they might have been". I believe Rex would be proud that you've taken training to the next level.

Thank you so much!"

Bill Stapleton