"Gigi" ready to be sent from the line

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May 16, Thursday...high of 65°F with rain...day off from training
May 17, Friday...day off from training...again
May 18, Saturday...Pounce took the day off...Gigi worked on "close up" heeling/fetching skills
May 19, Sunday...upper 70's around noon...Pounce and Gigi did two sets of "Stand alone/Send Back" doubles at Riverside Park DTA. I took advantage of running from the shade.
May 20 Monday...Scouted the two retriever training areas close-by near Rockford and neither look like I will train there for awhile. The decision to retire Pounce was easy. She will not be running anymore hunt tests. What to do with Gigi may be decided by what happens in the next few weeks. On the way home, we stopped at the Riverside Park DTA. Pounce and Gigi ran a set stand-alone send back triples.
May 21, Tuesday - high of 85°F...day off
May 22, Wednesday - high of 73°F with a pleasant, downwind breeze at the Riverside park DTA. Pounce and Gigi ran three "Stand alone/Send back" singles with the last encountering an "across the gravel road concept". The distance was over 200 yards and seemed easy for both of them. My recent training efforts are becoming easier (not getting as tired). I have received an invitation to train with a small group once a week. We shall see how that works out. Today, I was informed that high water levels in southern Wisconsin have made it impossible to mow the high grass around flooded ponds.  Fortunately, that is not the case in the areas in northern, Illinois.

May 1, Wednesday...mild/sunny Pounce and Gigi worked in the front yard with two bumpers off a placebosrd
May 2, Thursday...another nice day in the low 70's...day off from front yard exercise
May 3, Friday...repeated front yard exercise
May 4, Saturday...day off
May 5, Sunday...Gigi and Pounce repeated another day of fun exercises.
May 6, Monday...high of 61°F...The following photos "cover" recent views of our swimming pool including the new Sun2Solar Pool Cover 16' X 36' (no trimming necessary).

May 7, Tuesday high of 57°F...repeat doubles training with Gigi and Pounce in the front yard
May 8, Wednesday high of 77°F...trained...Gigi and Pounce ran more place doubles with the emphasis on precise repetitions at the line (in the yard)...no need to drive somewhere to train
May 9, Thursday high 59°F...cloudy with cold wind...staying indoors
May 10, Friday high of 68°F...Gigi and Pounce ran several "place" doubles in the yard 
May 11, Saturday high of 66°F...repeated yesterday
May 12, Sunday....another nice day...took the day off
May 13, Monday...cool and cloudy (perfect day... trained early at the Riverside Park DTA)...Gigi and Pounce did three "Stand  Alone Send-Back" doubles at the Riverside Park DTA...both did well and the weather was perfect for my heat issues.

NEW

      Training Alone

May 23, Thursday - high of 78°F...nice day, but took today off....rest for all
May 24, Friday - high of 73°F...another day off, but did clean the van "some" (much needed). The
photo from 5/22/24 was more difficult than most. Using two sometime conflicting photo editing programs presented more issues than usual. However, exercising your brain is a good thing.
                note: Gigi and Pounce need a good session of training...tomorrow
May 25, Saturday - high of 74°F..."slacker" day....much needed...might change my mind
May 26, Sunday...day off
May 27, Monday...trained at Rockford Park District DTA - land and water with tall weeds along the shoreline...Seeing dogs was challenging. At least, Gigi and Pounce got wet.
May 28, Tuesday - high of 72°F...Sore hip (mine) has been a bother.
May 29, Wednesday - high of 83°F
May 30 Thursday...high in the 70's and drove to the W property to train with a small group and that did not go well...so I left...no one looked like they knew what to do...It soon turned into a waste of time for me. Non-responsive confusion was frustrating. They were not happy when I just up and left. I probably should have said, "Do this or I am leaving." They may learn.....eventually...or not. 
May 31 Friday...high of 79°F...taking a few days off and thinking about not running anymore hunt tests. I have run many and am getting old. The need to play games has dwindled.

"I'm beginning to learn that 95% OB 
   is not enough...and 85% is much 
  worse......but 75% is pretty good." 
          KwickLabs  Sept., 2006

May 14, Tuesday...high of 79°F and cloudy..In the past, this would be a training day. However, I I am old (in my 80's) and can't find any justification for pushing the envelope of my pacemaker. So Pounce, Gigi and I will be taking the day off. When spring is over and the hot summer weather hits, it will be a test. The summer when I was attempting to put a title on Pounce was a warning. I did not recognize the reasons. Therefore, heat will be an issue to deal with every  day from now on. Early, sunrise training will be being necessary. My riding lawn mower is "cool" and work outside in the yard must be planned ahead of time. With no testing or hunting, what are the reasons for training two retrievers? The answer is easy. As you get older exercise is important. I might as well do something that is more fun than just walking, lifting weights and riding an exercise bicycle.  
May 15, Wednesday...high of 73°F...that kind of temperature is a good thing. Training will be brief today. What came to mind was an easy indented, "stand alone" triple. Gigi is younger and usually let her watch Pounce (from the van) do a set-up first. It should be noted (and I have mentioned this before) that keeping a journal is significantly important to exercising your brain....as in "Use It Or Loose It!"

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