May 1 Monday...cool with rain...day off
May 2 Tuesday...69°F....much better weather...seven days in a low - 70's...trained at Riverside Park DTA
However, the forecast of nearly seventy degrees change and it was quite obvious when I went out to load both dogs in the van. The temperature was in the 50's with a stiff breeze out of the north. The setup was designed to be quick. Four stand alone/send back singles went fast. Pounce and Gigi did their four singles with ease. With the cold temperature, they were not at all stressed.
May 10....Wednesday...high 76°F - day off for Pounce and Gigi
May 11....Thursday....another nice day, but a doctor's appointment was necessary...skin issues and two more prescriptions...more old age problems. I presently have nine different medications. They will taper off over the next week or two. It is a good thing I have a very good health insurance plan.
May 12...Friday...pleasant forecast, some rain...no rush and day off
May 13...Saturday...another day in the low 70's, stiff breeze out of the east...Gigi and Pounce ran four stand alone/send back singles in the Riverside Park DTA (large park...many different looks).
This is a very useful setup in that it does not take a lot of work.
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"I'm beginning to learn that 95% OB
is not enough...and 85% is much
worse.....but 75% is pretty good."
KwickLabs Sept., 2006
https://youtu.be/whmNNDncnLk
May15...Monday...high in the low 70's....Gigi had an appointment with the Vet for two shots - Lyme1YL41 and Lyme 1yr/L4 1 yr. Pounce went along for the two hour, round trip. In the afternoon, the lawn finally was mowed after finding out the riding mower will not "interfere" with a pacemaker. Then I pushed the envelope a bit and did my second day of 500 reps on the same exercise bike.
May 16...Tuesday..high 79°F....It was a day off from exercise for both dogs and me. This decision was decided after I bent over to tie my shoelaces, stood back up and immediately became dizzy.
May 17...Wednesday...high of 68°F...everyone trained. At the Riverside Park DTA, Pounce and Gigi ran five "stand alone/send back" singles. This provided exercise for all three of us. It is a fifteen minute drive from home which is perfect (close). Today I has back on the Snode with my right ankle and left knee complaining. I did 150 "reps" which seemed about right.
May 3 Wednesday...70°F....nice day to not do anything...The immediate issue is attempting to decide how the pacemaker lifestyle will impact future training, testing and hunting ambitions. Being nearly 83 years old does not appear to be a better situation. Just getting through each day is not pleasant. Of course the alternative is best not dwelt upon. It seems this theme gets repeated in each daily entry. Therefore, the plan will be to quite dwelling on the negative health thoughts. For some reason the GoDaddy editing process is "stuck" on saving this post.....now what? I came back later and the issue was "healed".
May 4 Thursday...70°F....This morning was the beginning of sorting through which decoys to keep. I have way too many and cutting back will provide more space in the recreation room.
May 5 Friday...73°F....Pounce and Gigi will trained at the Riverside Park DTA. Each did four singles all about 190 yards using the stand alone/send back process. Fast, quick and fun was noted. The airing yard received a "coating" of lime with a spreader/broadcaster. It did not take log. Dropped computer off
for "repair".
May 6/7...Saturday...rain came right after sowing the airing yard with grass seed. (no training)
May 8...Sunday/Monday...rain and perfect days for growing grass. On Monday, no computer was uncomfortable, but it did not take long to get up to speed. Gigi and Pounce had two days off.
May 9...Tuesday...clear in the low 70's....trained at the Four Lakes DTA. This training area was in great shape with the large grassy area mowed and the water level in the technical pond better that it has been for quite some time. Pounce and Gigi ran four water stand alone/sent back singles and the two land singles. The temperature was perfect and I was not physically stressed. It is still a process of finding out what I can do (or not) with the pace-maker process. Heat will be the critical issue. Did a quick check on the Harrison Road DTA (another place to train).
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May 30..Tuesday...high of 87°F...cleaned van some and put the 12 volt trolling motor battery in van for dog fans.
May 31...Wednesday...high of 88°F with rain...did not train and I am not dealing well with the heat
May 25...Thursday...warmer...high upper 70's...day off from training/planning future...Message To Self...I will soon be 83 years old. The first week in March, an ambulance ride to the emergency room remains a blur. The sudden heat stroke precipitated the implant of a pacemaker. It has been almost three months now and I have come to the realization that physical activity vs. the heat of each day must be carefully measured. We are now dealing with daily temperatures into the 80’s and the timing of doing things outdoors will be determined by weather forecasts. Gigi and Pounce’s training is designed to be brief. Taking a break between running each dog is necessary (for me). I tend to either sit in the shade or in front of the air-conditioner of my van and keep hydrated. Soon, training at sunrise and returning to the air-condition house will be necessary. Another useful intervention is daily swimming in our indoor pool (not the dogs).
May 26...Friday...in the 70's...day off for Gigi and Pounce
May 27...Saturday...in the 70's with a good breeze...Gigi and Pounce ran "stand alone/send back singles" {two sets of three). Gigi continues to struggle with a right side deliver (better...but "no cigar")
note: Pounce will be nine years old on June 14th.
May 28...Sunday...day off from training for Pounce and Gigi...We have a new training tool.
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May 18...Thursday...high in the 70's...I did my Snode workout in the morning. Then around noon, we trained at the Riverside Park doing a lining and handling set-up. Pounce was doing it more for the exercise. Gigi is working on becoming two-sided and it has been a slow process (incremental). With my health issues, I have been working on taking brief breaks when training. Sitting and doing nothing in the shade once in awhile makes a huge difference. We had a good breeze off the river making it seem cooler. Neither dog seemed tired and giving them one day off (usually) works quite well. Daisy is putting on some weight and that is being dealt with by feeding her less. I need to do the same thing. note: The use of a "placeboard" tends to aid in producing a quick pivot and sit.
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May 14...Sunday...high of 74°F.....could train, probably will not...my son has cleaned out the hunting "stuff" from the large room next to the swimming pool and several devices for exercise have been added. These will aid in improving my knee and shoulder issues. After working both for a brief time, the plan will be very easy to deal with. Physical therapy has not been one of my strengths, but I need to make the effort. The alternatives will not be pleasant. It is apparent that the Kwick Journal/Web has begun to deviate from its main focus (retriever training). Kwick began his a daily exercise program. The first day was done doing 500 reps on the Snode Recumbant (last photo).
May 24...Wednesday...cool day in the low 70's...Pounce had the day off and Gigi worked on her two-sided heeling skill (on leash with bumper in mouth). Gradually, she continued to relax and "do the right dance".
May 25...Thursday...warmer in the low 80's at noon...first up was to mow the lawn. I soon found out that it is time to mow it in two sessions. Even with a good breeze, I was all in to finish. Later, Pounce and Gigi ran a set of "stand alone/send back singles" in the Riverside Park DTA. Both setups were run differently and I took a long break in between sitting with the air-conditioner blowing in my face.
note: Gigi's set was "through the trees/across the road" and was done in a flashy manner.
Push the "easy" button and
it says, "That was easy!"
May 29...Monday...High of 83°F...Pounce and Gigi were "out there" training before it heated up...trained at the Riverside Park DTA...finished when the temperature was 79°F. Gigi was first and worked again on her right side heeling skills. The line was "structured" so that she could not "occupy" the left side. At first she was frustrated. Progress was incremental, but persistent. Eventually, the "no choice" approach morphed into an acceptable skill. Eventually, I simply threw bumpers out and had her retrieve many more...to the right side. She does not give up or get tired. Therefore, wearing her out is ineffective. We finally called it a day after four five "good ones". Pounce then ran four, long "stand alone/send back singles" in the north-east area (with a few distractions).
May 19....Friday...beautiful weather...day off from training...The plan is to continue transforming Gigi into a two-sided retriever. The reason for this is to enhance her responsiveness. Hillmann's Helter-Skelter drill provides many reps working on lining, retrieving and returning to the line...precisely. Pounce is two-sided and is comfortable with the skill. Gigi's speed tends to make the process more challenging. It would have been easier if we had worked on this earlier (like four years ago).
May 20....Saturday...high 71°F....day off for Pounce & Gigi
May 21...Sunday...high 80°F....trained late afternoon at the Riverside Park DTA...Gigi began to practice Hillmann's Helter Skelter Drill. Using five bumpers. we made some progress focusing on the right side which she has not done much of. Keeping everything close so speed would be reduced did not seem to work. Two jumps and she is flying. Toward the end of the session she was beginning to slow down some. Pounce did a few and it was easy for her. To finish. Pounce did a few "stand alone/send back" singles for the exercise. At my age and with a "pace-maker" in warmer weather, I may have to do most training early in the morning. My next doctor's appointment should clarify the expectations.
note: Today I purchased a small stand for my I-Phone. The rationale was to take a few videos
for a better perspective. However, the I-Phone records them in MOV mode and that
does not work for WEB videos. However. I have a YouTube site that will accept this
format and making a YouTube video is possible (relatively easy).
May 22...Monday high 81°F...too warm...clean out the three, full shelves of goose decoys and planning to sell most....several "floaters" and a big bunch more for stake mounting on land.
May 23...Tuesday...trained Gigi in the yard...The setup included a video camera. The purpose was to see each of us in action. It did not take long before the light went on. Gigi and I need to become more "connected". Our "off leash" control indicates that more "on leash" practice needs revisiting. About mid-afternoon a quick drive to the Four Lakes DTA found Pro trainer Corey Zandonai setting a session on the small technical pond, I had three flocked swan decoys that were given to Corey. They were placed in his the training setup as a distraction. Originally, they were used as confidence decoys placed
a couple hundred yards from hunting setups on the Mississippi River several years ago.