Long Hollow Retrievers

The Purpose of the swim-by is to transfer the Double T skills into the water and prepare your dog for the beginning stages of handling in the water.  The drill derives it's name from the final stages of the drill where the dog is handled with the bumper in his mouth from one side of the pond to the other, actually swimming by the handler.

The ideal pond for this is a rectangular pond approximately 90 to 125 feet from right to left and 25 to 40 feet across.  You may also use the end of a channel if you don't have an ideal swim-by pond. 

The procedure is:

- As with all other pile work, the swim by back pile is identified and the dog is lined across the pond for a few days before forcing accurs.

- From remote sit position force in route to back pile.

- From your side force in route to back pile.

- Stop to pile (tread water in center of pond)

- Teach over to right side and teach exit to left side

- Swim-by the handler in original position

- Enforce Swim-by

- Swim-by the opposite way - over to the left and exit to the right

- Increase complexity of swim-by

- Flip bumper in a different pond or channel and ask your dog to swim-by.........