Saturday and Sunday were picture perfect November days. The training group met in the afternoon of each day and the temperature was in the 60's, the sky was blue and there was little wind. There were a few walkers on Saturday but they moved out quickly. The only people who walk on the nearby trails are people with sporting dogs anyway so they understand.

8 handlers showed up at the fields with both puppies and dogs. I can see that we may have to break into two groups to set up one place for the older dogs where we can set up multiple marks and blinds and have another area for short sessions with the puppies. This way neither will interfere with the other and once the puppies have had their 10 minutes or so the handlers can return to help the older dogs.

Sport did not go out Saturday because one of the folks noticed that his tail was hanging and his hind quarters were stiff. That must have been from the water on Friday. Today he moved his tail and went out for the birds, not the bumpers. More drills.

I have been taking time to walk the dogs in the afternoon and have met up with some folks who have a prescribed walking route that takes them through one of the training areas. It's a fast paced walk and letting the dogs run loose gives them more exercise than being leash bound to their two legged partners.

After the initial greeting off we go and though Maggie may wander or lag a bit when she scents a small animal in the taller grasses, she does manage to catch up. There is the occasional body slam as they dogs run around, sprint ahead and play their own version of tag. Everyone enjoys the hike. The days are getting shorter and if we do not start before 4pm we are walking back in the dark. It is only a couple of week to the solstice and we will have more daylight to walk.