Quick question

[NuffDaddy]

Been working with my uncles lab a lot and she is coming along good. Been starting to do more water work with her. The problem I'm having is getting her to do a straight out and straight back retrieve. If I throw the bumper into a little "pond" (my flooded back yard) she takes the driest way possible even if it takes 2X as long. The water is only about 5 inches deep so she touches the whole time. She loves the water. If I go in it she follows me right through it all. But if I throw the bumper to the back side of the water hole she runs all the way around to the back side to go into the water to get it, then she goes back out that same way to bring it back. I corrected the return with a rope so now she brings it straight back instead of taking the long way.
So how do I get her to go straight out to get the bumper?

[NuffDaddy]

I guess that wasn't really that quick was it. :lol:

[Matt Duncan]

Until you have given her the tools that allow you to correct it (swim by & decheating) you simply do not afford her the opportunity to cheat. Marks are basically straight out and back. If she's running all the way around to the far side of the pond find bigger water where she can't. If you don't want her to cheat just avoid those situations for now and then you can address the issue later when you are at that point in training. Main thing for now is try not to build on bad habits.

[NuffDaddy]

Ok thanks. Thats what I figured.