THE PLOT THICKENS
By the time you get to this stage of the exercise the dog should be connecting that there are good things to find in cover, so you can now increase the thickness and density of the cover. For this part of the training programme, I try to find a stick pile with vegetation growing in it so it makes things a bit more challenging for the dog. Try to avoid stinging nettles unless it is later in the year and they have started to go over. Again, start off by letting the dog run in to help to develop its enthusiasm; once the dog has got the idea you can hold them back as before.