# Technical Training Ponds



## Mary Shillabeer (Oct 29, 2007)

A friend asked me if I could provide him with some information on making training ponds. He is thinking of taking out some gravel and building some ponds, and figures he would like to make them useful!  Does anyone have any links to photos or information? I know there was an article in Retrievers Online, but I can not find it in the index. 

Thanks for any direction you can provide.

Mary Shillabeer
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Home of:
"Spy" CH Justmoor Get Smart WC JH CD AGN-S AGNJ-S; GRCC VCI
"Gusto!" Goldngun A Bird In The Hand
Forever in my heart:
"Boon" MHR CH OTCHX GMH Justmoor Boodacious WCX AGNS; GRCC VCX VHOF; Am CDX CGC; PALS Therapy Dog 09/25/1997 - 02/09/2008


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## carolinagold (Jan 19, 2003)

Here is a link that might be beneficial 
http://retrievertraining.net/forums/showthread.php?t=39328&highlight=ponds
________
digital vaporizer


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## Ryan Isaacs (Jul 19, 2008)

There's an article in Retrievers Online, volume 12 issue 3. If you have a fax # I can fax it to you. I'd email it but my scanner's down.


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## Mary Shillabeer (Oct 29, 2007)

Bob and Ryan - Thank you so much, that is exactly the information I am looking for! I have printed off the photos of the ponds and will be meeting the fellow this afternoon.

I have Retrievers Online back to 1998, but couldn't find the article...thanks for the direction!

Cheers,
Mary


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## Lady Duck Hunter (Jan 9, 2003)

This is a picture of a friend's pond.

It was very new when this was taken. He had old poles standing up in one part of it to represent floodtimber. He also put in a large round haybale to help clear up the water. The haybale still floats adn even sprouted so it is like a floating island that would appear at different places dependign on teh wind etc... There was also some dye in it at this time to help clean out aquatic plants that were growing in it, I think.


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## twall (Jun 5, 2006)

Every bit as important as the water is the surrounding terrain. Some knobs or small hills, as seen in the above picture, make sure you can see the dog after they re-enter the water across points. Technical water is no good if you can't see the dog.

Tom


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## duke7581 (Jan 17, 2008)

http://www.retrievertraining.net/forums/showthread.php?t=39328&highlight=ponds


http://www.retrievertraining.net/forums/showthread.php?t=32310&highlight=ponds


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## John Kelder (Mar 10, 2006)

Lady Duck Hunter said:


> This is a picture of a friend's pond.
> 
> It was very new when this was taken. He had old poles standing up in one part of it to represent floodtimber. He also put in a large round haybale to help clear up the water. The haybale still floats adn even sprouted so it is like a floating island that would appear at different places dependign on teh wind etc... There was also some dye in it at this time to help clean out aquatic plants that were growing in it, I think.


You have great friends....


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## whscott (Jan 7, 2009)

Lady,

How does the hay bale keep the pond clear?

Scotty


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## Kevin Hannah (Jan 6, 2003)

whscott said:


> Lady,
> 
> How does the hay bale keep the pond clear?
> 
> Scotty


I was thinking the same thing.


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## duke7581 (Jan 17, 2008)

it works a bunch of the farmers around here do it i can't remember exactly why.


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## David Maddox (Jan 12, 2004)

Dont know if the hay bail works, but the pond that "Lady" has posted is always pretty clear. I've used that pond many times. The best thing about this pond is that the water stays really cool year round. Its deep swimming water through out. Usually pumped in fresh. 

A plus is the Beautiful old farm house with a great kennel set up and airing yard as well.

Yes, the owners are GREAT friends to many of us in the Houston area.


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## Tammy Z (Jan 19, 2005)

We use barley straw in our fish pond. It keeps the algea down and helps keep the water clear. My son in law puts bales of barley in his pasteur ponds to keep algea out as well. I'm not sure how or why it works, other than when the barley straw breaks down in the water it keeps algea from forming. This process is completely safe for the fish and the animals so I would think it would be perfectly safe in dog ponds.

Tammy


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## chad22780 (Dec 27, 2011)

"Lady Duck Hunter": I am about to begin digging a training pond and have been doing some research. I came across a thread on RTF that you posted a picture of a friend's pond. I really like the design of that pond. I was wondering if you could tell me what city and state that pond is in so that I can look it up on Google Earth to get a satellite phone and measurements so that I can did a pond like it. Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!


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## LESTER LANGLEY (Jun 12, 2008)

Chad, what part of La are you in?


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## Tim West (May 27, 2003)

Mike Lardy told me the best advice when it came to training ponds, and that is don't make it so small or technical that you can't run marks in it A maize of squares, rectangles and islands will fry a dogs mind and after you do your de cheating and learning to handle the points and such, it can become monotonous to an AA dog. I would make one area of it very technical, and then open up the other end if you have the space. Make one bank have a gradual curve so you can teach a dog to get off what looks to you to be a point but to the dog it's just a bank to run off of. be sure to make some high points too, as dogs hate to get off of them. As somebody has already written, make plenty of mounds, and try to have some long entries, preferably angled. Teaching a dog to jump in a little corner of a pond after a 100 yard entry to it will pay big dividends. Just my two cents.

Here are a couple of pics of my little pond. It's just about half an acre but it has lots of land around it and mounds to see in it. I'll try to post some more recent pics when I upload them to my computer.

Hope this helps


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