Quartering into the wind

Why it matters

A dog that quarters with the wind in its favour finds far more than one working across it randomly. Teaching a dog to read and use the wind makes every session in the field more productive.

Set up

• Check the wind direction before starting and plan to work into it.
• Hide a scented dummy in advance downwind of your intended start point.

Run the drill

1. 1Start the dog quartering with the wind blowing towards you and the dog working away.
2. 2Let the pattern develop naturally, encouraging wider casts as confidence builds.
3. 3Allow the dog to find the hidden dummy itself, rewarding a confident pick up.

Make it harder

• Work the same field with the wind from a different direction to compare the dog's pattern.
• Increase the size of the field being worked.
• Hide two dummies to see if the dog's pattern covers the ground thoroughly.

Common mistakes

• Working across or with the wind behind the dog out of habit: plan your route around the wind, not the other way round.
• Interfering too much once the pattern is good: let the dog use its nose rather than constantly directing it.
• Ignoring wind changes mid session: reassess the plan if the wind shifts significantly.