ok. workin my dog on handsignals. just finished mini t and moved onto single t. i setup the single t and sent him to the back pile 3 times in a row. sent him again and whistled him and casted him right he went to the right pile an everything was going fine, he heeled gave me the bumper. i directed him again to the back pile and it was like he forgot there were more bumbers there. he just woundnt go to the back pile. i called him to heel threw a bumper into the back pile(tried to simplify), sent him and it was fine. called him to heel sent him back and again he just wouldnt go. any ideas??

Sounds like you are doing it right. Lets see, the dog went multiple times to the Back pile, Then he went to Home plate on a whistle sit then casted right... Well in his mind he thought he was going to get handled again. Just keep at it and making him do what you want. Keep him happy. The T can be made as easy or hard as you want it. Also Make him go 2-3 "Back" for each cast right or left... Its easy for them to forget "back" If this was your first time dont sweat it. I say give it about a week of the T, he will be ready to move on if you get about 80% of casts correct.

so pretty much just keep at it and everything will come together?

first......I ain't no trainer and I did not even stay at a Holiday Inn........but I would back up a half step and simplify to a quick "T"

MAYBE just a simple BACK, OVER, OVER and call it clean.

Like I said this is the first time you done the Single t. You cant expect perfection. It is a dog not a machine.

Ya need ta send him ta the back pile 99% a the time. When I was pro training I'd set up 12 on the back pile and 1 on either side. I'd also set up the back pile at the base of a tree or other focal point ta allow the dog ta lock on visually and help remember where that pile is. Your problem is normal and some dogs have that issue fer a long time. Consistency and using the same exact field and set up again and again will allow him ta learn it well. When you've done that 100 more times than you think is necessary then move to a different field and be extremely forgiving as he may struggle to transfer what he's learned to a different place.

Dogs work by repetition. If they havent been SHOWN they will not KNOW what to do. Just keep at it i dont think it is anything you did wrong. You and your buddy just need to keep doing what yall are doing and have fun.

3 days ain't enough ta transfer ta a different field with how inexperienced your dog still is. I'm talking weeks. Keep it identical day after day. He will get er. My dog is a titled senior and could be a master but I ain't got time now runnin my business. My dog after doin 6 backs and a couple overs still "forgets" there's a back pile. Some just do and some need more work than others. Slow, patient, and steady. If he don't get it he either ain't ready or it's bein taught wrong. Dogs don't act stupid on purpose.

i see...well the only reason i moved to the field was because my front yard wasn't big enough for the single t I'm patient with him. if it gets to the point where its doing more harm then good i just pack everything up and try it again the next day

Moving to the field is fine but how long er how many times have ya run the pattern there? Twice? Three times? It's gonna take a long time fer him ta transfer over what he learned. This is likely the first time he's had ta transfer over a learned concept ta a new place. It will take time. How old is this dog?

this is the 4th time i have run him in that field. hes a year and a month old..but we went and worked today and he was a totally different dog. he never forgot where the back pile was. the casted back everytime and went went to the left. i casted him right once but he didnt see the bumper i had there. once he couldnt find it he went directly for the back pile. which tells me that he has definately identified where the back pile is

And that ain't a bad thing. Back is the most needed command the dog will ever learn in handling. It will become even more important when forcing back it taught. The only advise I'd have further for your current situation is when he started for the back like after a right cast I'd have put on my running shoes and proven that there was a dummy there. This is a fun game to them but through it they are building your trust and you theirs. Teach them to have faith in your commands.

i honestly didnt think about doin that..thats actually a good idea..i was mainly just impressed that he knew that the back pile was there, but tomorrow when we work and i cast him over and he tries to drive back. ill whistle sit him again and run closer to the over pile and recast