Accelerated poorman setups

A "poorman mark" is when you place your dog in a sit at the start line, go out to throw one or more marks, and then come back to the start line to run the dog.  It's one way of training alone.  I think it can be beneficial, since the dog has to memorize the falls and run the lines without the benefit of visible gun stations.  That's a skill the dog needs for Hunt Tests, where the gun stations are generally not visible to the dog even when the birds are thrown, and for Field Trials, where the gunner is visible when the bird is thrown but may "retire" behind a holding blind or other hiding place by the time the dog runs that mark.

On the other hand, the timing on poorman marks, especially for multiples, and most especially the kind of long ones run in Field Trials, is significantly different than a competition series.  In competition, the dog sees all the throws, and is then sent to the go-bird, all within a matter of seconds.  By contrast, a big poorman setup can take long minutes for the handler to go out into the field, throw the marks, and then return to the start line to run the dog.

Recently, I found a way to accelerate big poorman setups.  First, you place a lining pole at the intended start line.  Then, you let the dog play as you walk out into the field, perhaps throwing hey-hey bumpers for her.  When you arrive at your first intended gun station, you call her to heel and run her on a line to the lining pole, blowing whistle sit when she arrives.

Once she turns to face you, the series begins.  You throw the first mark, and then walk to your other gun stations and throw the other marks.  After the last mark, you walk toward the start line, but after you've taken a few steps, you use a remote send by calling her name and gesturing toward the go-bird.  She runs to pick up the last bird down and brings it to you.  You heel her to the start line and run her on the remaining marks.

While these accelerated poorman setups are still hardly identical the kind of series she'll see in competition, at least she sees the first mark in about the same time frame from sitting at the start line as she would in an event, and at least she's released to the go-bird in about the same time frame after it's been thrown as she would in an event.