Mike Lardy provides instructions for the swim-by drill on the third disc of the TRT video. The swim-by is the last step of the yard progression in the Basics segment of TRT, and is also the last step of the yard progression in Stage 2 of the PRT program we’re building. Since we have already worked on every element of the Stage 2 field progression, the swim-by is also the last step of PRT Stage 2 overall. When we finish swim-by, we’ll begin Stage 3, which corresponds to TRT Transition.

You might have noticed that we’re beginning swim-by step 1 even though we haven’t completed double T steps 7 and 8. That’s consistent with Mike’s comments on the TRT video, and works well for us because I was able to arrange training with a swim-by pond at this time. But I’m not planning to cut Lightning’s work on the double T short. We’ll continue working on that in our early morning sessions until Lightning is fluent in double T steps 7 and 8, even as we work on swim-by step 1 when we get the opportunity.

Step 1 of PRT swim-by has the combined objectives of the first two steps of TRT swim-by, that is, teaching the line to the pile and force to pile. Of course PRT doesn’t use a physical aversive, that is, an ecollar, to increase the dog’s drive to the pile. But just as we found with pile work and the double T on land, a positive-trained dog will drive hard to the pile even though no force is used. I saw that years ago with Lumi and Laddie in this stage of their training, and it’s been equally clear with Lightning. I expect to see that same drive in the swim-by as well, beginning with strep 1.