Olive- swimming out

   Olive swims out for a bumper/person without problem right now, but I still need to teach her the command "go out".  First I take Olive to the point just before her swimming depth.  From there, I take one step forward, so she takes her first stroke to follow me.  When she takes the first stroke, I click and reward her.  I repeat this process many times and put "go out" command as she gets used to.  Next step is to tell her to "go out" a few strokes by herself while I'm staying at the starting point (just before her swimming depth).  I do not need anyone calling her or throw a bumper to retrieve.  I want her to understand "go out" means she swims and goes away from me.  (I use same "go out" command in obedience.  Doing Open and Utility obedience really helps my dogs to build confidence to work in distance.)
   The other thing she needs to learn for swimming out is to go out when she carries something in her mouth.  I basically repeat the same process of teaching "go out".  Just put a bumper or a line in her mouth, then tell her to go out.  When she takes the first stroke, I praise her.  If she needs me to help her to hold into her mouth, I just gently support her chin as she swims out.  If she is solid for "hold" command, I use the word, too.  I've seen so many dogs just drop a line or a bumper after their handlers send them out to rescue a person or a boat at water tests.  It is very disappointing to see the dogs are willing to go out, but fail because they are not solid to swim out with something in their mouth.
    Eventually, I will drop a line or a bumper (with a line attached) in water.  Then I tell her to pick it up, then go out.  After she masters this level, I will start backing out her toward beach.  After she can reliably go out from beach, I make her work a little bit harder.  I step on her line while she is on the way to a calling steward or a boat.  If she drops the line, she must pick it up, then keep going out.  If she shows me that level, then I feel she is a little bit closer to take a test : )  When she is ready to do WRDX in the future, I will use this technique in the delivering a line to shore.  It is just in opposite direction.