First day shooting tomorrow!! Arghhh!

[Ravenwood]

Tomorrow I am taking the dogs picking up for the first shoot of the season!

I haven't done any refresher training this summer whatsoever Ok, they both respond to the whistle because I use that daily but will they remember their left from their right? Will they look at me blankly when I tell them to go back? Will they remember my hand signals or look at me inquisitively thinking I am having some sort of fit?

Will they race around like mad idiots on the first drive, knocking over the guns, pinching everyone else's birds, running in? I expect so!

Wish us luck!!!

 

[mollichop]

Ooh good luck! My boys are very jealous, not had our dates through yet.

I'm sure they'll do you proud - can't be worse than Hector at the start of last season, I didn't get him back before he hit a 20 acre maize field and put up about 40 birds before the guns were even on the pegs have never wanted a black lab more in my life - there were loads of those about so could've pretended it wasn't my dog. All I could hear in the distance were shouts of "get that ****ing pointer back!"

I'm hoping we've improved slightly since then

 

[Scranny_Ann]

JEALOUS!!

So how did it go??? Were they completely nuts with selective hearing??

Oh i'm looking forward to our first day ... 5th Oct!!!

Lets hope i see an improvement in Jake this year!! Or he's GOING! Put in sooo many hours with him and i have a feeling the beagle instinct will be back yet LOL

PICS PLEASE!!!!

 

[Beatrice5]

Blimey I can't believe the season has started already - would you like to train my lot up....Hahaha x

Hope you had a fab day the weather was lovely - did you have pheasant for tea? We have a little flock that have adopted my chickens which is very amusing - Chickens don't know what to make of their new pals.

 

[EAST KENT]

Pheasant season does`nt start until October !st,so it must be partridge or waterfowl I guess. NEVER try and eat a fresh pheasant,it tastes like cardboard..needs hanging for two or three weeks to get gamey and tender. Let`s hear an update??

 

[Beatrice5]

Oh that explains that then - thank you. I did think it felt a little early for Pheasants , they've only just started venturing up this way.

 

[Ravenwood]

Good start to the day - very upsetting ending

As some of you know we have a BC pup, Rosie. We have been spending time getting her used to being on her own for short periods and building it up - but, I openly admit, that probably not enough time.

Anyway, I set off this morning (yes, partridge by the way ) with Toby and Flyn, leaving Rosie alone in the pen - I got about half way to the shoot and felt so awful for her that I turned around, drove back home and put Toby in with her - just taking Flyn with me. Well, it was the first day - just a small one.

Fly worked brilliantly - as expected, he such a fantastic spaniel The weather was perfect, nice guns, good birds etc etc.

But, when I got home, the kids had got home from school about 5 minutes before me, we found that Rosie had dug, clawed and bitten her way out of the pen and killed my chickens It was carnage

Two are dead and one probably will be by the morning although I have done everything I can for him

I am so upset

I am even more upset and angry with my son - who hasn't taken nearly the responsibility for his dog that he promised me he would. He wants to swan off beating tomorrow leaving Rosie on her own again ....FGS

Needless to say, I will not be off to the shoot tomorrow as planned but instead I will be digging yet another trench and fixing some chain link fencing to the inside of the pen tomorrow

 

[Spudlet]

Good boy Flyn! But, oh dear, Rosie

BTW, Henry is in the post to you, if you could just get him sorted then post him back that would be great

 

[mollichop]

Aw so sorry you had to come home to that! Hope he pulls through. Don't feel bad though, as you say she's your sons dog and you have done brilliantly with her so far - these things happen.

Glad the shoot went well