Gun Dog People...

[Lady La La]

I fear I may get laughed at for this one

Can a non Gun Doggy breed... Go to gun dog classes?

I only ask because I read an atricle from a local GD trainer in a horsey magazine about the benefits of gun dog training, and how the dog learns important life lessons - recall out in the open to name but one...

But could a dog with no such instincts at all benefit from this? Do trainers encourage 'outside' breeds to partake?

I want to make the call, but As i know NOTHING about this subject, I want to make sure I'm not going to get laughed all the way out of Essex?!

I dont expect to be able to participate in anything with my dog, or for him to be any good at it... Its more the ways in which these dogs seem to learn their skills that interests me. I hope that makes sense

 

[CorvusCorax]

It's not in the DNA of either of the breeds in your lad, one bred to pull and run, the other to guard and keep the herd in line, but non-gundog breeds can of course participate in classes as far as I am aware (we have non-guarding/herding breeds at some of our clubs) and I have heard of GSDs on the beating line (I think the Bellbar kennel from years ago used their GSDs as gundogs).

Does he show natural propensity to use his nose, retrieve etc?
You can of course teach him but if the instinct is there in the first place then it is a lot easier.

 

[Lady La La]

It's not in the DNA of either of the breeds in your lad, one bred to pull and run, the other to guard and keep the herd in line, but non-gundog breeds can of course participate in classes as far as I am aware (we have non-guarding/herding breeds at some of our clubs) and I have heard of GSDs on the beating line (I think the Bellbar kennel from years ago used their GSDs as gundogs).

Does he show natural propensity to use his nose, retrieve etc?
You can of course teach him but if the instinct is there in the first place then it is a lot easier.

No, I'll be honest, He's pants at retreiving anything and is too lazy to sniff. Its a rubbish idea, isnt it?!

 

[CorvusCorax]

No, not at all, take him along. The worst thing that will happen is that you will find out that it's not for you and you can say you tried it.
And he may surprise you

The principles are the same in most of the working disciplines heelwork, sending away, recall, looking for and bringing back objects...even the basics would help.

You can actually teach dogs to be interested in balls/toys/dummies, Spudlet has done great work with her Henry and B who never looked near a ball will now go mad for his and seek it out if I hide it, etc.

 

[Lady La La]

The principles are the same in most of the working disciplines heelwork, sending away, recall, looking for and bringing back objects...even the basics would help..

This is all I want to achieve. Quite possibley GDT may not be the right way to go about it, But the dog training classes we go to every week are doing diddley Squat. He goes into the hall, and behaves impeccabley, spends an hour off lead and doesnt leave my side... but as soon as hes taken out of that enviroment, its like I dont exist. No amount of training him at home seems to be helping either, and I cant get him even remotely interested in a ball!

 

[posie_honey]

go along and have a go - a lot of the basic skills are probably transferable anyway - like obidence, stop whistle etc - but saying that i've never been to one - do they concentrate mainly on retrieve etc?!
fwiw - we have a boxer than comes out where i go beating

 

[Lady La La]

go along and have a go - a lot of the basic skills are probably transferable anyway - like obidence, stop whistle etc - but saying that i've never been to one - do they concentrate mainly on retrieve etc?!
fwiw - we have a boxer than comes out where i go beating

A phonecall can't hurt I guess Thanks.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Weren't you interested about running him in harness? Don't give up on that idea.
And if you like I will see if I can find a working trials club in your area too, more used to big (stubborn ) working breeds than your average local training class.
They start off with obedience and manners before progressing to the more structured obedience, tracking and protection. Loads of different things to think about.

 

[Scranny_Ann]

Go along and have a go!

My rottie will sit, heel, wait, recall, wait 'out' on a recall, go left, go right, go back, retrieve a seen and a blind dummy. Trained him the same way as all the gun dogs. Although, he's obviously not as 'sharp' and it took a lot longer to for him to pick it up! He is treated the same as the spangles and labs and he loves it!

 

[posie_honey]

my cocker wont retrieve dummies - only live game - so i don't do retrieve with training - but he's still a good working dog - you just have to get the dog into the mind set to please you if that makes sense?! ie give them a job and a reward for it - with my cocker i work on walking to heel, stop whistle (taught at heel first then away) recall and steadyness

 

[posie_honey]

Go along and have a go!

My rottie will sit, heel, wait, recall, wait 'out' on a recall, go left, go right, go back, retrieve a seen and a blind dummy. Trained him the same way as all the gun dogs. Although, he's obviously not as 'sharp' and it took a lot longer to for him to pick it up! He is treated the same as the spangles and labs and he loves it!

i didn't know you had a rottie
i rememebr reading an article on working (gun dog) rotties and have always fancied one for beating

 

[mollichop]

Yup! I used to beat with my Dalmation - used to get some odd looks when we rocked up in the beaters wagon

Estate owners daughter picks up with her 2 boxers. Not got the 'traditional' mouth for the job but they are awesome to watch!

Try it, it's a great way to spend a day with your dog if nothing else

 

[Lady La La]

Weren't you interested about running him in harness? Don't give up on that idea.
And if you like I will see if I can find a working trials club in your area too, more used to big (stubborn ) working breeds than your average local training class.
They start off with obedience and manners before progressing to the more structured obedience, tracking and protection. Loads of different things to think about.

I'd really appreciate that. I haven't given up on it, have started hollering directions at him on walks etc... but tbh I just feel like I have to get him at least reasonable at the basics before I start trying to find him a 'job' He is nowhere near as well trained as he should be, and although this isnt affecting his day to day life, I feel like if I dont get those basics soon, I never will?!

 

[CorvusCorax]

Don't panic, he's still young but trust me, any sort of class or structure is great for giving you a focus and a plan and a fresh pair of eyes always helps. PM me your location.

 

[Scranny_Ann]

i didn't know you had a rottie
i rememebr reading an article on working (gun dog) rotties and have always fancied one for beating

Yep, Rocky! He's actually my OH's, soft as *****. I think he's actually a spangle trapped in the wrong body!

I've never actually tried him on game, only dummies but i am going to try it this weekend now!

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

I picked my lurcher from the litter at five weeks, because he trotted up to me with a brush in his mouth, and gave it into my hands! Since then, OH takes him beating (will only go into cover with a coat on!) and retrieving. He beats by looking, he'll stare into the hedge and gently stick his nose in - voila, pheasant going vertical! Same with picking up - stupid gun dogs nosing for the scent ;-) , Finn stands on his hindlegs, watches in land and takes off flat out, brings it straight back. He also wins the out and back BASC gundog scurry, but they won't let his score stand!