Gundog people

[Clodagh]

Great day at a charity test today

Rafi ran in the puppy, only his second test to get a COM (4th) out of 15 puppies. Also highest goldie!

Then Zazu ran in the novice and came 3rd!! We were on the same score as 1st and had a 3 dog run off. Blind over water and he just wouldn’t go far enough. It was a long swim tbf, if it was a mark he would’ve done it no problem but I know what to work on! Still super super proud of him, the entry was 36 dogs

That is amazing! Huge well done. Fabulous.

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Another good test today Rafi got 3rd in the puppy test, and zazu got 4th after another run off which we lost again!! But still very very pleased with them

 

[druid]

More work on game and the girls are really starting to come together now. Sassy outshining her sister by a country mile but Mimi still doing enough to warrant working towards trials. They're maturing into very different dogs. Sassy does everything at a million miles an hour and tries all the answers she can think of if she's unsure on a command. Mimi hates getting it wrong (even though the only correction she's ever had is a stern "aye-aye-aye") and so just does nothing if she doesn't understand the question. Surely makes training fun when you have to get through the same exercise in 2 very different styles. Sassy is more like her mother though, who has been nothing short of the best dog I've ever owned so hopefully that bodes well!!

 

[maisie06]

I have stupidly agreed to a working test on monday - wish me luck!

 

[Clodagh]

I have stupidly agreed to a working test on monday - wish me luck!

That’s fabulous. Well done. You’ve so got this! Good luck.

 

[Clodagh]

I have got the official go ahead from OH and will definitely be getting a pup as early as possible into February. Black bitch (lab). I like the modern rangey sort.
Both parents must be health tested and actually work. Need a lot of drive for the terrain here. I like red type, not fussed how much. My hottest dog has none and my most laid back is scarlet throughout!
I’ll travel anywhere, within reason.
Can you give me a shout if you hear of anything?

 

[Moobli]

I have got the official go ahead from OH and will definitely be getting a pup as early as possible into February. Black bitch (lab). I like the modern rangey sort.
Both parents must be health tested and actually work. Need a lot of drive for the terrain here. I like red type, not fussed how much. My hottest dog has none and my most laid back is scarlet throughout!
I’ll travel anywhere, within reason.
Can you give me a shout if you hear of anything?

Not having a gundog, I don't tend to venture into this thread but had a quick nosey today and saw this exciting news. I'm sure you will be able to find the right pup with your contacts and look forward to seeing photos when she arrives. My friend recently brought home a black lab pup and she looks adorable. Father is show line who picks up and has a show working gundog certificate and mother is from working lines (not sure if that's the correct terminology for gundogs).

 

[Clodagh]

Not having a gundog, I don't tend to venture into this thread but had a quick nosey today and saw this exciting news. I'm sure you will be able to find the right pup with your contacts and look forward to seeing photos when she arrives. My friend recently brought home a black lab pup and she looks adorable. Father is show line who picks up and has a show working gundog certificate and mother is from working lines (not sure if that's the correct terminology for gundogs).

Yes, correct terminology .
I am not overwhelmed with enthusiasm but they grow up soon enough.

 

[Clodagh]

Another want.
A waistcoat for partridge days. I may have asked year, if I did sorry but I didn’t get one and forgot recommendations.
I think Seeland do one but I can’t see what I had in mind. I think they were called dog training vests but not with the big back pocket (I have one of those) I want something neater.
Thornproof, not fleece, have a million of those. I can see what I mean in my head!

 

[druid]

Deerhunter Lady Ann vest has small neat game pocket, plenty of other pockets and looks smart

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

I have stupidly agreed to a working test on monday - wish me luck!

Only just seen this good luck for tomorrow!

 

[maisie06]

I have got the official go ahead from OH and will definitely be getting a pup as early as possible into February. Black bitch (lab). I like the modern rangey sort.
Both parents must be health tested and actually work. Need a lot of drive for the terrain here. I like red type, not fussed how much. My hottest dog has none and my most laid back is scarlet throughout!
I’ll travel anywhere, within reason.
Can you give me a shout if you hear of anything?

I'm sussex based but I'll let you know if I hear anything, some cracking labs in the gundog club I go to.

 

[maisie06]

So the little man did me proud in the working test 4th out of 19 not bad for a dog that wouldn't pick anything a few months ago, just looned around hunting! Was a lovely day with lots of money raised for charity!

 

[Clodagh]

So the little man did me proud in the working test 4th out of 19 not bad for a dog that wouldn't pick anything a few months ago, just looned around hunting! Was a lovely day with lots of money raised for charity!

That’s absolutely fabulous, well done.
Did you get incredibly nervous?

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

So the little man did me proud in the working test 4th out of 19 not bad for a dog that wouldn't pick anything a few months ago, just looned around hunting! Was a lovely day with lots of money raised for charity!

That’s great! Well done!!

 

[maisie06]

That’s absolutely fabulous, well done.
Did you get incredibly nervous?

Very! I could have done with a big G&T beforehand!!

 

[druid]

Just plugged the Yorkshire trip into google maps. 1250 miles in 4 days. Sometimes I question my own sanity in the pursuit of a bit of dog training!

 

[gunnergundog]

Just plugged the Yorkshire trip into google maps. 1250 miles in 4 days. Sometimes I question my own sanity in the pursuit of a bit of dog training!

Standard if you have HPRs and travel up to Caithness! Albeit, breaking the journey in Yorkshire for grouse and further north for wild fowling and black grouse. Enjoy.

 

[druid]

Standard if you have HPRs and travel up to Caithness! Albeit, breaking the journey in Yorkshire for grouse and further north for wild fowling and black grouse. Enjoy.

This is just once I land on UK soil! Oh, and slip in a Champ show too because why not!

 

[Clodagh]

Today was the last proper training session before next Tuesday, which praise be will be my first day out.
There’s been a quiet start to the season, I imagine the weather hasn’t helped.
I packed the car today as I’m busy every day now until the morning of.
I’ll only be taking three out of the four and have decided to leave Ffee behind. I’m feeling guilty already but she isn’t the best at steady head down hunting in the open on busy days. Red is feeling quietly smug at making the A team.

 

[druid]

Fabulous few days training in Lancashire/Nottingham/Yorkshire. Girls have come on leaps and bounds. Partridge and rabbits shot over them, steady to flush, picking beautifully and just showing how they are maturing.

Particularly proud moment when Sassy had a double flush on very tight sat rabbits to which she was nice and steady. One shot, sent her and she flushed another on the way out, didn't even acknowledge it just continued on her retrieve and picked nicely. A lot of temptation for a young dog

 

[maisie06]

Had a training day on partrige yesterday, his hunting was supersonic and he sat to flush, his retrieves need work as he gets locked in hunting mode and goes a bit silly, but he'll get there

 

[gunnergundog]

How to make an old dog very happy......I have a 13 year old who lives in the house now and hasn't worked for four years. He has access to my own small acreage that attracts 'training aids' from a nearby shoot, but otherwise goes for 'old dog' walks on his own with me. Well, today, we stumbled across a couple of lads helping to thin out the local pigeon population on a nearby seeded field for the farmer. It was the sound of the shot that fired him and 20+ birds later I had to drag him away. His eyes were alive like they hadn't been for ages. He's had some precautionary Metacam tonight, but is currently crashed out at my feet with his tail beating a march, his body twitching and yipping away. If he's dead tomorrow, or has to be PTS, so be it. I totally accept that this is not the ideal for most older, unfit dogs, and it is not something I would normally do, but for him, it was the right thing, it was what he lived for and what he wanted....I wish to god I'd kept him working longer rather than making him into a couch potato.....I thought he was happy, but it was nothing compared to how he was today. How wrong could I be.

 

[druid]

Last day yesterday in Cumbria, privileged to have some red grouse flushes (none shot) along side rabbits and some nice retrieve work on dummies in the afternoon at Hectorkirk. Very good set up with the girls building up to retrieves over a fence, wide burn and another fence to pick across an angle.

Could have done without the never ending drizzle though!!

 

[Clodagh]

Had a fabulous day, the dogs were faultless. It was warm but not too hot, shirtsleeve weather.
I know others in here have better behaved dogs but Ffee’s first bird she didn’t want to give to me so I ignored her until she realised that the others were still out retrieving. She was like ‘here, take it, take it, quick’.

 

[druid]

Working on confidence now before our season starts (Irish season for Partridge is Oct-Feb, Pheasant Nov-Feb much more civilised and in line with the birds breeding habits)

Going out and walking a big circle/loop placing marker dummies out without the dog then bringing dog to middle of loop and getting them confident in looking down your hand and taking a straight line. Some of these will become memory blinds to continue to build that confidence up.

Playing with our new "partridge disc flinger" which has rapidly been renamed the wanger! Clay pigeon hand thrower with black rubber discs that float/fly very much like a partridge and tuck in on landing. Hunting up, find of a sniffle/quail dummy, sit to find, wanger disc chucked out and helper "shoots" it with shotgun using .22 blank adapter so dogs are getting the full sequence. This is really helping marking and gunsense before we start again on game.

 

[Clodagh]

Recall/ training advice please.
For someone with admitted poor timing and coordination!
It’s a problem I have created but Scout is now ranging too far and no longer holding a good pattern when sweeping. Training at home is difficult as he doesn’t like retrieving.
Up on the moor on Friday I took a pocket of cooked chicken and when he turned or recalled he got a bit.
The only thing he likes as much as hunting and retrieving game is food.
So I thought of the thing Druid mentioned before about training direction with food as it saves you worrying about the retrieve at the same time. All I want at the moment is a perfect recall. I used to have it, so I’m sure it’s there somewhere.
I want to get him to leave food (kibble thrown in the grass I think?) to come to me . When he comes to me he can have cheese or even just a handful of kibble. He’s no connoisseur. Any better ideas? Or negative things to look out for?

 

[druid]

Whatever you send him for (bowl with food, scattered food etc) reward him with a higher value food or a "jackpot" for returning. You need to be better and higher value than hunting etc.

Ypu can definitely pratice on walks, just let him free roam and recall if he looks vaguely interested in anything. Bring soem cold game home if you need to in order to get him hunting.

 

[Clodagh]

Whatever you send him for (bowl with food, scattered food etc) reward him with a higher value food or a "jackpot" for returning. You need to be better and higher value than hunting etc.

Ypu can definitely pratice on walks, just let him free roam and recall if he looks vaguely interested in anything. Bring soem cold game home if you need to in order to get him hunting.

Thank you. I thought I could practice on walks by throwing kibble. But then he will have to leave it behind as going back for it is not what I want. So it won’t work, will it?

 

[Clodagh]

I can bring home some game. But he is so not keen to retrieve at home that I don’t really want to use it as it’s taken long time to get him confident about it out shooting.
He’s a tiring combination of pig headedness and nerves.