Gundog people

[druid]

Out with Mimi who is last dog standing currently as Skaer is sporting some sutures.

Working on our memory lefts, rights and backs near a lake solo then her first time sitting up and watching the retriever group training. All very calm so rewarded with one memory at the end.

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Rafi was such a good boy tonight, took him to club training and our usual group was busy so took him into the group up which is the group I’d usually train zazu in, he pretty much did everything apart from stop whistle, which tbf needs more training! But trainer adjusted it for him, he sat off lead while the other dogs went then did a walk up for the first time, off lead no running in but marked everything and turned with me. Really pleased with him.

Any ideas/exercises for teaching stop whistle? He will stop coming towards me but can see hand signal then obviously, and will heel and sit while I carry on walking. I know there are differing views on stopping on the way out and I don’t want to create a pop like I did with zazu!!

 

[Clodagh]

Scout (who I taught a lovely spin to trying to stop him on the way out ) now practices by sending him for a seen, then sending him back to the same area which that time doesn’t have anything. Blow the stop. He’ll either stop or keep hunting. Blow the stop until he does (maybe a hand clap to get attention). When he sits I throw a ball reward at him. It’s all quite close to me (as I’m a rubbish thrower).
Now we can do stop and I’ll throw a seen well away from him, pause, and send him on to that. Stop and look = retrieve reward, instant to start with then delayed.
However Druid may well have a better idea.

 

[druid]

I teach stop as a positive.

So I'll back chain everything and when I'm starting handling work sit the dog up in the position it will be cast from, stop whistle followed by the cast. Retrieve is the reward.

Same for the hunt command. Sit dog up, throw several dummies right behind him into light cover, pick up all bar one. Move back, stop whistle then hunt command.

So for my lot the stop is positive, it gets them a retrieve.

I never reward stop with a mark because either find it causes popping BUT horses for courses and it may be me and not the method!

I would probably reinforce the command over a few sessions on memories while handling. Then have a helper if possible. Helper stands at A, you heel in a nice straight line from A to C dropping a blind at B which is halfway and has some sort of marker to help you know when to stop dog. Helper throws dummy that MUST land in line with the ABC line. Send dog, stop at B. He gets to pick as reward. If he blows through it helper must be ready to pick the mark. So no reward for getting it wrong. Then send for mark.

 

[Thistle]

To move on from that try pre planting some blinds, somewhere that you can redirect him to from the original, now empty fall site, that way he gets his reward from hunting for you, rather than from you directly.

 

[Thistle]

that was in reply to your post, Clodagh

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Thank you will try those!

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Started on the back chain tonight with Rafi as Druid mentioned so sitting in static position stop whistle then cast, also practiced the stop exercise mentioned earlier with zazu to try stopping him popping and he didn’t

 

[maisie06]

Rabbit pen with the youngster, went up to Mach 10 on hot scent - had a flush so we left the hunting there for today and did a couple of memory retieves and finished with sitting to a thrown dummy.

 

[druid]

Started on the back chain tonight with Rafi as Druid mentioned so sitting in static position stop whistle then cast, also practiced the stop exercise mentioned earlier with zazu to try stopping him popping and he didn’t

Glad it helped!

 

[druid]

We gatecrashed a HPR day today so I could meet some more Irish HPR people. It really showed in the speed of maturing that my 8 month old ESS flew through the exercises while some of the HPRs much older were struggling. Great to see a nice mix of breeds too - Weims, GSP, GWP, GLP, HV, HWV and Britts all represented.

Skaer did her party trick from retreiver training of looking bored and judgemental, lying down but when sent as 3rd dog down for a launcher retriever across the valley powered straight out and picked in one cast

 

[Clodagh]

Rabbit pen with the youngster, went up to Mach 10 on hot scent - had a flush so we left the hunting there for today and did a couple of memory retieves and finished with sitting to a thrown dummy.

Well done. I’ve never used a rabbit pen (Labradors you know ) but they seem a great idea for you mad people.

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Went to club training last night, decided to train Zazu, we did an exercise with a mark over a river, current was strong ish but zazu is a good swimmer so no problem there. We then did an exercise with a memory/blind over the river, sat dogs up sent them out along the bank, then stop and ask them to go over the river to dummy. Zazu has a ‘get over’ which I use for barriers and it worked quite well. From where we were stood once the dogs went down the bank to the edge of the river they couldn’t see us so I was pleased with him.

Also he ALWAYS use to stop and shake before delivering the dummy after a water retrieve, but last night and tonight he didn’t do it once! I don’t know what’s happened as I can’t say I’ve done anything but I’m pleased

Tonight I thought I’ll take both dogs down to the river and try Rafi on an easier version of last nights session. There is a still and shallow ish bit of river near my house that is not to wide so I can throw a dummy to the other side. Rafi hasn’t really swam much but he is super keen to retrieve so thought we’d see how we got on and I had Zazu with me to collect any if needed. Rafi was ace! He didn’t even think about not swimming to get the dummy. Did a few retrieves on the water then a few over the other side. No shaking until delivery and picked really quickly on the other side of the river.

Two really good training sessions!

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Good swimming boy!

 

[druid]

Sounds great, I always prefer them to learn to retrieve over water then off water

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Sounds great, I always prefer them to learn to retrieve over water then off water

I’m really pleased with them both is there a reason you prefer picking over water? I’m lucky I have this narrow bit to practice on as my throwing is not the best

 

[druid]

I’m really pleased with them both is there a reason you prefer picking over water? I’m lucky I have this narrow bit to practice on as my throwing is not the best

Almost every dog will pick off water. Not all understand it as an obstacle to cross.

I like my dogs to target the far bank and swim across unless they see the retrieve on the water. It is easier to call a dog in closer than to push them back in water, in general. If they think all retrieves are across they'll take a nice straight forwards line out instead of dithering in the water.

 

[Clodagh]

As you are all posting ‘it all went fab reports’ it inspired me and I decided to mix training into the afternoon walk. So loaded up the training vest, took all five and set off. Tawny wasn’t meant to be doing much but she ended up wearing the lead of shame after acting like the loose horse in the National crossed with a brief shower during a f1 race.
They were all terribly overexcited and apparently deaf. Red and Scout were good, as they don’t get excited (Scout retrieved a couple of dummies at a walk then found and rolled on the third one so I gave up with him). Red has really improved as she is slower and hunts properly and the grass is long.
Ffee less said the better. 10/10 enthusiasm, 2/10 achievement. Pen was ok, at least she found what she was looking for even if she did it her way.
Going for a lie down now.
Here they are waiting for me to come back from putting blinds over the stream. Pen to left out of shot. (It was a still from a video that has now been destroyed in case any shoot captains ever find my phone )

 

[Clodagh]

Almost every dog will pick off water. Not all understand it as an obstacle to cross.

I like my dogs to target the far bank and swim across unless they see the retrieve on the water. It is easier to call a dog in closer than to push them back in water, in general. If they think all retrieves are across they'll take a nice straight forwards line out instead of dithering in the water.

That’s a good idea. The only swimming water I have is a very wide river though. No ponds or anything here. My throwing is sometimes up to the river and sometimes not. I think I’ve sent a few dummies to Bideford.

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Almost every dog will pick off water. Not all understand it as an obstacle to cross.

I like my dogs to target the far bank and swim across unless they see the retrieve on the water. It is easier to call a dog in closer than to push them back in water, in general. If they think all retrieves are across they'll take a nice straight forwards line out instead of dithering in the water.

Makes sense thank you!

 

[maisie06]

Almost every dog will pick off water. Not all understand it as an obstacle to cross.

I like my dogs to target the far bank and swim across unless they see the retrieve on the water. It is easier to call a dog in closer than to push them back in water, in general. If they think all retrieves are across they'll take a nice straight forwards line out instead of dithering in the water.

Oh that's good then!! I often chuck a dummy across a wide rife for some variation and send them on an over command!

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Went training yesterday working on push backs with Rafi, turning on the shoulder the same as the arm I use if that makes sense.

Zazu also came out to play and I’m most pleased with him as two of the girls had weed on the lines we were taking and he didn’t even stop to sniff. He wouldn’t have done that 6 months ago!

 

[Clodagh]

Had a fabulous session today. I just took the three girls (of working age) and they were all great. Even got a decent stop out of Red and she did a really long blind.
All enthused again.
I’ve got a lesson with Steve Kimberley on Saturday and then in the afternoon a ‘meet the team’ thing on a new shoot. I did two days there at the end of last season and loved it. I hate going to group things where I won’t know a soul (as I won’t remember anyone from January) but the dogs said what was a bit of humiliation for some more days shooting.
Putting out dummies.

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Had a fabulous session today. I just took the three girls (of working age) and they were all great. Even got a decent stop out of Red and she did a really long blind.
All enthused again.
I’ve got a lesson with Steve Kimberley on Saturday and then in the afternoon a ‘meet the team’ thing on a new shoot. I did two days there at the end of last season and loved it. I hate going to group things where I won’t know a soul (as I won’t remember anyone from January) but the dogs said what was a bit of humiliation for some more days shooting.
Putting out dummies.

Hope the meet the team goes well!

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Club training again tonight, I took Rafi and we were working on stop whistle which was handy!

 

[Thistle]

I'm going to club training tonight for the first time, will be taking Freya as Toast is 'off games'

 

[Clodagh]

I'm going to club training tonight for the first time, will be taking Freya as Toast is 'off games'

Enjoy

 

[Thistle]

We survived and didn't disgrace ourselves. This was my first step out of my 'comfort zone' since my heart problems started. I've been to my regular group 3 times since I've recovered but this was an unknown. I was put in the top group which made me very nervous, my heart was thumping like crazy. We didn't disgrace ourselves,

All the exercises were based on walk up on a haylage field so lots of cover, (Freya is pretty good and usually steady and obedient), dummies in front, behind and off the end of the line, blinds with gunshot. 7 in the group, 4 labs, 3 golden retrievers. Lovely trainer. F ran in once when the trainer was stood next to me and waved his hand to tell someone to send their dog and she though it was sending her. Recalled and din't put another foot wrong all evening. We were about in the middle in terms of training level, I'm pleased as dogs have been pretty feral since I became unwell and only back in training the last few weeks. I shall definately go to the next 3 groups over the summer.

I'm a bit cross that I haven't entered their working test, it's just 10 mins from me in lovely parkland, but I don't think my heart will appreciate a whole day of pressure just yet, shame as F is more than ready for a Novice test.

 

[Splash2310]

We were promoted to the next group up at our class last week . Now get to start working with dummies - so on that note, does anyone have any recommendations on where to buy them from? Don’t want to spend a fortune and apparently I need two of the same

 

[Clodagh]

We were promoted to the next group up at our class last week . Now get to start working with dummies - so on that note, does anyone have any recommendations on where to buy them from? Don’t want to spend a fortune and apparently I need two of the same

Well done. I go to Sporting Saint. If it’s a small dog/puppy you can get smaller ones. There are some colours dogs see better than others, if that makes a difference to your choice.