gunnergundog
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Gundog people
- Thread starter Clodagh
- Start date
Splash2310
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We had training this morning, pup so tired from our holiday he curled up next to my bag in the field and fell asleep when we got to retrieves!
EllieBeast
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I’ve been absent recently, just really busy with work, dogs, horse, holiday etc 
Me and the monster are still working hard! Our current big battle is his desire to chase, we are getting there slowly though. Working on switching that instinct to chase into a trigger to ‘sit’ is taking time but we are definitely getting there.
The big battle is that although he is a beautiful enthusiastic hunter - he is a sensitive, soft lad so stopping the chase without squashing his drive is easier said than done.
We did, however, brave our first HPR working test last week though.
Erik is 19months old, so ‘just’ too old to enter Puppy tests but is definitely still a puppy in his brain so going straight in at Novice felt very daunting
especially as he’s my first gundog so I’ve got no prior experience either 
I cannot describe how nervous I was. Thankfully, Erik paid not a blind bit of notice to that and carried plenty of confidence for the both of us
He tackled all 5 tests with boundless enthusiasm and energy, he listened to everything I asked of him and completed every test- not perfectly by any stretch - but I couldn’t have been more pleased with him.
I was totally shocked that we won the award for being the highest scoring GLP, and looking at the scores we were 6th overall out of 45 dogs scoring 106/120 (the winner was on 113). We got 39/40 for our hunting, which was judged by the king of GLPs and hunting itself so I was over the moon
I am having SO much fun on my journey with him. Next stop the game fair at Blenheim- if anyone is about and wants to come and meet some German Longhaired Pointers, we’ll be in the sporting dog Pavilion- Erik provides free cuddles to all
Me and the monster are still working hard! Our current big battle is his desire to chase, we are getting there slowly though. Working on switching that instinct to chase into a trigger to ‘sit’ is taking time but we are definitely getting there.
The big battle is that although he is a beautiful enthusiastic hunter - he is a sensitive, soft lad so stopping the chase without squashing his drive is easier said than done.
We did, however, brave our first HPR working test last week though.
Erik is 19months old, so ‘just’ too old to enter Puppy tests but is definitely still a puppy in his brain so going straight in at Novice felt very daunting
especially as he’s my first gundog so I’ve got no prior experience either I cannot describe how nervous I was. Thankfully, Erik paid not a blind bit of notice to that and carried plenty of confidence for the both of us
He tackled all 5 tests with boundless enthusiasm and energy, he listened to everything I asked of him and completed every test- not perfectly by any stretch - but I couldn’t have been more pleased with him.
I was totally shocked that we won the award for being the highest scoring GLP, and looking at the scores we were 6th overall out of 45 dogs scoring 106/120 (the winner was on 113). We got 39/40 for our hunting, which was judged by the king of GLPs and hunting itself so I was over the moon
I am having SO much fun on my journey with him. Next stop the game fair at Blenheim- if anyone is about and wants to come and meet some German Longhaired Pointers, we’ll be in the sporting dog Pavilion- Erik provides free cuddles to all
EllieBeast
Well-Known Member
It’s important to work out what you want to be doing with her long term?
HPRs and spaniels hunt in very different ways. Spaniels are supposed to run a pattern on the ground in front of you- keeping fairly close.
HPRs should run the wind, head up and be far wider ranging than any spaniel would generally be. We teach the turn whistle by ‘pipping’ as the dog is naturally turning into the wind- keeping up well enough to ensure they don’t get an opportunity to back cast. They start to associate the ‘pip’ with turning into the wind over time.
I only ask for eye contact at the start of my run, before I let him ‘go’, after that I use my body language/shoulder position to let his m know where I’m headed which helps him work out when to turn/where his beat is.
My dog is a natural gifted hunter, it’s on me to make sure I can keep up and try not to f*** it up for him
it tends to be fairly instinctive in HPRs
druid
Well-Known Member
We headed to the inaugural Irish Gundog Girls Charity AV Gundog breed test today. So fun to see the retrievers, labs and hprs running together.
The girls certainly put it up to the labs with Sassy winning the puppy on 98/100 to which her mum, Skaer, said "hold my beer". She stunned me by finished on 100/100 to win the Open ahead of 3 FT labs. She also took the Top Spaniel and High Point awards.
Mimi was on the sidelines due to being in season so promptly shredded one of the gift bags!
BallyRoanBaubles
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Club training tonight, not many left for the summer! I trained Zazu tonight he was good.
First we had a memory over a fence that the dogs saw, then walked round some trees and sent from a different place. Then we had a mark and replace on undulating ground, the replace had a shot but the shot was left of the dummy. I was pleased Zazu didn’t run to the shot as he use to.
Then we had a memory in the same place but with a mark distraction to the left, pick memory first then mark. Did this well and I’m pleased as not a wide angle between.
Finished with a mark over a pond and he did that well no shaking until he was told
First we had a memory over a fence that the dogs saw, then walked round some trees and sent from a different place. Then we had a mark and replace on undulating ground, the replace had a shot but the shot was left of the dummy. I was pleased Zazu didn’t run to the shot as he use to.
Then we had a memory in the same place but with a mark distraction to the left, pick memory first then mark. Did this well and I’m pleased as not a wide angle between.
Finished with a mark over a pond and he did that well no shaking until he was told
Clodagh
Well-Known Member
He’s doing brilliantly (or you are!)Club training tonight, not many left for the summer! I trained Zazu tonight he was good.
First we had a memory over a fence that the dogs saw, then walked round some trees and sent from a different place. Then we had a mark and replace on undulating ground, the replace had a shot but the shot was left of the dummy. I was pleased Zazu didn’t run to the shot as he use to.
Then we had a memory in the same place but with a mark distraction to the left, pick memory first then mark. Did this well and I’m pleased as not a wide angle between.
Finished with a mark over a pond and he did that well no shaking until he was told
BallyRoanBaubles
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It’s taken until this year (he’s 4 now) for everything to really feel like it’s clicked into place! But he’s taught me everything I owe him a lot
Clodagh
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I got my partridge dates! So pleased as with new shoots and teams they are bound to favour the people they know. I’ve told the dogs, we had a dance round the yard with excitement (me too 
)
)
Clodagh
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He’s a lab isn’t he? I think he’s the neurotic one, like Ffee?
BallyRoanBaubles
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Yes he is!
Morwenna
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This gives me hope! I was thinking I should leave this thread as my attempts at training my two year old Lab are laughable compared to what everyone else is doing
Clodagh
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Really not. Tawny, my first, was the one the breeder said ‘you don’t want her as a first dog, take her sister’. My son got the pick though and chose T. She was an absolute nightmare, driven and opinionated.This gives me hope! I was thinking I should leave this thread as my attempts at training my two year old Lab are laughable compared to what everyone else is doing
She always was (sorry!
) but the most fabulous worker and I adore her. It’s her in my avatar.
Clodagh
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Always helps. Ffee is a strange combination of pig headed and neurotic.
BallyRoanBaubles
Buys real biscuits
Yep took until this year to really get it together!This gives me hope! I was thinking I should leave this thread as my attempts at training my two year old Lab are laughable compared to what everyone else is doing
BallyRoanBaubles
Buys real biscuits
Club training tonight with Rafi, his stop whistle was fab
Love
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Purdey Puppy has just won Mr. L a £350 pair of field boots from the Game fair - he's very happy To enter you had to take a photo of your dog in their stand and share to Instagram.
A few months ago she won a 15kg sack of her food just from us posting a photo on Instagram - I wonder how long before she starts turning a profit....
To enter you had to take a photo of your dog in their stand and share to Instagram.A few months ago she won a 15kg sack of her food just from us posting a photo on Instagram - I wonder how long before she starts turning a profit....
Clodagh
Well-Known Member
She’s an influencer! Well done!Purdey Puppy has just won Mr. L a £350 pair of field boots from the Game fair - he's very happy
A few months ago she won a 15kg sack of her food just from us posting a photo on Instagram - I wonder how long before she starts turning a profit....
Clodagh
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Such a good training session yesterday. Went to the river early and had them doing widths to get the dummy out of the reeds on the far bank.
Progressed to all four out at once going for different retrieves. They are so good.
Sadly I know this will all go out the window with the first shot fired
Progressed to all four out at once going for different retrieves. They are so good.
Sadly I know this will all go out the window with the first shot fired
druid
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August 1st so trial/get fit work has started. Either swimming 1-1.5km or biking 4km 3/4 times a week for Skaer and Myrka. The girls aren't quite 1yo yet so no fitness regime for them but training continues. We head to Yorkshire/Borders in September for rabbit and partridge training days and Skaer has her first trial Sept 7th.
Training wise Sassy is starting to edge out her sister as the better dog. More flash, more style and a better natural marker. Mimi is still the one I prefer though...she's trustworthy unlike the pocket rocket who is on a knife edge constantly.
Training wise Sassy is starting to edge out her sister as the better dog. More flash, more style and a better natural marker. Mimi is still the one I prefer though...she's trustworthy unlike the pocket rocket who is on a knife edge constantly.
BallyRoanBaubles
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Good luck with the trial! Makes me think I should do some more get fit work with mine
druid
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I find the spaniels need to be pretty damn fit for trials, a longish run in heavy cover is pretty energy sapping. Mine swim on command so I pop them in the canal and walk along the bank at their pace then we walk back to warm them up/dry off. The biking gets me fit too, they just trot at heel and it's on farm track so no traffic!
Clodagh
Well-Known Member
Canal set up sounds perfect.
I’m now on 2 x week long road walk and 2x week swimming but at the river. It’s me that needs to be fitter for the season, the dogs keep pretty well.
I’m now on 2 x week long road walk and 2x week swimming but at the river. It’s me that needs to be fitter for the season, the dogs keep pretty well.
BallyRoanBaubles
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Mine will only be picking up but might get my bike tire fixed then we can do some biking
druid
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We put a gps collar on one of my Springers for a day on a commercial shoot. He covered 24km over 5 drives.....so I figure being fit is only fair! We've started giving maltodetxtrin (well, a sled dog "drink") before warm/long days too and it does seem to help.
BallyRoanBaubles
Buys real biscuits
We did a 10k walk today, but think I’ll get my running trainers on and do that a few times a week too
Love
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Purdey amazed me yet again earlier today we went to Ripley show and wandered over to the gun dog retrieve to have a watch. It was a marked retrieve followed by a blind with shot and would be her first time having a go at one in a bigger arena rather than just a scurry lane. We weren’t going to enter her as we’ve not worked on blinds with her but the people running it said we were welcome to just give it a try for fun and see what happens…
Well her marked retrieve was absolutely rapid! Straight back to me like a bullet (her delivery was questionable and more of a rugby tackle from me but we’ll ignore that for now) then sent straight back out for the blind. Understandably she was a bit confused having never worked on them but with a few hunt whistles (which we’ve been practising with hidden tennis balls) she got the message and soon got it.
Then to our surprise, as we were leaving the people said we had better leave our number because as it stood we were good for 3rd place! So waiting to see if we get a call about her placing
we went to Ripley show and wandered over to the gun dog retrieve to have a watch. It was a marked retrieve followed by a blind with shot and would be her first time having a go at one in a bigger arena rather than just a scurry lane. We weren’t going to enter her as we’ve not worked on blinds with her but the people running it said we were welcome to just give it a try for fun and see what happens…Well her marked retrieve was absolutely rapid! Straight back to me like a bullet (her delivery was questionable and more of a rugby tackle from me but we’ll ignore that for now
) then sent straight back out for the blind. Understandably she was a bit confused having never worked on them but with a few hunt whistles (which we’ve been practising with hidden tennis balls) she got the message and soon got it. Then to our surprise, as we were leaving the people said we had better leave our number because as it stood we were good for 3rd place! So waiting to see if we get a call about her placing
druid
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Finally got the girls started on game (obviously just flushes, nothing shot as out of season except for rabbits). Paired with some cold game retrieves.
Hunting is getting there now, Sassy better than Mimi who has a tendancy to try peg but spits on the stop whistle.
Retrieves getting tidier now with both girls stopping and handling well on blinds.
We are off to Yorkshire/Borders for 5 days in September so I can pay extorinate amounts for partridge and rabbit shot over days
Hunting is getting there now, Sassy better than Mimi who has a tendancy to try peg but spits on the stop whistle.
Retrieves getting tidier now with both girls stopping and handling well on blinds.
We are off to Yorkshire/Borders for 5 days in September so I can pay extorinate amounts for partridge and rabbit shot over days
BallyRoanBaubles
Buys real biscuits
I’ve managed to get my running shoes on and do a few runs with the dogs, we will all be getting fit!!
Last working tests of the season next weekend
Last working tests of the season next weekend
BallyRoanBaubles
Buys real biscuits
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
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
