Little proud, slef-indulgent post...

[Spudlet]

So look away now if you don't like that kind of thing

Just got back from a monster training session with Henry - we did a group lesson then had a 1-2-1 staright afterwards. Henry has:

Been the best behaved dog in class again - we had to sit in a circle and take it in turns to weave in and out of the other dogs. He sat like a rock and never put a paw wrong when it was his turn to move. He even did some heelwork off the lead, which I would never have dared to attempt before.

Almost pulled my arm off doing scent work He'd clocked where the treat was hidden and was much faster than the others - clever boy! (although we have practiced that one more than the rest, so he did have an advantage)

Then he had a run about to let off steam, then before we went into the gundog training bit, we had a go on the agility equipment, to rest his braincell He has never tried agility before, but within on round he was off the lead, and had learned to go over the jumps and round them on command, and did the tunnel and some weaves too.

Then we got the dummy launcher out - he wasn't at all bothered by the bang, just wanted to know where it came from, marked the dummies well and got them all.

Then we did some steadiness work and he didn't move a muscle.

Then we did a retrieve from long grass, and he took a bit of a scenic route back to me (via the trainer) so we called it a day (his braincell was frazzled) and had a play with the ball instead.

I am so proud of him!

 

[numptynoelle]

Good Boy!!!! Now watch as he celebrates in an abundance of assorted poo varieties

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Well done to you and Henry!

Sounds like amazing progress for the little tyke!

Could have done with discipline earlier when St Sweep was totally ignoring me.....

 

[Spudlet]

He's currently on the sofa shattered Although he is about to get dragged off the sofa and taken shopping... he will not be pleased!

 

[kirstyhen]

What a clever boy!!! Lots of bang associations like that and gunshot won't faze him at all!!

 

[CorvusCorax]

Sounds like a brilliant day, well done to you both!

(The 'circle of doom' as I used to call it, used to give me nightmares for obvious reasons!!!)

 

[MurphysMinder]

What a superstar, self indulgent post definitely allowed and totally justified. LOL at the circle of doom CC , can be a bit like that with some dogs can't it.

 

[Spudlet]

I was quite worried about the bangs and how he would react, but although he looked at it, as soon as he marked the dummy all he wanted to do was to get to it. I had to take the first two steps with him towards it the first time, but then he shot aff after it, and the next times were no problem at all

lol at the circle of doom cc, it nearly was a couple of times! There was a fair bit of head leaping going on elsewhere, they are all young gundog breeds, so you can imagine

 

[kirstyhen]

Otto would be awesome at the circle of doom! He doesn't give a stuff about other dogs at all, we might struggle with everything else though

That's the way to do the banging bit though Spuds, so he is so fixated on doing his job that bangs don't register! You might find he is still a bit lound-bang-shy (not gunshy!) when he isn't working, but don't worry about it! Otto can react to fireworks and thunder very occasionally, but get him out on the shooting field and he is deaf to it all... and me unfortunately

 

[Spudlet]

Henry was desperate to leap on his two lab buddies' heads, but he resisted the urge (it's amazing what you can achieve with a bit of smoked sausage and a greedyguts spangle)

When we got home I let him out of the car and he ambled off up the drive - then there was this almighty BANG that sounded like a cannon going off, and he was back like a shot, if you'll pardon the expression! Quite handy actually as he was meandering off in completely the wrong direction

We'll see how he gets on in a couple of weeks (eeeeep!), we'll stay well back from the guns but after today I feel much happier about it, I reckon he'll be ok. I'll stick a couple of toys in my bag so we can have a distracting game if he does look a bit anxious

 

[kirstyhen]

I'd use the pheassies flying everywhere as the distraction game! You'll have a blast!
Hopefully I'm going out on the 24th, can't wait, it's my birthday and all I want is my doggy to behave!!

 

[Cinnamontoast]

What a good boy!

 

[Spudlet]

I'd use the pheassies flying everywhere as the distraction game! You'll have a blast!
Hopefully I'm going out on the 24th, can't wait, it's my birthday and all I want is my doggy to behave!!

I'm jealous, I spent a significant chunk of my birthday driving a horrible hire car round and round and round Heathrow Airport looking for my hotel. Turns out, there are a lot of hotels around Heathrow, and it took quite some time (and one episode of losing my rag completely and kicking the car when I got stuck in a carpark)