Possible dilemna

Spudlet

Spudlet

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Or possibly not...?

So, as people know I have been doing gundog training with Henry, and blips and picnics notwithstanding he is doing ok:) This evening we have been endearing ourselves to our neighbours practicing the 'stop' whistle, our trainer showed me a new way to teach it while we're playing and so far so good:)

On the other hand, I have also been looking at volunteering with the local search and rescue team - if I do this, I want to do it as a dog handler with Henry, and train him as a search and rescue dog. I could still volunteer without Henry, but it would be difficult to be able to commit to going to searches for several hours at a time while leaving him at home alone, tbh.

Now it might be that you can do both successfully - I am going to a training session with the search and rescue bods on Friday evening (minus Henry) and am hoping to pick the brains of the dog person while there.

But if you can't - what do I do? I really enjoy gundog training and our trainer is really nice so the training sessions are fun too. If I'm honest I'm a bit daunted by it though as there is so much to learn - and that's before I even get as far as actually finding somewhere that will let me work him!

On the other hand, it has been a longstanding ambition of mine to handle a search and rescue dog, ever since I was little. But can it wait for the future - and for a future dog?

I'm dithering as to whether the two types of training would complement each other or not tbh. In both cases the dog is using its nose to search, just for different things. Is he clever enough to distinguish the two things? I am kind of hopeful based on the info sent over by the search and rescue dog people as it appears from that overview that the training is to search from something belonging to the missing person, which is similar to how I am teaching him to find dummies at the moment.:confused:

Hey ho - sorry, don't necessarily expect any responses, just sort of thinking aloud if you know what I mean:o
 
i think search and rescue dogs are brilliant and to have the opportunity to do that would be amazing.

I have a springerxcollie (in other words a nutter)... and would love to do something like that with her - i have been gundog training her (shes mostly springeR) and doing well but search and rescue she would adore that

Is he a springer? /lab? Either way - smart dogs - especially the spaniels and tbh i do think they can do both as they are smart! but like i said to pick one it would be search and rescue - but with YOUR dog :)
 
Can't see why he couldn't do both! It's not like you'll be teaching him to chase birdies, just working in a different way.
You could do sometthing so he distinguishes between the two, a different pitch whistle, a harness that goes on exclusively when he is being 'search and rescue Henry' etc etc.
TBH we ask our dogs to differentiate between so many commands without thinking, and I think they are much better at it than we give them credit for, that I can't see how you'd be causing him a problem!
 
He's a cocker (and deadly picnic snaffler at fifty paces - if we are searching for lost picnicers he won't need any training at all:D)

In all honesty I think if it comes to picking I'll go with gundog training with Henry - kind of hoping he might be able to do both though. But don't want to be unfair on him and confuse him:)

ETA thanks hen - I will ask the question on Friday and see what they say :) I can ask my gundog trainer about it too next time we go!
 
As you've mentioned, it will be whether he can differentiate between following the scent of people/air scenting people and following the scent of birds. As Hen suggests, making the differences quite clear through commands and equipment, but at the end of the day, as with all training you will have to rely on - the talent of the dog, the genetics of the dog, the talent of the handler and the quality of the trainer - those are the most important things in teaching a dog to do anything and the beauty of a breed like yours and like mine - if you don't do well in one discipline, there are plenty of other things for you to do so don't be disheartened if one doesn't work out :)
 
I reckon she'd probably be the best person to ask, get an idea of what the search and rescue people want and she what she says about it.
As long as your not telling him it's ok to do something in one job, but not for another then I can't see how i would confuse him.
Just because he works, it doesn't mean he has to be a beating dog, you've done so much retrieving work with him, he could easily pick up and that doesn't require any training at all... ;) :D :D
 
Don't normally venture in here, but thought I would share this with you.

I met a dog at gundog training on Sunday who combines working as a gundog, lowland search and rescue and agility - seriously multi-talented. :) Apparently he doesn't have any problems differentiating between the different jobs although admittedly he was a lab!!

Good luck with what you decide to do, I think discussing it with your trainer would be a good idea.

Best wishes from a fellow mad spangle owner :D
 
Cool, thanks Dragon22! And do come in here more often - we are very nice and we need more members for the Spaniel Massive, the GSD Mafia are getting a bit too numerous for comfort!:eek::D
 
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