Training

Clodagh

Clodagh

Playing chess with pigeons
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Back from holiday and time to crack on. Had a fantastic training session today, Ffee's second ever. She is only doing very simple stuff right now, just basic seen retrieves. She loves it! So although she looks like a lemon foxhound perhaps there is a bit of lab in there. She sits and waits to be sent and marks really nicely. Love her.
Then Pen's turn, who lacks confidence so needs lot of building up with simple stuff until you can challenge her. OH came as dummy thrower today which didn't work as she takes them back to him first and then to me if he ignores her. She did well though and over the next few weeks I should be able to increase the difficulty.
Finally Tawny, I love this dog. Only thing is I cannot find a way to challenge her, she can always work out the puzzle. Last time I walked her, two weeks ago, she found a sliver of discarded tennis ball, I threw it in an overgrown ditch. She has walked past it loads of times with my OH while I was away but showed no interest. Yesterday I walked her past the ditch and she went in and found it - a mark remembered for a fortnight!
A pic of Ffee because she is pretty (for a hound).
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Who else is doing training? (Of any sort)?
 
I'm starting to push the Cocker more - doing blind retrieves over longer distances and direction left's and rights, gradually building distance. He's not the keenest retriever - he lives to hunt but he's getting there and we keep sessions short and sweet- and like Tawny he has a great memory for things he's found which I throw away - like manky dead crows....
 
Clever Tawny!
I do bits and pieces with Juno but I'm not very good! I've been working on keeping her close to me while not on the lead, then releasing her, she loves this game. I often bring her back to me halfway through a walk, make her walk close for a minute or so then release her.
This week I'm starting a "Recall Booster" class. She's not very good at coming back right to me, she'll come close and she'll wait while I go to her, but she doesn't come all the way to me so it should be an interesting course.
 
I think no matter what training you do there is no doubt that it makes them love you a lot. :-)
Two sessions on and Ffee's heel and sit is so sharp now, she worked out that do as you are told = retrieve. I have not taught her to heel using a lead, so I want to know if it will make her heel better or worse. It is good but she veers from left to right a bit, I am not always quick enough to correct.
Sadly, 'leave it' means swallow disgusting dead thing as quickly as possible, although she was defeated by a fallow deer's jawbone this morning.
maisie - your dog sounds perfect for beating! Tawny is OK at it but if she sees a bird fall it does distract her from looking for live ones. I think you compete with him in trials though? I love watching a well trained spaniel hunting.
JB - any recall hints would be interesting, Ffee and Pen can both just be a bit slack on the instant recall, they tend to decide if I mean it first, which is annoying.
 
Yes the training increases the bond hugely I find. How old are your 3?
I'll try to report back, its a short course, just 3 weeks, but I did a similar one on heelwork and it really helped, mainly as it focused me on putting the work in as Juno is smart enough to get it way before i do!
 
I'm doing a "life skills" training class with the Sprollie at the moment. It's mostly about impulse control and learning to chill on a bed while exciting things happen. Sprollie is nearly 8 and a complete snotty nosed super swot anyway so we're just going to be doing something... although polishing the impulse control is very useful and he doesn't actually know what the word "relax" means do his take on "relaxing on a bed" is interesting... he relaxes SO HARD 😂. I think I'm on the wait list for agility even though he's almost a senior dog!

If I'd really wanted to challenge myself I should have taken the Sprocker. The Sprocker is however doing some training at home even though he's 9 now and Very Good at Spanieling ( Not formal working Spanieling you understand... the kind of Spanieling that means nothing is kept below "The Spaniel Line" in the house in case it gets retrieved ) but mostly under control. He's learning to play with a flirt pole though which he's loving... hoping to polish up his impulse control as well.

I really want a puppy...
 
As you know, Bo came to us as quite a shut down dog. Didn’t know how to play at all, and the ball meant nothing to him. Been doing quite a bit of one to one with him, and he seems to like sniffing. You’ve seen the video of him playing ball yesterday, and I do hide things in the garden for him which he seems to have great fun when I tell him “find it”. He’ll never be a working dog as not our thing, but keeping him happy is the priority, and if that means my idea of working, all good.
 
I’m a spaniel owner :p We’re never not training...!
We’re (trying) to work on steadiness in prep for lowther scurry where they can’t be held at the start. It might be a bit much for us to achieve in that atmosphere this year but never the less good for him and me to be more disciplined. Seen and memory he’s pretty pretty proficient at now (and at home steady) but blind directionals are still a work in progress. One day I’ll be able to go for an offlead walk that’s not a structured training exercise... maybe!
He does agility once a week too... still can’t weave...!
 
JennBags said:
Yes the training increases the bond hugely I find. How old are your 3?
I'll try to report back, its a short course, just 3 weeks, but I did a similar one on heelwork and it really helped, mainly as it focused me on putting the work in as Juno is smart enough to get it way before i do!
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We have four, but Brandy doesn't do training. :-) She'ss 11 this year. Tawny 5, Pen 2 and Ffe 6 months.
 
This is what Hugo looks like on the way out the door to training class...

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Clodagh said:
I think no matter what training you do there is no doubt that it makes them love you a lot. :)
Two sessions on and Ffee's heel and sit is so sharp now, she worked out that do as you are told = retrieve. I have not taught her to heel using a lead, so I want to know if it will make her heel better or worse. It is good but she veers from left to right a bit, I am not always quick enough to correct.
Sadly, 'leave it' means swallow disgusting dead thing as quickly as possible, although she was defeated by a fallow deer's jawbone this morning.
maisie - your dog sounds perfect for beating! Tawny is OK at it but if she sees a bird fall it does distract her from looking for live ones. I think you compete with him in trials though? I love watching a well trained spaniel hunting.
JB - any recall hints would be interesting, Ffee and Pen can both just be a bit slack on the instant recall, they tend to decide if I mean it first, which is annoying.
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My aim is to get him out beating this year, he's a great little dog for getting right into cover and can't wait to work him in a cover crop on Partridge, I have to be blimmin' quick with him though as he can get a bit forward at times but when he starts to work with me it feels brilliant!! I haven't competed in field trials yet - that is a whole other world, but am off to have a go at a working test next month, hopefully I won't make a numpty of myself!!!
 
rara007 said:
I’m a spaniel owner :p We’re never not training...!
We’re (trying) to work on steadiness in prep for lowther scurry where they can’t be held at the start. It might be a bit much for us to achieve in that atmosphere this year but never the less good for him and me to be more disciplined. Seen and memory he’s pretty pretty proficient at now (and at home steady) but blind directionals are still a work in progress. One day I’ll be able to go for an offlead walk that’s not a structured training exercise... maybe!
He does agility once a week too... still can’t weave...!
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Big rule - you probably know - don't let him have every retrieve - throw some and pick them yourself, helps with steadiness, I'm sure mine is going to be a total prat at the show and scurry in August, big busy place but hey ho gonna give it a go!! We must both post reports!
 
maisie06 said:
My aim is to get him out beating this year, he's a great little dog for getting right into cover and can't wait to work him in a cover crop on Partridge, I have to be blimmin' quick with him though as he can get a bit forward at times but when he starts to work with me it feels brilliant!! I haven't competed in field trials yet - that is a whole other world, but am off to have a go at a working test next month, hopefully I won't make a numpty of myself!!!
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Oh very best of luck next month. Thistle shared details to me of a scurry at Six Mile Bottom in September, I may go and have a look. I have done some scurries but too nervous to do tests or trials.
 
rara007 said:
I’m a spaniel owner :p We’re never not training...!
We’re (trying) to work on steadiness in prep for lowther scurry where they can’t be held at the start. It might be a bit much for us to achieve in that atmosphere this year but never the less good for him and me to be more disciplined. Seen and memory he’s pretty pretty proficient at now (and at home steady) but blind directionals are still a work in progress. One day I’ll be able to go for an offlead walk that’s not a structured training exercise... maybe!
He does agility once a week too... still can’t weave...!
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Oh good luck, I take my hat off to anyone that can train a spainiel. :-)
 
Clodagh said:
I love that, and can just imagine. Eyes wide shut!?
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Yup. Chin on the floor between his paws, bum flipped nicely to the side in "relaxed" laying down pose... but brain whirring, intense collie stare and every muscle poised ready to spring. 😂 and the chin is PRESSED into the bed like "I'm relaxing look how hard I'm relaxing" he's a nutter.

Last week's task was to throw a treat but get him to perform a behaviour before running to get it... working up from calmly thrown while restrained to excitedly thrown while unrestrained and giving the cue as the treat was thrown. He got pretty good at that.

This week I'm going to be working on "middle" (dog between your feet facing forwards if that makes sense) want to get him moving forwards and backwards and turning while staying in "middle". It's a trick but it's also a recall/ safe place /emergency control exercise. Will post a video if he gets good.

If I get my spaniel puppy at some point I'll teach it proper serious spaniel things.
 
You’ll hear us at 6 mile bottom :) He was placed in a few at their charity one last month and got some fab prizes. He’s the big big headed springer behaving embarrassingly and shouting...! Nothing to be nervous about, everyone is lovely and plenty of ‘posh’ dogs putting their owners to shame!
 
rara007 said:
You’ll hear us at 6 mile bottom :) He was placed in a few at their charity one last month and got some fab prizes. He’s the big big headed springer behaving embarrassingly and shouting...! Nothing to be nervous about, everyone is lovely and plenty of ‘posh’ dogs putting their owners to shame!
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LOL! Will listen out for him. :-). Tawny is the docked lab - there aren't many about.
 
On the Hoof said:
Well I have only had Ripley for 11 days so Im just doing Sit and Recall. She is a bc and a very cheeky character. Im very much looking forward to training her. She is booked into first puppy class later this month. And here she is (hope piccy isn't too big).
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Oh my! Is there anything cuter than a collie pup. :-)
 
I used to spend so much time doing obedience training and gundog exercises with my flatcoats before I moved to Scotland but there are no decent clubs near me . Its hard to keep motivated now I have lost my best dog who was part of our competition team.
I do train every day really, just teaching them things so that they are nice dogs to have around and know how to behave on a walk.
Both flatcoats retrieve seen and unseen in the garden and do various other stuff like stays, recalls and sendaways.
The rescue youngster who should be a retriever cross has not much notion of retrieve, she will go and pick something up but is not keen to return. It doesn’t come as naturally to her but I haven’t tried very hard....must do better.
Her recall to the whistle is pretty spot on though and that is very useful.
 
Like reading all of your updates regarding training!

I have a cocker I have trained to do gun work, hes 2 now and picked up last season. Hes definitely a challenge.. compared to our lab who kinda knows her job and gets on with it! Hes on total rest at the moment, done his shoulder ligament.

Hope hes back for this shooting season, as nothing is better than working your dog on a frosty morning!
 
Gearing up for my younger dog's last competition, or I think it will be anyway.
He's had a couple of silly minor injuries since I got him (he's slightly less robust than the other old fart lol).
Need to do a lot more tracking, bring his drive up a bit in heeling and make him a bit freer over the jump (that's an historical issue, nothing to do with me lol).
Everything else is solid/trained, just tip away and tidy things up as needed, no point in squeezing for extra points that aren't there and breaking it.
Oh and fitness. He's a lazy sort, he just does 'enough' and never pushes himself. Unlike the other horror who does everything at 100mph. It's been a bit of a learning curve :p
 
CorvusCorax said:
Gearing up for my younger dog's last competition, or I think it will be anyway.
He's had a couple of silly minor injuries since I got him (he's slightly less robust than the other old fart lol).
Need to do a lot more tracking, bring his drive up a bit in heeling and make him a bit freer over the jump (that's an historical issue, nothing to do with me lol).
Everything else is solid/trained, just tip away and tidy things up as needed, no point in squeezing for extra points that aren't there and breaking it.
Oh and fitness. He's a lazy sort, he just does 'enough' and never pushes himself. Unlike the other horror who does everything at 100mph. It's been a bit of a learning curve :p
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If that his his last comp that is really sad - so you will have two retired dogs? I think you train other people and their dogs now, do you find that an adequate substitute?
 
Yes I'll have two old duffers and am looking forward to putting my feet up lol! I wasn't expecting to have two or to still be competing but I owe this dog, this one event, and then he can be a full time sofa surfer :p I will make his lifetime breeding survey next year hopefully, which isn't too taxing, and that will be him retired.
And yes, others doing well gives me a great deal of pleasure, even though they make me tear my hair out sometimes 😂
 
CorvusCorax said:
Yes I'll have two old duffers and am looking forward to putting my feet up lol! I wasn't expecting to have two or to still be competing but I owe this dog, this one event, and then he can be a full time sofa surfer :p I will make his lifetime breeding survey next year hopefully, which isn't too taxing, and that will be him retired.
And yes, others doing well gives me a great deal of pleasure, even though they make me tear my hair out sometimes 😂
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I hope he enjoys his retirement.

Although you haven’t met him, Bo is doing well now thanks to a lot of advice from you, Clodagh and WGSD. Still a way to go, but he’s come a long way too.
 
CorvusCorax said:
Aw thank you! Glad to hear Bo is going well....people who listen and execute instructions do not make me tear my hair out lol!
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TW can only be hugely impressed at the difference she has made in that dog's life. From his former home, where he sat in a run with his face pressed against the wire to the bouncy, happy chap he is now, she is amazing!

And my advice was Ask CC and WGSD - he's beyond my knowledge. :-)
 
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