Working/Competition Reports

[Ravenwood]

Well why not, they do it in the Competition Riders!!! Lots of us here have working and show dogs - so come on tell us what you have been up to and how it all went.

I will start......

Today was our first day picking up this season. The shoot I mostly go to has turned to all partridge this season as it is under new ownership.

Well first of all, we had torrential rain all night and nearly all morning

. The partridges have not fared well so far this year, this is common to most of the shoots round here - they haven't coped well with the constant rain

On the first drive we saw an awful lot of underweight, bedrenched and ill looking partridges. It was almost impossible to stop your dog pegging birds that hadn't been shot. But the owner is keen for us to clear up as many ill birds as possible so for once this was not frowned on.

The second drive, despite the monsoon, was excellent, a really good show of birds which flew well - the guns were really pleased

. Then went back to back for the third and final drive, also a good one. As soon as we had finished shooting, the rain stopped and the sun came out!

The head picker up's lab went into the river, which is small and not deep but was running very fast. The poor dog got lodged in a root and couldn't get out, he was yelping and the water was going over his head, so poor girl had to leap into the river and rescue him

Flyn my spaniel, worked like a trooper as usual, this dog is amazing, although he did revert back to spitting the birds out at me rather than presenting to hand, which I thought we had cracked but obviously not!!!

Toby, I am really worried how he will cope this season with his elbows, the Cartrophen injections are not so effective anymore. I kept him on the lead most of the time and only let him retrieve a bird which fell close by. Unfortunately though he raced up a very steep incline after my spaniel and back down again, he looked extremely uncomfortable, but in his back leg!!! - so now he has three bad legs!! However this evening he is not nearly as stiff as I feared he might be so I am really relieved

. I am dreading the day I can't take him - he will be mortified

So all in all I was thrilled with my dogs, its always a worry how they will behave on the first day but both dogs were very obedient to the whistle and I haven't done any training since the end of last season, except the scurry we entered a month or so ago

So there you have it - my first update (sorry its so long) and I hope everyone joins in and tells us how they are going with their dogs

 

[GinaB]

I WANT PICTURES!

Well done to Flynn and Toby, sounds a fab day once you got to the second drive

I hope you get something sorted for Toby

Horrible to see them in pain.

 

[Ravenwood]

No pictures!! - I struggle enough with the leads, whistle, carrier, priest etc never mind a camera!!! It was so damned wet anyway all you would have seen was a misted up lens!!

But here is a picture from the end of last season to keep you happy!!!........

 

[merlinsquest]

Sounds like a great day

Lucky the dog didnt drown.... I almost know how he feels faced with a torrential river!!!

 

[GinaB]

Ahhh look at them all proud of their retrieves

How is Toby bred?

I shall be making sure to take my camera out next time we're out

 

[Ravenwood]

[ QUOTE ]
I shall be making sure to take my camera out next time we're out

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes do - you are obviously much more organised than me - I get in such a tangle with it all!!!

Please give us an update aswell, I would love for this to be a regular thing with both working and show dogs.

Toby is very well bred with lots of FTC's Drakeshead, Dunscott, Birdbrook and of course the infamous Pocklea Remus! But what use is that when you have a genetically inherited disease and a dog that desperately wants to work but may well face retirement at the age of 5

I have been putting off getting another dog, but I must. I am now a spaniel convert and will get another ESS

 

[GinaB]

Yes, I think a thread with updates is a great idea

I know there are some people who show as well

We go on very few shoots, we tend to go out more a small group to land we have shooting rights on. Very excited about Clandeboye though

(that could be the lunch I'm more excited about though

)

Ah yes, our Cindy has Pocklea Remus too

Don't they all?! I keep finding good studs for her, but they're on the mainland

I am dying to get young Fred the ESS out, but aunt who owns him isn't keen

 

[kirstyhen]

No no no, what you need is a nice working cocker!

I am quite convinced that you are my Mother coming on here under an alias, except for the completely different dogs and the horses

My Mum is struggling this year, out of her four dogs she only has one that is looking likely to be any use this season

The eldest is just recovering from a virus, his son broke both his elbows and although willing is a cripple, and the youngest is still growing up (at 2!!).
The bestest (and my adopted dog

) will be a star as usual though.

Keep these reports coming, makes me homesick this time of year, not being around several tired, happy dogs

 

[Ravenwood]

[ QUOTE ]


We go on very few shoots, we tend to go out more a small group to land we have shooting rights on.


[/ QUOTE ]

But rough shooting is great fun! You could do an excellent report on what game you flushed and how the dogs worked. Rough shooting dogs have to be incredibly intelligent, doing the flushing, sit to the gun and then retrieve!

Can't wait to hear how you get on at the Castle

 

[Ravenwood]

Oh dear - am I really old enough to be your mother!!!!

My daughter is desperate for a Cocker of her own, and so many people try to make me buy one of their litters "they are so cheap to keep and work all day". Yes, I know, I know, but they are so small and seem to be the fashionable thing to have on a shoot now!! Think I will stick to a springer!

I feel your Mum's dilemma. I only have two dogs now and its very easy to end up without any for a season with illness and injury

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Hope you have all dried out and please stop sending your spare rain this way, we have had enough now thanks!!!

Sounds like Flyn had a great time and glad Toby's not too stiff, poor boy its rubbish when they are desprate to work, but can't.

 

[k9h]

Fantastic report great idea. Keep em coming everyone.

I have a PR bitch as well! He gets everywhere!!

I wont get out till Nov as all the other days land on hunting days! So unless hunting cancelled, then I can go shooting instead!
Most my reports will be how I have been sent into the thick snowberries & got stuck or how many banks I have slid down or ripped me trousers on wire!

 

[Scranny_Ann]

how weird i was only thinking yesterday whether to post about my first shoot off the season ... so here goes.

Dads Headkeeper on a big estate down here in sunny Cornwall. Had first day of the season yesterday,

partridge day, be changing to pheasant in Oct.

I took my 2yo yellow Lab Kensa and 7yo black n white ESS Ellie ... was a lovely day apart from the horrid rain.

First drive went so well and birds flew very well. Dad was a bit worried as it rained very heavily overnight and thought the birds would be a bit soggy and deprssed to want to fly. But as usual everything went very well on the day!! Wasnt a sold day it was syndicate. We did 4 drives in the morning and 3 in he afternoon. I have been working very hard on training Kensa (lab) and its certainly paid off

she was a total angel. So far to date she's been very confused when it comes to picking srong runners but yesterday had an absolute cracker!! I was most defo the proud mum!!

The only down side of the day was the first drive after lunch ... Eliie went steaming off after a runner and was gone for a while, im stood their whistling like mad and next thing i hear is her screaming her little head off. So i run flat out down the field only to find her stuck in sheep wire

... she had jumped off the hedge and put her leg through the top square on the way down and hung herself up .... she's ok tho no cuts just a bit sore. Altho she loves it so much no chance of her slowing down, still the bramble bashing machine she always is!!

So all in all a lovely day and so nice to be back for the social side too ... all lovely fun ppl dwn on our shoot. Look forward to next Friday ...

was also wanting to take my camera but like u ravenwood i struggle with 2 leads, carrier, preist etc but will defo take it out with me next week and post some pics on here ...

xx

 

[Jillyy]

I have 3 dogs, 2 of them working dogs. Well, both still in training. One gundog and the other a working sheepdog.
Both dogs also compete in agility, Flyball and a bit of 'light' showing. Although my BC is the one who does it all to a high standard.
Ravenwood, thats a goegeous lab you have there! I'm a sucker for labs =)

 

[Ravenwood]

Excellent report - well done, sounds like you had a great day

Must have been a long day doing 7 drives!! What time did you finish and what was the total bag?

Isn't it great when they behave - all that training makes it so worth while!

Looking forward to reading more reports and updates on your lab.

Good job the spaniel was okay in the end - phew! Mad aren't they?

 

[Ravenwood]

Kitty - you must give some reports when you take the dogs out. I would be really interested in the sheep dog. There is a very elderly gentleman up the road who apparantly used to be superb at sheep dog trials - I would love to hear more about this. (So glad H & C TV is screening One Man and his Dog again!!)

Also tell us how you get on with the agilty and fly ball (love watching this!!)

 

[Scranny_Ann]

think the total bag was 210ish not 100% sure ill check tomorrow. Yeah i was tired out by the last drive i just needed to collapse! Dogs werent much better either and both of them were very stiff yesterday morning!!

I will take camera next week and get some pics, not that i've got 'first day of the season' nerves out of my system i may be able to manage a camera!!

Ellie is mad ... and never stops working. I also brought my old girl Bramble (ESS) 13yo out for one drive and she loved it! Her hips arent the best these days so a few retrieves is more than enough ... must to her disgust!

x