Author Topic: Light at the end of the tunnel  (Read 2188 times)

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Offline ips

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Re: Light at the end of the tunnel
« Reply #15 on: August 24, 2017, 10:11:05 AM »
Slip a dead bird into a length of cut down ladies tights this tends to give the dog more confidence on picking up something with feathers, throw encourage run in or send immediately, make it just about fun for a few retrieves with no obedience she should get her confidence back.

I agree with Jeff, mix it up a bit and let her run in. You can get steadiness back later when she is keen to retrieve.

Out if interest pearly, do you allow run ins to anything at anytime such as balls or is he expected to always be steady ?
Muddling along in the hope that one day it all makes sense.

Offline Pearly

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Re: Light at the end of the tunnel
« Reply #16 on: August 24, 2017, 06:59:11 PM »
Slip a dead bird into a length of cut down ladies tights this tends to give the dog more confidence on picking up something with feathers, throw encourage run in or send immediately, make it just about fun for a few retrieves with no obedience she should get her confidence back.

I agree with Jeff, mix it up a bit and let her run in. You can get steadiness back later when she is keen to retrieve.

Out if interest pearly, do you allow run ins to anything at anytime such as balls or is he expected to always be steady ?

I've just spent 2 years getting her to be steady.......but happy to do that again if it's going to get her "going" on birds.....yesterday evening she did run in and was unchecked/not chastised for it in the hope she'd pick up but she blinked and ran on/hunted.  It is hard work as you know Michelle but I also see the light at the end of the tunnel as up to recently that run on/hunting would have been in the next county let alone field 😉

She had a huge reward for picking the bird up - tummy rubs, jumped into my arms (top reward) and venison sausage so she associates bringing the bird back and good things happening

I have really good neighbours.  They let both dogs out for me when I can't get back from work and will often take them for an on lead walk for 15-20 minutes.  Today I learnt that both were out of the house for 3 hours yesterday afternoon! It's no wonder Coral didn't want to train   ph34r she was probably worn out from walking (on lead) for the afternoon and explains why she just lay down next to the bird.  I've had a message this evening to say they've been out for similar this afternoon - I currently have two dogs asleep in the kitchen and I've been home As long as it's taken me to write this!

We have a "pet" weekend coming up with no opportunity for training; Wednesday I'll defrost another bird and pop in a leg of tights as suggested (thanks Jeff) and ask my neighbours to not take them out for so long  :o it's the weekend after that we have the training day - between the two she won't have any retrieves to take some of the pressure off


Offline ips

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Re: Light at the end of the tunnel
« Reply #17 on: August 24, 2017, 07:41:58 PM »
Slip a dead bird into a length of cut down ladies tights this tends to give the dog more confidence on picking up something with feathers, throw encourage run in or send immediately, make it just about fun for a few retrieves with no obedience she should get her confidence back.

I agree with Jeff, mix it up a bit and let her run in. You can get steadiness back later when she is keen to retrieve.

Out if interest pearly, do you allow run ins to anything at anytime such as balls or is he expected to always be steady ?

I've just spent 2 years getting her to be steady.......but happy to do that again if it's going to get her "going" on birds.....yesterday evening she did run in and was unchecked/not chastised for it in the hope she'd pick up but she blinked and ran on/hunted.  It is hard work as you know Michelle but I also see the light at the end of the tunnel as up to recently that run on/hunting would have been in the next county let alone field 😉

She had a huge reward for picking the bird up - tummy rubs, jumped into my arms (top reward) and venison sausage so she associates bringing the bird back and good things happening

I have really good neighbours.  They let both dogs out for me when I can't get back from work and will often take them for an on lead walk for 15-20 minutes.  Today I learnt that both were out of the house for 3 hours yesterday afternoon! It's no wonder Coral didn't want to train   ph34r she was probably worn out from walking (on lead) for the afternoon and explains why she just lay down next to the bird.  I've had a message this evening to say they've been out for similar this afternoon - I currently have two dogs asleep in the kitchen and I've been home As long as it's taken me to write this!

We have a "pet" weekend coming up with no opportunity for training; Wednesday I'll defrost another bird and pop in a leg of tights as suggested (thanks Jeff) and ask my neighbours to not take them out for so long  :o it's the weekend after that we have the training day - between the two she won't have any retrieves to take some of the pressure off

Out of interest does she "bring you stuff" at home, slippers , T towels that sort of thing ??
Muddling along in the hope that one day it all makes sense.

Offline Pearly

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Re: Light at the end of the tunnel
« Reply #18 on: August 24, 2017, 07:46:51 PM »
Hi Ian, yes - Coral generally has something in her mouth, often meets me with a gift and will frantically search for one when I get home from work - she always takes something to go outside with her.  I have quite a few shoes that used to be a pair...the other one is buried in the garden somewhere!

Slippers, socks and whatever else she's picked up are usually in her basket.

I suspect she was just plain tired last night......

Offline Emilyoliver

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Re: Light at the end of the tunnel
« Reply #19 on: August 24, 2017, 10:06:21 PM »
I think you're in a bit of a difficult situation with your lovely neighbours. It's really nice of them to walk your dogs for you, but particularly with a difficult dog, it may not be a good idea. As you've discovered, coral may be less interested in training if she's been out all day. I wonder also whether it may be affecting her relationship with you. Neither my mum nor my dog walker take my dogs anywhere as I don't want them instructing them to do anything. Perhaps I'm a control freak, who knows. But I also want my dogs to know that along with all instructions, all the best things come from me. I don't want any of it 'diluted' by others taking them out or playing with them. I take them out at 6am and again at 6pm to either exercise or train something. They are let out of the kennel at midday and 'sat' with either in the house or in the garden. No walks or anything. Depends on your relationship with your neighbours, but I'd be asking them to just let the dogs into the garden. At least you'd have an idea then of whether the 3hr walks were impacting on coral's other training.
Michelle, Emily and Ollie

Offline Pearly

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Re: Light at the end of the tunnel
« Reply #20 on: August 24, 2017, 10:54:41 PM »
They are normally pretty good and just take them round the block - they don't play with Coral, just Pearl and I know they don't do any retrieves at home or out on walks plus she's on lead and walks to heel beautifully for her.  It's the last few days of school holidays which is why they have been out for longer.  I think it's a bit like grandchildren for grandparents - really well behaved unless the parents are there.....!

Just had her out in the garden with a dried pheasant wing - retrieved it straight out and back  :luv:  will try the whole bird/stocking on Wednesday and back to just a wing if it's too much for her  :huh:

Offline ips

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Re: Light at the end of the tunnel
« Reply #21 on: August 25, 2017, 10:11:50 AM »
They are normally pretty good and just take them round the block - they don't play with Coral, just Pearl and I know they don't do any retrieves at home or out on walks plus she's on lead and walks to heel beautifully for her.  It's the last few days of school holidays which is why they have been out for longer.  I think it's a bit like grandchildren for grandparents - really well behaved unless the parents are there.....!

Just had her out in the garden with a dried pheasant wing - retrieved it straight out and back  :luv:  will try the whole bird/stocking on Wednesday and back to just a wing if it's too much for her  :huh:

For the last month or so Lynn has been child minding  7 & 3 yr old (friends kids) I got to the point of telling Lynn to put eze in her run whilst they were here as I did not care much for the way they interacted with her. Constant ball throws and an attempt t copy Lynn and myself training her, constant commands to sit for no reason etc etc. This close to the season I cant afford to have eze ignoring commands and getting confused. I know there only children BUT ...
Muddling along in the hope that one day it all makes sense.

Offline Pearly

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Re: Light at the end of the tunnel
« Reply #22 on: September 04, 2017, 10:06:19 AM »
This weekend saw the last day of the summer school with a guest appearance from Peter Jones - no pressure then!

Coral was a wee superstar!  I hardly needed the whistle while she was hunting, she flushed birds, stopped on shot and brought the first two partridge back to hand, presenting the second beautifully - the latter not required, just that she does it naturally!  She did blink the third but in her defence it had been thrown into reeds and was deeply embedded and after trying to get it out she carried on hunting.  Having said that, she stopped when told, went back and then retrieved the same bird when it was thrown into the open  :D

After that, we had a session in the rabbit pen, where she was wonderful!  She turned every time asked but to be fair didn't need the whistle much as she was following body language (no hands needed!) she stopped when asked and redirected when told.

All in, a very good end to a training course which has seen her go from a "wild as a hedgehog" dog, running off when she felt like it, blinking dummies to hunt on and ignoring the stop whistle to a fairly steady (untested with game distraction) obedient dog who actually wants to work with me!

There really is light at the end of that tunnel  :angel:

Offline Mudmagnets

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Re: Light at the end of the tunnel
« Reply #23 on: September 04, 2017, 10:11:57 AM »
Do you mean Peter Jones the Dragon?
Remembering Smudge 23/11/2006 - 3/8/2013, and Branston 30/8/14 - 28/10/22 both now at the Bridge.

Offline Pearly

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Re: Light at the end of the tunnel
« Reply #24 on: September 04, 2017, 10:21:54 AM »
Do you mean Peter Jones the Dragon?

Errrm, no! That would be Mr Jones the cocker spaniel legend! He has the Maesydderwn and Wetlands lines producing some of the best trials dogs in the UK today - he still has the claim of 7 FTCH from Scimitar and 2 Grand Champions to his name.  It was a real privilege to meet him and hear his stories.

Offline Emilyoliver

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Re: Light at the end of the tunnel
« Reply #25 on: September 04, 2017, 11:03:08 AM »
Do you mean Peter Jones the Dragon?

Errrm, no! That would be Mr Jones the cocker spaniel legend! He has the Maesydderwn and Wetlands lines producing some of the best trials dogs in the UK today - he still has the claim of 7 FTCH from Scimitar and 2 Grand Champions to his name.  It was a real privilege to meet him and hear his stories.

Well done you and Coral!!  So nice to read your progress reports.  And lucky you getting to meet Mr Jones and have your dog assessed by him.  Would love to have the same opportunity as my pup is Wetlands Abe x Maesydderwen Skimmer and is something a bit special (well I think so anyway  ;))
Michelle, Emily and Ollie

Offline ips

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Re: Light at the end of the tunnel
« Reply #26 on: September 04, 2017, 11:19:25 AM »
Brilliant 👍
Well done sounds like you have a working spaniel to be proud of, but be proud of yourself too 👍
Muddling along in the hope that one day it all makes sense.

Offline Mudmagnets

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Re: Light at the end of the tunnel
« Reply #27 on: September 04, 2017, 12:18:08 PM »
he he I can see now why you wanted to impress  :shades:

Looking at Scimitar's mating record (200+ in 11 years) surprised he had enough energy for anything else  ;) he certainly was a busy boy

Branston is one of his descendants on his mother's side so was able to work back on My KC
Remembering Smudge 23/11/2006 - 3/8/2013, and Branston 30/8/14 - 28/10/22 both now at the Bridge.

Offline JeffD

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Re: Light at the end of the tunnel
« Reply #28 on: September 04, 2017, 02:12:51 PM »
Scimitar is Teals grandsire, her Sire is Spartan son of Scimitar another of Peters FTCH,s , Peter is a legend in working cockers and has bred some outstanding dogs along with being a great handler
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Offline Mudmagnets

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Re: Light at the end of the tunnel
« Reply #29 on: September 04, 2017, 03:06:00 PM »
Scimitar is Teals grandsire, her Sire is Spartan son of Scimitar another of Peters FTCH,s , Peter is a legend in working cockers and has bred some outstanding dogs along with being a great handler

It's obvious he knows his stuff
Remembering Smudge 23/11/2006 - 3/8/2013, and Branston 30/8/14 - 28/10/22 both now at the Bridge.