beating in kent??

[nicolatong]

Hi There i have a lovely 5 month old golden cocker bitch i have been training myself with a lot of help from a friend who works his cockers regulary
i have her trained to recall with four peeps on the whistle and sit to one peep she wont stop yet lol!!!!!
i would like to take her beating when she is upto it does anyone have any local contacts in kent area??
I really enjoy the training i do and so does maggi 
I also have a two year old chocolate roan dog who is workingxshow cocker any help would be gratefully received
i will get some pics of my babies on soon 

[Nicola]

Does your friend have any contacts? The best way to get a place on the beating line, especially with an inexperienced dog, is via word of mouth. If your girl is only 5 months though she won't be ready to go out until next year so you have plenty of time to find a place. There are loads of game and country fairs during the summer months and they're a good place to get talking to people and make contacts, plus they're a great day out

[nicolatong]

He will have,but i dont want to totaly rely on him
I got of on the wrong foot on this sight by asking about colour of pups if my dogs breed(a question asked by my children lol)
As you can see by age gap of my dogs this is miles away from even being thought about !!!
But i really enjoy the training and i would love to get more into it,Im always reading up and am eager for more advice and help
thanks for your reply

[Nicola]

It's a great thing to do, I work all 3 of my dogs, my youngest one will be 2 in December so he's had his first days out beating and picking up in the last couple of weeks. I'm sure your friend wouldn't mind you asking if he can help, I've got places for people on a couple of shoots that way and also found some places for me and my dogs too. Gamekeepers tend to like personal recommendation so they know that you're serious about it and your dog isn't going to ruin their drives

[nicolatong]

ruin there drives now im scared lol
I will have a chat with my friend see if i can go along and just watch next time he goes

[Coco]

Go to the NOBS website, it has everything you need to know and a forum too that has lots of beginners to veterans, meets etc 

[Cotswold Girl]

Also have a look at the pickers up and beaters shoot website

http://pubs.myfunforum.org/index.php

It's relatively new forum but it is totally free and has had some sucess at finding beating for people. Just make sure your dog is 100% ready before you take them even it it means missing a season.

[fenn2006]

Just wanted to wish you well with your training and hope you find a good shoot nearby when pup's ready. 

Even though my OH uses our worker Fenn on shoots, I go too go beating, and can say that it really is a joy watching your dog work, doing something that they absolutely love - their tails never stop wagging, and spaniels especially tend to go on, and on and on....and for you it is a very sociable gathering which I enjoy.

Agree with Coco to look at the NOBS website for contacts, and with Nicola on going to game fairs...you meet a lot of like minded people, plus get to see so many cockers ....I love them! You can also enter (when pups ready) in the Gundog Scurry's, they are a bit of fun, and based on times, a couple of dummies are retrieved and winner is quickest to bring both back (winner usually gets a bag of food) but these too, IMO, give you a taster of how pup reacts to commands when there is quite alot going on. 

Training side of things, there are a good few DVDS out which give you a base to work with and some good tips (alongside what you friend is teaching you).  Also, if your dogs not had any access to hearing guns shots, OH has always taken his pups to clay shooting grounds which are a good place for pup to have that introduction (although I'm not sure how old pup should be for this? Nicola would know?).  OH first sat in the cafe area with Fenn, praising her and reasurring her, not right near the shooting, then when he felt the time was right gradually moved closer to the area where the clay shooting took place. Anyhow's just somethings I've picked up - it is very interesting (I too was totally new to it all and never really took and interest until we got Fenn).

Good luck

[nicolatong]

Thank you so much for your kind advice me and my husband are soo new to all this but we are really enjoying the training and can see how much the dogs enjoy it Phill is always reading up on different things to help with the training,and is out with the dogs come wind rain or sun(not much of the latter now )
Phil has been looking into training courses has anyone attended any local training courses(Canterbury Area)

Thanks again
Nikki

[Tasha]

I've got a few shoots in kent depends how far you want to travel.  Your dog would have to be steady though and good with other dogs.

[nicolatong]

hi tasha

Where in kent are your shoots would it better to keep maggi on her lead for her first few shoots I'm ready for any advice

[Tasha]

varied as I usually work at several across the country in both Kent & Sussex.  My main one is at Penshurst but I have other contacts through the area.  As others have said join nobs and pubs as you will get opportunities through them, people are very generous.  Alot of mine come through a gamekeepers course that I did a few years ago a few of those students have gone to to be keepers and having kept in touch I often get work through them.

You could also join the NGO (National Gamekeepers Organisation) you don't have to be a gamekeeper to join but it will give you a good education on what happens on a shoot and how things work they will also help you to meet local members who might offer you assistance at finding a regular local shoot.  If you can find out where your local syndicate shoot is I have found that some people if you approach them direct are very welcoming.  Try and find someone before the end of this season and ask if you can follow the shoot on beaters day, they are usually really good and always looking for people for the line.

You can also join BASC and ask them for assistance.  There are lots of ways to find shoots I got several of mine through word of mouth and the local butcher of all things  

[TeresaUK]

Well I have certainly found some good tips on getting into gun dog training from you guys.
Nicola, I don't know if ME9 0HF is any good for you. Tony Price is said to be a great spaniel man and has been featured in the Shooting Times. He does residential gun dog training and also kennelling for when you are away on holiday at £10 per day. Training is £100 per week. www.tawneyhillgundogs.co.uk.
It's a bit far for me but may just suit you.
Anyway, you have a few avenues to explore, so good luck!

[karen488]

Can't personally vouch for them but Breezeleaf in Leigh, Kent do gundog training and would have thought they could point you in the right direction.

[Nicola]

I'm going to lock this as the thread is four years old, please don't resurrect such old threads as they push new ones down the boards, thanks.