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Author Topic: Beating vs. picking up?  (Read 1803 times)

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Offline sophiew

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Beating vs. picking up?
« on: October 05, 2009, 08:37:43 PM »
Hello

I don't even have my puppy yet, but my boyfriend is keen to train her to do a bit of gundog work so he can take her on shoots. I'm not sure how I feel about the whole thing yet - I'm very interested in the dog training side of it but less good with things being shot (I'm too fluffy!). I had considered going beating but we've been told this will make the dog too over-the-top if we ever want her to pick up - is this true? What 'jobs' are there for a working cocker on a shoot and what should we be aiming for?

Sorry, am a complete novice at this particular area of dog training - am reading some books though!

Thanks in advance

Sophie
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Offline Nicola

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Re: Beating vs. picking up?
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2009, 09:58:07 PM »
No that is not true! I'm not sure how this person came to that conclusion - were they talking about Cockers being used as peg dogs? :huh:  Cockers are dual purpose dogs, they flush (beating) and they pick up. In a Cocker field trial they are expected to do both and my dogs do both when working and they are far from 'over the top'. It's true that Labs are considered to be the 'rolls royce' of retrieving dogs on most shoots and your average Cocker is not going to go as far as a Lab for a retrieve or get to the standard of a top working Lab but that doesn't mean that they don't/can't make excellent little retrievers/picking up dogs. Cockers can also make good peg dogs; although a Lab is probably going to be the first choice of a gun looking for a peg dog as it requires them to sit still for extended periods which is not an altogether natural state for a Cocker they can and do do it.

It is always vitally important that hunting/flushing is done under control and the dog is steady to live game and is trained for a variety of retrieving situations, this is all in the training and preparation and if this is done properly then your dog will hunt under control and will retrieve when required.
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Offline sophiew

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Re: Beating vs. picking up?
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2009, 08:06:22 PM »
Thank you - I thought it sounded unlikely but didn't have anything to back me up! I can see I've got a lot to learn...!

Thanks

Sophie
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Offline millrace

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Re: Beating vs. picking up?
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2009, 08:01:44 PM »
just as a thought,,, you could always go beating without the dog to see if you like it,,,many shoots have people there with no dogs just literely beating or to tell the truth ;)  walking round in the mud and rain on a day when everyone thinks your quite mad(and you will also think ur insane)  waving a flag getting dirty but really enjoying the company and the exercise......will give you a real insight into the working dog enviorment and what is involved and expected,,,,,just dont get put off when you see really well trained dogs thinking you could never do that,, rem they have had loads of traaining to get there and youre only starting.....they were the same once!!!!!
as for being "fluffy"....lol never worry you have to rem all the game is being reared for the shoot and they have been well looked after,,,and if a shoot has a return  rate of 50% this is considered really good which means the other pos 50% run wild and these will be the birds ppl see in the fields in the summer etc so enhancing the wild stock.......its not all shooting nothing put back.....
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you don't train a working cocker......you negociate!!

Offline sophiew

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Re: Beating vs. picking up?
« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2009, 08:36:54 PM »
Quote from: millrace on October 07, 2009, 08:01:44 PM
just as a thought,,, you could always go beating without the dog to see if you like it,,,many shoots have people there with no dogs just literely beating or to tell the truth ;)  walking round in the mud and rain on a day when everyone thinks your quite mad(and you will also think ur insane)  waving a flag getting dirty but really enjoying the company and the exercise......will give you a real insight into the working dog enviorment and what is involved and expected,,,,,just dont get put off when you see really well trained dogs thinking you could never do that,, rem they have had loads of traaining to get there and youre only starting.....they were the same once!!!!!
as for being "fluffy"....lol never worry you have to rem all the game is being reared for the shoot and they have been well looked after,,,and if a shoot has a return  rate of 50% this is considered really good which means the other pos 50% run wild and these will be the birds ppl see in the fields in the summer etc so enhancing the wild stock.......its not all shooting nothing put back.....


Thank you - that's a great idea, I'll see if I can do that next time my boyfriend goes shooting, would love to see other people working their dogs.
Sophie
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Offline DLK

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Re: Beating vs. picking up?
« Reply #5 on: October 07, 2009, 08:41:46 PM »
Some great answers here.  My take on it, a shooting dog is trained to work in the shooting field so just because its legs are shorter it does not mean it cant do the job.

Many a cocker can be seen as a picking up dog, more are seen beating.  This dog is fine in either position.  The little hunters will find anything so dont worry.

Your dog is a little bit away from working yet so you do have a bit of time to think about it.

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Offline sophiew

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Re: Beating vs. picking up?
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2009, 08:51:43 PM »
Quote from: DLK on October 07, 2009, 08:41:46 PM
Some great answers here.  My take on it, a shooting dog is trained to work in the shooting field so just because its legs are shorter it does not mean it cant do the job.

Many a cocker can be seen as a picking up dog, more are seen beating.  This dog is fine in either position.  The little hunters will find anything so dont worry.

Your dog is a little bit away from working yet so you do have a bit of time to think about it.



Yes, lots of time to think about it, just didn't want to mess her up as a puppy by not knowing what was expected of her later on... and am a bit out of my depth as I only know about obedience, agility etc. and nothing about working dogs on a shoot... best I get beating!

=Thanks

Sophie
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Offline stephremon

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Re: Beating vs. picking up?
« Reply #7 on: December 22, 2009, 12:05:17 AM »
I don't yet have my pup, but have been lucky enough to get in on a local shoot beating. I absolutely love it!! It's such an amazing sight to see the dogs working, I was an out and out agility girl who had always had collies until we moved out to a village and mum got a lab. We now have a lab, flat-coat and cocker. I've been living on my own for a year now and can't wait to get my first cocker. Fingers crossed she'll be arriving in april all going well. I would definitely recommend you get out beating and with your history of obedience and agility I'm sure you'll thoroughly enjoy it, especially with the level of control the dogs have.

I can honestly say that I didn't think I was going to enjoy it, but I have been well and truly converted!!

Good luck, Steph xx
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