CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Activities => Working => Topic started by: flozac on January 10, 2007, 08:33:18 PM
-
Well i am very tired but very happy. I was invited to take Floss out on a small shoot today.
It was a lovely day for it mild and very sunny. Floss did OK . I kept her on a long lead at first just to see how she was. She didn't seem to bad so I let her off on a bit on a lightly covered area which she worked quite well, she seemed happy enough at first. Further on however there were lots of shots being fired and she got a bit scared so I put her back on the lead. By the end of the morning she was getting more tired and more timid of the guns so I took her home. ( I only live 5 mins away from where the shoot was being held)
I was going back for the rest of the day so I thought I would take Zac along just for the walk as he has not really had any formal gundog training just what i have taught him my self and has never been near a gun. However when I got there after a short while he looked keen to go and was coping well on the short lead so my mate the gamekeeper and my dog trainer said let him off. He was such a surprise to me he stayed close and worked the cover well. He stopped when told to ( he is not trained to the whistle like Floss)and went in when told. He was not gun shy at all but sat when a shot was fired as I asked him.. I was so proud of him.
So I am very pleased. I will have to try to get Floss a bit more confident around the guns,but I would feel very confident to take Zac out again. i might even take him with me to the shoot where I beat regularly to see how he goes.
I am off now to decide what to do with my brace of pheasants.
-
What a fab day you have had ;)
Congratulation Zac, think you surprised your mum ;)
-
Sounds as though you all had a great day
-
Glad you had a good time Nic :D
Well done to both Floss and Zac, sounds like he's a wee star! :luv:
-
Aww Zac, you sure kept your talents under your hat didn't you? I bet Mum's really proud of you :luv: .
Perhaps if you get Zac more involved he will be able to help Floss with her confidence around the guns.
I am off now to decide what to do with my brace of pheasants.
:huh: Why -eat them of course! (What else would you do with them?)
-
well done zac :luv: :luv: :luv: :luv:
i was really worried about jarv and guns nic, as he is weird around fireworks (ie very nervy). our first beat was remembrance day (as a foreigner i've not really a clue) so we were both really surprised when there were 2 shotgun shots directly over our heads between drives at midday to start the 2min silence. jarv was wide eyed, but coped, and something in his lemon brain clicked later on in the day where he finally realised shots equals pheasants :005: now if he hears a shotgun in the distance he is immediately excited :luv:
i think with floss it will happen, she just needs to get used to it, and get that shots equals pheasants brain wave.
maybe if you can take her out for 1 drive on the next shoot, so she doesn't get overwhelmed and then take it from there :luv: bless her, it's a big thing for a small spaniel :luv:
-
Brilliant Nic sounds like you had a great day and the dogs did well.
Alex
-
Well done Nic and Co, I am very jealous I would love to get out there with mocha, but I think I may have to wait until next season when I am not so large with bulging baby :005:, I don't think I would be able to get into the beaters wagon, let alone out! :D
-
well done floss and zak. :luv:
nicola see the thread IWlass started...Help needed - How to prepare game birds? gives great tips!!! ;) :D :lol:
-
Excellent news Nic. I'm sure Kev will see you right in terms of the gunshots etc
-
It is great to hear of your good experiences but I would just like to add a word of caution. I have met a number of gun nervous dogs over the years, and all of them could have been avoided by more careful handling.
Although most well bred gundogs will cope with introduction to gunfire 'all in one go' as it were. It is a good idea, if you are thinking of taking your dog on a shoot, to try and arrange a more gradual introduction to shot. I understand that this is difficult if you don't come from a shooting family or background, but this if you can manage it, it could just save a disaster. The reason being that although the tendency to gunshyness maybe inherited, gunshyness or gun nervousness is almost certainly created by the owner of the dog in the form of a sudden introduction to gunfire.
This is how I , and many other gundog handlers introduce my youngsters to shot. I stand with the dog sitting at my side and get an assistant to walk 100 yards away with the wind blowing from me to him, and fire a shot. We bring the 'shot' and the dog closer together over a period of days. When first firing a shot close to the dog, we do so 'one shot at a time' never a volley or cluster of shots. This too is introduced gradually.
Another way of introducing shot if you have a keen retriever is to associate the shot with a retrieve from the beginning. However, if not carefully managed, this can lead to a 'running in' or unsteadiness problem developing. It also requires an assistant and the shot should be fired from considerable distance as in the above example
Another way more easily accessible to most people is to visit a clay shoot armed with lots of treats. Start by feeding or playiing with your dog a good 400 or 500 yards away from the gunfire - further if your dog looks uncomfortable. Make several visits over a period of days or weeks until your dog is quite happy in the close vicinity of the noise.
Gunfire really is best introduced in this structured way - just to be on the safe side. A gunshy dog is very difficult to cure.
Nervousness of fireworks is not necessarily indicative of gunshyness, fireworks can be much more alarming to a dog, though it is a warning to be extra careful.
Ideally, in the interests of steadiness, it is best if the sound of the shot has very little significance for a young dog. He should remain 'chilled' throughout. :blink:
Pippa
-
Clever boy Zac :shades: :luv: and floss you'll enjoy the sound of the gun soon specially with big bruv showing you the way :luv: :luv:
-
It is great to hear of your good experiences but I would just like to add a word of caution. I have met a number of gun nervous dogs over the years, and all of them could have been avoided by more careful handling.
Although most well bred gundogs will cope with introduction to gunfire 'all in one go' as it were. It is a good idea, if you are thinking of taking your dog on a shoot, to try and arrange a more gradual introduction to shot. I understand that this is difficult if you don't come from a shooting family or background, but this if you can manage it, it could just save a disaster. The reason being that although the tendency to gunshyness maybe inherited, gunshyness or gun nervousness is almost certainly created by the owner of the dog in the form of a sudden introduction to gunfire.
This is how I , and many other gundog handlers introduce my youngsters to shot. I stand with the dog sitting at my side and get an assistant to walk 100 yards away with the wind blowing from me to him, and fire a shot. We bring the 'shot' and the dog closer together over a period of days. When first firing a shot close to the dog, we do so 'one shot at a time' never a volley or cluster of shots. This too is introduced gradually.
Another way of introducing shot if you have a keen retriever is to associate the shot with a retrieve from the beginning. However, if not carefully managed, this can lead to a 'running in' or unsteadiness problem developing. It also requires an assistant and the shot should be fired from considerable distance as in the above example
Another way more easily accessible to most people is to visit a clay shoot armed with lots of treats. Start by feeding or playiing with your dog a good 400 or 500 yards away from the gunfire - further if your dog looks uncomfortable. Make several visits over a period of days or weeks until your dog is quite happy in the close vicinity of the noise.
Gunfire really is best introduced in this structured way - just to be on the safe side. A gunshy dog is very difficult to cure.
Nervousness of fireworks is not necessarily indicative of gunshyness, fireworks can be much more alarming to a dog, though it is a warning to be extra careful.
Ideally, in the interests of steadiness, it is best if the sound of the shot has very little significance for a young dog. He should remain 'chilled' throughout. :blink:
Pippa
Thanks for that Pippa.
Floss has been on trial runs and was fine with just the one gun going off. It was the combination of lots of shots yesterday and all of the activity around her I think that scared her. I will be working on it during the closed season and hopefully we will have overcome the problem ready for next season.
She is not the boldest of little spaniels I have ever met and needs some careful handling I think, but we will get there.
Thanks again for your advice.
-
I have trained mine in the past to associate a shot with a retrieve (with good results) using a starting pistol to begin and then progressing through a 410 shotgun to a 20bore and then a 12bore. You can buy starting pistols(they are legal) but I was lucky in that all my family shoot so they were able to help me out with guns.
It is best to get them to associate something enjoyable (the retrieve) with the shots, but as Pippa pointed out this would only work with a dog that was a keen retriever
-
way to go zac :005: nic, maybe he thought he would show his sis he's a big strong man :005:
don't worry floss,you'll get used to the guns :luv:
-
Nicola you can buy things that shoot dummy's out for dogs to retrieve giving a bang like a gun.. I'm not suer where you can get them but I'm sure if I have a hunt Ill find out. that way the bang is followed by the reward.. the retrieve.. I'm off to have a hunt...
they are quite expensive heres one link.. http://www.scottcountry.co.uk/products_detail.asp?productID=1605