Suicidal squirrels and chasing

[hanandhen]

Are we on the right track please?

The squirrels of Norfolk are either all sado-masochists or suicidal, given the number of them that kept running across our path this weekend Really, I wish they'd get lost and stop leading my dog astray!

However Henry is getting better at being steady when a dummy or toy is thrown, I still keep a hand on him outdoors, but in the house I can now stand behind him and lob thngs over his head, and he has learned to control himself. Given time, we will be able to build this up to prevent chasing other things as well I hope - right?

[pete19873.5efi]

it sonunds like Henry is quite steady to his training, good in the house on a controlled situation? what is he like if you paly dumies where there is some scent?

as for the squirel thing if he chases get after him, shout, scream and he will stop (lots of paractise with the gold loon on that one) take him back to where he started and enforce the stop whistle.

[hanandhen]

He's getting there, although at present in the great outdoors I do tether him to a fence or something to prevent any mistakes on his part. He's getting better at retrieving from areas with scent, but it has to be said that at the moment I try to avoid throwing into too heavily covered areas as he gets distracted and forgets the dummy exists!

I haven't started to teach the stop whistle yet - that is to be covered in our next lesson this weekend! So we can start working on that soon

The squirrels are so out to get us though  

[pete19873.5efi]

with all the tree rats about i think your stop whistle is going to be the most important comand,