Noisy

[M4ndy]

Hi all,
I've been thinking about having a go at some basic gun dog training. Jasmine is a show type and is doing well at our obedience classes. She loves retrieving type games and I think she could be quite good BUT and its a big one, she is noisy. She often yips with excitement as she is running particularly if I make her wait before sending her to find. Is this something that can be managed? I don't want to lose her enthusiasm but I would be too embarrassed to take her to gundog training as noisy as she is.
My husband shoots and I would some day like to be able to take her along and do some very light picking up from the peg. I don't expect her to go all day or do anything too amazing but I would only take her if I could be confident that she would behave. So is there anything I can do or should I just forget about it and have a go at something else??
BTW she is 18months now.

[milly]

That's a difficult one, I know some trainers that say if a dogs noisey you'd be hard pushed to stop it. Certainly in tests or trials one yip and you're out but thats not what your aim is. What is she like at sitting quietly? I know some working cockers have sat at the peg but most want to hunt and find the sitting still for such long periods hard to cope with without wiggling and prefer hunting although yours is a show cocker.
You said she yips especially if you make her wait before sending her and she's have to wait patiently on the peg.
What about having a word with a local trainer?
Our gun dog group has a couple of dogs that yip when cast off and one young lab that barks when the owner walks away on a sit/stay, it seems to be a natural part of their personality and hard to stop. You've nothing to lose by trying, our group does a lot of steadyness training as well so you could try something similar. Go along to a group and see what you think.

[spanielcrazy]

I don't want to lose her enthusiasm but I would be too embarrassed to take her to gundog training as noisy as she is.

But that is part of what training is all about  She may not even be vocal at doing gun work, you never know till you try, it's a bit different from obedience work, and she may understand instinctively that she needs to be quiet in the presence of birds. And I doubt she would be the first, last or only dog who has barked on the line. I'm sure the trainer can help you with that, should it even come up. Go for it! 

[M4ndy]

Thanks for the advice 
I guess I've nothing to lose by trying. I need to find a sympathetic gun dog trainer who isn't too serious iykwim. I know someone around here who was laughed out of training with a boisterous chocolate lab, goodness knows what they'd make of a yipping cocker!

She can be a bit whiny but will wait patiently after a while so I would hope she would learn to settle and wait at the peg. Its more the excited yip as she sets off that I think would be difficult to get rid of. I wonder if this will get better with experience or whether it will always be just that bit too exciting.

[Top Barks]

Do a google search for the protocol for relaxation and follow it see where it gets you.

[M4ndy]

Thanks Mark, thats really useful. 
I think I could work through that fairly quickly (although knocking on the door might be interesting).
I guess I would then move on to same exercises outside, in presence of other dogs, mix in with retrieving and eventually at a shoot? Or anywhere she gets over excited and yips I suppose?

[Top Barks]

Thanks Mark, thats really useful. 
I think I could work through that fairly quickly (although knocking on the door might be interesting).
I guess I would then move on to same exercises outside, in presence of other dogs, mix in with retrieving and eventually at a shoot? Or anywhere she gets over excited and yips I suppose?

Yes but don't rush it!

[M4ndy]

Got it.
Thanks v much

[MUDDYBOOTS]

Cloe my show cocker is the nosiest cocker in the world but surprisingly she never makes a noise when she is doing gundog training and     she absolutely loves it.I would defiantly give it a try she will probably enjoy it

[M4ndy]

Thanks thats encouraging.

[milly]

There you go, you don't know until you try. Good luck.

[mollydolly]

Cloe my show cocker is the nosiest cocker in the world but surprisingly she never makes a noise when she is doing gundog training and     she absolutely loves it.I would defiantly give it a try she will probably enjoy it

Same with mine.  :005:Mine are the noisiest dogs in the park, but as soon as they hear their whistle.........it's work time and they are silent. Give it a try.

[kcj]

Hi
I don't know if this will help with your cocker but with my Millie she needs a quiet cast out when i let her of to hunt.  I have her walking to heel and when i want her to hunt i have to catch her attention by bending down and saying there (quietly)as i point into an close area of cover, she then begins to hunt. She yelps if i give her to much encouragement.
We stay in NZ now and i entered my first field trial this year. I was realy worried about how my dogs would do, but everyone else was in the same boat. Even the best dogs can muck up.
First day Millie got a third in the novice, two days later she was put out for squeaking. which was my fault. i encouraged her to push into some cover, she got frustrated at not being able to get to the rabbit and started squeaking.
There were many dogs over the week, some field trial champions put out for the same thing, so don't worry many people have the same problem.
Good luck, have a go, its a lot of fun watching them.