Said I'd never work him!

[bobbylfc]

Well went with a friend to a working farm Sunday while she had a go at working sheep with her collie and while I was there it was suggested that I have a go at working Bobby. Well he amazed me by how much potential he has got! He was retrieving the rabbit skin ball from anywhere and even did it when he couldn't see where it was thrown! He also learned to sit on the whistle in about 10 minutes! The only problem was he wasnt interested in the dummy but after 10 more minutes at home he now loves it! We have also now been invited on a shoot and she did say that people would probably offer to buy him  (but he is priceless to me)

Next lesson is introducing him to the sound of gunshot, hopefully he wont mind as he generally isn't scared of loud noises like fireworks! And seeing how he reacts to birds  not sure how this will go as he has caught a bird before and handed it to me still alive 

She was really surprised at how quickly he picked everything and also asked can she steal him 

One question though how do I stop him doing a victory lap with his dummy? He brings it to me after but has to do a big circle with it!

[SteveB]

Well done can see another scurry entrant in the making.
You now need to make you more interesting than the dummy so it is brought straight back.
I know a dog trainer down south who is very succesful with a lab and rewards it everytime it returns, with treats.
,Something we have never done outside the house only when we first started training with her toys. Now she returns to praise (90% of the time, the other times she gets what we call "off with the fairies" thats the joy of cocker spaniels).
Dummies never taken  out of the bag at home only when out and training.
Do you know anybody with a starting pistol that you could borrow.

[Helen]

I'm surprised you're surprised at Bobby's ability  after all it's what he was bred for   

[SteveB]

I'm surprised you're surprised at Bobby's ability  after all it's what he was bred for   

Never a truer word said

[bobbylfc]

It was just the fact that he has never done any training. Thought you would need to do lots! I know you probably have to to get to competition standard! Also because he was from a pet home thought the instinct may have been lost esp as he is such a laid back worker  Am definately looking forward to future scurries etc now and so is he! Ive never seen him look sooooo happy even when doing flyball he isnt like that!

[SteveB]

It was just the fact that he has never done any training. Thought you would need to do lots! I know you probably have to to get to competition standard! Also because he was from a pet home thought the instinct may have been lost esp as he is such a laid back worker  Am definately looking forward to future scurries etc now and so is he! Ive never seen him look sooooo happy even when doing flyball he isnt like that!

I think the instinct is always there. We have a friend who has one of those lowen dogs(which she shows) 2 GSD (both do agility and cannix) and a 9 year old Springer spaniel who was not happy doing agility to nervous)
She came to the Welsh open scurry to take pics and brought the springer with her. Borrowed a dummy and threw it out and the dog brought it back. She is now training with Andrea and what a difference, if you can imagine a dog smiling it is her. Never done anything like it in the past. She is a bit slower than the rest but can find a dummy in all sorts of cover.   Launcher no problem with the bangs.

[bobbylfc]

Well I've took the plunge and booked myself some 1-2-1 lessons with a guy in Preston! We shall make a gundog of him yet

[Helen]

Well I've took the plunge and booked myself some 1-2-1 lessons with a guy in Preston! We shall make a gundog of him yet

the most important thing is for you to both have fun and love it - I get such a kick out of seeing Jarv working, he loves it more than anything else.  His joy is indescribable!

[bobbylfc]

oooh 2 days to go and im already excited!!!! watched a dvd on gundog training last night and without knowing ive already taught bobby the basics  The trainer told me if he thought we wouldnt be good enough then he wouldnt let me waste my money!!! Just wish Sunday would hurry up!

[SteveB]

It will take over your life, but woud not change it.
We were lucky here. We tried training Lulu from books and DVD's etc. Paid £20 for an hour with a well known gundog trainer in our area who gave us pointers and said come back in a couple of months. Then we met this guy at a show we went to. He is absolutely brilliant to be honest. We train with the dogs 3 nights a week (he is 20 minutes away) out of the house from 4.30 till 8 in the summer and cuts back according to the light (swear he would have us wear headlights if he could get away with it) the rest of the year. Also 4 hours on a Saturday morning for the more advanced dogs. What does he charge not a penny. He gets his payment by the way of seeing well trained dogs competing and beating.  It is now looking like we will be forming an informal club in the area to keep everybody together.  At the moment he is training a shorthaired Pointer, Weimeramer, Munsterlander, 5 Springers and 4 Cockers.

[redlottie]

Good luck for Sunday hope you really enjoy it. 

We take ours training every weekend to a group session and the trainer is lovely and its great to see them out doing what they are bred for.

[bobbylfc]

Then we met this guy at a show we went to. He is absolutely brilliant to be honest. We train with the dogs 3 nights a week (he is 20 minutes away) out of the house from 4.30 till 8 in the summer and cuts back according to the light (swear he would have us wear headlights if he could get away with it) the rest of the year. Also 4 hours on a Saturday morning for the more advanced dogs. What does he charge not a penny. He gets his payment by the way of seeing well trained dogs competing and beating.  It is now looking like we will be forming an informal club in the area to keep everybody together.  At the moment he is training a shorthaired Pointer, Weimeramer, Munsterlander, 5 Springers and 4 Cockers.

Where do you live he sounds really good  the trainer I am going to is £35 a lesson which seems a bit steep but think its for a couple of hours! Will find out when I get there  cant get any work done at the moment because im soooooooooo excited!!!! Bet I end up enjoying it more than Bobby!

[SteveB]

S.Wales bit far from Wigan

[bobbylfc]

Just a bit 

[SteveB]

So ho w did it go