CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Activities => Working => Topic started by: Nicola on November 23, 2006, 02:35:46 PM
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Alfie and I have a lesson with Mike Skinner of Graigour Gundogs (the 'Tessa the Toerag' diary man!) a week on Saturday. It's really more for me than for Alfie as I have a feeling that a lot of the 'issues' I'm having with him are down to my badly timed commands ph34r I am really looking forward to it but a bit nervous at the same time! He was absolutely lovely on the phone though and seems to have a sense of humour which is good because after an hour with me and Alfie he will need it!! :005:
If this one goes well and we get on I hope to make it a regular thing, maybe every other week or so. Hopefully he can keep us on the right track and he has agreed to assess Alfie's potential as a possible trial dog on an ongoing basis which would be a dream come true for me... although we have a LOT of work to do before that would even be a distant possibility! :lol:
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Please do keep us informed. I am planning on having monthly training sessions with a pro trainer at 6 months onwards
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Good Luck...hope you have fun!
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yayyyyyyy - looking forward to hearing how it goes nicola (really like how he's working with tessa the toerag - see if you can give her a sneaky squidge from me :luv: :luv: :luv:)
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Good Luck Nicola, not that you'll need it ;)
I must read 'Tessa the toerag'
Let us know how you get on
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Good luck Nicola - it sounds as if he is a really experienced trainer and understands cockers well (although some of the techniques he describes in the Labrador training diary are less "positive") :-\
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I don't know about Tessa the toe rag but i have Floss the big toe rag. i will have to start a thread about her training she i s really trying my patience at the moment.
Good luck with Alfie Nicola. I wish I could get a ready made one like your Tilly.
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I think the diaries are great too - he def has a sense of humour.
Just remember though, he is your dog, and anything you feel uncomfortable with, say so. I made the huge mistake of letting an agility trainer tell me to tie Lola to the fence and walk away, because she wasn't "paying attention" like a border collie does (she's an english setter).... all that achieved was to upset Lola and make her hate agility - we gave up shortly after..... you can't treat all dogs the same way. ;)
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I think the diaries are great too - he def has a sense of humour.
Just remember though, he is your dog, and anything you feel uncomfortable with, say so. I made the huge mistake of letting an agility trainer tell me to tie Lola to the fence and walk away, because she wasn't "paying attention" like a border collie does (she's an english setter).... all that achieved was to upset Lola and make her hate agility - we gave up shortly after..... you can't treat all dogs the same way. ;)
Thanks Penel, I'd definitely never let anyone do anything with Alfie that I wasn't 100% happy with, it's a really good point. That's why I've booked this first lesson as a 'taster' before I commit to any more, just to see how we get on.
Flozac - Tilly is a wee star, I wish I could take some of the credit for it but she's the one teaching me! :luv: I'm sure Floss and little Scout will turn out fab though, you're working really hard with them. It is flippin' hard though, Alfie is more than living up to his 'monster' nickname at the moment >:D
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Have fun Nicola, let us know how it goes ;)
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That sounds a great idea Nicola. Hope you have fun. :D
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How did the lesson go Nicola?
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How did the lesson go Nicola?
Sorry Anita, I just saw this. I completely forgot to update this. Unfortunately we had to reschedule the session as the weather here on Saturday was absolutely atrocious, it was blowing a hoolie and pouring with rain. It's quite a long drive and down where Mike is based was really bad so we spoke and agreed to literally take a raincheck!
Hopefully we will get it fitted in again in the next week or so (need fingers crossed smiley!) :D
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Forgot it was this sat, can't blame you taking a rain check as the weather was horrendous, here's hoping you get another date to go soon ;)
Can't wait to hear how you get on, let us know when the date is set again ;)