CockersOnline Forum

Cocker Activities => Working => Topic started by: milly on July 31, 2009, 06:40:18 AM

Title: Can I Share Some Good News Please
Post by: milly on July 31, 2009, 06:40:18 AM
My little man did me proud last night, we won the red rosette for best dog and handler at gundog group and I'm so thrilled I haven't wiped the smile of my face since.

We joined gundog group training about 8 weeks ago and up until then we'd trained alone, had one to one lessons, a few sessions with both our dogs and the trainer sometimes brought one of his dogs to our one to ones.

Training was going well and I wanted to get him into a group. My trainer runs a group thats a mix of labs, cockers, springers and a flatcoat. The first lesson was ok, he looked liked a little rabbit in the headlights and was a bit in awe of all the other dogs but did well, he's a year next week so still a baby and when he lost concentration I'd pull him out for a break. He's well socialised with family dogs but seeing all these new dogs in a group was a new experience.

Weeks 2 onward were not good :embarassed:, we went backwards with everything he knew. Sit/stays, retrieves all went wrong. He wanted to run around with the dummy, hunt the new ground or run to say 'Hello' to the other dogs. He did a couple of spectacular 'bog offs/laps of honour' with the dummy and I really struggled with him but I knew it was because of the new situation and distractions.

The last two weeks it seemed to click with him and he's been an absolute star, walking in the mock beating line, sitting to shot (starter pistol), retrieving to hand and sitting steady when other dogs are retreiving around him.

I'm was so thrilled when he won last night. We still have a lot to learn but he's doing great, just wanted to share that because like everyone else we've had problems with recall, retrieves and all the usual things.
Title: Re: Can I Share Some Good News Please
Post by: Sarah.H on July 31, 2009, 07:09:32 AM
Well done  :D
Title: Re: Can I Share Some Good News Please
Post by: Helen on July 31, 2009, 08:03:44 AM
That's brilliant :clapping:

well done to both of you  :luv:
Title: Re: Can I Share Some Good News Please
Post by: Wendy G on July 31, 2009, 10:06:48 AM
Many congratulations, you must be so proud
Title: Re: Can I Share Some Good News Please
Post by: Maria n Dennis on July 31, 2009, 10:24:15 AM
Well done  :D You must be proud  :D
Title: Re: Can I Share Some Good News Please
Post by: JaspersMum on July 31, 2009, 11:10:01 AM
Well done - you have every right to be proud, what a star  :luv:
Title: Re: Can I Share Some Good News Please
Post by: beebee on July 31, 2009, 11:20:12 AM
That's excellent, well done :D :clapping:
Title: Re: Can I Share Some Good News Please
Post by: Nicola on July 31, 2009, 01:52:02 PM
Well done, that's brilliant and sounds like a good class :shades: :D
Title: Re: Can I Share Some Good News Please
Post by: mcphee on July 31, 2009, 04:55:35 PM
well done. If only i had done the same!
Title: Re: Can I Share Some Good News Please
Post by: mum2milly on July 31, 2009, 05:15:31 PM
Very well done to you both!  :clapping: :clapping:
Wish we had a class like that near us!

Love Jo & Milly xx
Title: Re: Can I Share Some Good News Please
Post by: milly on July 31, 2009, 05:33:38 PM
Thankyou so much for sharing my excitement. I go on a few gundog forums but I knew COLERS would understand.
Not  sure if I'm allowed to put a link on here so if not mods feel free to remove it, but here is a link to the 1st training evening and some of our beautiful dogs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_kI329ZekE
Paddy is the little chocolate cocker.
Title: Re: Can I Share Some Good News Please
Post by: Crazy Cocker Gang on July 31, 2009, 05:38:41 PM
just saw this well done  :D
Title: Re: Can I Share Some Good News Please
Post by: mcphee on July 31, 2009, 07:42:48 PM
Thank you. I enjoyed this very much. But Rufus either didn't like the music or realised that this is what steadiness is about and got up from the sofa by my side in embarassment and went and got in his crate!
Title: Re: Can I Share Some Good News Please
Post by: milly on July 31, 2009, 08:22:59 PM
Thank you. I enjoyed this very much. But Rufus either didn't like the music or realised that this is what steadiness is about and got up from the sofa by my side in embarassment and went and got in his crate!

Aww bless him, it's hard for cockers to do steadiness. Not sure where you live but if you're near us you could always join us :blink:
Title: Re: Can I Share Some Good News Please
Post by: DLK on July 31, 2009, 10:38:48 PM
Thats great news  :005: I feel like I was there.

Well done you and your dog did great.