Thanks Leanne - If I throw it on the floor - he looks at it and then looks at me as if to say "you dropped it" I've tried him with all sorts of toys to try it.

He does much better if he sees Sadie playing with me (but she's gone home now) and she's too hard mouthed to play with the dummies, I'm thinking of getting a puppy dummy and trying him with something smaller.

I can't do this weekend - neither can you if I remember and the Sunday after I'll be going to Catterick to see Adie off - bit of a pain really.

I'll bring my stuff with me tonight if you're training tonight and show you what I mean - although he'll probably prove me wrong and be a little t*at like he was last week!

Give me an over enthusiastic dog any day - I can work with that, better than the morbid look I get off him
I do try winding him up by saying "Leanne's coming, do some training" he runs straight to the front door and then nudges my bag with all the stuff in - so he knows you and he knows what training I mean LOL... then I take him out and we do some touches and what not but I can't get him to hold longer than 5 seconds - not even that and he won't pick it back up after he's dropped it - he sits with it at my feet and waits for me to click and treat him for bringing it to me.

Why did I decide I wanted to train him to be as good as other gundogs???

Oh Rob Dawes got in touch with me and said that I was probably doing too much advanced work for his age...

I was going to ask you about Rob Dawes cos I caught a glimpse of his name as I scrolled up. Did he say anything else about lessons or anything?

I'm taking Flynn to class tonight before Jed's class (we'll be in the one you watch/join in with) because he needs some serious work on heelwork, leaving things and just generally being around other dogs without reacting to them.

So, he'll pick a dummy up, drop it at your feet and then wont pick it up again? Have you asked to do retrieves in Denise's class? She'll be able to give you some advice.

I'm going to ask her about it tonight and also bring in the Lana Mitchell book - I think it's good but there are some things I don't quite understand - I even went back to exam style learning...writing it out and bullet pointing it - I need help before I bring out the flash cards!!!

Urm - I'll copy and paste what he said:

I've left his mobile on there for if you want to contact him.
I basically sent him a long winded email about all my problems!

I said that things are a bit hectic at the moment and that in a few weeks time when I'm sorted I would contact him about going out and showing him what Louie can do and getting pointers on stuff that needs work on.

All you have been fab with helping me though, but as you said yourself, advice and books are good but unless you have someone to show you it's pretty useless.. Although I still think you're a star and your the only person who has really helped and that Louie really likes (no body else gets mugged with cuddles )

I use Peter Everitt-Stewart now because he is experienced with pointing breeds and I specifically wanted somebody knowledgable about HPR's but didnt even know this Robert Daws guy existed. He never came up in any of my Google searches!

You're too kind Aimee, i've done naff all in reality! I keep meaning to print off a really useful clicker guide I came across on another forum. Will try and print it off to bring tonight but I really need to get my backside off this pc and get ready for training.

"Give me an over enthusiastic dog any day - I can work with that"
I'll sit back and rest tonight, let you deal with Flynn, lol!

That's fine - I'll take Flynn, you take Screwball - I mean Louie