The website looks great..thanks for the link.

I live in a very rural part of France, and dogs fall into one of three categories: hunting, guarding or frou-frou. I'm considered a bit bonkers for going walking with my dogs, let alone running....but I'm hopeful that I can recruit some others. I think there is some Canicrossing down in the Pyrenees, which are only a couple of hours away from me. I'll do some more research.

Ah, that's a shame. Well don't give up the search, you may just find someone as "bonkers" as yourself!

We have a similar problem here in the UK. The sport is very popular in the South but is taking it's time to spread to the far North and Scotland... That's Canicross Adventures' first goal!

My working pointer (who I sadly lost a few weeks ago, very suddenly ) would never stop dead even when working her on the grouse. I could always tell when she had winded something as her body would change. On the few occasions that I happened to run with her on the lead (dodging the rain etc as she hated the rain lol), I never had the problem with her stopping dead, even though she was a working pointer and worked for her living.

Helen

I just signed up to your website....so you have a French presence now. First task might be to think of a name for the sport that the Frenchies can pronounce!

So sorry to hear you lost your pointer. They are such wonderful companions that it hurts like hell when they go. How amazing that she never stopped dead...I had assumed that was what all pointers do. Did she slow down or drop lower to show you the bird? And it's Pointer logic, isn't it, that if I run faster I can avoid the raindrops?!

Saba freezes when she spots a bird, wherever it is. There are a few places on our walks where she almost always stops, so I'll try training a 'trot on' command there, and then see if I can use it when we are going past bird hedges.

Canix was pretty big in France 15 years ago when I lived there and it was unheard of here.

I run with a Lab and he is very birdy too but I have learnd to predict him and he generally knows now that in harness we run ... unles he notices I am not concentrating ....

http://www.france-canicross.com/

it has been a sport in France for many many years

Thanks...I feel a bit ashamed I hadn't discovered that already. I've sent them a message asking if they know of anything down in this part of France, as they seem to organise things close to Paris.

Thanks. She had done a grouse count in the morning and just slipped away in the afternoon. Imagine it was the way she would have chosen to go.

[/quote]How amazing that she never stopped dead...I had assumed that was what all pointers do. Did she slow down or drop lower to show you the bird? And it's Pointer logic, isn't it, that if I run faster I can avoid the raindrops?![/quote]

I didn't explain myself very well this morning as I was in a rush to go out. She would stop dead but not immediately. I watched her body language and I could tell the moment she scented the grouse, and she would then go solid on point - the classic pointer point. Have got some great photos of her on my laptop.

That sounds a good idea, if you are not wanting her to do it. I imagine it will just be a case of keeping an eye on her and using the trot on command when you can see her starting to show interest.

Helen

Helen

I know what you mean now, about the slowing down before freezing...I will have to be a lot more observant, and prepare for an emergency stop as soon as I see the shoulders drop a little. I don't really want to stop her pointing....I just don't want to clatter into her.

I'd love to see photos of your pointer in action, if it's not too painful for you. Sounds like she had a good last day...but that must have been shocking for you.

Also, I'd love to know more about how working pointers are meant to behave....what happens once they have pointed out a bird? Do they hold the point and another dog flushes?

I am not an expert on pointers at all but I've heard of a few that have been trained to hunt, point and retrieve they are certainly very good at the hunting and pointing from what I've heard.

I think it's different depending on where you are but in the uk I think pointer are expected to point then flush on command then drop to the flush I don't know much about working them in pairs but or corse one is expected to honour the other dogs point.

Also once a pointer has come on point if the birds are a distance away or are moving on fast the pointer does not have to stay on a solid point it is expected to move on to get closer to the birds trying to get them to sit tighter / stay where they are until it is sent to flush.

HTH

PS. If any one knows more or can correct me if I'm wrong please do! I know more about the continenltal hpr's than pointers.