Shoots/hunting/tracking classes in or around Nottingham

Hey guys,

Louie wasn't supposed to be a gundog/tracking but from what I witnessed this morning and other mornings - I think it's only fair he goes every now and again until he's used to it and if he has fun then we can probably make it a regular thing. Although there'd only be me who has the stomach to pick up a dead animal from his mouth...

This morning after playing with Belle and Kia, Dax (GSD puppy - the friendly one) came along and whilst Louie was distracted Belle and her owner walked off, then Kia and her owner went so as I had to go the same way as Belle, I saw Louie tracking something - I thought - great he's found a cat/bird - so I put him on the lead, this morning I'd brought my long seatbelt lead but as it has rings I used it like one of those police leads. So He was on a long lead basically. Got out of the park and I pulled him in (The seatbelt clip is in a nice padded cover so it's extra comfort for me to hold )
He was still tracking - when I got onto my road I saw what he was tracking - Belle!

And he loves chasing birds on the park and the pigeons in town and rabbits although he's not allowed to do that with our own. So I think he needs something other than regular training.

Will it be too late though - he is 7 months old and although the fireworks didn't scare him - I'm not sure how he'd be with a gun - he's inquisitive about airsofting gun noises but they sound nothing like real ones. I suppose I could take him along and get him used to them - right?

Urm what about tracking - I obviously know how to place a scent but if I place a treat in the house and tell him go find - he knows the game through watching the other dogs and me placing a treat near him - he just cant find it if I shut him out the room and hide the treats...so other than that - what else does tracking involve?

Thanks

Well I know a bit about tracking..............

All dogs can track, they do it all the time if you watch them tracking the scents of wildlife, bitches in heat etc.

You can teach your dog to track for fun or for competition.

In the UK we have 2 sports which involve tracking, Working Trials and Schutzhund.

The former is divided up into three sections, nosework, agility and control, the latter includes all these plus protection work.

The best book on tracking ever written is The Tracking Dog by Glen Johnson, it is American and written with their tracking competitions in mind but the principles are the same and if you read that book and followed its advice religiously you wouldd end up with a very competent tracking dog.

If you would like to learn more about tracking you could go along to watch a competition and there would be people who would be happy to talk to you.

There are several WT societies around the UK, not all have training groups though.

This link will give a list of societies, contacts and dates of both Open and Championship Trials:

http://www.workingtrials.co.uk/

This link may also be helpful:

http://www.workingtrialsmonthly.co.uk/


What you are doing at the moment is air scenting similar to what SAR dogs do.

If you want to explore the gundog route, first of all only gundog breeds registered on the KC Breed Register may participate in Gundog Working Tests and/or Field Trials.

A gun is used in FT and WT but not in GWT.

No dog destined for gundog work should be chasing feathers or fur at any time!

There are many ways to start off tracking using food, toys etc

As for age, no dog is ever too old and 7 months is still a baby.

HTH if you want any more info let me know

7 months isn't too old to start anything, most people I know, don't seriously start working their dogs on shoots until they are at least a year old, if not older. They may go out on the odd day, just to get a taster, but don't do very many days at all. Misty is 2, and she's probably only done 10-15 days max at the mo, she's not been out at all this season!

The shooting season ends at the end of next month, so if you wanted to work him on shoot days either picking up/beating, then you've got until September/Ocotober to get the training in place.

If you want to take him beating, then him chasing birds etc is not a good idea, a dog chasing birds during a drive will get you banned from some shoots and ruin the drive! The shoot OH works for, like the dogs to stay close to heel during the drive, and will only be allowed to hunt once we are guarenteed that pretty much all the birds have been driven over the guns. The dogs are allowed to hunt to flush any straglers (sp?). Partridge beating is different, dogs are generally allowed to hunt more, as you are covering a larger space.

Does he retrieve to hand? Will he let you take things from his mouth? These are things to consider if you want to make him a picking up dog. All mine retrieve to hand, hold onto the bird, until I've got hold of it, and use the release word, which can be whatever word you chose, ours is 'dead.' These things can be taught, Misty was a horror when I started training her to retrieve and release to a command, we used to swap, her Bambi teddy for a treat, eventually she got the gist, and now she won't let go of anything until I say 'dead.' This has been a problem if people think she's trying to play tug, especially with my stepsister who doesn't listen, but thankfully, my stepsister trying to play tug with her hasn't affected what I've taught her to do, and she'd rather release then tug!

I think an important thing is whether you enjoy beating/picking up. It's a long day, in all weathers, keepers get moody if the days not going right, there have been many occasions when I've wanted to cry. It's always a good idea to go to a shoot a few times on your own, without a dog, to see how other dogs behave and what is expected of a dog and so you can learn the ground a bit. It's much easier, than not knowing the ground etc, whilst trying to concentrate on a dog as well!

Hope this is a little bit helpful, if you've got anything else you want to know, I will try my best to help you out!

If you are a newbie to the world of shooting a very good organisation to join is NOBS which runs courses to encourage new beaters/pickers up to the sport.

http://www.nobs.org.uk/

Which means that when you ask questions people are happy to help and you can ask to be put on a beater list etc and learn if being out in all weathers, getting soaked, ripped by barbed wire and frozzled toes is your thing!

Louie will retrieve to hand but I dont know how he'd feel having a dead animal in his mouth - he may wanna keep it - I'll try him with bones etc or maybe smear some animal blood on his duck toy or a dummy and see how that goes.

I dont mind cold wet or windy weather - I go airsofting and have to put up with men moaning that they lost a game cos the wind wasn't blowing right or "The other team is cheating" meanwhile I'm sat in a tree or a bush or even brambles and nettles trying to get decent shots of them for the website

Thanks for the help Smokey bear
And Misty pup - there was a lot there but I got through it
I was actually thinking earlier that he does have lab in him and can swim so maybe I can try him with retrieval from water before I try on land - that way he has no other smells on the ground for me to compete with and it knackers him out - maybe?

1 If you want to see if a dog will bring back game, you need to start with cold game ie dead stuff refrigerated.

But before that it is wise to start with dummies that endeavour to replicate the weird shape and flopping head of a game bird (see gundog suppliers).

Then you avoid say pigeon or woodcock (feathers and smell) and wrap game in a stocking.

I would suggest putting blood on a bone may not be the way to go as it may encourage mouthing, chomping of game, people pay to get WHOLE birds, not half eaten ones!

If a dog will not retrieve properly on land it will not do so from water, plus you have to make sure the dog does not drop game, shake and then pick up ideally...........

He retrieves on land and rarely drops anything on the floor it is either in my hand or lap or not dropped at all LOL

was actually thinking earlier that he does have lab in him and can swim so maybe I can try him with retrieval from water before I try on land - that way he has no other smells on the ground for me to compete with

Ah, apologies I thought from the above that you had problems with your dog retrieving on land due to him being distracted by scent..........

You can get rabbit skins, used for wrapping around dummies, thats a good way to see what they are like with fur, and a friend that trials told me to get pidgeon/pheasant wings, and somehow tie them to the dummy, so get a rough idea of what they may be like with feather, if you can't get an entire bird.

If he has a toy that he already retrieves back, that you could wrap things around, you could substitue that for a dummy, if you can get rabbit skins etc!

There is nothing better than working with your dog on a shoot day, whether it's picking up or beating, and knowing they love it, even the terriers enjoy the odd day out beating!

Sorry my other post was long! I tend to ramble on!

The highlighted bit made me laugh as I'm sat here thinking he already has a taste of rabbits as he nudges mine around the living room - I have 7 rabbits so not sure the OH would feel right about me wrapping them around a dummy and teaching him to fetch rabbits

Now I know there's a difference between dead and alive but recently dead ones I reckon will smell just as a living one would?

Dont worry - more info the better.

He has a stuffed duck that is in for repair because he decided to chew a hole in it - he looked so natural retrieving that

I guess I could always take him in the little heather/grass fields next to the corn fields - I know there are pheasants there and I don't own a gun and you cant get done for bird worrying can you?

People do go walking in there all the time though with their dogs so I don't think I'd be doing anything wrong - will check with the farmer who owns the land and see first - I can always get him sniffing and flushing - he does work like a springer - I have noticed that