Oh so very proud of Dan! :)

OH was given Dan, a 5 year old black lab before xmas, from a fellow keeper. OH wasn't keen on him, as he didn't pick up and was a very nervous dog!

I moved back up with Ryan and decided Dan is worth it, I'll help him become the dog he can be!

We started on a lungeline, building up a relationship as he had iffy recalll, due to being let out of his kennel into a small garden, then back in 5 mins later, for the last 2 years! He was almost a bit overwhelmed I think, being in a big open field! When he had started listening etc to me, I was dropping the lungeline and letting him mooch about with all the other dogs, calling him back to me and treating him when he did! 2 months on, we are at the stage where he isn't on a lead at all, and runs happily with everyone, coming back to me to check in. The only thing I have to watch is when he goes off for the toilet. He likes to take himself away from me and the others to toilet, so I've got to be at the ready to call him before something takes his interest when he's done!

Today was the icing on the cake, he's never been interested in retrieving, but today I threw a puppy dummy when I was out with all the dogs and Dan went and got it! He did 5/6 dummy retrieves throughout the walk, I was truely amazed!
I took all the dogs back to kennels and took Dan back to the field with a hen pheasant the dogs pegged and a pigeon Ryan had shot, just to see what he made of them! He retrieved them both a couple of times! I left it on a good note, with a nice retrieve of the pheasant!

Such a lot achieved in 2 months, I couldn't be more proud! So much for the dog that everyone had written off! The next step is retrieving to hand, as he spits everything at my feet, but I've got time, patience and faith!

Sorry for the long rambly post but I'm such a proud canine mummy!

Everything is possible!

Well done!

Well Done to you and Dan You've worked hard with him, and now it's all paying off xx

Thank you!

I knew he was going to come right! Unlucky to the guy that gave him to us, he's missed out on a fantastic dog, and I'll make sure he know it!

Thats brilliant Well done to you and Dan!

Well done to you and Dan and keep up the hard work

awww well done

Thank you!

I've not felt this good about my abilities with my dogs since I got Blade almost 2 years ago!

If things carry on with Dan as they are now, he'll be out on shoot days with me much sooner than I had anticipated!

What a lovely story, well done to you both.