Ever have one of those days ?

When everything goes really nicely and you have quite a few nice unexpected suprises ?

I went back to work and neither of my bosses were in (which was a suprise) so I had the day to myself to organise my desk and get things done without any worry. So I had a nice pleasant day at work.

Came on here at lunch and was still feeling inspired from yesterday so took the dog out to the local wood/fields when I got home to find that instead of the usual weed infested prickle patch in the entrance to the woods, the local council has cut it all back and tidied it all up, I now have a great training area 5 mins walk from the house !

I took my training gear with me and did just a few retrieves, One long mark (he overshot it slightly but I let him get on and wind it as he didnt search to far wide when hunting for it) as he was coming back, I had OH throw another dummy into the same spot as a blind excercise and to help build the memory. That blind retrieve was excellent, as soon as the hunt command was given the nose went down and he found it straight away.

Yesterday I saw a lot of people using the command get over when getting their dogs to cross a small stream or jump, I've done some agility with the dog but it was over 2 years ago, however I will still use 'Hup' if we are on a walk and get him to jump something, so because the council had tidied this area up there was a few ditches that had been dug up so they can drain into the local lake. I threw a dummy over the ditch and as he jumped I used 'Get Over'. That went fine as well.

Did another blind retrieve but only half the distance as the first two retrieves, he ran out, I gave my hunting command to him but he must have thought it was in the same area as the last two retrieves as he went out over in that direction, I called him, he came back in to me, then I thought 'Please stop' as I blew my stop whistle and he miracle of miracles he stopped, so lots of praise for that as he was looking at me (I could even see the tail wag as I said good boy, which I thought was really sweet) because he was level with the dummy, I then sent him to my right, we had a hiccup here though. He came into me, I stopped him again he sat immediately, (got told good boy again) as he had come in about 2 strides, he got send back and he went straight back as directed and was given the hunt command, he found it straight away. I was really pleased with that even though there was a slight hiccup. I was pleased because I had managed to handle him onto the dummy and we had a success. It proved to him once again that I DID in fact know where the dummy was

So because of him coming into me and not going right like he was told, I did a few more left and right directions but did it on the track, so it was easy to get right again. We did this fine.

Then there was another long mark, and he hadnt marked it that well, but he overshot it about 5 yards in the area that he was looking, (I dont know if you use this same command when hunting in Denmark but I was taught here as a handling/hunting hand command that if the dog is hunting towards you, and the dummy is on the right, to put my right hand out but facing down, kind of like on a 45 degree angle from my body, but not straight out sideways as I would do after the dog has stopped) so I did that and lo and behold he took notice of me and starting to work in that area, he found it quickly. So once again it was in his head that I was right

I was really really happy with this because it's still so fresh in my mind that he would ignore any commands whilst out hunting as he would like to work on his own initiative, he still does to a small extent but definately not like what he used to. The fact that he stopped when asked (when it used to be a total ignore) and did a small handling exercise with success is fantastic as it boosts his confidence in me and it also raises my confidence in him.

Now onto yesterday !

I arrived after the Novice Dogs and Handlers had worked but I just wanted to see some flatcoats working really ! So we got to see the Intermediate's run and I was really impressed, (for one reason my dog was quiet through out !!) and the other was it was lovely to see other flatties working, one liver dog who I have seen out and about a few times did some beautiful marking and had an excellent nose on him. I saw a few handler mistakes as well, I have learned just how important it is for not only the dog to mark the dummy but the handler as well ! One long marked retrieve with a shot, was done in quite heavy cover and the dog was sent out.But the handler was sure the dummy was about 15 yards more to the left so everytime the dog went into try and retrieve this dummy, she would stop him and send him back to the left, the dog was obediant and went, but would go hesitantly and keep looking back behind him, she did this about 4 times and then thought the dog maybe was right about something so she sent him on to the right where the dog pounced straight onto the dummy. She learned a lesson in trust your dog !

After that I volunteered to steward for the brace section (which is where you work two dogs at once) and that again I was impressed with, although there was a few run ins on the younger dogs. There was a lot of people with a dog or a bitch as the older dog and the younger dog was either a sibling or the bitch's puppy.

After tonight though, I was happy with the dog's handling and working with me, but I have started to notice that his marking is a bit sporadic, does anyone have any training advice for this ? I can accept that they all have they're off days but just wondered if anyone has found this with their dogs? I was told yesterday to take him out and do about 4 or 5 marked retrieves over a long distance and do that every day for a week, as that had worked with a few other peoples dogs. What does everyone think of this ? Have you tried it or anything similiar ?

Also got told of a cold game training day in 2 weeks with the training club that I had joined not that long ago. So I think I'll attend that and have a go we've never done any cold game work before and this is for the absolute beginner so it sounds ideal

Anyway that's my latest instalment of the gundog training, look forward to hearing any comments/thoughts

First to read I think and also first to comment Loved it and think you´re doing really well
I´m so happy for you that your hard work is paying off. Also that you have kept the joy for working in your dog. The wagging tail and will to please you is worth gold. Well done to both of you :smt038

As for the marked ones I have a few questions:
Is it when you throw several dummies he´s having trouble with remembering them? Or does it happen with just one too?
Do you have him calm and paying attention when a dummy is thrown? Is he fooling around, sniffing, whatever on his way out or does he simply looks confused, maybe asking you for help on his way out there?

I think there are varios ways to train this depending on the situation and know that when you train a lot of send outs you will take some of the dogs indepence away. That can result in some of the above if you arent aware of it and train quite a few other independent things aswell

So a bit more info please

Not the first to read Amts I read it last night

So pleased for you Willow you have worked so hard, and this is now showing Sounds like both of you are really enjoying yourselfs, and its great he is now learning to trust you to help him found the dummy. Good luck with the training in a couple of weeks not that you need it sounds like you are going to do great, weldone to the both of you :smt023