I think if you train him a few days on some easy marks and does well, walk him a bit and focus on him staying heel, calm and with attention on you close to other dogs. Doesnt have to be in class. You could go some where else where you´ll meet other dogs aswell. If he behaves, reward him with an easy mark and then stop.
You can do it class aswell, just wanted to say it isnt your only option to train it and its really a shame if you have to spend every lesson with all your attention on him. Looking and listening to others will teach you a great deal aswell.

Besides, if you do take him to bigger classes, I would if I was you, not allow him to do anything if he misbehave but reward him with joining in as soon as he is behaving. He´ll pick it up and fast and to just sit there throughout a whole class doing nothing even if he is behaving will only confuse him more.

Just a thought, you constantly "watching" over him at class can get him worked up too. This can be trained at home aswell and might help the both of you: Put the (long) lead on. Get him down and stay and stay close to him but turn your back to him. Boring as **** I know, but if you smoke now would be a good time to light one If he gets up, moves away etc, you are right beside him to correct him.
Let him stay down doing nothing for as long as you are sure he can cope and big praise when you turn your attention to him again.

I train that a lot with Ally as she´s quite worked up herself. Only she has no longer the lead on and I walk around in the garden doing varios stuff with her watching me

The exercise is of course to teach him when he´s "on" and when he´s "off".
When understood you´ll use it in class, on trials, etc. And soon (I hope) our dogs will calm down, maybe even fall asleep when "off" and our attention can be where its needed

If you want I can easily make a video of it? Its prety simple but pictures/video´s often makes it easier to get it I know that myself and if you have any doubts just say so. I can honestly say I know excatly how it is to be insecure

Anyway, chin up and trust yourself as I´ve allready said. Read this whole thread through and see not only have you made progress, you also knows what it takes and how to make it work. You are willing to listen, you work hard and theres no doubt in my mind that you put in both the energy and the effort in making sure your dog is with you. So in my book, you shouldnt feel insecure, bad or anything like that

Thanks for the reply again

I've been a bit bad the last week and have done no training but we've got training again tonight, with any luck because he's had a break and only been on walks, he'll be a bit sane tonight

He's at work with me today and behaving very well, there's a BBQ though later today and I keep the office door open so I expect he'll be enjoying the smells ! Am off to take him for a walk with me in the next half hour.

I've been doing a lot of the 'watch' near other dogs and he's been good. Just came back from town now and we passed a lot of other dogs, his attention was on me which was great.

Thanks for the support

Willow x

I love to take Ally with me to work
Doesnt always get much done when I do but its nice

Did a few "send out´s" myself yesterday.
Heres one: http://www.zippyvideos.com/104594950814295.html
Nothing much and pretty boring tbh, but since the racing (cars) season has started again, my bf is a distant memory and not available to help

I haven't taped the last part of her comming in to me as we are retrieving tennisballs which seems to be pretty fun So I need my attention on her when she gets home so she doesnt mistake it for the garden and start playing

I love bringing the dog in with me as well, although today there is an extra treat and I have both dogs, with me ! I can really only bring them in when the boss is away on leave, I could probably bring them in if I had to for some reason, but I'm glad I'm at a place where I can bring the dogs to work so I dont want to push it

My golden has never been in before so he's looking round the place wondering what's going to happen next, I bet he thought he was going for a walk this morning when he got in the car !

I made a bit of a mistake last night I went to where training was going to be and realised at 7.10pm I must have had the wrong day it's tonight ! Oh well

Love the video ! It's lovely to see them out working and really enjoying it, I use tennis balls occassionally but the flattie goes too mad when he sees them so we use other toys which he loves just as much, like the Kong On A Rope etc

I will do some videos soon ! I promise ! Will get my act together and sort this weekend

Will let you know how tonight goes ...

K x

Not sure if you have done this or you are doing this, but how about throwing the dummy out and then going out to retrieve it for yourself. This will keep him steady and may calm him down if he thinks that not all the dummys are for him?

Helen

Hi Helen :smt039 ,

Thanks for the suggestion

I include that in all my training sessions so it'll sink in, and I'm slowly getting there with him. I do a lot of retrieves as well with my other dog with me and send the golden for it instead of the flattie, and it's taken about a month, now when the golden goes and retrieves the dummy, but we have achieved complete silence and quite a calm flatcoat, so I'm well chuffed with that !

Just have to get him on being silent with other dogs retrieving !

This is an excellent exercise and very much used
But the prob here is that the dog gets worked up over being with lot of other working dogs. Its not so much the dummies but the other dogs getting permission to pick them up I think. Its hard to stay calm when you want to go so bad

But the exercise is really great and a big part of the gundog training

I'm sure you'll get there in the end. Sounds like he's coming on leaps and bounds.

I had a problem with one of my springers running in so kept sending my other one for the retrieve. Worked a treat and she is now sitting as soon as she sees a dummy in the air.

Helen

Yes Yes Yes !!!

That's my problem with the flattie, he can't comprehend that others have permission so why the heck cant he go in and get it ? He ran in last night actually on a mark but we were on our own, but I was hot on his tail and grabbed him before he got to the dummy, he was very very shocked that I had him before he got the dummy. I was shocked as well that I could move that fast

I did another one with a really long wait before he got sent, and he did it perfectly. So that lesson was soon fixed !

Thanks for the comments He is getting a lot better and I'm learning to trust him that bit more


Glad you got your problem sorted out with your springers, how old are they ? Do you still do gundog work with them ?

It's great to hear from other gundog people on here