Just had to report, day four of a hugely improved Brodick out on walks, I was struggling to get him under any sort of control around wildlife recently - we've still a way to go but the Boy is Doing Good! for the first day I thought it was just luck but he is still going strong now. We are still avoiding high density rabbit areas, but we are walking in the countryside still with heaps of sniffs and tracks and gorse and a fair amount of rabbity stuff going on and something seems to have clicked with him over the past few days, its like he knows i dont want him to leg it off and that he should stay with me and Cuillin....done weeks of constant recalls, Waits, Look at Me's on long line under varying distraction levels, he is now recalling even when he has started to leg it off after Cuillin, who has got onto a sniff, his focus on me is double what it was on walks, and he is now walking as part of the Pack, if you know what I mean, not out on his own Hunting Mission. He even seems to know when he gets to the end of his 30m long line 'Zone', he has rarely run further ahead than that without stopping under his own steam, or looking back, over the past few days. His recall under mid level distraction (Stops, Changed Posture, Excited Look, Sniff, Whats That, Ears Up, I'm about to Leg It sort of level) is now so good he seems to just instincitvely spin round when I recall and charges back...have been praising him dramatically and quite embarassingly for his recalls which he las loved, he gets all excited and wriggly and wants a side scratch. I've been making a complete idiot of myself but am so past caring about all that kind of stuff now! Anyway, we are still very far off recall if he was on a rabbit chase, or I think if he had nose down and was off on an exciting scent, but there is generally much less nose down, out of control charging about with no idea what the rest of the world is up to behaviour. GOOD BOY brodick...feeling a bit sorry for Cuillin as we havn't been able to be so interactive as I am SO focused on Brodick, but off to stay with family for a week so I will take her out on her own loads and make it up to her with plent of Finding and Retreiving Dummies and ball games...
Re: Much improved Hunting Pup! Wonderful ;D It's so lovely when they whip round on your call isn't it. I don't think I'll ever stop being thrilled to see it. Hopefully at some point we get to stop acting like complete loons
Re: Much improved Hunting Pup! Wow Debsie that is excellent, what giddy heights you are reaching, please pass some of your success to me!! Well done to you and Brodick and Cuillin too. Helen x
Re: Much improved Hunting Pup! Oh helen thanks! but I wish...the past four days have been quite unusual for me on walks with my pair, I've recently quite often to be found on walks muttering under my breath oh *%$$$£ where- is-brodick-off-to -now- or oh*8%$£! -theres-a-strange-dog-on-the-horizon-must-get-Cuillin-into-me-or-she'll-bark. and occassionally brodick would decide to leg it off just as a strange dog appeared on the horizon...which one do I try and get back first.....Multi tasking is my middle name! I'm completely obsessed with getting this Chase thing cracked because like you I really want to go on nice walks with my two, but reckon thats a wee way ahead yet! I also really want to do hill running with them too so I have to crack it, or I can see myself getting dragged off the top of a mountain by an overexcited Brodick attached to my waist on his running belt...will keep you posted but just to reassure you this success is just a teeny tiny one, you've encouraged me no end to keep going, seeing everything you've acheived with Charlie! he is a gorgeous boy by the way. Must try and post some pics of my lovely but a bit of a handful just now pair soon....
Re: Much improved Hunting Pup! I know what you mean, in the past many times I met people with an empty lead in my hand trying not to look panicked :-\. Not now of course as he's on lead. I am looking forward to the part of the training where we can be out on a long line practising all the whistle recalls he has built up over the months, not long now. Following Total Recall obsessively step by step so as not to make any mistakes that will destroy it quite a job really. Thank you for your comments, I never see myself as encouraging anyone on here always the other way round, but like you say it is tiny steps. Would love to see some pictures, try soon. Keep up the great work, come hell or high water we will get there Helen x
Re: Much improved Hunting Pup! Helen you have certainly encouraged me with your sheer perseverance and success from such a beginning of little knowledge and obvious concern for Charlie The experts on here like Pippa, heidrun and Lady ( ) for instance are wonderful and supportive and have a wealth of experience to draw on to give us advice.....not sure about Lady's advice sometimes but Davids is pretty good Having beginners share their experiences is a real boost too as you realise you're not crazy and it can be really hard but you'll get through it. I really hope you enjoy the great strides you've made with Charlie and go on to many more until your walks are the wonderful experience you've worked for every day. Barbara x Ps Debsie can't wait for the piccies!!!
Re: Much improved Hunting Pup! Oh Barbara thank you so very much for your lovely kind words, I really do appreciate it. I know we all value the experts help enormously, as without it where would we be? I always feel so inferior when I read their posts and constantly criticise myself for not getting it quite right, but I am slowly coming to terms with where we need to be with Charlie and not expect to reach the experts levels of training. Yes us newbies we will get through it From reading your posts Barbara you are doing very well with Riley and that's down to your own hard work and dedication. I hope one day us newbies will be able to enjoy our walks as we have all had to put in a lot of work and effort. I must have been extremely lucky with Hattie, we got her at 12 weeks, took her to puppy classes then to obedience classes for 18 months obviously always working on her recall which is very good and that's been it really, she is a truly smashing girl that we love very much. The best thing I ever did for Charlie was join this forum. You sure learn a lot about yourself too. Keep up the training!! Helen xx
Re: Much improved Hunting Pup! Hi Barbara, Just one minor point Lady and I are complete novices so any good advice is probably just good luck. Well advice from me anyway - I think Lady has common sense in her genes (when she's not butt-tucking of course). ;D
Re: Much improved Hunting Pup! Sorry David I was thinking of another post when someone suggested you and Lady were surely far too accomplished to be novices
