I was asked to let you know how Rusty and I got on after our first lesson this morning... I kind of knew I wasn't going to get an easy time. Rusty may have been top of the class at obedience lessons but that has very different teaching objectives, methods and styles. I was right so I've been told off for well over an hour, but at least we were only second worst in the group... it was mainly talking/information with a little bit of heel work today. Apparently we'll do a lot more next week which will help as Rusty and the other dogs did get a bit bored with the sitting around. Carole
Re: 1st day at gun dog class Sounds as if you had quite a tough session Carole, hope next week goes better for you. The first week is often a lot of talking/explanation, especially where there is quite a range of different dogs. Watching the other dogs each take their turns can be quite instructive once you all start to progress. Is there anything you need to focus on practicing this week? Pippa
Re: 1st day at gun dog class Well done Carole - what age is Rusty. i went to a gunog training class with Archie when he was just 9 months old. We missed the first one and went to the second. I spent the whole time trying to keep him calm while dummies were getting thrown about for the other dogs. I was told to keep him quiet in whatever way worked for me mouth over his muzzle was one suggestion. I ended up walking him around the field to distract him and some yanking him on the lead - which I wasn't comfortable with, Unfortunately I couldn't work out what worked for me!, he was so keen to be involved. I decided we weren't ready for it and plan to go back next year. I would be interested to know if you had similar problems? - and any advice on managing over exuberance?!
Re: 1st day at gun dog class Hi Pippa thanks, I realise that watching others is helpful for me, but it's hard to concentrate with a bored pup at the end of a lead... although actually he was only getting up and sniffing around etc, not causing a fuss. this week we've been told to walk on a lead only for a few days then when they're let off to recall every ten seconds and if don't come back on one recall back on lead for a day. Also told not to do any retrieves and not to talk to him or use his name other than to give a command. As I live alone that last one will be nigh on impossible for me - I got a dog so I didn't have to talk to myself! Jo - I'm sure Pippa will have something useful to say about over exuberance - not something I have a lot of with Rusty which I think is a combination of naturally calmer temperament and using Trust Technique very early plus putting in place the techniques I learned with Barney from the very beginning. Now reminding myself of what I achieved with Barney I'm not completely hopeless!
Re: 1st day at gun dog class Carole, you are definitely not hopeless! Gundog training is quite different world and it can seem overwhelming at first. I am thinking you are on the Cambridge course? The trainer there has a very high success rate, so hang on in there and hopefully it will start to fall into place as you go. A working gundog has to cope with stretches of boredom where they must sit or walk at heel very quietly, interspersed with moments of great excitement, and it sounds as though Rusty has the temperament to deal with that. The suggestions not to talk to the dog are actually useful in focusing the dog on you more when you are working together. With pet dogs we tend to chatter away all the time to them and it can become a sort of background noise which they tune out to. This is one of the reasons that it can be easier to get kennelled dog focused on the handler. I'm not suggesting you put Rusty in a kennel of course! But one of the things which can really help, is to arrange your training sessions after the dog has had some quiet time, in his crate for example so that he is really pleased to have your company and is more focused on you when you train. The repetitive recall practice is a useful technique which will give you results, and don't forget, it is only for a week. If you do your homework, I am sure you will be star pupil next time! Jo, I will post up for you tomorrow
Re: 1st day at gun dog class thanks for the encouragement Pippa. I've no doubt it gets results and don't worry I'll be doing my homework - just wasn't quite ready for the culture shock to be so big! (Despite expecting it to be very different to what I was used to.) Us humans need encouragement too so I appreciate your comments - the best I got earlier was that I've only half ruined him which at the end of a long tiring week and a long tiring session somewhat knocked the wind out of me. But when I commit to something I fully commit so we'll be sticking with it. I'm sure we'll be a great team.
Re: 1st day at gun dog class Carole thanks for the link to Trust technique - have checked it out, it looks great - have signed up for it. Pippa - look forward to advice as well - have been checking your training posts as well, since posting my question
Re: 1st day at gun dog class you're welcome Jo and if you get stuck with it don't hesitate to pick up the phone to them James and Shelley are very accessible. You can see Barney (& me! eek) in section 10 if you're curious although only the first one until you've been a member long enough.
Re: 1st day at gun dog class Hi Carole, Hang on in there, any form of Dog training is mostly around actually training the handler! As Pippa states periods of waiting /hanging around is in fact training, so dont get disheartened. Patience and consistency on your part will see you reap the benefits. Keep at it. Paul.
Re: 1st day at gun dog class Hi all Could someone please enlighten me on the trust technique please. its something i havent heard of before. many thanks ju
Re: 1st day at gun dog class Hi Ju it's a technique developed by a guy called James French which can be used for all sorts of things but is mainly used to resolve behaviour issues stemming from anxiety or fear. It can be used on any animal but most of his work is with dogs and horses. It's all about calming the animals mind. It worked wonders where none of the suggestions from the behaviourist did for Barney's seperation anxiety so I'm a bit of an evangelist for it. Using it with Rusty from the start I believe has helped enormously he's certainly the calmest puppy anyone's met, not something that lab pups are renowned for : Here's a link to his site http://trust-technique.com/dap/a/?a=266
Re: 1st day at gun dog class Thanks Carolb sounds really interesting. will have a read with my coffe! ju
Re: 1st day at gun dog class it was our second lesson today and much better, mainly as the instructor seemed to have got out of bed the better side today so we got corrected rather than berated! Last week was cancelled as he was ill so I've been putting a lot of work in weaning Rusty out of the training with treats habit. At first I just stopped as I was told not to use them and it was chaos so after a couple of days I put them back in and have been slowly reducing them which seems to have worked. In class he did some really good work - which he could do before but this time decided to show it -so we've gone from "half ruined" to "perfect temperament"
Re: 1st day at gun dog class Hi Carole, Well done you and Barney, sounds like things are improving! Pippa
week 5 at gun dog class I can't believe we've just done week 5 of 8! I thought you might like to know how we're getting on. We're a group of just 4 - A cocker and a lab doing grade 2 and a Brittany Spaniel and us doing grade 1. Our trainer is a "character" who clearly knows his stuff with a style that isn't for the faint hearted. Rusty can now manage a 2 minute stay, and ok heel work but retrieving has been difficult - he shows no interest in the canvas dummy but we've been successful using a rabbit fur dummy. Today however he got very excited when he saw a water dummy and the guy with the other lab wanted to do some water work so we all (dogs that is!!) had a go at retrieving from the lake. This was huge fun and very challenging for the dogs as so many new exciting smells but even Rusty brought it back to me very nicely - I was very proud The best bit though was getting commended for an excellent recall - when the Brittany bolted he'd got away from me but came straight back on the whistle. The trainer is completely anti training with treats and my recall is so good only because I use liver cake while training as frankly me giving him fuss just can't compete with sniffing rabbit poo etc. Felt for the poor guy with the Brittany - took him over 20 minutes to get her back...
Re: 1st day at gun dog class thanks Pippa - and after yesterday's class we've been told we're going to be good enough to do his grade one in a couple of weeks! He was very good yesterday - all the dogs were being distracted by something but Rusty was the most focused and relaxed - we just need to keep that up and we'll be fine.
