Very special day and boy was I a bag of nerves! Benson went to Evesham for his first lesson with a clicker gun dog trainer He was a star! I seriously wondered if somehow he had been swapped..... We started off with us walking around the field, Benson pottering around off lead (gulp...) until he decided it was time to "do" something. He just came up to us, and plonked himself in a sit looking expectantly at me. So HP decides OK Benson, you can work now. This is important as I soon realised that working with Helen was a lot about getting the timing right, the dog needing to be the right frame of mind and keen to do some training. So first off....walking to heel. Here was my first challenge, I had to walk off...purposefully. Not even glance at Benson. OK. That was hard, normally I activate my eyes in the back of my head...watching him like a hawk. So off I stride..and hey presto Benson is beside me! (told you he had been swapped....) So, I click and drop a treat. Walk off, Benson walks beside me, wait a few strides and again, click, and drop a treat. Benson on my left, turn left, rinse and repeat. Wow...how simple is that? Homework is to lengthen the time between C&T to 10 paces. Next...positioning. Benson needs ot have to same view of the world as I do. So, we started luring him first to get a nice position on my left side in a sit. From there, our starting outlook will be the same...makes perfect sense! Homework is to progress from luring to C&T, then adding a cure when the behaviour is firmly established. So, you think you have a stop whistle? Err....I fumble and mumble...and yes I do! Despite my kack handedness Benson performs a stop for me. Bless him, by gorgeous chocolate boy! We then work on marking an area, throwing a treat, using the stop whistle, getting a sit, and keeping him there. I found that a bit tricky organising hands,whistle, throwing....clicking..hmmm....practice needed there..Benson meanwhile is being very patient with me. Sit/stay..and oh dear. Helen reassures me it is not unusual to lose a sit/stay at his age, it is all about self control..and what dog has this through adolescence? I feel marginally better. We work on a smooth streaming method, mainly C&T technique. I also learn at this point how to let Benson know when a particular exercise is over. We develop a cue so Benson can "switch off" and disengage. This means that I have to disengage too...so no glancing over, I must ignore him..ignore him? Boy that was tough, however, Benson just relaxes, and lies quietly at our feet, until clicker gets busy again! Now about this point I am not sure that HP believes I have a hooligan, he has been so calm, the perfect student. I suggest that Benson has a sense of humour. HP smiles sagely. So onto...the retrieves..and yes the hooligan makes an appearance, mainly because THE SPECIAL BAG also comes out. This is what I use to carry, fur balls, dummies, balls, frisbie, soft toys, tuggies...etc..etc..etc. His is mugging me big time...dragging his toys out and playing tuggy. So this is something we have to work on, and I have homework around helping Benson with a bit of self control, largely this is my fault, as in my quest to make things exciting I have inadvertently created a lot of excitement. We managed around 5 -6 maybe retrieves, with various dummies. HP standing at a distance and throwing, Benson in a sit, steady until given a cue. A note here is to secure any toggles, and either sew or tape the end over as to encourage the dog to get a firm grip and not drop.) Benson is a star here and brought all retrieves back with really good delivery to hand. He dropped one, but picked up quickly, and this was because he was trying to carry the dummy like a cigar. My timing needs a bit of work here ie: not very helpful to the dog to send back before the dummy was thrown...oops! So in summary, a fantastic day! Loved every minute and the trainer was fabulous, so much to take on board though and LOTS of homework. We are now going to work towards not only Grade 1, but Grade 2 as well. Benson was described as calm and intelligent..nice gait and lovely conformation..in direct contrast to myself...
Wonderful! Sounds as if Benson was a star, a real credit to your hard work. Also sounds as if you found it useful, learning ways to develop further. Well done!
Oh, how lovely. Maybe we can meet up one day if you are going up there.... It is, by far, just easier if you just accept now, straight away, that EVERYTHING is your fault, and your dog is blameless in all this, a total angel, just being ruined by your human incompetence. It's best in the long run, actually, and the short run - in any run in fact.....
Oh yes....at one point I called myself stupid...didn't quite expect the trainer to agree....but she did....
Wow sounds completely fabulous. Well done Benson, you've clearly triumphed despite being so compromised ps Strong elastic bands are good for holding down flappy bits on dummies too
I don't think I'll ever be brave enough to go to this particular trainer even though she's clearly brilliant
Don't worry, I have another lesson booked for 2 weeks...I have some serious homework to get done before hand, already I am sweating over that ... She trainer would also like to meet Casper, already I can see me letting him off and him disappearing into the cornfields....
But the hard work will be worth it, worth every minute. Take Casper, it might be the best thing you ever do.
Definitely take him I only wouldn't be brave enough because I'm so bad. Our dogs are all worth it though!!!
An update with Benson. 3 areas we have been working on....1. Stop whistle...and 2. Walking to heel, and 3. off lead with change of direction..with Benson maintaining a reasonably close heel. We also have had a couple of lessons with you know who..and bless her ,she kept her frustration at my handling skills very well hidden! Couple of clips to show our progress to date... Benson at a fairly long distance....I had 2 balls one to his left and one to his right. I sent him to the right and blew my stop..you can see him stop. The a longish wait before a send out to his right. This is just a game for him and he absolutely loves it! He sometimes puts on his "I am gundog serious face" which is so funny! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLfzt36vBtk I am really, really proud of his walking to heel. We have a new cue which is "walk" as I completely poisoned the "heel" cue..... Walking with Marcus to the "walk" cue. https://www.facebook.com/katherine.hart.944/videos/931548163604603/?l=8275005997429688224
I don't know how I missed your write-up on your training with SWMBO! Sounds like you had a great session. Your boy is doing fabulously. Did you take Casper? x
