Re: get up and go.. thanks for the replys.. he will be spoilt today no doubt ... my nine year old adores him to bits .. we are booked in on dog training classes that start in a few weeks .. just standard not gun dog .. im sure i can sort the other stuff out its the basics i want to really get sorted as a well mannered obeident dog is one that will be welcomed any where .. before Olly i have always had running dogs collie crosses highly inteligent flying machines .. My last dog i lost due to a accident in the field .. im struggling with the comparing the two dogs when i was training her she would pick it up in no time no mater what it was .. she walked to heel ,sit stay for ages no mater what went on around her or how far away i was and do many other things to boot .. this is going to be a long journey ... lots of questions to follow many thanks for all the input
Re: get up and go.. Darren I know exactly how you feel when you talk about 'spoiling him'....but let me tell you about us... Dex came to,us from a gundog breeder...he was 5 months.....he had a good grasp of the basics and a glowing report which basically said they regretted selling him to us because he had all the markings of an excellent working dog!this floored me a bit because he was coming to the Middle East,to a challenging environment, to 2 complete novices (incomps )and i felt like we were cheating him of his heritage.....he is A much loved pet to us,he will never work in the true gun dog sense. I was so worried that my lack of experience would 'spoil' him,but you know I don't ( fingers are in a big x here) think we are,and you sound way more experienced than me so you wont spoil Olly im sure.I have read vociferously,I 'interviewed' strangers in the park about their lab experiences and I'd even been to an obedience class......without a dog in preparation for Dex's arrival......I did go back when he arrived so I think I looked a bit less insane to the class and trainer!Our progress is slow,but there is progress so if I am making it,you will too.I'm learning its all relative and while he will never reach his full'working' potential I am determined to keep,him,sharp,clever and interested. Bless him that him puzzled look when I cock up with the wrong word,click,or signal.....he frowns as if to say' show me properly and ill do it! Use all the resources on here,there are some fantastic members with amazing working dogs you will get a great partnership with Olly Angela
Re: get up and go.. Hi there Darren, Olly sounds lovely and I am sure, given time, you will come to love him as much as your other dog. Don't feel bad if you don't feel an instant bond with him. It took me months to properly bond with my little Poppy, because I was still so concerned with my other dog Bones, who was very elderly and needed a lot of my attention. My one big piece of advice to you is - try not to compare your dogs too much. Collies are a completely different kettle of fish to labs - there is no doubt they are cleverer and quicker to learn (I hear the collective hiss of outraged indrawn breath as I dare to write such heresy on this forum ), but labs have other qualities that you will grow to appreciate and love, given time. Don't expect too much from Olly to begin with. He's been through a lot - a bit like a child who's been moved from foster home to foster home. Just give him time to learn to love, trust and respect you - then he will follow you to the ends of the earth, if you ask him to.
