Right, completely failed to find any suitable classes, so have given in and booked a session with a gundog trainer. On Thursday. Had a lovely conversation with him on the phone, and explained I'm from the famous roast beef and chicken school of training and not making a dog do stuff he doesn't want to do. He said he "could work with that". So far so good. Laugh though? He said "is he yellow or black?". I said, "brace yourself, he's chocolate!". He then went on to tactfully tell me, by the sound of it, Charlie probably wasn't a FTC in the making. ;D ;D ;D (I pretended to know what FTC was - and told him in a very serious voice that I thought it was very well known chocolates have far more intelligence than the black or yellow crowd). God knows what he'll make of us. Our assessment (so he can find out how dreadful we are) is on Thursday. Gosh, best get our lead work polished up a bit. Off to have another go....
Re: This gundog lark... Wow! - great! He sounds like he could probably be someone you and Charlie could work with ;D Being a Field Trial Champion isn't everything 8)
Re: This gundog lark... Charlie might well surprise you Julie and be a natural , on the other hand ;D Whatever, dont worry about it, and most of all enjoy it
Re: This gundog lark... I could be wrong here but I don't think there is actually a chocolate Labrador FTch in the Uk. Pippa might know. Most important thing is to enjoy it. Be warned you might get hooked! ;D
Re: This gundog lark... I hope I enjoy it - and am very pleased to have found some sort of training. I explained that I don't want Charlie to be one of the dogs you see on the beach - getting tennis balls thrown from those plastic launchers again, and again, and again, and again. I want him to have more interesting things in his life, so we want to develop on from fetch to do something more challenging (for a chocolate, anyway ;D). The chap seemed to understand what I was after and why, so fingers crossed. Looking at Charlie now, upside down in OH's armchair, chewing his alien sea creature toy, ears flopped back so he looks totally mad, he seems as far away from a gundog as you can get! I'll report back!
Re: This gundog lark... Oh I hope you enjoy it, it's lots of fun. We're definitely not FTCh material either but we keep trying ;D And it looks like I'd better put my tennis ball thrower away
Re: This gundog lark... [quote author=bbrown link=topic=2459.msg24147#msg24147 date=1378233897] And it looks like I'd better put my tennis ball thrower away [/quote] :-[ didn't mean to be rude about those - I have one too. It's just I don't want that to be all Charlie ever gets to do.
Re: This gundog lark... It's alright I'm only teasing. If your throwing is as terrible as mine is it's an essential bit of kit LOL ;D ;D ;D
Re: This gundog lark... [quote author=JulieT link=topic=2459.msg24153#msg24153 date=1378234948] Phew! OH tells me I "throw like a girl". : [/quote] I'm not even that good ! I have had my husband rolling around on the ground in tears at my throwing and poor Riley got tested on his blind retrieves much earlier than he should have ;D
Re: This gundog lark... We're not very good at the gun dog training classes either... several of the others have already taken part in working tests and what have you. We just bumble along, enjoying ourselves, learning stuff, and having fun learning to work as a partnership. I was talking to the OH about it today, saying that I think dogs like ours have to be very adaptable - they have to be family pets, with all that that entails, but at the same time we expect them to learn about 'the gundog lark'...
Re: This gundog lark... Well done to all of you that go to Gun Dog training, I have yet to find a good one that will just help me how Julie's is going to help her and of course lack of confidence. :-[ Helen x
Re: This gundog lark... i sound like Karen and Poppy but even more informal....don't even go to classes we just bumble through the Gundog books having fun and learning stuff and the pups really love doing Gundoggery, even of the real novice owner kind! id love to go to gundog training but cant find anyone near me who does Positive training....we went to a gundog trainer a few months ago but there was a bit too much Nose Bopping and Alpha rolls for my two softies....cuillin couldnt cope and had a Fear Wee so we are DIY Gundoggery now....your Trainer sounds great, and wish we had classes like Poppys round here. enjoy, its strangely addictive
Re: This gundog lark... I agree Debsie just no nice ones around me either, I just take all the advise I can get from all of you and we seem to muddle along, slowly but surely. Julie and Karen you are lucky to have such great classes to attend. Helen x
Re: This gundog lark... Julie, can't wait to hear how you go. Good on you for trying something different!! The trainer sounds like he has a sense of humour. It could be a lot of fun
Re: This gundog lark... Before joining this forum I didn't realize how tough on the dogs some trainers can be... I have never experienced nose-bopping or alpha-rolls , but the first trainer I went to took the whole obedience thing very seriously, never rough to the dogs but no fun, if you know what I mean. For instance, the dogs were not allowed to sniff AT ALL on the training ground, either at each other or at the ground. They were at work, she said, and should act accordingly (most of them were around 8 months old at this point). We did A LOT of heel work, with one person and dog practicing while the others stood around watching... She also insisted that the dogs not be allowed to run around and play before or after training - she felt they should go home in 'concentration' mode, so that what they had learned would stick with them... The trainer we have had since January is very nice - not as strict as the first, and he insists on the importance of the dogs having FUN. There is a lot of laughing and good-natured joking goes on. There is also NO physical correction allowed (other than a pull on the lead), the only physical contact he encourages with the dogs is giving them a big hug when they do something specially right! All the training is reward based. It works for me - some people might find it a little too easy-going, but it is exactly what I want for Poppy. All of his pupils passed the obedience test in July - so I think his methods work. And the dogs all charge around having fun together in the fields once training is over, while their owners have a happy chat!
Re: This gundog lark... I want your trainer Karen :...wishful,thinking,goodness knows what's in store for us this evening. ;D...taking Dex along in about half an hour .....think ill put a bottle of Sav in the fridge for my return I might need a nice large cold one !!!?...or 2!
Re: This gundog lark... Oh blimey....I've just read the small print of the instructions written in LARGE print.....'Do not attempt to interact the dogs prior to the class'.....we are so getting expelled!
