| Archive for workinghprs.myfastforum.org Chat forum for owners of working HPR and Versatile gundog breeds. |
| Desmond |
Brittany tips for a newbyI could do with some guidence/reasurance. I took on a six month old Dog which had little prior training its now 10 months old. I should say that its my first dog too. I get the feeling that its both sensitive and obstanate by nature but mostly keen to please. Its got loads of bad habits as have I but the one that freaks me out the most is its persistance in running/hunting long range. Fine on the moors but scary on more wooded areas. Is there any way I can reign him in a bit? He has a fair recal verbally and on the whistle when he can hear it. He doesnt seem to fancy the walking to heel thing much either. At ten months should I simply give him some time to mature out whilst doing my best. He has been to puppy obedience classes and performs well till he gets out the classI have read a fair few books and I am at the point of confussion. Is his long range shenaegans par for the breed? How should I train him a Spaniel or a Pointer (i.e how much H and P should I give him his R is comming on fine)? At what age should serious training begin for us both? A lot of questions I know but I just want to do my best for this dog |
| cressy |
Hi Desmond
I have two Brittanys and yes they are a strange combination of wilfull and sensitive and getting the balance right can be a challenge. One of the most helpful bits of advice I had with my youngster was to hunt with him in partnership and work him onto areas where I know there will be game. Once he knew I could be useful he was happier to stay closer but if I am not ahead of the game he will try to range further than is comfortable. Whereabouts are you in the world and have you thought about joing the Brittany Club if in the UK - there are people dotted around the country who will be willing to help. In the meantime carry on with 'fun' obedience as if you lose their desire to please you are stumped, basics never go amiss but try to get the same class results first in boring areas like playing fields before moving onto more interesting hunting grounds. As for when serious training starts - it does depend on the dog. My young man has been 'in training' since he was 6 months or so but only very short bursts and gradually building on what he knows - he is now 22 months or thereabouts and has been beating on lead for general manners once. He gets his first intensive shot over training/working in a few weeks time right at the end of the season. We will then be back to basics although hopefully some Spring Pointing Tests before the aim of a FT next year to start his campaigning. They are a challenging breed but so worthwhile when it comes together. |
| Ghilliegumdrop |
Welcome to the club  Your boy sounds like a typical Brittany....just be grateful that his recall is so good. You are very lucky to have a recall atall with a Brittany of this age that is virtually untrained.
Both Bill [Windem Bang] and I think that you should find a reputable gundog training class and go there. |
| DesO'Neile |
I can give you no specific advice in respect of the breed but with the best of intentions and in no way taking the p***.
" Train him" This is not about your dog, it is more about you and just how badly you want to accomplish your goal, a biddable dog. You say that it's all right for the moor so that suggests that you have already had the dog on the hill but I can assure you that assuming your dog is reasonably fit it is ten time easier to let a dog that is used to quartering close run wide, than it is to curtail to acceptable levels a dog that has been used to running wide on the hill. In situations like this I always, to the extent of sounding like a broken record, return to the matter of The Drop. Once you have the drop perfected you can expose your dog to so many new situations safe in the knowledge that you have your get out of jail card up your slieve. You may find this of some use :- http://glencuanpointers.wordpress.com/the-glencuan-way/ My suggestion would be to sort out the drop and then forget about anything over tewntyfive yards either side until you have it in the bag but don't be afraid to return to twentyfive yards either side if the wheels start to fall off. In theory you can teach any dog any thing at any age. Just treat your animal as a pup and start from scratch again. Des. |
| guy |
Re: Brittany tips for a newbyDesmond - welcome to the forum.To put things in context i have three of them. I work two, trial one of those and the third is a rescue and a pet. All walk to heel and come when called when i choose the correct moment. Only the FT dog will stop within a few paces whatever he is doing. i have learned a lot since having these dogs. ( I had ESS before) First and foremost don't be fooled by their intelligence and quick learning. Take the time to read Des's link. If you cannot stop the dog you cannot do anything else. i think this is more important that the recall. - My thinking goes like this - to stop the dog is one action, to recall the dog has to stop what it is doing and then return - two actions. HPR - if you have a dog that does the R bit well you are well ahead of the game with a Brittany - so don't discourage that but nurture it. The H bit is hard wired and will come out with very little encouragement, the P bit is only a matter of experience and the ability to 'stop'. One of my dogs came to me at nine months and one a year old - they do learn - but i find a lot is linked to your expectations. If you don't expect a lot you wont get much. i think Brittanys have a natural envelope within which they work, training will allow you to adjust the size of that. The size of the envelope is different for each dog. Does he walk badly to heel both on and off the lead? There is a concept of commanding the space in front there are videos on utube that demonstrate this and Cesar Millan talks about it. Training as a spaniel or a pointer? he is a pointer by nature. Where abouts are you in the country? - I would be happy to meet up and help but you mention moors and i am in the SE. There are others about who would be more than willing to help. An independent Brittany Forum can be found here http://thebrittanyforum.myfreeforum.org/index.php |
| Desmond |
Guy, Des, Ghillie and Cressy
Thank you so much for your speedy replies and excellent advice. I truely feel more at ease with my situation and somewhat inspired. You have been kind enough to pose me some questions in response which I will attempt to tackle in the order I remember them. My first port of call looking for advice was indeed the Brittany Club I even considered joining till I noticed that one needed two proposers on the application form - a tad overdone I think. Fortunately I got the link to this forum from there. As advised I shall submitt an application - sans sponsors if needs be. Guy, Thanks for the offer of a meet alas I fear that will not be easy as I live mostly in Hamilton, South Lararkshire but spend a fair bit of time up in the Caringorms at weekends hence where the different terrains Moor and Woodland come in. I shall look to identify suitable training lessons/groups in these areas as advised. Can I take further advantage of your collective good will? In attempting to followed guidelines on ensuring that he gets much excercise we have tended to take our very own "pocket rocket" hill walking, running and cycling (maybees unfortunately we now have something of a "pocket rocket"). As a result I don't really want him stricly at heel at these times and concerning getting him practiced at walking to heel. I struggle to get my head around having him strictly at heel and encouraging him to do his toiletary business on shortish walks with this objective. On longer walks should I have him at heel for the duration 2,3,4 hours? And if not, letting him pull away on the lead after the short formal bursts of heel work (as advised in the books) will that not just undo the good and reinforce the bad? I guess I am struggling to get my head around getting in the excercise he needs whilst getting him the training in too. Guy can I ask you a follow up question too? When you talk of envelopes do you mean territorial or mental ones? Once again thanks much for the advice - We shall perservere till I have him dropping like a stone. Which no doubt will help me curtail his rabbit/squirrel and bird induced "red mist" dashes too. Des |
| windem bang |
Hi Des, I was in Hamilton last week at the fishing tackle shop. I live about 25 miles from you . Give me a shout if you want a bit of help , I'll help if I can. Did you get your brit from the West Calder area ?
Bill T. |
| windem bang |
Just reread your posts more thoroughly Des. Several things strike me. First of all you are a better man than I am if you can let a dog freehunt for 2-4 hours as you walk or cycle along chatting to a wife or a friend and still keep your attention firmly on the dog at the same time !
Have your dog hunt in little 5 minute bursts but keep tight control as he hunts - and let the dog KNOW that you ARE watching him ! Walk him to heel or walk him on lead pulling in between the 5 minute hunts but don't let him run for minute after minute - hour after hour - with little or no contact with you. The stop whistle is a Must for any gundog, as Des so rightly said TRAIN HIM ! By the sounds of it your dog is pretty much a bog standard Brittany - got a lot of character but not all of it good ! Keep up or even intensify the retrieving - cut back on the hunting - Brittanies will always hunt but many of them are poor retrievers. Retrieve training has many good spin off effects on the general standard of obedience that a dog has. Bill T. |
| Ghilliegumdrop |
Desmond...if you want a proposer and/or a seconder I would be happy to sign your form and possibly get someone else to do the other signature. As Bill has offered to help take him up on it. He has many years of experience [not all of it good, but we don't talk about that  ] and he will put you and your dog on the right path. Do you have any idea of your boy's breeding or where he came from 
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| johnhod |
Best of luck Desmond. I'll join Jan in offering to sign your application, if you want. I'm new to Brittanys myself and found it a lot different than I first expected when it came to training. I have received a lot of help and valuable advice from Brittany Club members as well as from other HPR owners on this forum. Just keep asking the questions. What works for one person or with one Brittany won't always work for everyone or all Brittanys, these truly are individuals |