workinghprs.myfastforum.org

windem bang · Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 1:32 am Post subject:

I think that rabbit was an English one up here on holiday - I've had bother before up here with bloomin English tourists that think they own the roads ! Mad

Bill T.

windem bang · Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:14 pm Post subject:

I travelled up to the G.S.P. clubs training classes today looking forwad to a nice lazy day since I retired as trainer earlier this year. One of the other trainers was elsewhere so my nice relaxed day went for a Burton ! Sad

I believe this is a G.S.P. club yet the morning class I ended up taking contained one G.S.P. other than my own. The other dogs present were one Viszla of the hairy kind, one Slovakian whatsit and one Brittany.

The dogs weren't in any mood for hunting, a bit too warm probably. Buck didn't go well either but did manage to find and point a cock pheasant. No problems there. He did O.K. on a 70 - 80 yards memory retrieve , down a reedy,ferny gully and up the other side to get his dummy.

He did another short hunt on a tail wind and then just managed, after a lot of handling, to find a very difficult dummy left out as a memory retrieve.

We were about 100 yards from the dummy on rough moorland and between us and the dummy was a big gully with some nice reedy cover and ferny sides. A total of 4 dummies were thrown into that gully and the other dogs were sent to find them. Then I tried sending Buck out for the now long forgotten memory. In a sense it was a memory retrieve with 4 much more recent distractions.

I had to do a lot of handling to get Buck out of that gully ,he could not even be seen due to the steepness of the sides. Once I did manage to get him out of the area the 4 dummies had landed in it all went much better and he went out the extra 60 yards or so and found the dummy. I very nearly bit off more than I could chew there !

In the afternoon I took a class consisting of - I think - 1 viszla of the shorthaired kind and 5 of those mutated spaniels - what are they called again ? Oh yes - Munsterlanders ! Laughing

For the first time ever I heard Buck growl at a dog, a male Munsty, I've no idea why but I told him in no uncertain manner that I'm the only one in a training group who is allowed to growl !

I spent an hour or so showing the handlers various retrieve silhouettes and also how to develop on the basic memory retrieve. Buck was bored stiff with demonstrating 30 foot long memory retrieves. I somehow think that working as a demo dog is good for him. He retrieved at least half a dozen dummies to me today even with all those other dogs present.

It wasn't the day out that I was expecting but it was a good day out -I even asked for and got, my training class money back again. Laughing

I'm £5 richer ! Laughing

Met a couple of other forum members there and also met a Munsty lady who is a friend of friend. She tells me she has been invited picking-up on a rather tasty local pheasant shoot. She asked me if I thought she should go. I can hardly believe that Shocked

To be allowed to pick-up on that shoot you have to apply on the day you are born and hope there is a vacancy 30 years on !!!! Should I go indeed Exclamation

Bill T.

windem bang · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:21 am Post subject:

6.15 A.M. - The Tussocks - a good wind and light rain.

Buck wasn't in the mood today . On Sunday he had a head over heels tumble while running full pelt downhill for a dummy. I discovered later while giving him a good check out for ticks that he has a painful shoulder. Today was an easy walk rather than a hunt. I gave him two short - 30 to 45 yards - seek back retrieves. He did them but his heart wasn't in it so I stopped at that. He saw a lot of rabbits and was completely steady to them.

Other than the rabbits I saw no game whatsoever - wouldn't expect to on that kind of ground without a dog to find it for me. Not the best of mornings !!!

Bill T.

Greyghost · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 10:05 am Post subject:

Poor Buck. Sad

What the buck has he done now Question

Have you got any Arnica Question

_________________
Lesley & Holly (Age 7.5 - re-home)

Holly & Abbie

windem bang · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 12:41 pm Post subject:

Hi Lesley, I've never used arnica Embarassed

Buck isn't his usual pestilential self - it is very unlike him not to enjoy retrieving. He has been playing with Charlie in the house so he can't be feeling too bad. Charlie certainly can't hurt him he is only about a third of Bucks size and weight.

Bill T.

windem bang · Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:36 pm Post subject:

I met up with my son today up U.F.O. Hill to help if help was needed to get Mitch the working cocker he got last Friday back. This was to be his first time off lead since he got Mitch (the Yeti.) Mitch is 6+ and we weren't too sure what he'd do. My son brought Belle the brit along as a sort of decoy dog. Mitch and her take shots each at humping each other in my sons garden !

I took Buck along to introduce the dogs in a neutral space. We released the dogs and Mitch at once tried to dominate Buck . His Majesty just stood there looking very confident with upright tail. Mitch kept this domination thing up as they moved around over the next 15 minutes. Buck eventually lost patience with him and flattened him amid some growls and almost a roar from Buck.

No harm was done, no blood shed - more handbagging than anything else but Mitch was now more respectful - job done. My boy is growing up - don't know whether to be pleased or sad about that.
I will have to keep on doing this with those two and with Charlie added because I hope to use all of them out picking up. They must get on together - all boys or not.

I gave Buck just two retrieves and he did them well placing the dummy into my hand even with the other two dogs nearby. A big advance on what went before - he is maturing Very Happy

Bill T.

Ghilliegumdrop · Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:46 pm Post subject:

Well that's Buck growing up...........now when do you start Twisted Evil

_________________
Jan
Ghillie [the Gumdrop] and Merlin [the Demon from Hell] not forgetting Hovis the cat and Mike, the other half [although I'm not sure what the other half is]

Greyghost · Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 7:27 pm Post subject:

Is this the same dog from a year ago. The one who just wasn't getting anywhere fast. Laughing

Just shows you eh. Cool

Unfortunately maturity come to us all at some time or another. If it wasn't for the person staring back at me in the mirror I would swear I was still 30 Shocked

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_________________
Lesley & Holly (Age 7.5 - re-home)

Holly & Abbie

windem bang · Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 8:19 pm Post subject:

I'm sad to say Jan that I am growing up - I am now 37 ! Shocked

I have been noticing a slight but definite change in Bucks attitudes for a little while now. As Lesley said, at about this time last year he was putting me through the ringer ! Retrieves became a big problem 'cos he would not bring them back ! I tried all sorts to "cure" this and believe his eventual improvement was a combination of my big game fishing methods to gain initial control and then some modified C.T. work to get the actual delivery sorted out.

The only time I get problems now is when other dogs are nearby and this is getting much better. The other problem I foresee is getting a good retrieve with game with other dogs nearby - that could be very difficult. I have a few birds stashed in a deep freeze and I'm considering a bit of pre-season training using one of these and the help of a spare dog - probably wee Charlie !!

Bill T.

Ghilliegumdrop · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 10:29 am Post subject:

Cor....you're older than me Bill I'm not 35 till next year Twisted Evil

_________________
Jan
Ghillie [the Gumdrop] and Merlin [the Demon from Hell] not forgetting Hovis the cat and Mike, the other half [although I'm not sure what the other half is]