Rossi out & about today.

[taz]

Click on thumbnails to enlarge

[trekmoor]

Taz - Hows about an update on how your Braccos gundog training is coming on ?

The hunting, pointing, retrieving ?

I believe that there will be a Spring Pointing Test on the grouse near Lauder in Scotland this March held specifically for your breed - will you be going ?

Wullie

[taz]

Hi Bill,

Well its so far so good.......well nearly !! She's quite a quick learner and already works well to the whistle, her hunting pattern and quartering are coming along very nicely,and her recall is good (most of the time!!), but the area's I need to concentrate on, and firm up, are stopping her at distance and her retrieves, plus she covers ground too quickly at the moment for my liking, so am also trying to steady and slow her down a bit ( the later can be put down to her still being an exhuberant pup )

She ranges out to 150 yds or so at the moment, and always looks to me for commands and whilst she'll stop, she wont sit,( but im not sure i want her to, to be honest, so i'll have to give this some further thought). Her dummy retrieves are poor though, she will return the dummy but drops it rather than delivering to hand, so this is a work in progress. She hasnt been properly introduced to game yet and im not going to rush this ( although she did scent out and retrieve a dead duck from a gulley,of her own accord a month or so ago, and constantly hunts and goes on point to garden birds in hedges and such ). Plans are afoot to take her for some quick sessions in the rabbit pen in the coming months.
They are a slow maturing breed ( experts recon 3 years ) and she is only 8 months old, so am taking my time with her.

Have done several 1-2-1 sessions with my Trainer, and he is suitably impressed with her performance to date, he recons all the right signs are begining to show, so we are structuring her training and not getting ahead of ourselves.

I saw the Pointing Test info on the Bracco Society site, and yes if time and work permits we will definately be travelling up to have a ganders at the proceedings.

[trekmoor]

Taz, I have been "in" H.P.R.'s for 20 + years. Please take my advice and do not make any attempt to slow her down. She will eventually bring her nose up to match the pace of her legs. I have had some hellhound type runners of H.P.R.'s . They bumped game and they missed game.........they also taught themselves when to slow up or to point. If the dogs also have the steadiness and the retrieving required then you have very worthwhile fieldtrialers on your hands.

Work on the retrieves by all means but don't slow her down ! You might try reading some pointer/setter stuff rather than H.P.R. stuff. Des O'Neil is sound in his methods. He has a diary called the "Glencuan Diary" over on the H.P.R. forum . "Bucks Diary" is on there too. I am certain that Des would like to hear from you - he has recently expressed an interest in getting a Bracco.

With H.P.R.'s do not settle for a good H.P.R. standard of work for your dog. All too often the standard is not high. Try your damndest to have your dog as good as a good pointer at hunting/pointing. As steady as a good trial spaniel - an instant stop to flush with no commands from you eventually and as good a retriever as a good field trial lab. Do not be satisfied with being as good as another H.P.R. ,try to be as good as the specialist dogs are at their specific jobs.

Sorry Taz - I am preaching what I can no longer deliver myself ! I 'll shut up !

Wullie

[taz]

Thanks Bill, good advice, and taken on board, seeing the older Bracco's work, your right, they do slow up with maturity, plus these Italians are reknown for their extended trot anyway. The only reason i want to slow her up "a tad", is that she has already damaged her shin and ear through her over enthusiasm !! I have no real complaints about her.

Sorry Taz - I am preaching what I can no longer deliver myself ! I 'll shut up !

Bill, your wisdom is priceless to a lot of us who read your advice, so through us you are still delivering !! Stick around, we'll make you proud of us !!

I have seen Des's diary on the other forum, i generally only read over there, dont post much.

[taz]

Forgot to post details of the Spring Pointing Test. Anyone interested follow link :

http://www.bracco-italiano.co.uk/Events/pointingtest2009.htm

[HawkSightKris]

Oh Hello Taz! ! I Love the first picture were hese holding his paw up Awwww i think it mighnt be better if they were a little bit bigger



Kris

[Judy]

Hey Kris! That looks suspiciously like my dog in your avatar!! Don't worry, I wont charge too much for its use...

Judy