Charlies Chatter - Mk.2

[trekmoor]

The Hospital - 2.20 p.m. - Cloudy and light winds.

Dogs - Dax and Dixie

I went training inside an old hospitals grounds today to use a 100 yard long x60 yard wide area that doesn't seem to get mowed . The dogs weren't keen on it for hunting, especially Dax who was considerably slower than his usual speed. I didn't see any game and didn't really expect to but rabbits do use it since I found the rabbit fur from either a rabbit fight or maybe a fresh kill.

I did just 2 retrieves with Dixie, both blinds of 50-60 yards. She was back to her usual ........ she was all over the field trying to find them ! Dax was just about as bad when I gave him the same two blinds as Dixie .......... I wonder if scenting conditions are bad today or if I'm just trying to find excuses for bad work ?

Dax was also given a blind with distraction which he made look easy but the distance to the blind was only 30-35 yards. He was also given a split retrieve with one of the dummies falling over a little burn . This kind of retrieve is easy for most dogs but Dax is a water freak. He just loves the stuff and can be difficult to handle if water is nearby. Today he didn't mess about , he did these retrieves pretty well.

Both of the dogs were doing better retrieve deliveries today but Dax does insist on bouncing as high as my head after giving me a dummy ...... he just has to do it , it's a sort of leftover bit from when I first got him as a terrified wee dog and let him do just about anything to cheer him up a bit. I let this go on for over a year and now he is no longer terrified but still likes to bounce !

Wullie

[Stalkinscot]

I thought that hawk had that pigeon for sure ! Glad it found it's way back home. I phoned Bob the Builder nearly a week ago to see if he'd got new batteries yet. Nope, he hasn't had time. I phoned again last weekend and was told he'd phone me back but guess what ? He never did ! I phoned him again about an hour ago but he hasn't phoned back yet. I think he's fear't to phone me coz I told him he'd have to pay for his own dogs entry fee to the L+B test next weekend if he wants her run ! It seems I now have to keep her, train her and be pleased to pay for her entries to tests as well as run her in them . Tell him from me he's a dud !

I'm needing a few dummies thrown for her and for Dax .... are you free at all this week ? I could come roond and gie yer pheasants some exercise !
What was the Bridge traffic like on Sunday ? Was there big hold ups ?

Wullie

Bob the builder was at my place today cadgin tea for him and his cronies , I might be free on friday waiting on spark to wire lights and sockets in kennels but wed thurs im up to eyes in it.
Im not one of you auld retired biddies yet I still have graft for a living .
Surely that lovely lady your married to will throw dummies for you after all she does everthing else for you .
I know a man with a bumper boy ,they are great if you have nae pals .
Give me a ring on thurs night

[trekmoor]

O.K. I'll wait for a Thursday phone call.

My wife refused to throw dummies for me well over 30 years ago ....... I told her a chimp could throw 'nanas better......

Wullie

[trekmoor]

Cocker Heaven - 7.05 A.M. - Cloudy and a very light wind.

Dogs - Dixie and Dax.

On this fairly open ground both dogs pulled out badly and both dogs needed far too much turn whistle ...... in Dax's case very nearly on every cast. A few rabbits were still out and about but the winter die off of the rashes and grasses made the rabbits feel insecure and every rabbit I saw made it's getaway long before we got anywhere near it. The nearest we came to a find was when Dixie was hunting 10 -15 yards out from me and a rabbit ran off about the same distance in front of her. She chased for about 10 feet before she sat to whistle.

As we walked back to the car with both dogs off lead but approximately at heel a big German Shepherd came around a corner and ran straight at us acting very aggressively. I stopped walking and Dax sat beside me but Dixie took fright and moved off. The Shepherd pounced on her and began to bite at her so I made it bite my boot instead.

It's owner turned the corner and at once took a run at his dog ..... I think this dog has done this kind of thing before. He apologised to me and my temper subsided , no real harm seemed to have been done to Dixie.
It wasn't until I put her back into the car that I noticed the small wound on one of her legs. I now wish the Shepherd had bitten my boot even harder !

Wullie

[trekmoor]

By this time next week I'll have a new (to me) car to dodge rogue boulders and runaway trees in. I overheard the bloke in the garage I went to describe my car to his mate in these words..... " I've got a wrecker in, ( I think he meant the car, not me) what do you think it's worth ?" Damn cheek, it's not our fault if boulders and fings keep jumping out at us !

This slur upon my driving abilities and the state of my car got me annoyed enough to bargain for a better price for my car , I got £300 more, and to ask for a few extras on the car I am buying . It will be undersealed, given a full service, get M.O.T.'d and get a 6 months warranty plus one or two other things.
I don't usually bargain but I do if I get annoyed ! I betcher the garage guy will still make a damn good profit but maybe not as much as he'd hoped. My wife was with me and she was so pleased with the deal I got she stumped up the deposit dosh coz I'd forgotten to take my wallet with me.
Having got considerably more for my "wreck" than I thought I would I may now treat myself to a camera .... anybody know of any good second hand ones ? I promise not to bargain !

Vroooooom - Vrooooooooooooom !

Wullie

[James]

glad to here you've sorted out a new motor.

[shanagan]

what did u decide to get bill ?

[trekmoor]

I now have a Suzuki Grand Vitara , 2 litre turbo diesel with 60000 on the clock which should bring down my fuel bills a bit. They seem to go a long way on a gallon compared to other older cars. They claim to do 47 mpg on a long steady speed run, I doubt that very much but even 40 mpg is about 10 more than I'm getting at the moment. It isn't as high off the ground as most 4x4 type cars but it should be high enough since I no longer take my cars up mountainsides and through rivers. Rough ,dirt track farm roads and grassy fields will be the extent of it's off-roading.

Wullie

[t jack]

I now have a Suzuki Grand Vitara , 2 litre turbo diesel with 60000 on the clock which should bring down my fuel bills a bit. They seem to go a long way on a gallon compared to other older cars. They claim to do 47 mpg on a long steady speed run, I doubt that very much but even 40 mpg is about 10 more than I'm getting at the moment. It isn't as high off the ground as most 4x4 type cars but it should be high enough since I no longer take my cars up mountainsides and through rivers. Rough ,dirt track farm roads and grassy fields will be the extent of it's off-roading.

Wullie

Good choice, no excuses now, will be expecting you at every test and trial going!

[trekmoor]

Been practicing in case I go to a test this Sunday. Dixie's owner still hasn't been in touch with me to tell me if he is going or not and he hasn't been available for a bit of dummy throwing either. I can't run her without his signature...... his fiver for the entry wouldn't go wrong either !

I noticed today that I have been trying too hard to train Dixie to stop to whistle during retrieves and then to handle from there. She ceased to hunt for a dummy twice this afternoon . She stopped and looked at me for directions. I turned my back on her and waited ..... it took her about 20 seconds to realise I was not going to "help" her. She was left to run all over the shop until she found the dummy herself.

Her hunting was about O.K. . She hunts fast but she hunts erratically , even when hunted directly into the wind. Dixie does not do windscreen wiper patterns. Her hunting was better away back in last July and August before she had done a shooting seasons worth of picking up ,including sweeping at the end of drives. I had to use far less turn whistle in the middle of last year than I do now.

Dax's retrieving was good but he needed even more turn whistle while hunting than Dixie did. I suppose that if I want to work spaniels as picking up dogs then I can't have my cake and eat it.

The test on Sunday could be a bit of a disaster for me but I'll probably go anyway.

Wullie