Charlies Chatter - Mk.2

[trekmoor]

The Triangle - 1 p.m. - Mist clearing, light winds.

Dogs - Rosie

I went to get Rosie and found her on her own in the kitchen and wearing a muzzle. It seems she ate the food blender last time she was left there. With the muzzle off I gave her a biscuit out in the garden to cheer her up but up came her playmate "Bugsy" who promptly demanded it .... and was given it ! I'd like to see that rabbit try that trick on Charlie !

Bugsy



I hunted her out in The Triangle and she found and pointed 2 pheasants, bumped one for no reason I could understand and missed one which I kicked up. This was down to a bad bit of quartering by her.

The two points.





I bumped into a lady I haven't seen for 25 years as I worked Rosie. She has moved house into this area. She'd bought a lab pup I'd bred almost 30 years ago and says she's still trying to get another lab like her . I wish I had another pup from that litter too, they were keen and yet were a doddle to train. The sire of those pups was sold over to Canada so I never got a chance of a repeat mating.

We threw a few dummies around, some for her young lab bitch and some for Rosie. Rosie marked well and was steadier than the lab but the lab was definetly better when it came to speed of entry into water ...... she looked like she was skating across the top she went in so fast !

Rosie encountered a rabbit and had a damn good chase . She has a truce with Bugsy but it does not seem to include any other rabbit.

I think we blethered and tossed dummies around for almost two hours. It was a pleasure to meet this lady again ...... and to compare our various aches and pains !

Wullie

[trekmoor]

Today was rabbit pen day for Dixie again. I had no real problems at all though she did "pull out" a bit few times. I let find and flush 4-5 rabbits until she sat before I blew stop and called a halt at that. I gave her two memory retrieves inside the pen. They were of neccessity short ones of only 25 yards or so because the pen is only a few yards longer. She did these retrieves with no problems.

I had a mate firing off a radio launcher thingy for her at distances of 45 - 70 yards. She didn't mark the dummies but she did mark the bang. She ran straight out to the distant launchers and pulled the remaining dummies off their spigots !
I'll need to persuade birds to shout "Bang !" when they land !

Wullie

[Polmaise]

Or teach her to mark the fall.

[Judy]

Oooo doncha just love a smart ass? Sounds like you've been throwing too many dummies yourself, Wullie. Have you tried throwing the dummy then running out after it with a party popper? That's before sending the dog.

[Megsdad]

Gosh this training stuff gets complicated. Myself, I put my leg up in a hammock and enjoyed the unseasonal sunny weather around these parts whilst training the dog in my non-pc way... see crazy cocker video.

[trekmoor]

Been doing a bit of thinking.....yes it does hurt. We have arrived at the time of year where I normally like to start up a new pup. I can't do that as long as Dixie is here. She could stand a lot more retrieve training but to what point if she will never have game shot from her flushes and can therefor not be trialed with any chance of success.

I have Rosie to keep me interested in the hunting, pointing, retrieving side of things and I have my cockers if I fancy a bit of spaniel bashing. I think my next "pupil" may be a 3 years old labrador bitch. I'll probably take her in for assessment later this week and then take it from there. She does like retrieving I am told so that only leaves the frills and fripperies of training a lab for me to train ......shouldn't take more than a month !
Much will depend on just how keen she is and on whether she chews the house to bits or barks the neighbours out of their beds. With the kind of work on game I have available which is picking up it may be possible to train a lab to F.T. standards by using my spanners and maybe Rosie for most of the real work while giving the lab only selected retrieves. I've got a few head of frozen game available and I can get freshly killed rabbits . I can also do walkabouts with a friend with a gun on his ground while he shoots a few wood-pigeons. I should be able to tell fairly quickly how much potential the lab bitch has as a field trialer. I'd like to have another bash at a lab trial , it is well over 20 years since I last competed in one.

My "new" car has gone t*ts up again with the same problems as before. Not sure how much I'll be able to travel this week training the dogs until the car is back to the garage again.

Wullie

[Polmaise]

Been doing a bit of thinking.....yes it does hurt. We have arrived at the time of year where I normally like to start up a new pup. I can't do that as long as Dixie is here. She could stand a lot more retrieve training but to what point if she will never have game shot from her flushes and can therefor not be trialed with any chance of success.
You have a pigeon launcher

I have Rosie to keep me interested in the hunting, pointing, retrieving side of things and I have my cockers if I fancy a bit of spaniel bashing. I think my next "pupil" may be a 3 years old labrador bitch. I'll probably take her in for assessment later this week and then take it from there. She does like retrieving I am told so that only leaves the frills and fripperies of training a lab for me to train ......shouldn't take more than a month !
As long as it cant get retrieves over a fence, I thought that was why you gave up labs?
Much will depend on just how keen she is and on whether she chews the house to bits or barks the neighbours out of their beds. With the kind of work on game I have available which is picking up it may be possible to train a lab to F.T. standards by using my spanners and maybe Rosie for most of the real work while giving the lab only selected retrieves.
Not until October I would imagine though?
I've got a few head of frozen game available and I can get freshly killed rabbits .
But surely, only when the basics are in place first?
I can also do walkabouts with a friend with a gun on his ground while he shoots a few wood-pigeons.
C.mon Wullie Walkabout during the next few months as the cover starts growing and the pigeons are nesting there is little chance of getting a shot at one as one walks about any where?, and if one did?, they would probably be shooting the mother or father of the eggs /and or chicks?
I should be able to tell fairly quickly how much potential the lab bitch has as a field trialer. I'd like to have another bash at a lab trial , it is well over 20 years since I last competed in one.
Good luck

My "new" car has gone t*ts up again with the same problems as before. Not sure how much I'll be able to travel this week training the dogs until the car is back to the garage again.
Well, competing in trials as you know! involves travel, so you will require a reliable car, and funds to fuel it!

Wullie

I only reply ,with regard to anyone thinking that they can do the same without Wullies experience

[trekmoor]

Quote " You have a pigeon launcher." Yes but have you ever tried launching a rabbit from one ? Some of the pigeons launched would need to be shot . They are not my pigeons to shoot and I don't think I'd like to shoot them anyway. I kinda like doos.

As for the rest of it ..... time will tell. I've been chucked out of many a good trial so another one or two won't hurt !

Wullie

[Polmaise]

Quote " You have a pigeon launcher." Yes but have you ever tried launching a rabbit from one ?

Wullie

Nope! thats why they call it a 'Pigeon launcher', maybe

[trekmoor]

I'm busy picturing a wee rabbit descending by parachute after being launched skywards.

Wullie