got told by a trainer that my dog won't make a gundog

[Alice]

I can only echo everyone else- LOADS of very good dogs were totally rubbish as puppies, cockers in particular can take forever to 'click'- when mine was 9 months she wasn't even reliably weeing outdoors, and there were plenty of times when I really NEVER thought she'd make a half-decent gundog (I never even thought she'd make a half decent pet dog a lot of the time), BUT SHE DID.

you've also got to remember that this trainer's idea of 'won't make the grade' may not be the same as yours - I used to train with a top field trialler, got on very well with him, but he was totally open about the fact that my cocker wouldn't have lasted a week with him, he'd have sold her on as she didn't have the drive and focus he was looking for, but for me I'm happy to stick with her.

[flosser184]

Thankyou for all your response I'm overwhelmed by it.

[Bryn]

I can only echo everyone else- LOADS of very good dogs were totally rubbish as puppies, cockers in particular can take forever to 'click'- when mine was 9 months she wasn't even reliably weeing outdoors, and there were plenty of times when I really NEVER thought she'd make a half-decent gundog (I never even thought she'd make a half decent pet dog a lot of the time), BUT SHE DID.

you've also got to remember that this trainer's idea of 'won't make the grade' may not be the same as yours - I used to train with a top field trialler, got on very well with him, but he was totally open about the fact that my cocker wouldn't have lasted a week with him, he'd have sold her on as she didn't have the drive and focus he was looking for, but for me I'm happy to stick with her.

Have to agree, reckon there's bit of gulf between what a trainer/keeper/trialer is looking for and what many of the rest of us are looking for/prepared to put the time in with.

[cjaus]

She is nowt but a nipper, give her a chance..

One of mine was a right little sh#t for the first 2 years, then all of a sudden things started to click with her and fall into place, and now...... she is still a little sh#t at times but listens to me and gets the job done

It takes time, no two dogs learn at the same speed...

Spend time with her, see another trainer or seek help from the locals on here and prove to that trianer that said she would never make a gundog wrong

[trekmoor]

I too do not think your trainer is correct unless he saw more than has been said on here. I have had to tell a couple of people that their pups or young dogs would be unlikely to make good gundogs and I hated doing that , it isn't a pleasant thing to have to do but I think a trainer has to be honest.

From what you have told us on here I certainly would not discard this pup as a potential gundog. My two cockers Charlie and Dax were purchased by me untrained at just under 12 months old. Both of them "made it" as gundogs.
The vizsla I train for a neighbour was more than a year old before I trained her to be steady to thrown dummies or to sit to whistle.... she was too "soft" to put much pressure on prior to that. She is now 2 years old and is a fully fledged gundog.
Many years ago I was told by a few people my first brittany would never make it as a gundog. She would not retrieve dummies and she chased everything in sight. She was winning field trials less than 6 months later.

I echo what others have said.... find another trainer, by the sounds of it your present one couldn't train a parrot to sit on a perch.

Wullie

[LJR]

I echo what others have said.... find another trainer, by the sounds of it your present one couldn't train a parrot to sit on a perch.

Wullie

Love this

[jeffD]

A pro trainer’s idea of a gundog might be very different to the average rough shooters idea of a gun dog.

Pro trainers are looking for perfection most of us lesser mortals who rough shoot settle for a dog that puts birds in the bag and occasionally returns when you call him

[DesO'Neile]

I haven't read all the posts in this thread but there is a very simple way to find out a bit about who told the dog won't make it. Quite often owners will have this suggested to them but what the trainer is really saying is that he doesn't feel he has the time available to turn the dog into an acceptable performer. Try this. Ring the trainer up and lying through your teeth tell him you have come into money and can now afford to pay him to take on the dog and make a job of it. If he still says it's no good you can rest assured you have his honest opinion. If he agrees that he could take on the dog you have got to question his original motives.

[Springfield Pointers]

Good point Des. Has anyone actually asked why this trainer came to this conclusion?

[flosser184]

This was what I was thinking. She is well bred all the genetics are there. But she is a sh#t at times. But what dog isn't. I'm feeling a lot more positive now thanks. I'm going to prove them wrong I know I can. I do agree with des.