New from Rochdale

[dazwidd]

Hi, my name is Daz, I'm from Rochdale, we have just bought a Lab puppy. She is from non working parents, just wondering if she could still be trained to work and at what age do you start. I know she wouldn't be able to enter trials as she is not KC registered.

[Tungulria]

Hi Daz, welcome to the forum. Good luck with your new puppy. What sort of work would you be wanting to do with her? If she retrieves then you can train her to pick up game. If she's steady and likes hunting you can train her to work the line and rough shoot. You get what you put in so there's every chance she could make a good working dog. Also non KC dogs can enter charity and non-KC working tests and scurries.
For now work on your bond and making every task fun. Short 5 min sessions of all your basics once she's settled and then have an assessment with a good gundog trainer about 6 months to plan your training schedule and make sure you're on track.
There's a training tips reference section on here you may find useful.
viewforum.php?f=30

[Merlin]

Hi Daz, welcome to the forum. Good luck with your new puppy. What sort of work would you be wanting to do with her? If she retrieves then you can train her to pick up game. If she's steady and likes hunting you can train her to work the line and rough shoot. You get what you put in so there's every chance she could make a good working dog. Also non KC dogs can enter charity and non-KC working tests and scurries.
For now work on your bond and making every task fun. Short 5 min sessions of all your basics once she's settled and then have an assessment with a good gundog trainer about 6 months to plan your training schedule and make sure you're on track.
There's a training tips reference section on here you may find useful.
viewforum.php?f=30

[dazwidd]

Thanks for the welcome and advice Tungulria, she is only 8 weeks, so we are still working on toilet training and as soon as she is old enough she will be going to puppy classes for the basics like our older dog did, I will be on the look out for a good trainer when she is older. Merlin I assume you are agreeing with Tungulria, so thanks to you too!

[Big E]

Aye up Daz.
My last black lab was all the whistles and bells gun stock and cost a small fortune. He was pretty good for my kind of rough shooting but you always got the feeling he couldn't really be bothered with it all (a bit over steady if there's such a thing).
My last hound, a yellow lab from pet stock became a belter. He was always up for it and just wanted to please. He trained a lot easier as well. Just picked things up straight away and very rarely faltered. Not being a competition man and working him on my own rough shooting and syndicate driven days I only take them as far as I need but it is perfectly feasible to bid for a town hall clock or two if thats what you want to do.

[dazwidd]

Big E, to be honest I would rather work her than have her in trials, I see you are from North Manchester, do you know of anyone in the area that would be willing to let me tag along, I am seriously interested in the shooting area, I was in the RAF for 22 years and have always been interested in shooting, but with moving around alot never had the chance, done a very little clay pigeon shooting and some air rifle shooting but that is it.

[Big E]

Its a very difficult area to get a foot hold in Daz. I am looking out for a new hound at the moment so will be starting all over again. I have a few permissions (one in Shaw) but only small stuff. Syndicate places come up now and then but be prepared to travel a bit (I used to be a member of one in Settle) and get some very deep pockets its not a cheep hobby. I'm also a member at Worsley but use it as a get together with old mates more than a serious exercise. I have also been known to do a bit of beating on posh shoots (as I call them) but have found even this is can be over subscribed and after leaving my number with several game keepers and turning out, the calls seemed to dry up after a while.