Chasing Cocker - HELP

[pontbeck]

Matt I appreciate you train to a high standard but you appear to be avoiding answering the question ' how many times have you been out working a dog on a shoot ? '

[mattw (WKD-UK)]

No Judy, not fully trained to go out shooting.
Recalling and taking a down or sit command immediately and happily in any situation/distraction and retrieving a article to hand.
My point is that if I was out with one and a rabbit bolted etc I would just command the dog to sit/stop!
Matt
P.s Openshaw needn't watch out, I'm sure there is much more to it and lots of skill involved at his level......I'm also sure that the reason he has so much success is because he is open minded and trains much more thoroughly than most on here hence you not being where he is.

[Judy]

I suspect that any professional trainer will only spend around six weeks training the obedience bit, or more likely, delegate it to their staff. However, the people who come on here asking for help are neither professional nor experienced. Most have no intention of entering Tests never mind Trials, they just want a shooting dog and haven't the time to spend hours and hours training it. As such, helpful posts giving some idea of what to do, where to start to correct a problem are welcomed.
Esoteric arguments about whether it takes six weeks or six years to train a dog or whether somebody like Openshaw, who has been training dogs successfully since he was a kid, uses different methods with different dogs is neither here nor there when you are inexperienced and unable to see the wood for the trees.

In answer to the OP I suspect you need to be much quicker in your responses! If the dog will sit before he starts chasing but won't stop when in full flight then you have to blow sit when he is starting to show signs that he is on to something, he needs to associate the flush with stopping not catching. None of my pups, however obedient, would stop once in full flight, all would stop if I said leave it as soon as they realise something exciting is nearby. Once in full flight I just ignore them and make a mental note to be more aware next time. You don't want to inhibit a dog too much because sooner or later you will want them to chase, just on your say so not their inner urge.

[whistleshappy]

I'm sorry guys, clearly training a gundog is so much more difficult than training a dog for other things

I think that you blinkered. In 6 weeks we take a dog from untrained to fully trained in obedience, I'm talking about very highly driven dogs. I would place money on the fact that their obedience is so good, and trained under so many distractions that game would make no difference to them taking and carrying out a command! I'm sorry if you guys can't even perceive this but I welcome you over to have a look.

Matt

How much?

[mattw (WKD-UK)]

£1000 if u like

[whistleshappy]

£1000 if u like

Can I choose the dog for you?

[mattw (WKD-UK)]

Yes assuming I get 6 weeks with it first.
Can't say fairer than that

[Alice]

I'm sorry guys, clearly training a gundog is so much more difficult than training a dog for other things

I think that you blinkered. In 6 weeks we take a dog from untrained to fully trained in obedience, I'm talking about very highly driven dogs. I would place money on the fact that their obedience is so good, and trained under so many distractions that game would make no difference to them taking and carrying out a command!

I'm sorry if you guys can't even perceive this but I welcome you over to have a look.

Matt

I know a lot more than one fully trained obedience dog who ain't allowed off the lead outside of the ring cos it won't come back!

[whistleshappy]

Yes assuming I get 6 weeks with it first.
Can't say fairer than that

Ok, as long as it's not the deaf, blind & over-weight St Bernard you have there mind!

[Judy]

I'm sorry guys, clearly training a gundog is so much more difficult than training a dog for other things

I think that you blinkered. In 6 weeks we take a dog from untrained to fully trained in obedience, I'm talking about very highly driven dogs. I would place money on the fact that their obedience is so good, and trained under so many distractions that game would make no difference to them taking and carrying out a command!

I'm sorry if you guys can't even perceive this but I welcome you over to have a look.

Matt

I know a lot more than one fully trained obedience dog who ain't allowed off the lead outside of the ring cos it won't come back!

It always makes me smile when I see that immaculately trained OB Ch pulling the handler out of the ring harder than a rampant shire horse.

Equally I know Field Trial winners who occasionally do a runner, they're dogs not machines and with a half decent gundog bred for the field a beginner trainer will be a while before they learn how to preempt a chase. We all have dogs which are rock steady on moving game until our back is turned or our attention wanders, don't we?