How would you guys deal with this?

[Naj]

[Stacia]

Absolutely

[Megsdad]

Lovely to read this Rascal. Great bit of rescue work.
Heddly Millington will be having a word with Upstairs which bodes well for your operation!

[Silver Lining]

Hi Rascal, any more news on "Hank The Tank! ?! Have really enjoyed reading your progress and would love to know how things are going....

[Rascal]

I will update this in a couple of weeks or so...

Rascal

[Alice]

just read this whole thread- you are a bloody good egg Rascal!

[Terry]

This is a great recount and was very pleased to read it, a little close to home on the retrieve thing as we know but he sounds like he is comfortable with your efforts , so well done on that always pleasing to hear a dog getting some TLC.!!
How can people be soooooooooooooo nasty to animals really makes me very angry...

Sounds like he has a good future in the future Love it.!

[Rascal]

Thanks for the nice comments I have to say I think it says more about Hank and his character, rather than me though......He's certainly provided me with a much welcome distraction over the last weeks so a little update.....

First the bad news, I rather stupidly went over on the side of my foot in the garden last Saturday and broke my fifth metatarsal, it certainly felt like the longest day for me for loads of reasons...! Just the very worst thing that could have happened right now as it's going to delay my operations and will mean I'm unlikely to be working my dogs this season....

Any how Hank is now at my mates and has been there for three weeks or so, he's settled in really well and gets on well with his dogs. He doesn't like being in a kennel where he can't see the other dogs though so my mate has had to do some kennel modifications. He had a trim which wasn't too traumatic in fact he quite enjoyed it once he realised the clippers were ok..The massaging I'd done before playing it's part in that I think...

I had some time away from him too when he first moved in because in the relatively short time I'd been working with him he'd really latched onto me and I him so I needed to break that and let him build a bond with my mate..We chatted regularly though..

The stick thing will take a good while longer for him to be completely happy about but he's much, much better. He's still worried by it if either of us have one in our hands and move it too quick but he can now recall him with it stuck in the ground next to him or leave him in a sit next to it. And I had the bright idea of putting a lanyard on it then attaching it to a game/dummy bag. He would walk at heel if it was trailed in that fashion but would jump away sideways if suddenly he could no longer hear it. By repetition he's got less jumpy and he will now deliver to my mate with it attached in that fashion too so it's coming.. Slowly slowly building up that picture in his mind.... He can now also hunt him carrying a stick in the normal manner without his tail going under his legs and him going sticky and worried.

He'll retrieve a canvas dummy too with no hesitation or dropping it as he gets near my mate.. We built that up from his bone to wrapping it in canvas and building up to doing short retrieves or hunting him onto it.....And then just swapping it onto a canvas dummy on a hunt up.

He's a tad keen on a single seen thrown dummy, on the edge of running in still but we've probably not helped that in building up his delivery although it's only ever been on his name. He's more steady in his head on a split retrieve and will wait without looking like he's on the edge and take direction.

We certainly can't ever use the running him down technique otherwise we'd be back to square one in no time......My mate will need to build that up in a different way by letting him work out in his brain box that running in or moving on a dummy doesn't get him the reward he wants and it's on my mates terms not his. So he's going to start and put some pressure on him but not in physical way. He's borrowed a multi dummy launcher from a mate of his and will start utilising that.

He needs to learn the stop as a positive thing not something to be worried about and my mates been working on that, he's beginning to learn that everything starts with the stop in a positive way not a threatening way. He'll re introduce the sit to shot too, not hover with his bum not quite touching the ground or stand....Gradually introducing working with other dogs and honouring them working too.

He's also had a retrieve of a cold rabbit and a relatively warm rabbit as my mate wanted to check if there where any issues with either mouth or delivery of cold or warm game before putting a lot more time in and thankfully not....

The best bit was after a break (no pun intended ) of a week of him being at my mates when I did go back he was very pleased to see me and actually got hold of my cuff and held on gently whilst wiggling from head to foot when he greeted me.. What a difference from the dog I first saw, its lovely to see him happy and looking a lot less worried. I'm going to look forward very much to seeing him out working this season coz I think he will definitely make it....He's enjoying his new home and owner..

Terry the secret here was he "took" it on his name I didn't put it in his mouth but offered it and he released it on command too I didn't "take" it....And it was an item he was happy doing this with initially...I don't have enough experience in undertaking force fetch/ hold type training so I worked with him...

The odd thing is when I finally managed to sneak back and see him yesterday whilst TBWH was at work (I drive an automatic and it's my left foot) he wasn't concerned by my crutches at all. Maybe he knew I my need was greater than his.....

Five spaniels and crutches are not a good mix....My dogs are now happily being untrained by TBWH.... and he's finally had to learn the gentle art of poo picking too..

Rascal (AKA Extremely frustrated of Deepest Darkest)

[Terry]

Sorry to hear about the foot, sounds painful. I am still trying to get over knee surgery and its bad enough with one Spaniel let alone 5.
Re the secret , i started that with Bertie this week and he is on it but giving it up is taking an age but i just keep encouraging him.!!

[Terry]

that should have been at the end sorry....