Normally when I train a pup I like it to see and chase game before I make a start to actually training it not to. I have a liking for "flying machines" and do not like to inhibit a pups development by doing a lot of obedience based training until a pup is "flying."
His breeder who brought the pup here for me warned me that the pup is not likely to need much or maybe any encouragement to chase . The pup has not been allowed anywhere near game so far in his young life and after observing and assessing him for the last hour I came to the conclusion that the pup is so hot I'm not going to let him loose on game either for quite a while !
I threw a large but lightweight dummy for him three times and though he'd never seen it before in his life he ran straight out to it , grabbed it at once without even a hint of checking it out first and then galloped straight back again. There is no delivery and certainly no nice present but with coaxing he does give me the dummy back. He appears to have a left hand bias when he returns with dummies for he body swerved me to my right with every one of the three retrieves.
I had been going to take him out of my little garden and into the wood behind my house for a retrieve or two but quickly applied the reverse thrusters to that idea after seeing his very strong interest in birds flying past my garden. He has what is called "prey drive" nowadays, in abundance . If he saw a bird out in the woods I have considerable doubts as to when or if I would ever see him again !
I think he needs to get to know me a bit better before I take him anywhere where he might see a rabbit. I will begin very soon on recall whistle and stop to whistle training with this pup ..... he might be "more dog" than I can handle otherwise ! My wife has already expressed concerns about this because she knows that I normally get out just as fast as I can move to an unruly pup.
In temperament I would say he is bold but not "crazy" bold. He'd never been in a house before for example and it took a few seconds to coax him into my house .....but only a few seconds. Once inside he at once commenced exploring and tried to do a bit of counter surfing too. I tried him with a cheese treat but he would not touch it .....his dinner in a dish is all he is used to but I'd bet that quickly changes.
My other cockers took a very strong interest in him and to begin with his tail went down but then he decided just to ignore them , he even ignored Charlie's attempts to hump him and just carried on with his explorations of the house, the garden and the kennel and run. My Brittany "Libby" on the other hand almost completely ignored him. She is usually a very playful bitch but so far not with this pup . The pup has been so busy exploring that he didn't bother much about Libby either.
As I type this the two of them are sharing a kennel and run with no problems . I think the pup has maybe decided to have a sleep after his 7 hour journey up from England.
The pup is a bit "loose" at the moment. It could be the excitement and the strangeness of it all . So far he has performed "both" out in the garden and inside the house .......wonder how long it will take to house train him ?
I'll feed him once he wakes up and begins moving around the run and then begin his training . I'm a bit worried about my abilities to match this pup's level of "go." I've never seen a springer pup with this much "go" before but he does seem to be a friendly pup that gives good eye contact so maybe I will survive trying to train him.
His breeder has assured me that if I decide I do not want the pup he will be only too pleased to take him back again. Somehow I don't think that will be happening because I do like a "goer."
My grandfather once advised me about marriage. He said the trick was to find a good woman, marry her and then to do as she says !
I want to call this pup "Edge" but my wife likes boys names for dogs . For once I did not knuckle under to her wishes and so I will be calling him "Edge" and she will be calling him " Eddie." Somehow I doubt very much if he will ever be nicknamed " Rock Steady Eddie !" ............. "On Edge" is much more likely so that is the name of his diary.
Wullie
So is he completely 'untouched' or has he had a bit of gentle training?