Gundog Training Forum

Last few weeks of wildfowling season were flat calm , balmy where the dog and I a few times nearly fell asleep watching the duck decoys bob on the tide. No ducks and no geese.
This morning , with the season finished ducks everywhere dropping in nearly on top of the dog. Driving wind and rain forcing geese to come over at head height. They must know the season is over

A mate has just told me that he couldn't understand why his children were being so nice to him last Sunday morning until he realised that they thought it was Father's Day. He has told them it was a practice and given them a few pointers on how it could be improved on for this Sunday!!

Finally receiving the clear certificates for Pra cord1 and Fuco for Dot. I got the results phoned through weeks ago but have been waiting for the certs to forward to the KC.All good Dawnrazor!!

Was out training along the river here with my Chesapeake pup Hamish this morning. He is a very odd dog in many ways. One of them is he is very suspicious of people we encounter while out in the field. He is perfectly friendly at home and with family and friends but does not like to meet people while out training. The river here is pretty big with a strong current and lots of twists and turns. When I arrived I noticed a couple of anglers fishing from the bank but way downstream. I took one of my heavier dummies and threw it far across the current and the moment it hit the water I had a premonition of problems because it was a very long throw and right into the main current. I sent Hamish right away and he charged out but unfortunately a white branch moving in the current on the far bank caught his eye and he passed well upriver of the dummy before I could stop him and redirect him downstream. By this time my dummy was carried about a hundred yards down and going fast. I had pretty well written it off as a lost dummy. However Hamish was swimming hard downstream with determination. Just before he disappeared around a bend I saw him raise the front of his body high in the water to see better and then strike off swimming hard. I felt he had sighted the dummy and perhaps there was hope but he was gone around the bend and out of sight. Now I started to fear I had lost a dummy and a dog!

However after just a couple of minutes he came into sight trotting up the river bank with the dummy in his mouth. I was very proud of him but here is the part that made me smile. The two anglers were about 80 years from me downstream and between me and Hammy. I saw him stop 30-40 yards from them and give them his very worried Chesapeake look. I am sure he was probably growling as well. He seemed to consider the situation and turned and headed up the bank and into the woods. A minute later he reappeared out of the woods right behind me, dummy in his mouth and delivered nicely to hand. He had taken a big detour to avoid the strangers on the river.


I know by all trial standards it was very bad form but he delivered the retrieve in difficult conditions made me laugh out loud. He got a hearty "good boy" and a few fun bumpers as a reward.

Yes, great retrieve considering normal occurrences can be huge obstacles for a young dog. I find, I have to frequently remind myself to always look at things from the dogs perspective as best I can.

Your Hamish seems to have good drive that will serve well in overcoming small fears.

Our bird table out in the garden was , once more, being raided by a grey squirrel. My wife usually opens the door into the garden then flaps her arms and shouts "Shoo !" at them but they ignore that now. My daughter said she usually chases away squirrels from her bird table by barking loudly at them as a dog would do ……….. so I was treated to the sight and sound of my wife and daughter standing there barking their heads off and sort of bouncing about in a semi-crouch as a dog might do.

The squirrel was hugely impressed and sat upright on the bird table to watch the rest of the show …….. I dissolved into laughter and began singing …." Who let the dogs out ?"
Wummin are funny creatures with no much brains , there were four dogs in the house and all that was needed was to let them out.


Wullie

A frantic phone call from my wife whilst out walking the dogs to say there was a snake in the kitchen, I made my way home pondering grass snake or adder or perhaps an escaped pet. Got home to find a small slow worm minding it's own business in a corner of the kitchen. What really made me laugh was my wife's face when without a word but no doubt a long suffering glance in her direction, I picked it up and took it back out into the garden!