now the seasons over what training do people with dogs

[allan450]

now its finished for a few months i would like to see people opinions on dog training/exercise.me personally bring the 3 gsps in the morning for an hour through fields sometimes we meet game so time we dont.once or twice a week il do a bit of dummy work and stop whistle work just to keep them sharp.as the season was coming to a close i noticed a few small things starting to unravel a bit.like ignoring hand signals and return whistle time and again.so il get that sorted.il do a bit of water work when the river currant isnt as strong.as for the cockers an hour in afternoon fields where i hope to meet a few rabbits to get them going.i just keep the cockers quartering infront of me but after awhile if their is no scent its like he gets board and slows down abit is their anyways around this.also whistle work,blind retrieves,and water work.if anyone has any better ideas for the cockers much appreciated.no wants a slow cocker ha ha.

[Naj]

Just work your cocker for 20 - 30 minutes or until he begins to lose pace. With an experienced dog/one that has had a season's shooting behind him I wouldn't worry unduly. My cockers wouldn't hunt unless I had a gun with me. They're not daft. Come next season they'll be up for it again. If you have somewhere where you can shoot rabbits over them you can train on-the-job.

Naj

[Naughty Boy]

we have now finished training our trails dogs for the time being.
whilst they wont have free time as such there wont be any strict code of conduct for around a month or so. (no free running or hunting though!!!) then come march we will be back on rabbits etc and sharpen them back up for a while before the summer siesta.
then start again as soon as the season starts as hopefully will be my first trials

a friend of ours wont now do any training until the shooting season starts again, but then he knows a thing or two about training and his dogs are far far above ours so dont need as much!!!!

[Springfield Pointers]

My dogs get a good layoff during the summer. Mainly because of the concern about snakes, and also I feel it's only fair to lay the gamebirds when they pair off, are on eggs or have chicks. Once the season starts, as it does in April, they get fit very fast. One can build up a great bond with the dogs in the off season.

[allan450]

i wont run them where the birds are nesting il keep to bogs.iv a great bond in the on/off season anyway.the dogs are in the house most of the day and as im only working odd days i spend alot of time with them.maybe i have them out to much in the off season so 5 times a week at least.

[LJR]

February I will continue training whilst there are still birds about to sharpen up the commands again.

Then training will drop back to 2/3 times a week.

Tbh I enjoy training and so do the dogs - I think! - so it's really a combination of training and exercise to keep us going until next season - yay!

I have a litter due in 4 weeks so that will be keeping me occupied.

[Hepe]

Now the training begin in earnest for the next season and summer competitions. To be honest, i almost resorted to plan ahead, me planning training, the world is never going to be the same! I want to start my cocker in some Working tests during spring/summer, i have a title to defend there too but most of all i really really want our handling to be crisp, clear and without any confusion come next season - i aim to do well in open. For the Queen to be basics basics basics in different environment with distractions and a derby in June, she'll be too young for me to aim for winning but i would dearly love for her to ooze confidence and sparkle, i'm not too fussed about the details. I also want to dust off my IWS and bring him out to some WT's for that he needs training away from home in new groups and new environment. Add to that working full time, part time studies plus itching to do some gardening, sowing and fixing...

I have lots of concepts and setups i want to teach my dogs, each of them requiring quite some basics and building up, i am a lazy person but i have to work against my nature this year.

Helene

[Bryn]

Bryn - Working towards monthly field tests and start working towards the KCGC Gold award in March. Continuing to build on what's in place.

Retrieving is generally good but could do to extend his distance on blinds, won't start on water work until March and even then it'll be a retrieve or 2 at the end of a weekend session starting simple then slowly increase the difficulty.

Hunting has come on leaps and bounds after the 4 shoots we managed to get to but is still the weakest area, not because he doesn't find anything that's there but I'd like to sharpen his responses up a bit.

Lily - Extend distance on marks, first memories this week then extend distances and go from there, introduce water in March and see how it goes. Need to find a Lab trainer at some point.

Most of all not make the mistake I did last year and overdo things

[Judy]

Well, finished the season with two Beaters' Days during which the girls had three really long memorable retrieves on runners which was a nice note to end on.

Then, last bird of the last day we had a mass run in. Worse, the bird landed six feet in front of the gun whose dog also ran in and got there first. So, lots and lots of steadiness and we need to work on handling at distances too as I appear to only have one who remembers that skill and she missed a few weeks at the end of the season through injury and then coming on heat. I actually had to walk nearer to a couple of birds, outrageous keeping a dog and walking yerself!

[sandra]

I too had a bit of a disappointing end to the season on beater's day on Saturday. Woody the springer was working so well hunting along long stretches of hedges and ditches in and out nice and close, sitting to flush, had a nice retrieve as he sat and watched it fall then right at the last minute he flushed a bird out of a hedge and watched it fly across a field having been missed by the gun and off he went!! the excitement was obviously too much at the end of the day so back to steadiness for us too! On the plus side he has matured hugely throughout the season so very pleased with that.
This week though all four dogs have been out together just blowing off steam (under control of course!) and we'll be back to some gentle training again in the next couple of weeks