Malc

Some contradictory and confusing advice. I'll leave it at that I think.

That's the way

I've got one in my cabinet. I haven't used it for a few years. I had to have the ejection system repaired or should I say replaced because it shattered. It has also had several new firing pins.

Just to add my tuppenny bit...... One of the guns I use more and more for pigeon shooting these days is a Webley & Scott 812b. £350 brand new and it never missed a beat, having fired LOTS of cartridges over the last year or so. For pigeon shooting it's great and saves my better guns from getting scratched, etc. I imagine you could pick up a used one for a good price.

BASC Club or Syndicate insurance gives the same level and extent of cover as individual membership. Don't know about the Scotland question.

He only got the dog yesterday.

£40 is the current rate for most 30 to 32g.

I have a 6 month old Lab bitch in training now. She hunts like a spaniel. I trained her to retrieve the thrown visible dummy first, then thrown into 6 inch tall grass where not visible and at the same time introducing the command "lost". Then onto totally blind retrieves placed (without her seeing) up wind, in 6 inch tall grass. I would work her down wind of the retrieve and repeat the the command "lost". I'm just at the stage of training her to hunt without the wind, but now, on the command "lost" her nose goes down and tail goes up and she hunts great.

Halti is another manufacturer.

I've heard it's very poorly organised and it is very expensive for what you get.

I would just wait a while until the dog gets to know you and it may then behave in a very different manner on the lead. It doesn't need to be perfect on the lead, but it should not be unmanagable.

Sorry for slow reply. To explain my reason.... Throwing dummies/balls/etc is simply a method to train the gundog to retrieve. Your dog now knows how to retrieve now and should move away from this "unrealistic" training to more relevant exercises. If it was just a pet, not a gundog, then this would not matter and would be a really good way of exercising the dog. But your dog is apparently dropping the dummy in front of you in the hope you will throw it again. This is no good. I suspect this is because it has learned that a dropped dummy, means another fun retrieve. Of course in the shooting field this is unacceptable. The dog cannot be allowed to drop game in front of you and should never be encouraged to do so. You would never throw a pigeon or a pheasant for the dog to retrieve, especially if the dog had just brought it back to you, so why do it with a dummy this late in training? The retrieves should be stopped and the dog exercised in other ways for a couple of weeks. Then, when you start retrieves again, never throw them or use a launcher. Always place them blind or get someone else to throw/launch them, some distance away from you and the dog. Get the dog to hunt it up and retrieve it to you. Then accept the retrieve and put it away in your pocket/bag. Send the dog for a second blind retrieve straight after and it should get the idea that retrieving is about bringing balls/dummies/birds back to you, for you to keep and not bringing them back for you to throw again & again.

Disco 2, WITH all the extras.

Sold!

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Good video. Good dog work. I enjoyed watching it twice.

I've shot on loads of airports over the years, both for pest control and sport. Most of them were military, but many had civilian aircraft using them too.

I'm looking for a waxed Barbour Jacket. Must be in "near new" condition. Size 42". Prefer Beaufort, Gamefair Northumbria or Border style.

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IMHO. Try to get rid of the tennis ball and dummy, they have obviously become her toys. I presume that; when she has dropped the retrieve in front of you, that you then rewarded her by picking it up and giving her another retrieve. If this is the case, then it should stop. I suggest that you do not throw any more retrieves ever. After a couple of weeks break with no retrieves, carefully place the odd retrieve without her knowledge,(blind). Make her hunt it up wind. When she retrieves it, put it away in your bag. Praise and move away. Gradually encourage her to come close in and retrieve to hand by backing off and praising.

I had a Ridgeback in the late 1980s. Excellent dog. 13 stone of pure muscle, it had a bark like a fog horn and really protective nature but not overly aggressive.

Good advice from wdg. I would just add; that I do not "take" the dummy, I encourage the dog to "bring it back" to me first and then only later to "give" me it. This is very important indeed, especially with a possessive dog as the one you describe. If you attempt to "take" the retrieve, a possessive dog will really enjoy that game!

Yep, if the dog is a good, keen retriever: don't push it over the top with too many pointless retrieves. Concentrate on "quality" retrieves, rather than quantity. Channel the dogs' eagerness for the retrieve to motivate it to complete other training/practice such as quartering, etc.

My last Lab bitch was a good size for the breed and she was happy in a 36" x 25" crate. Plenty of room for her even if she was in it for prolonged periods. I found that she preferred to curl up on the back door-mat though! LOL. Currently, I have a 22 week old Lab bitch in the same crate and she is fine.

I trained a Cocker dog a few years back and I found no conflict between heel work and quartering. From a very early age he was walked each day around the village on the lead, with very strict attention to his obedience and road safety. He was exercised off lead too, always within shooting range of course. He would hunt & quarter all the time that he was off lead but was never allowed to get on too far. When gundog training commenced in ernest it was very easy to let him use his natural quartering and hunting instincts and still have good control to stop him ranging too far. So I would say, heelwork and general obedience is a good foundation for any spaniel when combined with off lead controlled exercise.