andy_s

No one is invited on this shoot, it's a group of friends on a private farm who aren't trying to attract anyone else no matter how good their dogs are. And no one mentioned dogs on belts dragging owners around or dogs running 100's of metres ahead and ruining the drive. What was said was my dogs wants to work around someone else off to my side and ignores the recall whistle but thanks for the advise scotslad, very helpful.

In typical pigeon watch fashion not much actual advice but thanks to those that have offered words of wisdom. I've not taken him to the shoot since and have just been concentrating on his training and shooting without him. I'll see where we get to by next season.

Completely unacceptable to punch a dog. The guy would have to punch me next if he'd hit my dog. I certainly wouldn't be returning either.

If someone punched my dog I wouldn't be asked to sit in the car, I'd bet getting taken away by the police. I wouldn't take my dog anywhere that it wasn't accepted though. The guy who runs the shoots dog is pretty much the same but his view is that even a bad dog is better than no dog when you have a lot of cover to get through.

I don't take him on driven days, just the walked up syndicate. No one has ever said anything about him partly because most other people on the shoot don't have dogs so any dog is better than no dog and the other dogs that are there aren't much better, if at all than mine. Again, it's only an informal walked up shoot. I find it more annoying for myself as I find I don't enjoy the shooting if he's acting up. I wouldn't take him and just keep him as a pet if we had plenty of other dogs on the shoot. I'm hoping that going back to basics will improve him and I'll see where I get. Thanks.........

As i said before I'm not interested in a blank canvas. If he doesn't improve then I'll live with him how he is. He's a pet and I'm certainly not replacing him just because he doesn't do exactly what I'd like him to. When it's just me and him out for a walk with a gun he'll take direction from hand signals, stop at the whistle and marks birds fine. He will try and retrieve before a command but will stop if I call or whistle. I'm not saying he is perfect when out with me, not by a long shot but he is a completely different dog to when I'm out with other people.

Thanks for the advise, I've got no interest in starting with a new dog though. He was always intended to be a pet but if possible do a bit of work on our walked up days as we have a real shortage of dogs. I will go back to basics with his recall and see where I get. Thanks..........

Thanks, I'll try that. What us the best way to get him to not wander too far in front or to the side? How do I get him to learn to stay within a certain distance of me?

I'm not sure it's the other dogs, i think its the other people. He'll want to go and work around someone else off to the side of me rather than staying near me. As i say, he works fine when its just the two of us so aways found it hard to replicate a shoot day in training.

My 6 year old lab has always been predominantly a pet but comes on our walked up syndicate for around 8 days a season. If he's out with just myself he is steady and works fairly well, although not perfect but any means. On the other hand when out in the syndicate days and other people are involved he seems to do as he wants and pretty much ignores my recall. He's always been excitable around people so this is the issue more than the other dogs or game. What should I be doing to keep him calm and in check? Thanks.......

Thanks for the advice, I ended up not bothering with stain and just applied the oil and it's looking good so far.

Hi people, I have bought one of the stock refinishing kits and I intend to stain the stock so will be using the sealer & filler. Could anyone please advise me, should I stain the stock and then apply the sealer before using then try-oil or use the sealer, then stain, then tru-oil? Thanks.....Andy.

I'm looking for some land to tent for a bit of rough shooting and to release a few pheasants. Nothing to expensive as it won't be for a commercial shoot. Ideally in the Doncaster / S****horpe / Goole area but willing to travel if not too far away. Thanks......Andy.

If you change your mind on posting I'll have the press.

As someone else has said, I may be interested in the odd day if you have any free. I'm only down the road in Crowle so let me know if you have anything. Cheers.......... Andy.